I went to work that night and did my best to put myself back in the mindset of work. I had two performances to do, and I'd been out long enough that I had to make them both good ones to compensate and get my bills paid.
My first performance went without a hitch, it wasn't a complicated routine, but it was a money maker.
I was about to step out for my second routine when I saw Castle slowly moving through the crowd. My mind raced, and I quickly realized there was only one reason he would be here if I hadn't told him where I worked.
Billy was here.
I took a deep breath and slowly stepped out, compensating with a luxurious strut that afforded me time to look out over the crowd.
I almost didn't spot Billy, nestled in a back corner booth staring at me over a drink. I made like I hadn't spotted him, luckily not making eye contact, and kept my gaze looking around until I centered on the pole.
With a deep breath, I started dancing, eyes moving to find the Punisher, whose eyes spotted me the same time I spotted him again.
I jumped up on to the pole and kicked my legs out right in Billy's direction, flipping to point there when he didn't get it, afraid to make my signal too overt.
He gave me a small nod in my peripheral as I twirled around, and started to make his way over, looking through the people to try and spot him.
As my performance was reaching climax, Castle still hadn't found Billy, hidden too well in the corner booth, and I groaned internally and thought about what to do.
With a flip I sent myself out into the crowd, moving straight for Billy, playing with the other guests haphazardly as they threw money my way.
Billy set his drink down, looking me over cautiously as I approached, and I straddled him and started going.
"Don't say a word." I growled as I briefly leaned into his ear. To my distress, the electricity I felt with him before hadn't gone, now it was just mixed with the hurt I felt, and I turned away from him to look for Castle.
When I spotted him I flipped my hair back, gesturing to Billy, and he understood, moving in but staying back while I was in the way.
I gestured with my eyes to the nearby exit before turning back to Billy.
The song ended and the next girl came out, distracting the audience, and I grabbed Billy by the collar.
"Come with me." I growled, practically dragging him out the exit.
My momentum pushed me against the alley wall, Billy slamming into me, and he grabbed my face and kissed me passionately.
I pushed him off and stepped away. "No. Not anymore. You don't get to kill innocent people and still have me."
"Then what do you want me here for?"
"She wants you here for me." Castle said behind him.
"Frank?" Billy checked, staring into my eyes.
His only response was Castle's gun cocking. "You said your piece to him?" He asked me.
Before I could reply Billy spun, grabbing me and holding me in front of him to block Castle's shot, and covered my mouth to block my scream.
"You betrayed me. You sold me out." He growled in my ear, and I tried to fight him off of me, to no avail. "I trusted you Celeste."
"Put her down Bill." Castle warned, aiming squarely down his gun.
"You won't shoot me through her. Now if you'll excuse me." He backed up, pulling a gun, and I screamed to warn Castle before Billy shot at him. My warning came in time, and Castle jumped out of the way, aiming at but missing his arm.
They started a shootout, Castle behind a dumpster and Billy holding me as a human shield.
"We're going on a trip." He growled to me, dragging me backwards.
There was no way in hell I was going with him, and I flailed and kicked to try and get out of his grip.
My leg finally found its mark, right in his shin, and he dropped me, throwing me towards Castle and running.
Castle caught me and helped me up. "You good?"
"Yeah." I nodded.
"Go put some clothes on. I'll get Bill."
I nodded and ran inside, throwing on enough clothes to be basically decent, and ran back out, in time to see Punisher get in a car and drive off.
A cab came up and I hailed it quickly, jumping in. "Follow that car, and I'll pay you 200." I promised, holding up a stack of ten 20$ bills.
The cab drove off and I sighed and settled in to the back seat, catching my breath.
Ten minutes in, we lost the car. "Sorry miss."
"It's fine. Keep heading this way a little more, just in case it's right ahead of us?"
He kept driving, but we still had no like. The poor guy looked tired, so I called it off and paid him, hopping out on a street I didn't recognize, but I had my phone with me so I pulled out the map and started my hour long walk home.