I stared at the entrance to Elysium. It was already busy, the crowd overflowing the entrance and the security guarding the doors. I tilted my head to the side, hearing the satisfying crack from my sore neck.

I had been restless all day, knowing that I had to interact with Rosaline tonight. I didn't know what it was about this woman. If Xavier ordered me to follow anyone else, I wouldn't have been as hesitant as I was now.

"Hey, Asshole, are you inside yet?" I heard Xavier's voice from my earpiece. I sighed in annoyance. I was still outside leaning against the wall.

"Not yet. About to head in." I muttered. I heard Xavier's chuckle and my scowl deepened even more. If he were here, I would have strangled him. Unfortunately, he was already inside, in the VIP room to keep an eye on Maria.

"Use your charm to win her over. I had a chat with Frank and he said security is keeping an eye on everything, focusing more on the bar area. I wonder why that is." Xavier said casually.

I could just picture the smirk on his face. I knew he was baiting me, but damn if it wasn't working.

"She shouldn't even be working tonight, much less at Elysium. Security or not, she is still vulnerable," I growled and Xavier started howling with laughter.

"You are going to have trouble on your hands. Update me when you're with her." Xavier said before he checked off.

"Go to hell," I grumbled before I decided to get my ass through the entrance. The crowd of people moved to let me through, fear and lust in their eyes. I ignored them as I nodded to a security guard, letting myself inside.

I shoved my way through the crowds of people, trying to find my mark.

"Hey, watch it!" A drunk man slurred. I turned and glared at him, a feeling of satisfaction spreading as the man paled.

"I would watch where you are going," I growled as he nodded rapidly before scurrying away. Amused, I turned and kept searching. My eyes latched to a small figure that was chasing after a familiar redhead.

My chest clenched as I admired Rosaline from afar. Her uniform fitted nicely,not skin-tight, but showing her figure nicely. Her dark hair trailed down her back, flying around as she moved.

Her pale skin radiated against the club lighting and I tilted my head in fascination as she held the trays delicately.

Damn it, did she have to look so angelic? It was almost starting to piss me off.

Almost.

I watched as Maria helped Rosaline place drinks at a table before they both returned to the bar. Making my move, I sauntered to where Rosaline was talking to Michael.

Watching them interact brought a feeling of jealousy and I felt my chest rumble in anger. I started walking faster.

Rosaline must have sensed my presence, perking up and meeting my eyes. I couldn't enjoy looking into those dark depths because of the negative emotions building up.

Rosaline paled at the sight of me and quickly whispered into Michael's ear before moving away from the bar. I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling like a predator chasing after its prey.

I knew that she broke her promise.

And she knew she was in big trouble right now.



I didn't even think about Damon coming here tonight.

Crap.

I was so busted! By the angry look he gave me, he was likely going to kill me.

He didn't know me, he wouldn't hurt a stranger...right? I shivered at the idea. I faced Michael who looked at me questioningly.

"I'll be right back, a table is waving me over." I sputtered before dashing around the club to find a hiding spot.

I peeked around to see Damon hot on my heels, his eyes burning into mine and daring me to run away. With a squeak, I squeezed into the crowd, crouching to stay hidden.

I ran past a few stages where the dancers were performing. A light bulb flashed in my head. The dressing rooms!

Quickly going down the hall, I opened the door to one of the dressing rooms and closed it behind me. I sighed in relief as I was alone in the room filled with racks of clothes.

I jumped in fear when I heard a heavy knock.

"Rosaline, you have ten seconds to open this door before I do it myself," Damon warned from the other side.

"Eight...Seven..." Damon started counting down.

Crap. Crap. Crappity, crap, crap!

Panicking, I frantically spun around for a hiding spot. I rushed towards the large racks of costumes and hid, making sure the fabrics covered my whole body.

"Five...Four..."

This wasn't how I thought I would die - Wasn't the worst way either. Flashes of the Men in Black flooded my mind and it confirmed my belief.

This death seemed more preferable.

"One," Damon announced as he opened the door with a loud crash. Why didn't I lock the door? Then again, I doubted a locked door would stop him from entering the room.

