Aphrodite

Terms and conditions

I take one last glance at myself in the mirror before crossing the living room to answer the door, I'm expecting him to be waiting at the door but to my surprise he is back at the car, leaning against the hood arms crossed staring at me, I quickly lock the door and head down the stairs. As I make my way to the car he follows me to the passenger side and opens the door for me, I give him a quick thank you as he closes the door and I watch him walk to the driver side and get in.

He hasn't said a word yet and frankly I'm too nervous to make small talk. I spend most of the drive looking out my window trying to shut my brain off, I keep replaying Macy's words I'll never have to worry about him again and I can have some fun. My curiosity gets the better of me and I ask

" you said Hades is helping everyone who works there, is he helping you too"? Surprised by my question he raises his brows but quickly turns his expression back to serious before he answers " we help each other out". I don't know what I was expecting him to say but that wasn't it, so I decided to push a little further. I need to know what I'm getting myself into. "And what would that mean"?

"Hades and I have been friends for a long time, I don't work at the club because he's helping me. I work there to help him out and in return he helps me if and when I need it". "I see" I say with a sigh " I don't picture hades as someone who has friends" I look at him to gauge his expression with what I just said but he doesn't change. We sat in silence for the rest of the drive. When I see the club coming closer I try and take deep breaths and calm my nerves, Ace turns down the side alley pulling up to the side door, I slowly climb out of the car and hear " he's in his office waiting for you".

I look at my phone 6:55. I glance up at him before shutting the door and walking into the club. It's empty, no customers, no employees. The lights are on and I scan the room taking it all in. The walls are lined with plush Boothes, some more secluded but most with small tables in front of them facing the various stages. A small one that has a stripper pole , a slightly larger one with 2 cages hung by a chain, last night 2 girls stood in them naked dancing. And the third stage is the biggest, right In the middle of the room, its bare. Whoever the performers are bring their own props.

The play stage, the main event. 2 performances per night, whatever Hades wants happens on that stage. I look to the bar and see its big enough for at least three bartenders and more alcohol along the back wall then I've ever seen in one place. I take a few steps forward taking in my surroundings, I check my phone again 6:58 I decide I don't want to find out what happens when you keep him waiting, so I head back down the dark hallway, as I approach the door 6:59, I give a swift knock shaking my hands out. I hear the know turn and hades looking at his watch 7:00 "right on time, good kitten" he says before looking up at me. I stand in front of him and his stare makes me feel naked. He mumbles a quite "fuck me" under his breath as he steps out of the way into the office.

I walk towards the chair I sat in last night and I can feel his stare on my back. As I sit, I hear his loud foot steps approach me from behind, I hear 2 glasses being messed with before presenting me a glass of whiskey, the same one he poured down my throat last night. I take the glass out of his hands "thank you" with a small smile. He just keeps staring. "I wasn't expecting no one to be here" he takes a drink from his glass " the club opens at 9:00, but we have some business to discuss"

"Right" I say wearily, unsure of what to say. "Before we go any further, you need to tell me what you need help with and I'll decide if you working here is a fair trade" he crosses his hands in his lap leaning back in his chair, silently telling me to start talking.
"I need protection" I say so quietly that if there was anyone else in the room you wouldn't be able to hear me. To afraid to look at him, I play with the hem of my dress. When he doesn't say anything I start again. "Not like 24/7 or a body guard just someone I can call when I need help and they'll come". I finally meet his eyeline, he looks mad, furious even, his jaw is clenched tight when he speaks "protection, from what"? The one question I didn't want to answer " my ex" I say embarrassed. "We broke up a year ago and he's been stalking me ever since".

"So" he looks at me almost confused, "why come here"? "Why not go to the police"?
"I have, multiple times". They said because he hasn't done anything, they can't stop him from being in public places". "But" I start almost begging at this point "I've had to move 3 times because I see him standing in front of my house, I lost my job because he kept coming in and sitting at the end of the bar for my entire shift"
"Why not get a restraining order"? He asks gently like he's afraid to ask me.
" because that requires me telling him where I live, where I work, places I frequent and I can't risk him knowing that"
"There Is one thing I don't like about this" he says without missing a beat. " you said when not if"
I look at him confused because I have no idea what he means.
"You said when you need help, not if you need help". He spits out sternly like the words are hurting him
"When was the last time you saw him"? He speaks again

"Two weeks ago when he broke into my apartment, while I was at work". "I came home and he was sitting on my couch, he had destroyed my living room and he was so angry" I say choking down the memory I don't want to relive. I shake my head as if I'm ridding it from my head. I do not want to cry. Especially in front of him. He stays silent but stands from his chair, he positions himself in front of me much like last night except he doesn't touch me, he leans his butt on the desk, hands on either side of his body palm down on the desk "what did he do"? He finally asks " he just screamed at me"
"asked why I was treating him this way and when I told him I wanted nothing to do with him anymore he.. he punched me" I lift my head to look at him turning my face slightly to the right and he catches the bruise around my eye, barely visible anymore. I keep talking, " I ran into my room to lock myself in there and call the police but he caught me, I slapped him and he threw me on the floor and chocked me".

I see a look come across his face, but I'm not sure what it is, guilt? anger? Rage? A mix of all of them. "Why did you break up?" " I broke up with him because I didn't love him anymore, he had changed so much since we first got together, it was like I didn't know him anymore. I tried to understand but one day it was just too much". I sigh "on the night of our break up, I was trying to leave, trying to explain how I felt and ask him to explain why he was so angry all of the time now, he wouldn't answer just kept shouting and when I tried to walk out the front door he shoved me". "And I knew then I was making the right choice, he had become someone who I didn't want to know and then that happened and I knew I had to get away".

"I will help you". That all he says, I suck up the tear threatening to fall down my cheek, "thank you" is all I can manage to say he stands from the desk holding his hand out, I cautiously place my hand in his and he helps me stand, he brushes on the curls that has fallen in my face behind me ear. "Let's take a walk"