The mystery man watched her perform. Then he said that he could dance only for him

price does not matter

– Who it was?! I growl at Tyler, who looks away and tries to ignore me. “Tyler, answer!”

“I don’t know, he didn’t introduce himself,” he replies after a moment and gestures us to the back room. We go there right away, and I hope that he will explain everything to me.

“What did he want?” What was he all about?

“Didn’t you hear what he said?” Tyler stares at me.

“I heard it, but I still don’t understand it.” Did he want a private dance or what?

“I don’t know, Cassie, I really don’t know. – Shrugs.

I look at him, pissed off. I don’t understand why she won’t tell me what’s going on.

– So what? Shouldn’t I worry? I suggest mockingly and he nods.

– Yes, yes, don’t worry. I’ll fix it,” he says, slightly confused.

“What if you don’t know what he meant?” I cross my arms over my chest.

Tyler is telling lies. Not the first time, but I don’t understand it at all.

“Cassie, don’t worry. I’ll take it seriously,’ he repeats and hands me a robe. “Go home,” he adds.

– Definitely? I ask, frowning and he nods.

I’m worried about him because he looks scared, and everything was supposed to be fine by now. It was never easy for us, but now it slowly started to fall into place. The club is thriving, the money is right. If Tyler got us into any trouble, I’m going to kill him. Plus, I know he won’t tell me the truth. He will suppress it until he solves the problem. He’s trying to prove he’s a responsible big brother, and we both know that’s bullshit. Unfortunately. Tyler is not responsible, caring, mature. He’s a kid with dreams all the time. I envy him for a while. We’re both broken, but he’s better at it. Maybe he really is stronger than me?

Quotation Ale!

I regret so much that I don’t have the courage to talk to him about what used to be. The subject of our stay in a foster family is simply forbidden. We never move it. For various reasons. We all have our reasons. And as much as it torments us to the core, I don’t think we’ll finally be honest and work through it together. That’s why Tyler lies so often. He hides his true emotions this way, even though he knows I can see it. Every time I let it go because I don’t have the strength to fight it. We only have ourselves, that’s why we subconsciously repress everything bad to live in illusions. He is lying, I am silent. Silence is golden.

I return home, but the feeling of uneasiness still haunts me. I know it’s related to the man Tyler spoke to today. I’m waiting for my brother, but it’s three in the morning and he’s still not here. I don’t know if the closed party is still going on or if something happened.

Finally, I can’t take it any longer and decide to go downstairs. I put on my tracksuit and head back to the club, but it’s quiet. The guests have left, behind the bar is cleaned. I’m going to make sure the door is locked. I grab the doorknob and to my surprise, no. I look uncertainly out into the street and suddenly see my brother lying on the sidewalk. He doesn’t move.

– Tyler! I scream and run towards him. I fall to my knees next to him. I do not know what to do. Tyler’s face is bloody, he’s unconscious, but I can see he’s breathing. I’m afraid to touch him for fear of hurting him more. I screamed for help at the top of my lungs, but there was no one in sight. I’m terrified, but I’m trying not to panic. I call the ambulance and wait about ten minutes for them to arrive.

The paramedic asks me several times if I know what happened, but I have no idea. There are cameras outside the club, but only Tyler has access to them and knows the passwords. I’ve never been interested in it. They’re taking him to the hospital, but I can’t fit in the ambulance, so I have to drive on my own.

Before I call a cab, I call Kelly. I need her support. Now here. And she doesn’t answer. No wonder, it’s the middle of the night, but I still feel helpless. I probably would have answered, because I always have my phone under my pillow. I won’t think about it now.

I’m going to the hospital and waiting for news. I don’t even know what exactly I feel. Am I more scared or jittery? Who Beat Tyler? And why? Maybe it’s that guy? Just thinking about it makes me shudder. My brother got himself into something, and he just suffered the consequences. But why so? Who leaves a bloody man on the pavement? I can’t understand it. I despise violence. This is an impassable limit for me. Red alert.

And now I’m going to have to face it because we have to report it to the police. You may need to strengthen your security, which is an additional cost. I’m confused.

– Tyler Jacobs! I was snapped out of my thoughts by the voice of a nurse entering the emergency room.

I jump up from my seat.

“Yes, I’m a sister!” “I’m reporting immediately.” – What’s with him? I ask, taken over.

“He has a lot of facial and head injuries. We’ll leave him for observation to make sure he doesn’t have a hematoma or concussion.

“Oh God…” I sigh, leaning against the wall.

– Notify the police? the woman asks and I shrug.

I’m a little scared because Tyler is clearly in trouble and the police can complicate things.

“I’d like to talk to my brother first because I don’t know what happened,” I admit.

“Then come back in the morning, you won’t talk to him now,” the nurse says, and I nod. “I’d also like some clean clothes.”

“Okay, I’ll bring everything.” From what time are the visits? – I’m asking.

– From ten o’clock. Oh, and please leave your phone number too, we’ll call you if we need to. The woman hands me a card to fill in my details, and then I can leave the hospital.

