Ice clinked softly against the sides of the glass as Jonathan slowly swirled the amber liquid within, his fingers tight around the tumbler. His eyes followed the spinning cubes, a deep frown etched itself across his face, his blank stare betraying nothing. He slumped in his stool, shoulders hunched, leaning just enough against the counter to keep himself upright.

The pulsing music of the club filled the background, rhythmic and unrelenting, yet distant to him. Warm bodies brushed past him occasionally, but he barely registered them, just another wave in the sea of distractions surrounding him. His eyes, however, slowly shifted upwards and away from his glass, flicking over to you, behind the bar.

He'd seen you before, you'd talked before, of course, you were usually the one serving him, and truthfully, he’d stalked you more times than he could count. You were interesting, something different, someone he could toy with, yet never fully control. But today... today was different. He could sense it, even from a distance. Something about you was off.