Chapter 6 – No Escape

Chapter 6 – No Escape

A Morning That Feels Like a Trap

The sound of knocking pulled me out of my restless sleep.

I groggily sat up, my body aching from the previous day. My muscles protested as I moved, a dull pain settling into my bones.

Another knock. Louder this time.

I forced myself to stand, my legs still shaky. When I opened the door, Liam stood there, arms crossed, looking as smug as ever.

"Get dressed," he said. "We’re leaving in ten minutes."

I frowned. "Leaving for what?"

He didn’t answer, just gave me a pointed look before walking away.

A part of me wanted to slam the door and refuse, but I knew better. I had already agreed to this—to whatever this job was.

And refusing Liam wasn’t an option.

With a heavy sigh, I grabbed the simplest clothes I could find—a plain black hoodie and jeans. I didn’t bother with makeup or fixing my hair. It didn’t matter.

When I walked out of the room, Liam was waiting by the front door, car keys in hand.

"Hurry up," he muttered.

I followed him outside, my stomach twisted in knots.

Something about today felt… off.

Like I was walking straight into a trap.

Back to the Club

The car ride was silent.

Liam didn’t bother talking, and I didn’t bother asking questions.

It wasn’t until we pulled up in front of the same club from last night that my nerves started creeping up my throat again.

The building looked just as intimidating in daylight. The blacked-out windows, the heavy doors, the lingering sense of something wrong in the air.

I didn’t want to go inside.

But Liam opened the door for me, waiting.

I swallowed hard and stepped out.

The moment we walked in, I felt eyes on me.

There were men everywhere. Some sitting at tables, some talking in hushed voices, some watching me with thinly veiled amusement.

I kept my head down, gripping the sleeves of my hoodie.

Liam led me through the club until we reached the same office from before.

The door was already open.

And inside, the man from last night was waiting.

The First Real Order

He was seated behind his desk, fingers tapping against the polished wood.

When his gaze lifted to mine, something cold settled in my stomach.

"You’re late," he said simply.

I blinked. "I—Liam said ten minutes—"

"Excuses don’t interest me," he cut in.

I shut my mouth.

Liam chuckled beside me. "She’s still learning, boss."

The man—boss—ignored him. He stood up, walking around the desk, stopping right in front of me.

He was tall. Too tall.

And too close.

His scent—cologne mixed with something darker, something I couldn’t place—made my head spin.

I forced myself to stand still, even when every instinct told me to take a step back.

"Today’s simple," he murmured, looking down at me. "You’ll be shadowing someone. Learning how things work around here."

I hesitated. "Shadowing who?"

He smirked, tilting his head toward the door.

A woman stood there now, leaning against the frame.

She was tall, dressed in black, her dark red lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile.

"This is Helena," the boss said. "You’ll be her little shadow for the day."

Helena’s gaze raked over me like she was assessing my worth.

Then she sighed dramatically. "Great. Another stray."

Liam snorted. The boss just smiled.

And me?

I was starting to think I had made a mistake coming here.

The Rules of the Club

Helena didn’t waste time.

She led me through the club, talking fast, barely looking at me.

"First thing you need to know? No one gives a damn about you here," she said bluntly. "You’re just another girl filling space. You do what you’re told, you don’t ask questions, and you definitely don’t get involved in shit that isn’t your problem."

I kept quiet, letting her words sink in.

"Second rule?" She glanced at me, her sharp green eyes narrowing. "If someone important asks for you, you say yes. No hesitation. No complaints."

My stomach twisted. "Asks for me?"

Helena smirked. "You’ll figure it out soon enough."

I hated the way that sounded.

"Third rule—" she stopped walking suddenly, turning to face me fully. "Never, and I mean never, run your mouth. The walls have ears in this place. One wrong word, and you won’t be leaving with both your legs intact."

I swallowed hard.

"Got it?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Good." She spun on her heel, continuing forward.

I followed, my mind racing.

This wasn’t just some job.

This place… these people…

I was in way over my head.

And the worst part?

I didn’t know how to get out.

----

Thrown Into the Fire

Helena wasted no time dragging me deeper into the club. The farther we went, the louder the music became, the air thick with the scent of alcohol, smoke, and something else—something dangerous.

She led me through a dimly lit hallway, past doors that were slightly ajar, revealing glimpses of things I didn’t want to see.

A girl adjusting her dress in front of a mirror, her lipstick smudged.

A man leaning against a wall, his gaze dark, his smirk even darker.

Laughter. Murmurs. Deals being made in hushed voices.

My stomach twisted.

Helena finally stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway and turned to face me.

"Alright, new girl," she said, crossing her arms. "Time to see if you’re useless or not."

I clenched my fists. "I never said I was useless."

She smirked. "We’ll see."

Then she pushed the door open and shoved me inside.

---

The First Test

The room was different from the rest of the club.

Bright lights. A sleek bar counter. Shelves lined with expensive bottles of liquor.

Three men sat on the other side, watching me with interest.

Helena strolled past me, grabbing a glass and pouring a drink like she had done it a thousand times before.

"You’ll start here," she said casually. "Serving drinks. Easy enough, right?"

I hesitated. This felt too simple.

The men exchanged amused glances, like they knew something I didn’t.

One of them, a man with silver hair and sharp eyes, leaned forward. "She looks nervous."

I stiffened. "I’m not."

The second man, younger but just as intimidating, grinned. "We’ll see about that."

Helena sighed dramatically. "Enough talking. Let’s get to work."

She grabbed a bottle and shoved it into my hands.

"Pour."

I glanced at the men, then back at her. My fingers tightened around the glass.

This wasn’t just about serving drinks.

This was a test.

And failure wasn’t an option.

---

Trouble Brewing

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The bottle was heavier than I expected, the liquid sloshing inside. My hands weren’t shaking—at least, not much.

I tipped the bottle, letting the amber liquid flow into the glass.

Slow. Steady. Careful.

I could feel their eyes on me. Watching. Waiting for me to mess up.

But I didn’t.

When the glass was full, I set the bottle down and looked up.

Helena raised an eyebrow.

The silver-haired man smirked. "Not bad."

The younger one chuckled. "Maybe she won’t break so easily after all."

I didn’t know what that meant, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Helena leaned in, her voice low. "Lesson number one, Evelyn—nothing here is ever as simple as it seems."

A shiver ran down my spine.

And for the first time, I realized—

I wasn’t just working here.

I was being watched.

Tested.

And if I wasn’t careful…

I wouldn’t survive.

---

End of Chapter 6

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