I winced at the noise and peeked through the clothes. I watched as he slowly walked into the room, humming. I tried not to move, much less breathe, as he got closer to the racks, examining them. I closed my eyes praying that he wouldn't notice me.

I changed my mind. I didn't want to die tonight.

He grunted, and I heard his footsteps move toward the door and the door closing. I sighed in relief, opening my eyes, and got out of my hiding spot when a large hand grasped my forearm.

I squealed in fright as I saw the towering form connected to the hand. I gulped as I met his green eyes staring furiously at me, pulling me out of the rack.

"Damon!" I greeted weakly. "Fancy seeing you around. I-I wasn't working, I was just hanging out with my pals!" I stuttered like a fool, trying to give him an innocent smile.

But if his expression was anything to go by, he didn't buy my lame story.

"Hanging out?" Damon repeated, eyeing my uniform. My eyes widened even more as I squirmed out of his hold, backing away a few steps.

"Oh, this outfit? I still need to do laundry this week?" I said more like a question as he took another step closer to me. Not liking the lack of space, I took another step back.

It went on like this for a few moments, him taking one large step forward while I took two steps back. I struggled to come up with excuses and distractions.

"So, how was your night so far? Are you a regular customer–" I cut myself off as my back met the cold brick wall.

I gulped as Damon didn't stop coming until his body was a breath away from mine, his large arms caging me. I gulped, waiting for the panic to settle in, only to find none.

I was shocked. If it were anyone else trapping me, I would be at the beginning stages of a panic attack, but with him...it was different. I didn't know how I felt about that.

My thoughts were muddled as he bent down for his face to meet mine, his cologne and near touch putting my senses into overdrive.

Damon hummed as he examined my features before looking me directly in the eyes. We stayed like that for a while before he broke the tense silence.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Flower."

I was immobile, not knowing what to say.

Please don't squish me like a grape.

Damon looked at me in amusement while my eyes widened in horror. I had said my thoughts out loud.

"Don't worry Rosaline, I won't 'squish' you," Damon grumbled in amusement before pulling back to let me gain some composure. I fought the blush creeping up my neck.

Could I be any more embarrassing?

"Are you okay?" Damon asked in concern and my heart warmed. I nodded shyly before he gave me a charming smile.

"Good, now I can be upset with you." I blinked at his next comment as I watched his smile form into a scowl.

"What the hell were you thinking? I told you not to come back here anymore." Damon said and I winced at how loud he was. "You could get seriously hurt here. There are a lot of people that come here with bad intentions and I don't want you to be a mark. I am warning you to stay away before you get hurt."

"But there is security–"

"But the security wasn't there last night to help you. What's to say it won't happen again? What if you wandered off and Maria couldn't help you?" Damon scolded.

My eyes began to sting as he kept talking. I knew he was right. I was completely defenseless and last night proved it. What did I do to help myself last night? I gave myself a panic attack and cried.

Damon stopped talking and I looked up with teary eyes. Noticing my tears, his eyes softened as he came closer to me.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to his muscular body. I instinctively moved closer for protection, loving the warmth he gave off. He rubbed my back in a soothing manner, helping me calm down.

"I'm sorry," I grumbled into his shirt as I pulled away to show him my sincerity. He nodded and pulled away. I resisted the urge to pout as I looked at the clock. I turned back to him nervously.

"I need to get back to work," I stated and Damon glowered at me. "It's only for a few more hours! Plus, I need this job, Damon." I begged, knowing he could drag me out of the club easily.

Damon stared at me blankly and I tried my best to look serious. It must have worked as he rubbed his face and cursed under his breath.

"Fine, under the condition that I watch you and take you home. Agreed?" I nodded eagerly and hugged him in excitement, much to his shock.

I pulled back, beaming, before rushing out of the dressing room. I heard Damon calling my name but I ignored it. If anyone could catch up with me, it was him.

"Rosaline, your break was over five minutes ago! Maria is going to skin me alive if you disappear like that again." Michael yelled over the music as he made another drink.

"Where is she anyway?" I asked and Michael gestured to the VIP entrance with his head. Nodding, I grabbed a rag from under the counter to start cleaning some tables for customers.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Damon sitting in a booth, holding a beer. I turned my head and saw him watching me, unfazed by the fact I caught him doing so. With a shrug, I went back to my duties knowing he was watching me.

