Chapter Text
The Black Thistle was a dimly lit pub tucked away in a narrow London alley, its wooden beams stained by years of smoke and laughter. The air was thick with the scent of whisky and spilled ale, mingling with the low murmur of late-night patrons. Jamie Fraser, tall and composed, sat with his friend and cousin, Rupert Mackenzie at the bar, his tailored jacket hinting at the quiet power he wielded as CEO of his family’s whisky company, Fraser’s Ridge. Despite his success, there was an unassuming kindness in his eyes, a gentle warmth that set him apart.
“How have ye been lad?” Rupert shouted over the pulsing music and the crowd pressing onto the dancefloor.
Jamie gave a slight nod. “Och, I’ve been bonny enough. Fraser’s Ridge is finally taking off. Lallybroch’s thriving, and Jenny and Ian are expectin’ another lass.”
Rupert arched a brow. “And ye?”
Jamie snorted, knowing his cousin wasn’t daft—he’d carefully dodged the question about himself. “Aye, weel, I’m doin’ braw.”
Rupert chuckled, his round belly jiggling with the movement. “Braw, is it? Met any new lassies lately?”
Jamie rolled his eyes with a huff. “Nae, I havena’. Unless they show up at the distillery, I’m no likely tae.”
Across the room, Claire Beauchamp leaned heavily against a scarred wooden table, a half-empty glass of scotch in her hand. Her dark hair was tousled, her eyes sharp but tired, carrying the weight of loss and rebellion. Medical textbooks lay forgotten beside her, their pages marked with notes that clashed with the wildness of her current state. She was a tempest—brilliant, broken, and unapologetically defiant.
Beside her, Geillis sat with a sly grin, swirling her own drink. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, a stark contrast to Claire’s stormy intensity. "Ye’re no’ going to let them see you break, are you?" Geillis teased softly, her voice a low purr.
Claire shot her a glance, half amused, half weary. "Not tonight," she replied, taking a long sip from her glass, the scotch burning down her throat like a bitter reminder of everything she was fighting against. Claire grinned mischievously, “Dance wit’ me, Gelly,” she sang with her slurred Brits accent.
Geillis shook her head, smiling but firm. “No, Claire, no’ tonight.”
“Gelly!” Claire crooned, curling a finger in a come-hither motion. “You know you want to!” Geillis hesitated, then finally gave in, laughter bubbling up as she rose to her feet. The two of them stumbled toward the dancefloor, Claire’s skin‑tight black dress clinging to every curve as though it had been poured onto her body. Her brown curls bounced wildly around her shoulders, catching the dim lights as she moved with a kind of reckless abandon that made heads turn.
The pulsing beat swallowed them whole, vibrating through the floorboards and straight into their bones. Claire threw her arms up, hips swaying in a slow, provocative roll that made Geillis laugh and follow suit. They pressed close, bodies brushing, spinning in a messy, drunken rhythm that was more instinct than choreography. Claire’s movements were untamed, sensual in their looseness — the kind of dancing that came from too much whisky and not enough inhibition. She dragged her fingers through her curls, letting them fall over her face as she tipped her head back, laughing at nothing and everything. Geillis matched her step for step, the two of them a perfect storm of defiance and release, their bodies twisting together beneath the dim, smoky lights.
They danced like they were daring the world to look away. They danced like they were trying to forget. They danced like the night belonged to them.
Jamie noticed her immediately. There was an undeniable magnetism in the way she moved—a raw, untamed edge beneath her surface that pulled at his curiosity. Claire caught his gaze from the dance floor and smirked, a spark of mischief and challenge lighting her eyes. Moments later, she was at his side, close enough for him to catch the scent of her perfume mingled with the sweat of wild dancing.
She leaned heavily on the bar, too drunk to stand steady without its support. "Another Ridge Reserve, Doug," she called out.
The bartender grinned, pouring a neat dram before teasing, "Claire, ye’re here far too often no' tae ken my name, lass. Dougal. Dougal Mactavish."
