It was hard to see through the tears, rushing to avoid Andy trying to hold me back, trying to reason with me. Leaving the apartment was difficult but I remained strong. At this point in time in my life, I don't need his crap, I don't need him. I didn't see the man when I stepped out onto the pavement, the sound of the glass doors clunking closed, the sound of the inane chatter of the people that passed through the city streets, the sound of my own mind racing with thoughts, wondering where I was going to go, they were all a distraction. I apologised when I realised that I had walked straight into the chest of this guy. I looked up at him, a head taller than me, to stare into the most gorgeous emerald green eyes I had ever seen. He smiled at me, the fair skin around his lips curling up with the smile.

'Everything ok?'

I nod, not really wanting to discuss my day with a random stranger, regardless of how handsome he is.

'It's fine. Again, sorry.' I try to side step him.

'You look like you need a drink.'

My mind snorts with laughter.

'I think I need more than just one drink.'

'Several it is then.' he gestures to the pub on the corner.

'Oh, I...uh...'

'What? Have to be somewhere?' he presses.

Oh really? What are you waiting for girl? Just go, it's a public place and what's the worst that can happen? He kills you before your already scheduled death? I huff at my mind and its lack of tact.

'No.' I sigh. 'I suppose a drink or two won't hurt.'

Sure as hell I need it.

He grins happy with my acceptance.

Much to my dismay the pub is quiet. Too quiet. The bartender hands him a bottle of whiskey and a couple of glasses. It was a large room, the centre filled with little wood tables and chairs, neatly ordered in rows across the dated carpet. The walls were an awful burnt orange, peeling and in dire need of repainting. Everything about this pub screamed that it was beyond dated and was in desperate need of a makeover. Two men had been at the far end of the room playing pool but they abandoned their game and left. I squinted at them as they moved through the room, mindlessly moving like robots. Very strange. I look around the pub, the last of the patrons get up and leave rather suddenly, leaving half their drinks behind. The sound of the glass clinking together as the bartender lifts the rack of glasses echoes through the room. He slinks away quietly, departing through a door behind the bar and doesn't come back out, which I find rather odd. So now, in this rather large pub, it is just the two of us, completely void of any other people.

The man sat down, I couldn't help but ogle him just a little. Thick black hair that was just a little wayward and those eyes, I could sit here all day and dreamily stare into them. I had never seen such vivid colour; it was so surreal. His soft cotton shirt was opened a few buttons at the top, a few hairs showed through. He smiled at me with one cheeky look in his eyes, like he knew I was checking him out.

'Ethan.' he says pouring my drink.

'Josie.'

'So, what do you do for a living?'

He sips his whiskey, avidly waiting for my response. Stripper! my mind yells out with glee as it twirls around the metal pole.

'Dancer.'

'Ballet?'

'Pole.'

I try to hide my answer within the glass of whiskey but judging by his expression, I failed.

'What do you do?'

'Family business, my father owns a nightclub on the other side of town, my brother and I help him run it.'

'What club?'

'V.'

He smirks as he watches me, the clogs turning in my brain. I've heard of that club. Surrounded by a lot of controversy, always being investigated by the police but nothing every comes of it. Tales of people going missing after they have been at the club.

'Every sordid tale that I am sure you have heard, is completely untrue, that is why there has never been any charges laid.'

'Oh, I um...'

'It's ok. I get it all the time. Oh my god...' he waves his hands in the air with mockery. 'You own that horrid nightclub where those poor kids keep going missing.'

He sighs and picks up his glass again.

'Truth is, those kids that have gone missing, they walk out of our club, they go home or wherever it is that they go and that is where it happens, whatever it is that happens to them, there and not at my club.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you.'

'No, it's fine. We are more than happy to have the police come in and tear our club apart, searching for a clue that doesn't exist. Once we hand over the security footage, their issues with us dissolve.'

I look at the door, wondering if I should politely thank him for the drink and leave.

'But enough of that nonsense. Tell me, what was upsetting you earlier?'

'Just a shit day.' I mutter into my drink.

He raises an eyebrow at me and I inwardly sigh, just tell him, who cares if some random stranger knows your life story? What is he going to do, run around and tell everyone?

'Doctor told me that I have cancer, came home to find my boyfriend in bed with another woman.'

'Sorry to hear that. How long?'

'What? How long was he cheating?' I snapped at him.

He smiles softly at me. 'The cancer.'

I shrug as I tone down the clearly unnecessary outburst. That was just like me, bite the head off of one very handsome and caring guy.

'Don't know. I have to start chemo very soon, probably this week.'

'That's pretty quick.'

I nod, knowing that it wasn't a good sign. I was a dead woman walking.

'Surgery?'

I shake my head feeling the sorrow starting to mount. Taking a deep breath, I reigned in the emotions.

'I think it might be too late for that. I don't know really; I have to see the specialist soon.'

His sad face looks down at the overstuffed bag on the ground.

'Do you have somewhere to stay?'

I shrug, thinking that far ahead clearly was beyond me.

'I'm sure I could find a hotel room.'

'A hotel room?' he scoffed.

'My parents have disowned me; I can't go back there. I don't know anyone else in this town aside from the people I work with.'

'You could stay at my place.'

I looked at him wondering if I had gullible imprinted on my forehead. Maybe I had easy written up there.

'No offence but I don't know you, I'll stay at a hotel.'

'As you wish.' he grinned and returned to his drink.

I was beginning to think that I should have taken him up on the offer. Death by his hands would be better than the slow painful death from cancer. But then again, I'm thinking he is some mad murderer, he could be just some normal person who happens to be very caring. Did they still exist? Probably not, I'm betting he just wants an easy girl that he can have a short fling with and lucky him, she's dying so he doesn't have to dump her, just wait for her to die. Lucky me.