I’m back in my scrubs, a high-collared undershirt hiding the bandage on my neck. But then I see Liam’s name on the bypass surgery scheduled for Room 4. My surgery.

"The Chief cleared me, Liam," I say, my voice cracking.

"The Chief cleared you because you’re a master at faking your vitals," he says, stepping into my space.

Before I can answer, Liam grabs my arm and pulls me into the nearest door, slamming it shut just as the Chief passes by. The janitor’s closet. We are pressed chest-to-chest.

"Let go of me," I hiss.

"Be quiet, June." He pins me into the corner. My lungs, still recovering, start to tighten. "I can't... breathe," I gasp.

Liam presses his palm flat against my chest, right over my heart. "Breathe with me," he commands. "Match me."

"Why do you care?" I rasp. "If I fail, you win."

"I realized I don't want a victory if you aren't there to fight me for it," he whispers. "A world where I’m the best because you’re gone... that’s a prison."

"I'm scared, Liam. What if I’m broken?"

"You're not broken," he growls, his hand cupping the back of my neck. "I’ll be your lungs, June. I’ll be your hands if they shake. I’d rather be second to you than first to anyone else." He closes the distance, and as his mouth crashes against mine, I can finally, truly, catch my breath.

🥇 "I’d rather be second to you than first to anyone else." Did Liam just win the award for the best rivals-to-lovers confession ever?! 😭 Tell us your favorite part of this scene in the comments! 👇 Hit that ❤️ if you are screaming over their first kiss, and share this episode with your bestie! 🏆✨ #RomanticAudioClub