Henry and Jace both offered to walk with me to the club, but that meant having to get there really early. After work I wanted to go home get changed and mentally prepare myself for tonight. It took everything in me to convince myself to go without Nicole. I know Henry will be there and he's my other rock, so I should be okay. It's not like I haven't danced alone at the club before. When we first started going I did it all the time, and then Nicole would come later after she got out of work. I know I have to do this for myself.

I decide on a dress tonight and its one of my all-time favorites. I don't care if Nicole and Henry make fun of me because it's black, it's the dress I feel most confident in. It's tight, but not short, and although it's an off the shoulder dress my cleavage stays put. I know it's going to be another cold night so I wear my thick black tights and doc martins. I was never a fan of heels, I can't understand how girls can dance in those things I'd break my face.

It's almost eleven and even though Manhattan is the city that never sleeps walking this late still makes me uneasy. I head downstairs and almost sprint to the club, I'm so thankful it's close by. I slow my pace as I reach the front. The guard at the front recognizes me and lifts the rope. I hear a bunch of moans and just roll my eyes.

The place is pretty crowded already and I can feel my heart start to flutter with fear. I look around and notice both Jace and Henry. They are each at opposite ends of the bar. They look like they are having a great time, so I decide I'll say hi to them in a few because one of my favorites is on.

On the dance floor I spot a regular, I think her name is Brie. She's a petite girl with blonde hair and the cutest freckles on her face. She sees me and smiles waving. She dances over to me.

"Hey, you dancing alone tonight?" she questions.

I nod, "Nicole's working," I say.

"That's too bad," she yells in my ear as she dances. "Want to dance with us?" she questions pointing to her group.

"Sure, thanks," I tell her.

She was here when things went down that night, and she's always been kind enough to always check in on me. She grabs my hand and I walk over to the group. I think their names are Kay (she's blonde) Jaime (brunette) and Sonya (naturally ginger). They all wave at me while continuing to dance.

"Did you see the new bartender?" Kay questions everyone.

The girls all nod and swoon at the thought. Sonya and Jaime look back to take a peak and I do the same. I'm glad I do because he looks right at me a huge smile on his face. He waves at me and I stick my middle finger up at him. He raises a brow and pretends to catch it then throw it in his back pocket.

"You know him?" Brie yells.

"Yeah we met here a few weeks ago," I yell.

"I'd love for a guy to look at me the way he looks at you," Kay says swooning.

"That's how he looks at everything that has a vagina and tits," I say.

The girls laugh along with me. I turn back for a second and catch a glimpse of Jace watching me. I don't make it obvious that I'm watching him, so I turn slightly. Henry comes over and playfully smacks him over the head like they've been friends forever. I smirk and then turn my body to dance with the girls.

We dance for about twenty minutes before I decide to get a drink. I excuse myself and make my way through the crowd. Tonight is going better than I thought, and I don't feel that anxious. I sit in my usual spot and both Henry and Jace come over with a drink.

"Trying to get me drunk enough to sleep with you?" I question looking at Jace. "I see you've got Henry on your side too," I joke.

Henry backs away hands in the air with a smirk, "I would never," he teases.

Jace steps forward while Henry goes to check on the customers down the other end. He leans over the bar as I stir around my drink with the little red stick. I look out at the dance floor and then back at him.

"Yes?" I question.

He smirks, not the snake like smirk the nice one that confuses my heart. I look down at the bar and notice a note. He doesn't say anything just walks away to go help more customers. I pull the note towards me and open it up.

Don't you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me, I said you're holding back, she said "Shut up and dance with me?"

He makes the lyric look like a question. I look up at him as he looks over his shoulder and smiles at me. I stare at the note again.

Save me a dance. I've got a break in 5.

I'm smiling again and I yell at my mouth to stop defying me. I tip my drink back and the one that Henry gave me too. My favorite Selena Gomez song comes on and I yell happily with the crowd. I make a quick glance in Jace's direction as I get up and head for the dance floor. I reach the middle with Brie and her friends again just as the chorus gets into full gear. We all sing along jumping and letting the beat take over.

Sonya clears her throat loudly over the music and nods her head in the direction behind me. I step back and twist and that's when I see Jace. He holds out a hand and looks in my eyes asking for permission. He remembered, he's remembered every time. I let my eyes do the talking and he hesitates for a second before tugging me towards him.

I spin into his arms and laugh as he spins me back out. He takes both of my hands pulling me in and out. I lift our arms up together and move my hips to the beat. I'm losing myself in the music, in the beat, in the moment. I'm smiling harder than I have in a long time and it's an amazing feeling. The crowd starts jumping towards the end everyone having a good time. People boo when the song ends, including myself. Jace leans forward and his lips touch the outside of my ear.

"I've got to get back to the bar, come back over soon?" he yells.

"Ay Ay captain," I say.

He bumps into me and for the first time since the incident I'm okay with him doing that. He walks away and I've noticed that I'm all alone on the dance floor. Sure there are people around me, but Brie and her friends have found their way to the stage, and now it's just me. I dance along to an unfamiliar song, the high from dancing with Jace is wearing down.

