Into The Fire [H.S.]

3

Harry's POV

Security had finally gotten the last stragglers out of the club. I supervised as staff cleaned. Making sure all the alcohol was scrubbed off the floor, the couches were sanitized. The poles were wiped down and disinfected, bathrooms cleaned, all the tables scrubbed. The cages cleaned. Private rooms cleaned. Bartop cleaned, and restocked. I paid out the staff, closed down all the tills and put the money in the safe. Security walked out the last of the dancers and servers, and I locked all the doors.

I made my way up to Niall's office. Shutting off the lights as I went.

I paused inside of the door. Echo was asleep. Her head laying on her arms. It was about five in the morning. She looked so peaceful. Her eyes weren't boring holes in my head. She wasn't scowling at me.

I managed her brother's club and had for the past three years. I started working here as a bartender when I was 18. Worked my way up. Got close with Niall who'd inherited the place from his old man. He'd given me a place to crash and a job until I got on my feet.

I didn't know a lot about Echo, except for she was wicked smart, and she was fucking beautiful.

She was also incredibly stubborn and had a mouth on her that made grown men blush. She didn't take shit.

I'd heard rumors that she was also incredibly sweet, but she'd been nothing but an absolute asshole to me since the moment I met her. Most of the time she pretended I didn't exist. When she did talk to me she never had anything nice to say.

I actually thought she was quite a bitch. But when Javi needed a favor I did it, because he did the same for me, and the man had connections. He'd helped me out of a few sticky situations just because he could.

"Ready?" I called out.

Seeing her startle made me pull my lips into my mouth to keep from laughing.

"Fuck." Echo glared at me. "Yeah I'm done for now."

I watched as she shut down the computer, then shoved in her chair and turned off the light by the desk.

After I locked the back door I walked her to my car and opened the door for her. She looked shocked.

I had a reputation. I knew that. I was an asshole. I knew that too. I drank too much, partied too hard, and fucked a lot of women. But, I had also been raised to be respectful, and to work my fucking ass off.

As I drove through downtown I looked over at Echo out of the corner of my eye. She looked exhausted. She intrigued me. Mainly because I knew she was off limits.

I knew she had like 17 jobs and was going to school. I knew she was a background singer at the club sometimes, I knew she bartended. I also knew she refused to sing with me when I played gigs. I knew she was Javi's little sister although I'm not really sure how that worked. His other sister Jai shared a dad with him.

I knew she didn't like me. She'd always made that fact blatantly obvious. What I didn't know was why.

"You can drop me off here." She pointed to the sidewalk.

"Yeah, I'm not gonna be doing that." I laughed.

"What..." Her silver grey eyes narrowed.

"There's three guys across the street that look like trouble, and one dude taking a piss on that light post. I'll walk you up or you aren't getting out of the fucking car." I wasn't budging on this.

"Just give me my board and go." Echo snapped.

"Won't be doing that either." I shake my head. Shutting the car off and getting out. I walked around the front of the car, stopping outside of the passenger door my eyes scanned my surroundings before I opened her door.