I feel uneasy about spending the night alone at home because Tyler had been beaten up outside the club a few hours earlier. But I have no choice. I come back, close all the locks and try to sleep. I’m tired, but the adrenaline keeps me awake. I manage to take a nap only in the morning, when it’s already dawn. These few hours of sleep are not enough for me, but around eight I drag myself out of bed to get myself together and go to the hospital. No one called, so I believe Tyler is fine. I’m about to leave when Kelly calls me back.

“Hello, Cassie, you called last night, but I slept like a log,” I hear her sleepy voice.

“Tyler’s in the hospital. Someone beat him.

– What?! How is that?! he squeaks into the handset.

“Someone beat him, I don’t know who.” I found him at night in front of the club, in a pool of blood – I explain calmly. “I’m going to him right now.” I hope they release him today.

– Which hospital is it? We’ll meet there!

I’m glad Kelly’s coming. It’s always more fun together, and maybe the two of us can figure out what happened with Tyler. An hour later we enter the hospital and go straight to the ward. Tyler is awake but sore. His face is swollen, his lips and both eyebrows are split, and the whites of his eyes are red from bleeding. The sight causes me physical pain.

“Did you do something?! I ask, sitting down by his bed.

I will not feel sorry for him. He knows it perfectly well. Plus, she looks away because she doesn’t want to talk. Kelly looks at him pityingly but says nothing. He doesn’t interfere in our family affairs, but I know she feels sorry for him. “Tyler, I’m talking to you!” What happened? I grab his hand. “Please tell me…” I add emotionally.

I rarely cry, but right now I’m on the verge of hysterics. I’m afraid my brother has gotten himself into something really dangerous. I know he can make bad decisions. I know him well. We’ll talk at home, okay? He finally replies and looks at me. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles.

That ‘sorry’ sounds really bad. What is he apologizing for? For getting himself into something? For getting us into something?

Mystery man

I see him looking at Tyler. She had always liked him, but he had never been interested in her. He treats her a bit like a sister, a bit like a friend. I know she’d dump Gilbert if Tyler said a word, but that’s not going to happen. I asked him many times why he didn’t want to be with Kelly, but he couldn’t explain. He doesn’t like it physically, but that’s bullshit. He’s his type, so I don’t know what it’s really about. – Apparently yes, the doctor is to come around eleven o’clock and then he will decide. Tyler glances at me. “Are you very scared?” he asks quietly.

– No, why not. At all! I growl at him. I am furious. Just furious.

– Cassie…

“Don’t even try to pretend it’s nothing. Someone beat you up outside our house! I interrupt him. “If this is the guy who…

– What a guy? Kelly asks curiously.

– This one came yesterday, watched my performance, and then, as if nothing had happened, announced that now I could dance only for him. “I grimace at that memory.

Kelly looks at me and doesn’t understand either.

– What? some perv? he asks uncertainly.

– Ask Tyler. He’s the one who deals with things like this! I turn away because I don’t even want to talk to him. “We need to report this to the police,” I add, and he almost jumps out of bed.

– NO! We can not. I mean… you don’t have to. It’s nothing! He squeaks nervously and I freeze him with a look.

“We can’t because…?” I demand an explanation and he just looks down. – Great. What have you got us into? I ask, enraged.

“I will not endanger you.” I’ll be fine on my own,” he says, but the words don’t reassure me at all.

– Exposed? Kelly shoots me a panicked look. – Meaning what? That if you tell us, something could threaten us?!

– I won’t say anything. “Tyler’s getting constipated, but I’m sick of it.”

– Okay, no, it’s not. I’m leaving. Here are your clothes, you will also find your way home. I toss my bag of clothes on the bed and head for the door.

I know Kelly will stay and babysit him, but I’m not going to. I’m too angry with him. I need to calm down and then I’ll try to talk to him. He has to tell me what he did. These are no longer jokes. Beating is a warning. Logic. He got hit in the face for now, what about next time? Will they break his legs? Hands? Or will they shoot right in the head? And who did it anyway?

With racing thoughts I go home and go to the club. Today is Saturday, and since Tyler’s gone, it’s all on me. I’ve got to see to the supplies, the girls, and the bar. I’m going to skip the show because I can’t handle that either. To open, I’m drowning in invoices, because I usually don’t deal with it. I don’t agree with anything, but the important thing is that the goods will not run out. The booze has arrived, so I head behind the bar and open the club.

Saturday nights are the busiest and this time is no different. A lot of customers showed up, but I’m doing pretty well. The girls help me too. Those who finished dancing stayed and now work as waitresses. One of them helps me behind the bar. It’s almost midnight and the evening is just getting started. I know I’ll be here almost till morning, and I’m really tired. Somehow, though, I have to make do. I hide in the back room for a while to sit down for at least five minutes. I close my eyes literally for a second and suddenly fall asleep. I don’t know how long it takes, but when I come back, there’s no one at the bar. I wince because there was a crowd a moment ago. I’m looking around. The club was deserted. The music doesn’t play. No one is here. I do not understand.