My eyes spot someone moving fast through the crowd. I look around and catch a glimpse of brown hair making its way through. My thoughts race to everything bad. The excitement has turned into anxiety, but I'm not wanting to have another attack in the middle of the dance floor. I lose track of him, but start heading back to the bar anyway. I can just barely see the tops of Henry and Jace's head. My chest hurts, but I continue on.

When did it get so crowded? Heart pounding, chest tightening, and legs shaking; that's never a good sign. I look down as I make my way through the crowd. I bump into a rock solid body. I look up so I can apologize and my breath catches in my throat. It's him. The one who messed me up. There's something sinister behind his green eyes. He'd been nice when we first started dancing, then the touchy feely nonsense started.

His hands go right to my hips like he's claiming them. He pushes me towards the middle of the dance floor, and I can't speak or say anything. I remember the night he followed me home, I'd kissed him just nights before and it was nice. We had a good conversation, but things turned weird when he started to become obsessed. He'd look for me when I wasn't here and stalk Henry too. He'd followed me home one night and tried to push by to get into the apartment with me. I'd never been so scared before. I yelled and he left. The next night he was at the club again and things escalated as he tried to literally have his way with me on the dance floor.

He's taking me right back to the corner where it happened the first time, he didn't get very far before my scream caught the attention of the DJ. This time no one notices and I'm afraid this is going to be it. I take in a deep breath because I know I can fight him. I took months of self-defense classes following the incident. He's got his hand tight around my wrist as he backs me into the corner. I jump up he's much taller than me. I try to see Jace and Henry, but I can't. I try to push him away but he doesn't budge.

"I knew you'd be waiting for me," he coos in my ear.

My body shudders and I'd do anything for my body to wake up. I need it to help me win this battle. I use all of my strength lift my leg and direct it straight into his crotch.

"You bitch!" he yells.

I run around him, but don't get far because he grabs my hair pulling me back. I scream in pain, and that's when I notice Jace standing on the bar. His face twists from concern to anger. He looks down at someone behind the bar, probably Henry. One minute they are talking and the next Jace is jumping off the bar heading in my direction. I spin around and punch the guy in the chest. He stumbles back but not enough to deter him, and comes right back at me. As I'm about to make another move Jace comes barreling in knocking the guy to the ground. People standing close by jump to the sides, some watch some walk away. Jace is big, but this guy is much bigger. It doesn't seem to bother Jace, he seems like he knows what he's doing. I'm sure he's been in plenty of fights before and can handle himself.

I fall backwards not realizing how shaky my body is, and stumble right into Henry's arms. Another man comes rushing over and I recognize him as the club owner. It's Jace's stepfather. He's tall with a shiny bald head, huge muscles and an attitude. He pulls Jace off the guy and starts yelling at Jace to step back. Jace attempts to go after him again, but I can hear his stepfather tell him to step outside to cool off. I feel faint. My hands are clammy and my body is still shaking. Jace is still yelling with his stepfather as Henry leads me out of the crowd. My wrist and my head hurt. I look down and notice a red splotch in the areas he grabbed on my arm.

Henry sits me down on the stool at the bar. I find it weird that the music is still going and the crowd is still dancing. It's different than last time. The room doesn't stop and no one seems to care, and no one tried to save me. A sob I didn't know I was holding in escapes and I lose it.

"Faith!" a panicked Jace yells over the crowd.

He pushes his way through and crashes into me. Without thinking about my issue with guys touching me he holds my face in his warm hands. His thumb caresses my cheek, then my chin. He moves my face to the left, and then the right examining it. He lifts my wrist and when he sees the red mark he almost turns around. I grab the fabric on his shirt and he stumbles right into me wrapping his arms around my body. I can't believe I'm about to ask him to do this for me, but I don't want to be here any longer.

"Can you take me home? I know it's your first day and all, but Henry already missed..."

"Already have Nicole grabbing your jacket," he says.

"She's here?" I ask.

He nods, "Just got here," he says.

I look up and stare at his lips. I notice a small cut with fresh blood slowly dripping. I reach up to touch his face when I hear Nicole's voice. She's panicked.

"I'm so sorry," she says.

"Not your fault," I tell her.

"Here's your jacket," she says handing it to me.

I thank her and slip it on.

"I'm coming back to the apartment with you, you can't be alone," she says.

"Jace is going to walk me back, I feel bad you just got here. You can stay if you want."

"You sure?" she asks unsure.

I nod.

"Okay, call me and I'll come home straight away," she says.

I nod again as Jace puts an arm around me.

"Take care of my girl, okay?" Nicole asks.

Jace looks at her, and a look I've never seen before crosses his face. His eyes stay focused on Nicole as he nods his head. His lips never turn into a smile and everything about his posture says he's serious.

"I won't let anything happen to her," he tells her and for some reason I believe him.