Guess he was my new guardian angel.

I smiled at the thought as I picked up another tray.

Maybe being around Damon for a little bit wouldn't be so bad after all.

~*~

The rest of the night went relatively well.

Though it was probably because Damon was shadowing me all night.

Damon kept a good distance between the two of us. He was far away enough for us to do our jobs, all the while keeping close proximity to glare at the clients.

I was glad I wasn't on the receiving end of those glares. One glance and I would have been a sobbing mess. Every now and then, Damon would lean down and whisper into someone's ear and they would leave the club. I was nervous to ask what he was saying, but my curiosity got the best of me. Damon responded calmly by stating that he was just giving them some advice.

Maria was teasing me relentlessly as Damon guarded me. Especially when I spilled the beans when we went into the back room to get more supplies and she demanded answers.

"Let me get this straight, Damon told you to never come back to Elysium, you didn't listen and took the job anyway, and now he's pissed off but playing sentry?" Maria laughed as I blushed with shame and embarrassment.

"First off, fuck him for acting like a neanderthal - I don't know what to do with him sometimes. Second, you should have listened to him, Rosie. Damon is a very demanding man that likes getting what he wants"

"If I didn't come back, I would've been back to square one. I need the money if I want to have a roof over my head and to fill my stomach. Besides, he doesn't look angry anymore. I promised that as long as I'm within his eyesight and he takes me home, then I'm fine," I rambled rapidly, trying to come up with excuses.

Maria snorted at my explanation.

"And I thought Xavier was overprotective. Damon is following you around like a lost puppy - a dangerous and growling one. I'll make sure he never hears the end of it," Maria said reassuringly and I rolled my eyes at her.

"He's just being nice, you don't need to tease him about it," I defended Damon, which only got me more laughter from Maria. I frowned at my friend. What was so funny?

"I'm sorry for laughing, Rosie. It's just that I've never seen Damon act like this before. He's antisocial and hardly talks at all, but he seems to be your knight in shining armor. Are you even afraid of him?" Maria said curiously.

I thought about it. Did Damon scare me? His appearance made him intimidating and he could be a bit touchy-feely, but he hasn't harmed me. Sure, I was scared when he spotted me earlier, but it was because I didn't want to see the disappointment on his face when he caught me.

I stopped in my tracks. That thought startled me to no end.

Why was his opinion of me so important?

My hands automatically went to the ends of my hair, twirling them in between my fingers harshly. Damon was digging into my skin and we barely knew each other apart from our names. I didn't know his life, family, or history.

Heck, I even told myself to stay away from him- to protect him!

But I didn't want to stay away from Damon.

I groaned internally and fought the urge to bang my face against the wall, especially in front of Maria. No need to really show what an emotional mess I was.

What was this pull towards him that was making me so selfish and greedy? My shoulders slumped. I was scum on this Earth for not following through with my plan.

"No, he's proved himself multiple times by keeping me safe. Why should I be afraid?" I admitted to her as we heard a loud bang against the door. I jumped at the noise and Maria shook her head in amusement.

"Speak of the devil - seems like someone is getting jittery by not having you in their eyesight. We better get moving." Maria instructed as she handed me a box.

After that confusing conversation, I was left alone with my thoughts as I cleaned tables with Damon behind me. I couldn't help but find it sweet that he willingly stayed by my side the whole time. I also felt a bit of guilt. He could be doing more important things and here he was on babysitting duty.

A few times, I tried to reassure him that he could enjoy the club performances, but Damon stayed firm.

Finally allowed to clock out, I went into the break room and was shocked to see Damon following me inside.

"This is for employees only," I scolded him. "Can you please go outside and wait? I just need to get my stuff and I will be out in a few minutes."

Damon looked at me with amusement in his eyes, his expression neutral. He leaned down so we were eye-level, letting his breath fan over my face. I tried my best to cover the hitch in my breath, but I knew from the smirk on the corner of his lips that he noticed it. I scampered backwards and knocked the air out of my lungs when I crashed into the wall.

