A DIFFICULT GOODBYE
Glande's POV
The apartment was unusually quiet when I opened my eyes.
For a moment, I simply lay still, listening.
The soft hum of the air conditioner.
The faint sound of traffic somewhere outside.
The steady rhythm of my own breathing.
Then reality settled over me.
Today was the day.
In just a few hours, I would be leaving Chicago on a business trip with Alex.
It wasn't my first business trip.
But it was the first time I would be away from Liam for several days.
That thought alone made my chest tighten.
I turned my head toward the alarm clock.
Five-thirty.
Earlier than I normally woke up.
Sleep hadn't lasted very long anyway.
I slowly climbed out of bed and walked toward the window.
The city was only beginning to wake.
A pale orange glow stretched a
