✓ Meanwhile [h.styles]

.two.

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.