My eyes widened as Damon made his move, covering his body with mine and blocking all escape exits. I gulped as I recognized the position I had been in earlier tonight.

"It's adorable when you try to take charge Flower." Damon murmured, his breath caressing my face. My eyes made contact with his, drowning in the green orbs looking at me with an emotion I couldn't decipher but brought an unfamiliar feeling through my body.

"But I think we both know who's really in charge."

Sweet cheese, I was in trouble. I squirmed at our intimate position as I placed my hands on his large broad shoulders, his muscles tensing underneath my touch. I meekly tried to push him back to clear my mind.

"J-just give me a moment." I babbled like a loon and pushed one more time, successfully getting him to move.

Damon slowly backed away, keeping his eyes on me the entire time.

"One minute, or I am carrying you over my shoulder," Damon warned with a scowl before stomping to the door.

I sighed in relief as my heart thumped at an unsteady rhythm. I fanned my red face, hoping it would simmer down, as I tried to control my body's strange reaction to Damon. I shook my body in an attempt to get rid of the tingles taking over my body.

I think I'm going insane.

Scared Damon would make good on his threat, I grabbed my belongings and put on my jacket. I zipped up my jacket, taking a moment to curl into the warmth of the fabric before throwing my bag over my shoulder.

Just as I was about to take a step towards the door, the door banged open and Damon marched towards me.

Knowing his intentions, I squealed as I tried to dodge his advances by running away, only to feel two hands on my waist. I gasped as he squeezed my sides then giggled at the tickling sensation. I was easily tickled.

Since I was distracted, Damon took the opportunity to lift me off the ground. I squealed as I was thrown over Damon's shoulder.

"Put me down!" I whined as Damon nonchalantly walked back into the club. "I was about to leave and I doubt it was a full minute!" I complained as I poked his side, hoping he was just as ticklish.

Damon let out a grunt but had no reaction as the music overpowered my hearing. No one took notice of us as we walked toward the exit.

I looked around, hoping to find someone to help me down. Spotting Michael, I waved to him, gaining his attention as I pointed at Damon exaggeratedly. Michael raised his eyebrow in surprise before he gave me an amused grin.

"Good luck," Michael mouthed as Damon nodded to some of the security guards before taking us outside, the cold New York air hitting our bodies.

I glared at Michael until I lost sight of him, conveying how unhappy I was with him. Giving up the struggle, I cuddled into Damon's back hoping to ward off the cold and sighed happily when I did.

"Are you snuggling me?" Damon chuckled and more goosebumps formed on my skin as a flush spread on my cheeks.

"It's cold," I muttered in my defense as I wrapped my arms around his waist lazily.

Damon continued to chuckle at my response before stopping in front of his car. Damon gently set me down as he opened the passenger door, signaling me to get inside. I buckled up while he closed the door and got inside the vehicle himself, starting the car and running the heater.

"Thank you for taking me home," I said sincerely, happy that I had a safe ride home. Maria finished her shift early and I insisted that she went home with her husband instead of waiting for me.

"It wasn't an option, Flower. I'm just glad you stopped struggling." Damon grunted and I fought back a smile. I turned to look at the view, feeling my shyness start to creep in. I looked in awe at the city lights.

"I think I'm growing fond of this city, it's on a different spectrum compared to Los Angeles." I murmured thoughtfully to myself.

"You lived there before?" Damon questioned, his voice light with something else mixed into it. I kept my eyes on the city, acknowledging his question.

"I lived there my whole life. Los Angeles was flashy at times– the tourist attractions, celebrities, and amusement parks. I spent most of my time in a small bookstore I worked at. I was never comfortable in the city. The only time I felt at peace was either at home or in the city library," I admitted to him.

Thinking back on it, I never realized how...lonely I was.

My gaze lowered as I thought about how my time was spent either with my parents or by myself. There were never any friends that came over, going on dates or parties. I just stayed to myself, content. Or at least I thought I was.

Now spending time with Maria, Damon, Frank, and Michael, I felt a certain loss of what I could've had in Los Angeles. Things could have been different, my situation could be different. I could be different.