He leads me away from them, but I can't help glance back and Henry and Nicole. They watch me with cautious eyes.

"I have to take you to my Stepfathers office upstairs, he has the guy. The police are coming. He said this isn't the first time..."

He stops talking when he notices my hesitation. My legs stop moving and my eyes focus on the solid ground below my feet. Jace steps in front of me pushing someone out of the way. He reaches out and then pulls back waiting for me to look at him.

"Do I have to?" I whisper to the ground.

"It will only be for a minute, and if you want I can make sure you won't be in the same room with that guy," he says. "Frank, I mean my stepfather just wants to make sure it won't happen a third time," he says.

I hate that Jace had to see me at a vulnerable state, this will definitely put a notch in my plan to break his heart. He's being so kind and I'm over here planning the demise of his heart. This was a bad idea having him walk me home. I should probably tell him to get Nicole, but I'll wait until I'm done with this meeting.

He reaches out his hand and I take it. He leads me to the front of the building to a set of stairs with a sign over it that says, EMPLOYEES ONLY. We walk up two flights and I can hear voices coming from a room. His voice pierces through me like nails on a chalk board. I gasp hating the sound of it. I feel like I'm going to be sick. Jace knocks on the door, it opens slowly. Standing on the other side is Jace's stepfather.

"Can you step out here for a minute?" Jace asks.

He nods and shuts the door quietly behind him. I hear a male voice questioning the guy. He's blaming his actions based on the way that I'd dressed tonight, and the night of the first incident. Also I hear him say that it was my fault for dancing like a slut. The officer reprimands him and I hear them remind him that he's not supposed to be here.

"Faith," I hear Jace say my name.

They are both staring at me waiting for me to answer them. I have no clue what was asked because all I could hear was the sound of that guy's voice.

"Not sure you remember me, I'm Frank," he says holding out his hand.

Frank looks me in the eye and I immediately respond with a handshake.

"I'm so sorry about this he must have snuck by without us noticing. We thought we made it clear to him last time that he was not allowed on the premises. Did the restraining order go through?" he asks.

"It did," I whisper.

"I'll make sure he doesn't come back here. I know you are good friends with my bartender Henry, and that you are a frequent dancer here. I want you to feel safe. I didn't make this club for people to fear coming here, I wanted a fun environment for all."

"I don't blame you," I tell him.

The door opens startling me. I'm afraid to look up but notice shiny black shoes that definitely do not belong to him. I look up and a young police officer is looking at me. He gives me a small smile and closes the distance between us.

"Miss Montgomery we apologize for this and will have it taken care of," he says.

"Is he going to jail?" I ask.

"Yes mam. There were several witnesses that saw this event unfold," he tells me.

"Several but none of them stepped in to help me?" I hear my voice raise.

Jace steps forward about to touch my shoulder, but doesn't. I wipe a stupid tear that falls from my eye. The officer gasps when he sees the mark on my wrist. It almost looks like a rug burn from the way he twisted my arm.

"I will be in touch Miss Montgomery. My name is Officer Chris, here's my card. We are going to get this guy down to the station."

I take the card from his hand and put it inside my jacket pocket.

"Can I leave before you take him out, I don't think I can handle seeing him," I say just above a whisper.

"Of course," he says stepping aside.

"Faith, I am so sorry," Frank says.

"It's not your fault," I tell him.

Jace clears his throat asking me to look at him. When I look up at him he's holding out his hand for me to take. I can't be here with him, I need to get Nicole and fast. We get downstairs and Jace starts heading for the door. I tug at his arm and he stops short. He turns around to face me. I've got ugly tears running down my face and I'm beyond humiliated at this point. I need to go home and rethink a lot of things before continuing with this.

"I... thank you," I tell him. "I'm sorry, but I need Nicole. I want Nicole to take me home," I say not looking into his eyes.

I don't know why I'm afraid to look up. I'm supposed to not give a shit about Jace but here I am worried I'm hurting his feelings. He'd stepped in and rescued me for a second time.

"Okay," he says.

He let's go of my hand and starts walking back towards the bar. I bite the inside of my cheek hard enough to whimper. I follow behind him towards the bar where Nicole is still sitting. She sees us first and stands almost immediately. I'm a few steps behind him and I see him lean forward to talk in her ear. He briefly looks back at me, and she nods. Henry walks over and Jace talks to him as well. I hadn't realized I stopped walking. Nicole walks over to where I am and pulls me into a hug. Without a word she pushes me towards the coat check to get her coat so that we can go. As we wait for the lady to retrieve it Henry walks over. He places and arm on my shoulder. I look up at him and just over his shoulder I can see Jace back at the bar. Feeling my gaze on him he looks up for a brief second and then goes back to work. Well I guess I deserve that.

"Let's get you home," Henry says.

I peak one more glance at Jace before we head out, this time he doesn't even look up. I don't know why I'm having a hard time with it, it's stupid really. I just know next time I see him I'm going to have to thank him so he doesn't think I'm an ungrateful bitch.