Seeing Red

USB

I sat alone in my favorite cafe, watching the lunch crowd bustle around me, my coffee cold, and untouched. My body sore, and aching from the events that took place the night before. My left cheekbone, though thoroughly covered in make up, was adorned by a large bruise, while my arms were littered with them. I closed my eyes, taking in a shaky breath, as the night flashed in my memory.

The bedroom door had clicked behind us, and I stood there nervously, my eyes trained on a speck on the floor, trying my best to be anywhere else.
"You seem nervous, Red." his deep voice dripped with amusement.
"No, sir. Not at all." I lied casually. He chuckled, and it was then I realized, he knew I was lying.
"Come. Sit with me." He patted the edge of the bed, next to where it dipped in from his weight.
"I'd rather stand here, if you don't mind."
"I do mind." He said sternly "I said sit down."
I jumped a little at the harshness in his voice, and scurried over to sit next to him. I tried to sit as far from him as possible, but he wasn't having it. He grabbed my upper arm, and yanked me closer. "Why are you nervous, little mouse?" He teased softly "You're shaking."
"I'm in a dark room, with a dangerous man, and you're three times my size." I stated honestly "I couldn't fight you off, even if I wanted too."
"Do you think of me as a dangerous man?" He asked "Do I seem like I'm going to hurt you?"
"I don't know you well enough to answer that" I admitted "But given what these rooms are made for, and the fact that we're sitting in one of them, I would say anyone would think that."
"What is your name?" He stood and stared down at me. I couldn't bring myself to look up at him.
"Eva, sir."
"Eva." He repeated softly. It was hard not to admit, that I never liked my name, but my name sounded like honey, dripping from his lips, when he said it. I looked up at him, and he wore a soft smile as he spoke "Eva, my name is Theo. I will not harm you." His words felt genuine, and comforting, and I felt my body relax. "Now you know me."
"I suppose that's true." I smiled a little. "Then why are we in here?"
He shrugged, and crossed his arms over his broad chest. His biceps looked as they would split his shirt sleeves at any moment. "My men deserved a night out, but I however, don't find this fun. No offense."
"None taken."
"I enjoy the pleasure of intimate conversation, and silence." He continued "You seem interesting, and also, stressed. Do you not like your job?"
I was a little stunned by the question, and wasn't really sure what to say.
"You can answer honestly, your secrets are safe with me."
"Um......" I thought about it for a moment "Well, the money is nice."
"I didn't ask about the money." He rolled his steely eyes. "Do. You. Like. The .job?"
"No." I admitted, shocking myself. "I mean, sometimes! But, within a month of working here, I was able to pay off my fathers medical bills, and get myself a better apartment, and a new car. It's nice to be able to do those things. I doubt I could have done that, if I had remained a barista."
He watched me carefully, as if taking in my words with consideration.
"Is your father sick still?" He asked, sitting back down beside me, his elbows resting on his thighs, while he watched me curiously. It was strange talking about these things with a complete stranger, but it was also nice to have someone willing to listen.
"No." I admitted sadly. "He passed away last year, from colon cancer."
"I'm sorry." He said softly. His hand suddenly grasping mine, swallowing it whole in his meaty palm. "And what of your mother?"
"She passed away in a car accident when I was six." I admitted, while I stared at his hand holding mine.
"Your life has been rough, I take it.........."
A familiar scream, cut through the room, and we both jumped off the bed to find where it came from. I made it to the door first. And threw it open, to see the girls all huddled against the wall, and one of Theo's man standing bawled up and aggressive, over Daisha who was laid out on the floor, trying to crawl backwards away from him. Blood dripped from her busted lip "Do you know who we are?" He spat at her "Do you really think you get to say no to me?"
All I could think was get this man off of her. I ran towards them without thinking, shoving him away from her "Stop it, leave her alone asshole!"
He turned immediately raising his hand at me, and the next thing I saw was stars as pain shot through my face. The other girls grabbed me, but I had already lost my temper, and he wasn't going to stop unless someone made him. I ran at him again, but he grabbed my arms, and shook me "You stupid little girl, You don't know who you're fucking with!"
