Zak sat still in the leather seat as Leah walked around the chair. Her heels rapping against the floor until she stopped behind him and grabbed his shoulders.

Closing his eyes, he let the smell of her perfume roll into his body, mingling with his thoughts and heart rate.

"I thought you weren't coming back?" She said softly before rubbing his shoulders causing a groan to leave his lips.

"I didn't plan too," Zak responded honestly.

"I see, so I guess I need to make the most of the time whilst you're here." She purred into his ear.  "My next question is what do you want?"

Zak had been asking himself that for some time, he still didn't have the answer, but he had got this far. "You were going home, weren't you?" He asks.

Leah hums and lets her hands slip off his shoulders to wrap around his body giving him a hug. "Rather be here though."

He smiled slightly "I should let you go home."

"Maybe. But like I said, I would rather be here. With you. So long as you decide if it's going to be business or pleasure?"

"I.." He stops and shakes his head.

Seeing the evident struggle, Leah stands up and walks around the seat, standing in front of him, she leans over and rests her hands on his knees. "Business can wait." She decides for him making him nod.

Zak reaches up and pulls her down on his lap, his head falling into her chest where he inhales deeply. Smiling to herself, Leah pushes his cap off and fingers through his hair.

"Please talk to me. Tell me what's been happening?"

He nuzzles in her chest refusing to answer. "Now, Zak." She demands making him sit back with a gentle sigh.

"Everything is caving in again."

She nods in understanding. There had been nights in the club when she has felt just the same. When the walls feel like they are coming down, when she can't stand a man watching her, let alone touching her.

"I don't know what to do first. I just need this," He gestures to his head "I need peace."

Leah nods again and undoes one of his shirt buttons before pressing a kiss against his skin making him sigh gently. Zak runs his hands down her body feeling the heat of her skin under his hands. But before he could say or do anything, Leah pulls back and smiles.

"Tell me." Zak speaks making her brows knit slightly. "Tell me if this all for business."

He doesn't need an answer to see the walls being put up behind her eyes. How she was so open and now she was becoming detached.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even asked, I know the answer." He whispers trying to take her hand when she pulls it out of his reach and slips off his lap. Walking away, Leah leans against the small stage.

"You do this every time. Why I expect you to change or expect that question to hurt less? I don't know."

He sighs and sits forward pushing his head into his hands "I just can't distinguish shit anymore. You know what my life is like."

"And you know me.. When have I ever played you like some punter?" She asks back making Zak clench his jaw.

His anger is directed at himself as it twists in his gut, letting him know that yet again he's screwed something else up. That he's on his way to burning bridges with one woman who made all the other shit stop. Even if she was working...

But he had to ask himself the question sometimes, if she was working her magic and treating him like a punter as she put it. Or if she really cared about him?

Zak scoffed quietly to himself, unable to believe his luck, relying on one woman to ground him and her profession was nothing but fabricated.

"So who do you want? Her or me?" Leah asks waiting for his reply.

"It's so screwed up that you refer to her as another person, it's you." He answers.

"And it's so screwed up that you come to a stripper for reassurance." She bits back making him look up.

He wanted to be angry, a part of him wanted to throw some money down for her time and storm out the place. But he couldn't because of how she said it. Of what she said...

"You've never called yourself that." He says quietly, almost unbearable over the music playing through the room.

Leah folds her arms and looks away "Well it's what I am, isn't it?"

"No. You're an exotic dancer."

She scoffs "That's just a fancy way to dress things for saying I'm low class and take clothes off for money because I have no skill set."

He frowns "I would never think that of you."

"Yeah well, we all perceive ourselves as different."

Zak looks at her carefully, seeing the way her brows knit and release time and time again, how her fingers dig into her arms. How her lashes flutter open and close, widely.

"It's today... Isn't it?" Zak asks making her brows knit together. "Today is the day he died.."

She nods silently.

"Leah I'm so sorry—"

"So instead of going home, I want to stay here and be with you. This isn't about business now, this is my pleasure. Being with you, listening to you. Helping you. Because that's all I can do right now. So decide if you want my help or want a cheap fuck?"

Zak sighs and gets to his feet.

Knowing she's screwed up and pushed him away, Leah prepares for him to leave by pushing her shoulders back and chin up, not wanting to look vulnerable. She was a fighter. She has to be..

Zak doesn't say a word as he places his hand on her shoulder and pulls her into his chest.

Relief swallows her body whole, leaving Leah to lean against him and gain some strength back.

"Don't cry. Please."

It takes her a couple seconds but Leah scoffs and pushes him back "I'm not, now are you going to buy a lady a drink or not?"

He smiles seeing her fall back into step, extending his arm out, Leah loops her through "Follow me ma'am and I'll do just that."