"Was that why you moved here? For a fresh start?" Damon prodded as he noticed my quiet state as he pulled over to the apartment complex.

I finally faced him. Damon was analyzing me quietly, studying my facial features. I saw the concern on his expression and quickly forced a smile on my face, wanting nothing more than to run away from his questions.

"In a way, yes," I said vaguely as I unlocked the door to get out of the car. The car felt suffocating at this point and my lungs were deprived of air.

I needed more air.

I scrambled to get my things together, but a hand wrapped my wrist from moving. I quickly struggled to move its grip, but it only tightened. My heart started racing and my pulse throbbed on my neck. I heard Damon curse something, but my mind was too muddled to comprehend anything. I clenched my eyes shut, hoping the torture would finally end.

Two hands gripped my hair before tilting my face up. I groaned as my head started pounding, my hands gripping the other pair of hands in my hair. My body trembled as something warm touched my forehead.

I heard the person whisper reassurances, massaging my scalp gently, comforting me. We both stayed like that, waiting for my panic attack to pass.

Slowly but surely, I felt myself come back to reality. I took deep breaths to stabilize myself before letting my eyes open. My vision slowly focused on Damon's green eyes, close to mine.

My senses returned as my mind processed that Damon's hands were tangled into my hair, his forehead resting against mine. My heart began racing again for a whole different reason.

"Damon, I–"

"It's okay, Flower. It's over now and you're safe." Damon spoke as he rubbed his nose against mine, his facial hair tickling my skin. He pulled back and began to wipe away the tears that were streaming on my face. I tried to turn my face, but Damon kept a firm hold as he helped me clean up.

I was in awe as his rough hands gently soothed me. This was a side of Damon I had never seen before. He was being sweet and patient with me.

I really am in trouble now.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm more embarrassed than anything," I sniffled as Damon finally released me. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'll just head out before I do anything worse." I spoke rapidly as a humiliating flush reached my ears.

I manage to open the door and get out, but not without Damon following my lead.

"Flower, you did nothing wrong. If anything I should be the one saying sorry," Damon said gruffly as he marched towards me.

I looked up as he towered over me. I blinked and tilted my head in confusion.

"Why are you sorry?" I spoke as his frown deepened. "All you did was ask me questions about living in a city! You didn't know it would cause that reaction," I insisted as he looked ready to protest.

I sighed in exhaustion. "Can we just forget about it? I'm exhausted and my body just took a huge toll. Please?" I pleaded as a huge yawn escaped as I covered my mouth sloppily.

I blinked as I saw a small smile replace his frown, his stiff posture slowly relaxing.

"Let's get you to bed, Flower," Damon said as he grabbed my bag and led me into my apartment complex.

I wondered why he called me Flower?

I noticed he had been calling me that all night, but I wasn't opposed to the nickname.

We made it to the entrance when I noticed the office light was on. I groaned as I rested my head briefly on Damon's arm.

"What's wrong?" Damon frowned, looking tense as if waiting for someone to strike.

"I need to talk to my landlord. He wanted to meet when my shift ended. Something about payments...It should only take a minute," I yawned as I held my hand out for my bag.

Damon handed it to me as I grabbed my tips from tonight. "Just in case I need it. This should cover it in case, though I just paid for the next few weeks." I said happily as I went to the closed door.

I knocked and waited impatiently for Mr. Meyers to open the door. Sure enough, the door opened and my landlord smiled widely at my appearance.

"Ah, Ms. Sinclair, I was waiting for you," Mr. Meyers rasped as his eyes traveled up and down my body. I was too tired to notice and gave him an apologetic look for keeping him awake.

"I'm sorry I've kept you up. I want to make sure my payment information is correct. If not, I have some money to cover it." I said as I showed him the cash. Mr. Meyers licked his lips as he stared longingly at the cash.

"Thank you Ms. Sinclair. Would you like to come inside? It's an important matter we need to discuss." Mr. Meyers said as he widened the door.

I let out another yawn, wanting to get this over with so I could go to bed. Just when I was about to move, a growl registered into my mind.

Shocked, I saw Damon look at Mr. Meyers furiously.

"I don't think that's necessary, Koyle," Damon growled.