I took the long journey back to the club, now able to see the road signs, and mulled over what had transpired over the few hours I had spent with the most complex woman I had ever encountered.

I still couldn't understand where I stood with her.

For some reason I had felt compelled to protect her, to make sure she was safe. It was something about her eyes... I couldn't explain it.

The way she made my stomach knot at the sight of her, my breathing became ragged whenever I heard her speak. She had a hold on me now, and I was sure she knew it, she knew exactly how to press my buttons, even if she barely knew me.

Then there was the way she treated me.

At first she was calling for help, then hated me for it, then put up a wall between us. But I had managed to knock it down last night, I had seen a sensitive side to her, even if extremely brief.

I had gotten to her too, I made her feel the same things I had, I felt the electricity in the air surrounding us, felt her craving for me, her desire for me.

But then this morning she was cold and distant again, acting like I was nothing to her, despite the fact she listened to my music and clearly on a regular basis.

I felt that somewhere behind that sarcastic, indifferent and unfeeling front she put on, she did care, she was vulnerable and she was just defending herself from... I wasn't sure what.

I couldn't tell if she hated me, I couldn't tell if she felt something for me.

But I shouldn't care about that. I should just get her out of my head right now and leave her be. I shouldn't still feel attached to her, or even worry about her. She was home, she was as safe as she made herself out to be. She could handle herself, I learnt that the hard way.

I shouldn't even be affiliating myself with her, her job, her lifestyle, if I was seen with her I would never live it down.

But it wasn't her fault, her situation... She had no choice from what I could fathom.

But she didn't want my help either, so there was nothing I could do, and even if I could I shouldn't get involved, she was not my problem, and she made it very clear that I wasn't hers either.

So why were my legs itching to sprint all the way back, scoop her up and take her away from the life she clearly hated? Why did I feel it was my duty to protect her all of a sudden? Why did I give a damn about her, if she didn't want me near her?

She was driving me crazy.

I thought back to last night, and I felt it all over again. Every word, every shiver, every moan.

The way I had acted scared me a little.

That wasn't me, I never treated a woman like that, I had never spoken to a woman in such a dark way, I had never touched a woman with such hunger. It was like she flicked a switch inside of me and I just lost all my inhibitions, I felt nothing more than the want, the need to feel her, taste her.

She was a drug to me, and damn she had satisfied me in every possible way.

I wanted to knock down her walls again, feel the control I had over her, I just wanted her, and I had never felt a need so strong in my whole life, not even with Diana.

*

I slowed as I spotted the row of clubs situated on the familiar street. Foxx stood out in its grandeur, just as impressive by day as by night. I wasn't ever going to set foot in that place again.

I made my way round the back to find my limousine. There it sat at the far side of the empty car lot, unharmed, gleaming in the mid morning light.

There was a figure beside the vehicle, I saw the movement of shadows under the car. I tensed as I imagined who might be on the other side, most likely the owner of this very car lot. I had several choice words to say to him and I quickened my pace.

"Hey! Show yourself Foxx, I got something I need to say to you"

My tone was full of pure resentment, another thing that was totally out of character.

As I approached, I noticed that the figure was far too elegant to be a regular sized male, let alone the big boss. I slowed my pace again.

The stranger rounded the corner of my car.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I realised it was... her.

She was wearing a small red dress, to match her bright lipstick. Her long, flawless legs were lightly tanned.

Woman's legs were such a point of wonder to me, and never failed to impress.

She looked at my no doubt dumbfounded face and grinned before seating herself on the bonnet of my car, puffing a cigarette.

I cautiously made my way over to her, scanning the area for any onlookers.

"Don't worry, nobody hangs around here in the middle of the day. Your precious ego won't be soiled by my presence"

I avoided her narky comment and cut to the chase.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here before me?"

She fiddled with the cigarette between her fingers.

"I did what you failed to manage last night and called a cab. And I'm here because I want to be, which so happens to be none of your damn business."

"I thought you told me to get out of your life"

She blew out a cloud of smoke before replying, draping her body against the front window of the limo.

"I did. But that doesn't mean I was gonna get out of yours"

My eyebrows furrowed.

"That doesn't even make any sense. How can you be a part of my life, if you don't want me as a part of yours?"

"I haven't really figured that out yet, but I know you would rather I was a part of your life, isn't that right?" She shrugged, gesturing her hand in no particular direction as she spoke.

I shuffled from foot to foot. "Not if you don't want me around. I respect a woman's wishes."

She snorted, swinging her legs off the car and landed on the concrete. She sauntered over to me and folded her arms.