"Alexander!" The voice that boomed through the room, held enough authority that everything went silent. Theo stood there, anger contorting his face, as he stared at the man holding onto me with a painful grasp. All it took was one look from Theo, and Alexander's grasp released me. I didn't care to do anything but rush to Daisha, who laid there with wide eyes, one beginning to swell, from a cut in her eyebrow. Mostly placed there when Alexander hit her. I grabbed napkins from the table beside us, and soaked them in vodka, and proceeded to try and clean the wound.
"Are you okay?" I whispered, dabbing bliss from the open wound.
"We're in so much trouble." She said with a shaky breath. I looked up at the men, and found Theo's eyes trained on me. He stared at me for a few moments, and then looked back at his men.
"We're leaving." He snapped in anger. I watched as he grabbed his jackets and threw it at one of the men, as they exited the room. "Eva." He said, using a finger to motion me over. I looked down at Daisha, but she nodded for me to go to him, no doubt scared that either of us would be hit again. I walked over slowly, and unsure, afraid that I would be struck again. He grabbed my upper arm and drug me back to the bedroom in a hasty fashion.
"What are you doing?!" I demanded as the door locked behind us.
"Shut up." He grabbed my arms, shaking me to get me to stop fighting his grasp "where is it Eva?
"Where is what?" I asked, fighting against his grasp once again. "Stop it, you're hurting me!"
"I'm not hurting you, stop being a child, and give it to me" he demanded, releasing my arm.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" I snapped, my eyes filling with tears. Why was he being like this? He was so nice only moments before. He stared me, his eyes angry, his nostrils flaring.
"Ugh!" He shouted, slamming a fist against the door. "Useless!" He shouted, stroking out of the room. A sob left my chest and I couldn't keep the tears from falling. I didn't know why I was crying. Was it my sore body, my stress, or both? I dried my eyes, and rushed over, hitting one of the panic buttons under the bedside table. I went back to the main area, to check on Daisha. She was sitting there on the floor, tears dripping down her cheeks, while Lana, and Rhonda tried to comfort her. She looked up at me, and rushed over, grasping me in a tight hug "I'm so sorry, Eva." She sobbed "I'm so sorry."
"Hey, it's okay" I hugged her back "It's not your fault. It's okay" I cooed, trying to calm her.
"Oh, here..." she took a small step back, holding out her hands, to reveal a small, sleek piece of black plastic, shaped like a long rectangle.
"What is that?" I asked curiously.
"I don't know. A USB I think." She sniffled and wiped one of her eyes. "When your guy threw his jacket to the one that hit us, it fell out of his pocket."
I took it from her hand gingerly, and look at it. This must have been what he was talking about, that he thought I took.
"What do we do with it?" Daisha asked "Should we give it to Natalia?"
"No!" I said quickly. "I'll hold on to it. Maybe if he comes back, we'll give it to him" I don't know why I kept it. Giving it to Natalia would have been the smart thing to do, but instead, I tucked it in the breast of my dress, for safe keeping, as security busted through the door.

.....

I opened my eyes, the cafe had calmed down, and sat there, my hands folded under the table, my fingers toting with the item he had given me. I looked down at it. A sleek black USB. What was on it? He told me not to worry, but I couldn't help it. What was I holding on to? I needed to know. Once the cafe reached near empty, I open my laptop, and plugged the USB into it. I looked around anxiously, as it loaded, and then finally a small file appeared. I clicked on it, and all I saw was photos of a mansion, a large grandfather clock, and an address for an auction. I stared in confusion. That was it?! He wants to buy a clock? What's so damn important about a clock....suddenly my laptop screen started to flash on and off, and then a loud pop noise came from it and it started to smoke. Fuck! I yanked the USB from the laptop, but it was no hope. It was ruined. "Damn it" I mumbled to myself. This was a brand new laptop too, what the fuck. I grumbled and shoved the laptop back in my bag. That jerk owes me a new laptop. I grabbed my things. And proceeded to exit the cafe. I got half a block away, when my phone started to ring. I looked to see who was calling, but it was an unknown caller. Stupid telemarketers. The number called two more times, but I wasn't interested so I shoved it in my pocket, and made my way home.