I opened my eyes, blinking slowly. I didn't have a clue of where I was. That rarely mattered these last few years of my life, but for once I felt uncomfortable. Sitting up in the leather sofa, I wrapped the blanket around me. The room was pitch dark, but the feel of leather beneath my fingers made me remember. 

Matthews' office. 

I scrambled up from the sofa and threw the blanket off my shoulders. A loud bang broke the silence as I crashed into something that toppled over, falling to the floor. 

Damn. 

Someone lit a lamp in an adjacent room I hadn't noticed before. 

I stood like a startled deer, unable to move and just watching as Matthews appeared in the doorway. 

"You're awake," he said. It didn't sound as if had been asleep--his voice was too clear.  

"Evidently."

"If you're calm, I'll take you home." 

I didn't know how I felt about that. One reason was that I didn't want to owe him anything, another that I didn't like the thought of being alone in a car with him, lastly, I didn't want him to know where I lived. I knew it was silly, especially since he hadn't done anything to make me distrust him so far. 

"It's alright. My place isn't far away," I lied. 

"It's four AM, and this isn't the best neighborhood, so please don't argue about this." He picked up his coat, as if it was already decided. 

"I think I can handle it, and I think I can find my way out." I just wanted to get out of his presence. It was too heavy, like he dominated the room even when he was standing still in silence. 

He didn't answer, instead he held the door open for me. Gulping down the ball of unease that had lodged in my throat, I stepped past him out into the corridor. 

He guided me through the building, not saying another word. I began to think that he might just show me the way out and that I was off the hook. 

I shouldn't have been so naive. As soon as we went outside into the cold air, he placed his coat over my shoulders and took hold of my hand. Mine burned in his. It wasn't just a tingle of awareness or unease, it was fire. 

"Look, I wasn't going to say this in the middle of the night like this, but I have a proposition for you," Matthews said. 

I didn't even want to know, so I didn't ask. 

That didn't seem to matter, because he continued. "I'm going to offer you a job. It doesn't have anything to do with the club, because honestly, you're not ready for that."

"I don't need a job." The lie slipped past my lips. I had to get a job, otherwise I would be out on the street in a matter of days, but I wasn't desperate enough to take on an offer from this man.

"I think you do. I talked to Lisa, if you remember. She didn't say anything out right, but it doesn't take a fool to see that you're in some kind of trouble."

He waited for me to reply, but I didn't know what to say. A sleek black car blinked in the dark. I winced. I shouldn't get into that thing, but it was damn difficult to say no to the guy. 

His hold around my hand became firm and then looser again. A squeeze. As if to reassure me. It didn't work. 

Opening the car door, he waved for me to get inside. 

I gave up. The easiest way to get out of this situation was to let him have his way and drive me somewhere that wasn't my apartment. Grudgingly, I sat down in the seat and tried to relax. It wouldn't do me any good if he saw how nervous I was. 

As the car pulled away from the curb, he asked for directions. I instinctively said left, which was the right way. 

"This job will pay rather well for a small amount of work, and I think it would do you good."

I didn't reply. I didn't want to know. 

The ride continued with me giving brief directions at the intersections and nothing in between. He seemed to let go of the idea, not bothering to say anything else on the subject. 

Noticing that we were in one of the better parts of town, I asked him to stop. It wasn't too far from my place, and the way there would be safe enough. Moreover, if he believed I lived here, he might think I said the truth about not wanting a job. 

He chuckled as he stopped the car. It was a soft chuckle, one that made me stare at him with my eyebrows asking whatever it was I wasn't saying out loud. 

"You're an awful liar, Ethan." 

Without uttering another word, I released the seat belt and pulled the handle to get out. 

It was locked. 

"What the fuck, man! Let me out of here." The words seeped out in a nasty flow. My eyes hardened, knowing that I wouldn't get away with this, but also that more than ever, I had to show some of that strength that kept coming and going. I wasn't going to be bullied by this asshole. 

"If you need a job, call me and I'll let you know the details." 

The locks popped up, and I almost fell out of the car in my hurry to get as far away from him as possible. 

The window came down, but I ignored it and started to walk away. 

"Take care of yourself, Ethan," I heard him say before the engine purred to life and drowned the rest. 

I stopped and watched as the car drove away, the red lights disappearing into the night as if the danger waved goodbye for now. 

Shaking, I wrapped the coat closer. His coat. 

That bastard! He thought I would go back and return it. Well, that wouldn't happen. Hopefully, I would never meet that man again. Going to that club had been the worst of worst ideas, and I'd had many of those throughout my life. 

Now I just had to forget about this and get a job. I knew the chances were slim, but perhaps Lisa could help me. 

She had to, otherwise I would be out on the street again. 

"Hey, kid!" someone said behind me, driving a chill through my body. I recognized that voice. 

I knew it was useless to run so I turned around. "What do you want, Sam?"

"I recall someone owing me a fair amount of money." He tapped his chin. "Ah, yes, now I remember. You owe me. You didn't think I forgot, right?"

"I'll get you the money. Just need a bit of time. Just got out from St. Mary's."

"Trying to get clean, eh? That shit is wasted on you. What're you doing here anyways?" He waved his hand around, looking at the grand houses. 

"Just had to get away from someone. Can you give me a week, Sam? For old times?" 

"Do we have old times?"

"Do you want the money back or not?"

"Making threats now are we, E? Thought you were smarter than that."

I didn't reply. Breathing deep, I tried to hold my chin high. If I cowered down in front of this guy, it would be even worse than doing it in front of Matthews. 

"But sure, perhaps you can get something from sugar-daddy. Didn't know you were desperate enough to play that card, but who am I to judge." The bastard had the audacity to grin. I wanted to spit in his face but thought better of it. Most likely, he had a knife in one of those large coat pockets. 

"I'm not," I replied instead. 

"Well, how else are you going to get hold of 5 thousand bucks?"

I paled. I didn't owe him that much, but I would be in trouble if I didn't cough up the money without protest. 

"If I get you that ridiculous sum, we're even, and I don't want to see you ever again."

"Can't promise you that, but you'll be off the hook. Just give me the money, E. Before the end of the week."

"You're kidding!"

"Stop whining. It's a fair deal." With that he tipped his non-existent hat and strolled away, casually whistling a merry tune. 

I was fucked. So fucking fucked.