Claire snorted, "I ken that fine, DOUGAL. But it gets your attention faster when I call you Doug."
Dougal chuckled, then glanced at Jamie, nodding toward him. "Fraser’s Ridge Reserve seems tae be yer favorite, Claire. Have ye met the CEO of Fraser’s Ridge?"
Claire’s eyes widened as she looked at Jamie, momentarily speechless. He smiled warmly and extended his hand. "James Fraser."
She stared for a heartbeat before remembering to respond, "Oh! Um, Claire Beauchamp."
When she took his hand, Jamie didn’t shake it—instead, he lifted it to his lips with a soft hum. "My pleasure."
Claire’s cheeks flushed, but before she could say more, Geillis’s voice rang out from across the room, "Get me a dram, Claire-Bear!"
She shook off the moment and turned back to Dougal. "Doug! You heard the lass."
While Dougal prepared a drink for Geillis, Jamie leaned in, taking advantage of the opportunity. "Ye look like ye dinnae belong here," Jamie said quietly, his voice calm but curious.
Claire laughed—a rough, raw sound shaped by too many late nights and too much drink. "And you look like you’re about to lecture me on the dangers of drinking too much alcohol."
He smiled, slow and genuine. "No’ at all. I’m more interested in why someone like ye... would be drowning herself in it."
She shrugged, eyes flashing with defiance. "Life’s complicated. Medical school’s a bitch, and sometimes the only way to survive is to fight dirty."
Jamie’s gaze softened. "Maybe ye dinnae have to fight alone."
Claire’s smirk faltered, giving way to a rare flicker of vulnerability. "Maybe," she murmured, swirling the amber liquid in her glass. "But considering I’ve lost everyone who mattered to me, I’d wager you’re wrong, Mr. Fraser."
Dougal, overhearing their exchange, leaned in as he handed Claire the glass. "Dinnae fash yerself, lad. She’s hardly alone when she’s here. I see two of her usuals waiting in the wings as we speak."Claire’s eyes darted toward where Dougal was nodding, landing on Frank Randall watching her from across the room. Just a few steps away stood John Grey, grinning like he’d already won her company for the night.
Claire’s cheeks flushed, and she stammered, "I’ll just be on my way," holding up Geillis’s drink as an excuse, "she’s waiting."
Rupert, never one to miss an opportunity, leaned over with a grin. "I'm open to becoming a regular, lass," he said, raising his glass in a mock toast. Claire glanced at Rupert, then back at Jamie, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips as she spun on her heels to meet Geillis at their table.
Jamie watched her go, then turned to Dougal with a curious look. "What’s her story?"
Dougal shrugged, wiping down the bar with a rag. "She’s been here fairly regular for months now. Studies her wee books for a bit, then gets hammered, and leaves with her friend or some random lad."
Jamie nodded slowly, eyes still lingering on where Claire had disappeared. "Aye, she’s a wild one."
Jamie nursed his whisky at the bar, but his attention never left her. Claire Beauchamp — the wild, storm‑eyed lass who’d stumbled into his life only an hour earlier — was now on the dancefloor, and the sight of her stole the breath from his lungs. The music throbbed through the pub, bass vibrating in the floorboards, lights flashing in hazy pulses. Claire was in the center of it all, her strapless black dress hugging every curve, her brown curls bouncing wildly as she moved. She danced like she was made of fire and defiance, hips rolling, arms lifted, laughter spilling from her lips.
And she wasn’t alone.
John Grey was behind her, hands on her hips, matching her rhythm with a practiced ease. Frank Randall stood in front of her, leaning in close, his fingers brushing her jaw as though he had some claim to her. Claire didn’t belong to either of them. But she let them orbit her like moths to a flame.