"Uhuh. Then what exactly what were your intentions last night? You didn't respect any of my wishes then. You dragged me out of a club despite the fact I told you to leave me alone, you insist on taking me home even if I didn't want you to, then you decide to take advantage of me and leave, paying my ass for the pleasure of it. You treated me like an object, Jackson, and you have the nerve to tell me to "take care" of myself? Fuck you and your fake gentlemanly stunt, I didn't see any courtesy."

I hung my head and let out a deep sigh.

"What is your problem? You didn't exactly treat me any better. I didn't violate your things like you did to my clothes"

"Wrong. You used my shower without asking and you touched my record player."

I smiled at the fact she had brought up the subject.

"I didn't set your precious records on fire. You have too good a taste for me to melt them."

She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"You are so obnoxious. This is why I hate people like you, your head's so far up your damn ass you can taste the bullshit coming out of your mouth"

I raised my eyebrow, determined to know where I stood with this woman.

"Do you hate me? Or do you just hate people like me? Because I'm not like anybody, hence why you have my record in the first place, isn't that right?"

She threw her cigarette on the ground and ground it into the concrete with her shiny red stiletto.

She grabbed my collar and pulled me roughly to her, throwing me slightly off balance, so I had to grab her waist to steady myself.

My breathing lost its pattern as I felt her body heat in my hands.

She looked intently at me, her stare penetrating my very soul.

She raised her hand and I reacted, thinking she was going to backhand me again. I couldn't help feeling intimidated by her.

*

Instead she sighed and dropped her hand to her side, using the other to correct my tie. She looked at me again, this time her eyes shone with something I couldn't quite place.

"No. No, you are something else... Michael."

I felt a thrill of exhilaration as I heard her name fall from her lips, her tone sweet as sugar.

Our faces were mere inches apart, I couldn't help but look at her plump lips, wanting to taste them again.

"Why the sudden informality, Susie? Don't you prefer to call me Jackson?"

I heard her intake a breath as my eyes roamed over her perfect features.

"I'm experimenting with how it sounds" She murmered.

I cocked my head.

"Well, I can give you the results. I much prefer the sound of you begging my name, so there's no need to experiment."

Her eyes widened, ensuring she hadn't expected that response, but then again, neither had I.

"Why do you treat me like a princess, but talk to me like that?"

I moved her hair from her eyes, rubbing my thumb in circles on her cheek. Her lips parted slightly in response.

"I thought you said I treated you with absolutely no courtesy"

"I guess I was wrong. I'm just... not used to this... to feeling like I'm..."

I finished her sentence:

"Needed? Well, you are something else too"

*

She grabbed my hand from her face and stepped away from me, my arms dropping to my sides.

"Why?! What the fuck do you see in me that you can't find somewhere else, with someone respectable?"

I shoved my hands in my pockets.

"I haven't really figured that out yet, but I know that you are respectable, because otherwise you wouldn't care about how people treated you, or how you dressed, or me"

"Who says I care about you?" She fired back.

"No one. But say if you didn't, why are you even here? Why are you here, Susie? I left a number, an address, but you came to speak to me in person. Why?"

"I... I don't know" She stared at the ground.

I turned away from her and gestured to the limousine.

"Well, you and me both. I am here to take my vehicle and go home, to 'get the fuck out of your life' as you put it. But I have to say, you're not making it very easy for me."

"How am I making it difficult for you? All you have to do is get in and drive."

"Well, I don't feel like that would be very polite"

I jumped at her hands on my shoulders, turning me to face her.

She looked at me intently again, her eyes making me want to melt right into them, so I could explore her mind and know exactly what she thought of me.

"But, I don't deserve your politeness, right? I'm no good for you, I am nothing to you other than an inconvenience or a dirty distraction from your glamorous life. You don't need me, so leave"

"But I would much rather you were a part of my life, remember? Anyway, the real question is, would you prefer to be a part of mine?"

*

She hesitated as if she was about to say something, but stayed silent.

I nodded my head and turned away from her, heading towards the limousine.

I opened the passenger door, wide, and made my way round the other side.

"I'm getting in this car now. You have two options. Get in the passenger seat, or walk away. But you have until I start the engine to decide, then I'm going to get the fuck out of your life, like you wanted me to."

I hovered as I grasped the handle of my door, glancing at her. She took a step forward, enough to spur me to open my door.

I heard a click as I pulled the handle and I felt my weight suddenly lift from the floor, snatching my breath away as a brutal sound of an explosion at close range assaulted my ears. In a split second all I saw was a blur of colour, my eyes watered at the intense heat on my face as I hurtled backwards at speed.

Then...nothing.

*