Astraya sets up a drink from behind the bar, dropping ice into the already filled glass before carrying it over to the man at the end. He's new here, she notices, and keeps himself covered with the hood of a sweater. If she had just started working here, she'd be scared off her wits' end, but she has security that's always watching and making sure she's okay.

Her brother visits from time to time, also, and despite the friends he brings along, he makes sure she's never disrespected. Astraya sometimes doesn't need to be defended, but some people make it so that she's too scared to stand up for herself, which makes her feel hopeless at times.

The man in front of her clears his throat and she drops her hand from his glass, wiping the sweat from her palms against the black apron she's wearing. "Sorry."

When the man doesn't say anything back, she tends to other customers. Her shift ends forty minutes later, and by the time that arrives the stranger is still sitting there with his glass completely filled. She says nothing to him as she collects the cup and turns her back, looking over her shoulder at the closest security guard, Seth. He's a buff man with black hair and dark, deep-set eyes. As soon as he catches her gaze he's lifting his back from against the wall he was just leaning on, making his way to her.

She strips herself of her apron and looks down at her feet, stepping from behind the bar and toward Seth until they meet halfway through the dance floor. Slowly, Astraya points at the stranger by the bar. "He's been sitting there for like two hours," she tells him, pulling at her hair nervously.

None of the staff has told her to her face that she's been on edge lately, but she knows they've noticed. She avoids almost everybody that comes into the bar, and screams every time she's touched by strangers.

"He has his face covered and-"

"Calm down, kid," he interrupts her. "He's probably had a bad day. Isn't your shift over? Shouldn't your brother be here by now?"

Astraya swallows against the thick saliva building in her throat. "Seth, that man is shady. He hasn't even talked to anybody. He ordered his drink and just sat there."

"Kid-"

She rolls her eyes and tucks her hands in the pockets of her jeans before turning her back on him and heading toward the exit. Her phone is in her hand a moment later before she dials her brother's number, continuing her walk forward.

She's outside almost instantly, phone ringing against her ear. She's just left the building and is enjoying the chill air against her hot, nervous skin when Uriah answers the call.

"Rah, I am so sorry. Got held up for a moment but I'm on my-"

The sound of her brother's voice is cut off when her phone is taken from her. On instinct, she jumps back and prepares to call out for anybody but a hand covers her mouth from behind. With her heart beating wildly in her chest, Astraya tries to kick at the stranger.

It's a man, she knows that much, she thinks. When she turns her head she sees that it's the stranger with the sweater, only the hood has fallen from his head and the side of his face is completely naked to her.

She freezes against his hold, her only memory of him being him standing over a dead body and threatening Liam. She flinches when he leans in toward her ear to breathe against the shell of it, sending chills down her body.

"What were you talking about in there?" He spits at her, the force of his words making her shake. She doesn't know how he expects her to answer him when his hand is on her mouth, but it's there rightfully so since she knows if he removes it she'll start screaming.

She takes a breath against his skin when he shifts, preparing to get out a sharp cry when he moves from her. He shakes his head like he senses it.

"Listen, I don't have it in me to babysit you, Astraya." Her name sounds foreign coming from him, but she definitely doesn't dwell on it too much.

She tries to speak through his hand but comes up tasting saltwater from the sweat on his palm, not given the time to cringe inwardly about something that seems so unimportant at the moment since her life is being decided by an angry stranger with dangerous experience. She thinks his name is Harry, but the memory of Liam calling him that seems a bit hazy.

He removes his hand from her lips and she feels like she's a bit more powerful, pushing against his arms just to freeze once something cold is pressed against the side of her neck.

"Move. I dare you."

"Please let me go. I swear I'm not-"

"That guard you were talking to. What were you telling him?"

"Nothing," she chokes out. "I didn't tell him anything."

The knife catches skin and drags forward. All Astraya feels is stinging and for a moment her sight darkens. "Let's try the truth this time."

"You!" She admits loudly when the knife digs further. He releases her and the first thing she does is move her fingers to her neck, backing away slowly. She doesn't dare look up at him, keeping her eyes on the ground as she uses her hands to inspect the wound. "You were sitting there and I was scared of you and I wanted him to keep an eye on you, but-"

"So you can't be trusted is what I'm hearing."

"I mean..." she pauses, collecting her thoughts. "I didn't know it was you but I knew I didn't trust you, and I needed-"

"So you don't trust me?"

She looks up at him with hooded eyes, pulling her hands back and then looking down at the blood. There's a small, smug smirk on his lips that makes her stomach twist. It serves as a reminder to not anger him any further. She's almost positive he doesn't only carry a knife. "That's not what I meant. You seemed-"

"Astraya." He interrupts her again, his tone clipped and tight and she looks away and out onto the street. "I feel like you're not taking me seriously and I don't know what I have to do to make you see that I don't have a problem with getting my hands dirty. I'm giving you and your friend an opportunity no one else has ever had because your friend is someone I hope I can trust. You're not alive because I trust you, you're alive because I trust him, but the moment you start pulling shit is the moment I'll have to apologize to your friend for killing you."

She's shocked at the admission but stays quiet, only having it in her to nod as a response. From the other end of the road, a car approaches. When it's close enough, she takes a step back, trying hard not to fall to the ground. The man's hand slips into her pocket with a proud smile. "That's my- that's my brother's car coming so uh..." her voice trails off with the rest of her thoughts.

"Goodnight, Astraya." He pulls away from her and stalks over to his own car on the curb, a small, black model.

By the time her brother is pulling up in front of her, the man is speeding down the street. She's still shaking and anxious when the car's window is rolled down and Uriah's uncertain gaze is on her. "Who was that?" Is his first question, and she shakes her head as if warning him not to ask.

"Unsatisfied customer," she lies.

She opens the door and takes a seat slowly. Astraya's all shaken up and wants to go to the nearest precinct but something tells her that since Liam has somehow gotten wrapped up in all of this then he's not the only officer and they'll sell her out in a heartbeat. She feels trapped and Uriah is just looking at her like he expects a story.

"What is it?" She decides to ask. She wants to tell him to start driving already before the man comes back.

"You're bleeding, Rah. What happened to you?" His hand hesitantly lifts her head to inspect the gash at the side of her neck. "It looks like a knife wound, Astraya. Why does it look like-"

She pushes him away from her, keeping herself from looking at him in the eyes. Instead, her attention falls to the street light. "There was a bar fight and some guy started throwing glasses. Nothing serious." Her palms are sweaty but she wipes them on her jeans and hopes he doesn't say anything.

"Astraya-"

"It's not as bad as it looks," she lies. "I just need to put a bandage on it and I'm good. Just a little tired, is all."

He puts his hands up in surrender before starting the engine. Astraya looks down at her hands and lap to avoid looking out the window, now suddenly scared of any shadows by the buildings they pass.

The ride home is longer than usual, and before she heads inside she says a quick goodnight to her brother.

After taking a shower, she tends to the torn skin at her neck and then heads off to bed with all of the lights on. She makes a mental note to get new locks and some pepper spray, though neither seem to compare to a gun.

(A/n: Please don't hesitate to correct any mistakes I've made! I think it's very helpful.

Have a great night everyone!)