She arched her back against John, her body pressing into his, then spun forward, her hands sliding up Frank’s chest. The three of them moved together in a slow, sensual grind that made half the pub stop and stare. Jamie’s grip tightened around his glass. He should look away. He should walk out. He should forget her name, her laugh, the way she’d smirked at him earlier like she already knew he’d be trouble.
But he couldn’t.
Claire tipped her head back, curls spilling down her spine, and kissed John — a hot, messy, drunken kiss that made John’s hands tighten on her waist. Jamie’s chest burned, but before he could process the jealousy twisting inside him, Claire turned, grabbing Frank by the collar and pulling him into a kiss too — rough, impulsive, claiming. The crowd whooped. John laughed. Frank pulled her closer.
And Jamie… Jamie couldn’t breathe.
He’d known her for minutes, yet watching her kiss those men felt like a punch to the ribs. Something primal and possessive stirred in him, something he didn’t recognize — or didn’t want to. Claire broke the kiss with Frank, laughing breathlessly, her cheeks flushed, her curls wild. She looked like chaos incarnate. Beautiful. Untouchable. Dangerous. Jamie swallowed hard, unable to tear his eyes away. He’d never seen anything like her. And God help him, he shouldn't want to.
The music throbbed through her bones, the bass vibrating up her legs and into her chest, drowning out everything she didn’t want to feel. Good. She needed loud. She needed numb. She needed anything but the ache that had been clawing at her since she’d locked eyes with the tall redheaded stranger at the bar.
John’s hands slid around her hips, warm and familiar, guiding her into the rhythm. That’s it, she told herself. This is what you know. This is safe. John was damaged in the same ways she was — reckless, indulgent, always looking for the next distraction. His touch didn’t scare her. It didn’t ask anything of her. It didn’t threaten to mean something. She leaned back into him, letting her body melt against his. His fingers dug into her waist, steady, grounding. Good. Perfect. Stay here. Stay in this.
Frank moved in front of her, his hands brushing her jaw, his breath warm against her cheek. He was comfort — predictable, easy, someone who didn’t look at her like she was made of starlight and danger. She needed comfort tonight. Not intensity. Not hope. But then she felt it. A prickle at the back of her neck. A pull stronger than the music. She opened her eyes and found him.
Jamie Fraser. Still at the bar. Still watching her like she was the only thing in the room worth seeing. Her stomach flipped violently. No. No, no, no. Don’t look at me like that. Don’t want me. I’ll ruin you. He looked too good. Too steady. Too whole. Everything she wasn’t. Everything she didn’t deserve. She needed to push him away. Hard. Before he got ideas. Before she did.
So she tilted her head back against John and kissed him — messy, hungry, reckless. His hands tightened on her hips, pulling her closer. The crowd cheered. But Jamie… Jamie didn’t move. He just stared, jealousy radiating off him like heat. It wasn’t enough. Fine. She’d push harder.
She reached for Frank, fisting his shirt and dragging him into a kiss too — rough, deliberate, a performance meant for one pair of eyes only. Jamie’s jaw clenched. Good. Let him hate her. Let him walk away. But the ache in her chest didn’t ease. Not even a little. She needed to go further.
Claire grabbed Geillis’s hand, dragging her off the dancefloor and toward the bar. “Shots,” she muttered, ordering two without looking at anyone. She downed hers in one swallow, the burn sharp enough to make her eyes water. Then she turned, saw Jamie and Rupert standing only inches away, and something reckless snapped inside her. “Fuck it,” she whispered.
She grabbed Geillis by the waist and pulled her into a kiss — slow, sensual, deliberate — right in front of them. Geillis met her with the same fire, delighted. This wasn't the first time. Rupert whooped loudly, slapping the bar. “Christ Almighty, that’s a sight for sore eyes!”
Claire didn’t care. She didn’t care about the crowd, or the cheers, or the heat of the lights. She cared about one thing: Jamie Fraser seeing her and deciding she wasn’t worth the trouble. Because if he didn’t… If he kept looking at her like that… She wasn’t sure she’d survive it.