It's a short chapter but still a chapter. Be warned of a slight explicit scene here. I don't think it's too bad in the grander scheme of explicit but I do mention a shaft in reference to a man's dong so there's that . . . Enjoy!

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Spending life constantly looking over your shoulder sucked. And it gave Dwayne a neck cramp. That's all he did whenever he picked Kyle up from school, all the way back to the apartment. By the time he cleaned the couch and replaced the lock it was noon and he was functioning off of only a few hours of sleep. He should have been used to it by now but he couldn't keep his body from faltering. He was human, after all.

Molly was at his door early that night, just like she was every night so Dwayne could sneak into his room and get a little more sleep while she kept Kyle occupied. Kyle knew. Dwayne could see it in his eyes when he walked out of the room a couple hours later. But he never said anything. Didn't make Dwayne feel any less guilty, though.

He was out the door by eight and on the subway to his own personal hell. It was the same thing every night. Get to the club, get changed, set up, stock, eye fuck every patron in the place for money for the rest of the night, go home, repeat on the next shift. If the money wasn't so good he would have dropped the gig for something more normal a long time ago. At least he liked to think.

It was around midnight when Seth sent one of this little nearly-naked errand boys to fetch Dwayne from the floor and bring him up to the office. That was weird. Seth usually kept to himself, or kept to whatever it was he did up there. There were only two reasons Seth called any of them up: to fire them or use them. Dwayne had a feeling he wasn't getting fired.

He followed the little roller boy to the back of the club through a door and up a dimly lit set of stairs. How the kid could maneuver in those skates he had no idea. Right now, going from the pulsing strobes of the club to the dark was disorienting enough. The kid paused at a door at the top of the stairs, waiting for Dwayne to catch up, before he opened it and signaled for the bartender to follow him in.

He'd only been up to the office once, when he was first hired. He could vaguely recall it from memory but as soon as he walked through the door all of the memories came flooding back. There was velour everywhere, hanging on every wall. The carpet was shag and the bed backed up against the far wall took up the length of it. There was a cluster of arms and legs rolling around in the darker corners back there but he didn't take a closer look.

Seth was perched in a red velour chair, his eyes mere slits with residue still under his nose, some kind of drink in his hand and a body just as naked as Dwayne's sprawled out on a chaise lounge next to him. When he first started he was all up for the freak. Welcomed it. Now it was just old and Dwayne walked in front of his boss with his ridiculously small shorts and waited, no hint of excitement or allure on his face. Whatever Seth wanted done Dwayne just wanted it over with.

"Dw-dwayne," Seth slurred as he leaned forward in his chair, sloshing drink over his hand but not noticing. "How is it, how's it going tonight?"

Dwayne kept his hands clamped in front of him and tried to keep his face as emotionless as possible. "Fine."

Seth scrunched his face but immediately spit out laughing. "Oh it d-doesn't look f-f-fine. T-tips not good?" Dwayne opened his mouth to respond but Seth cut him off with a wave of his hand. "N-never mind that. I-I have something that'll, that'll cheer you up." Another wave of his hand beckoned Dwayne to turn around. "This is Steven." The ses all slurred together.

It was just his head that turned, not deigning to twist his whole body around to face this Steven. Oh how he wished he could say that the guy was just another cheap polyester sleaze looking for a good time. But even from where he stood Dwayne could tell the suit was nowhere near polyester. And cheap to this guy was more than what Dwayne made in a year. What the hell did he want?

"D-don't be ssshy, Dw-wayne. Sssay hello to Sssteven."

Fingertips pressed into his bare skin and Dwayne's body swayed against the little weight. That could probably push one of the other little flakes over. But he got the hint. He kept one foot planted and reached out to Steven with his right hand. The suit took it, the shake limp and clammy. He had to use all his might to keep from wiping his hand off on his little shorts.

Dwayne looked back up at Seth and stared. The guy was squinting so badly he probably couldn't see six inches in front of him.

"Sssteven's a nnnew business partner of mmmine. Helps keep thissplace buzzzzzzing. Right, Dw-wayne?"

Dwayne didn't budge. What did this have to do with anything? And why was he wasting tip time up there?

There was a creak behind him but Dwayne kept his eyes trained on Seth. This needed to be done. Now.

"I-I need towelcome him the r-right way, ddon't you think?"

Seth was sloshing more alcohol on himself than what he was getting in his mouth. Like that mattered. The pile of cocaine he'd done before did the trick enough. If not there were always the ludes.

Still, Dwayne remained silent. He had a feeling . . .

Fingertips tiptoed their way up his spine and goosebumps waved across his skin against his will. Somewhere closer to the wall someone moaned. Girl, guy, did it matter?

Dwayne leaned forward what he hoped was slight enough so that no one would notice. The fingertips just pressed harder into his back and Seth slipped further and further into oblivion as he knocked back a few more jangling pills. This had to stop.

"Lllighten up, Dw-wayne. Sssteven picked you persssonally. You'll earn back all your tips and mmore!"

Seth flung his arms out in hurrah and he twirled in his swivel chair, his cup nothing more than an ice holder. He looked like he was sweating. Dwayne needed to leave but if he left so did his job. And his protection. He'd taken smaller hits for the team before. That didn't mean he liked it. There were times when he'd spent an hour in the shower scrubbing his body raw after one of the club's "team" nights. He couldn't stand it. But could he take another hit?

Smooth palms felt around Dwayne's hips, palms that had never known a day of hard work. His body went rigid. Seth just laughed. Steven breathed heavily into Dwayne's hair. Fingertips played at the edge of Dwayne's waistband, deciding which route to take to the treasure. They lingered for only a second before they dove in, maneuvering around his jock and slowly inched their way to the joystick they were seeking. Dwayne's teeth squeaked as he ground his jaw. His hands shook as he kept them clenched in front of him.

"You said your boys were loose, Seth. This one's a little tight." The stench of alcohol swung around and hit Dwayne in the face. Seth laughed again. "I'm sure I can loosen him up."

Fingers started to weave their way around Dwayne's shaft and his elbow flew up into Steven's face. Nope. No more hits.

"Fuck this shit. I quit."

A little voice in the back of Dwayne's mind reminded him how ridiculous he looked stomping off in his little shorts and sneakers. The rest of him was just fed the fuck up. The orgy in the back of Seth's room didn't even falter as Steven cried out and grabbed his face. The smile was just starting to slide off of Seth's face when Dwayne stormed out the door.

He stopped quickly at his locker to grab his clothes. No way in hell he was walking out of the club like he was. He stuffed his sneakered feet through the denim legs and tucked the shorts in as he zipped up. He stuffed the t-shirt into the pocket of his leather jacket and ripped it out of the locker. His hands smacked at faces as he pulled the jacket on while walking across the club. Like he gave a shit.

Dwayne looked over his shoulder and Seth's burly ass bouncers were already making their way through the crowd. They were having a harder time maneuvering the people. Like he was going to wait for them.

He threw open the door and rushed out onto the sidewalk. The noise outside was just as thrumming as it was inside. The line of barely dressed clubbers wrapped around the corner and now that Dwayne'd just come out there was room for one more and they all started screeching. Some started flashing. Like they cared.

Like he cared.

Dwayne's feet pounded pavement as he booked to the nearest subway station. Seth's protection was gone and Victor would know Dwayne was exposed by the time the sun came up.

He hopped over the turnstile and ignored the cries of the station attendant. He and Kyle needed to get out of the city. Tonight.

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