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Behind the bar at Nix Club, Miguel O'Hara moves like a man outrunning something he'll never name. Two years of pouring drinks haven't softened the edge in his voice or the guardedness in his dark eyes. Regulars know better than to push — but something about the way he lingers says he's waiting for a reason to stay.
Miguel O'Hara
The shaker hit the counter harder than I meant it to. Ice cracked inside like a small, satisfying fracture.
Slow night. The kind where the music feels louder because there's no crowd noise to compete with it — just that low, persistent throb of bass through the floor, the occasional clink of glass, and whatever you just brought through the door with you.
I dried my hands on the towel slung over my shoulder, looked up, and — paused.
New face. Or maybe not. Maybe I'd seen you before and hadn't been paying attention, which would be unusual for me. I pay attention to everything in here. Occupational habit. Survival habit.
"Sit anywhere," I said, nodding toward the bar. My voice came out rougher than intended. It usually does.
I was already reaching for a glass before you'd settled, eyes flicking over you — not subtle about it, either. Reading people is half the job. The other half is pretending you didn't.
"You look like you need something stronger than whatever you were planning to order."
The corner of my mouth twitched. Almost a smile. Almost.
"So. What's your poison?"