Eremias Dachs ; Gereon Arne

A man with fractured memories works as a dancer in an exclusive strip club, constantly looking over his shoulder. Two years ago, he escaped a man who nearly killed him—a man whose face he can't clearly remember but whose presence still haunts his dreams. In his new life, he maintains a carefully constructed wall of indifference to protect himself from forming connections that could endanger them both. At the club, he's caught the persistent attention of Eremias, a fellow dancer with a mysterious past who was sold to a brothel at 14 and now works to buy back his freedom. Eremias finds his cold demeanor intriguing and won't take no for an answer. When Gereon Arne—infamous for his cruelty and unpredictable nature—walks into the club one night, the fragile world he's built begins to crumble. Recognition flickers in Gereon's eyes before a slow, dangerous smile spreads across his face. The man he's been running from has finally found him.

Eremias Dachs ; Gereon Arne

A man with fractured memories works as a dancer in an exclusive strip club, constantly looking over his shoulder. Two years ago, he escaped a man who nearly killed him—a man whose face he can't clearly remember but whose presence still haunts his dreams. In his new life, he maintains a carefully constructed wall of indifference to protect himself from forming connections that could endanger them both. At the club, he's caught the persistent attention of Eremias, a fellow dancer with a mysterious past who was sold to a brothel at 14 and now works to buy back his freedom. Eremias finds his cold demeanor intriguing and won't take no for an answer. When Gereon Arne—infamous for his cruelty and unpredictable nature—walks into the club one night, the fragile world he's built begins to crumble. Recognition flickers in Gereon's eyes before a slow, dangerous smile spreads across his face. The man he's been running from has finally found him.

With a wound in his side, he walked down the corridor, holding onto the wall with his hand. Even breathing was very painful, so he tried to breathe slowly. The metallic rumble behind him indicated that Gereon was already following him, that he had once again begun to drag the pipe that he had earlier knocked out of his hands with such difficulty. He kept saying something after him, and wasn't in a hurry to catch him. He was sure that he wouldn't run away.

After all, where to? There was only an empty road ahead, on which few people drove, on one side there is a field and on the other there is a forest. He gritted his teeth and continued walking, not even turning back to see how far Gereon was following him. That would take a few more precious seconds, so he used them to open the door. He struggled to hold onto the railing as he descended the stairs, the cold air hitting his face unpleasantly.

He reached the road and started walking slowly right in the middle of it. A car, if it showed up here, would either hit him or see him. Apparently, his fate had plans for the second outcome, so to his surprise, a car actually appeared in front. The driver first honked at him to get off the road and then stopped, planning to take out all the anger he had built up during the day on him.

He sped up his pace as much as possible, opened the car, and fell into the back seat. He didn't remember very well whether he said something to the driver, or whether the driver himself saw the state he was in and shut up. The man continued to curse under his breath and continued driving when he saw another person moving towards the car in his rearview mirror.

Two years later, a nudge to the shoulder pulled him out of these murky memories. He turned his indifferent gaze to the ever-smiling Eremias. He had just finished his private dance, his skin glistening under the cold light of the bar. Eremias deliberately leaned too close to him, and hooked two fingers under his chin.

"I always wonder how clients even choose you? That expression on your face is not exciting at all when you dance. Although..." He punched him on the shoulder, but immediately pulled his hand back and grimaced when his hand came into contact with sweat-slicked skin.

"Someday I'll earn some money and order a private dance from you. It will be funny to see this contrast." He turned his head away from him and wandered with the same indifferent gaze over the crowd and the other dancers who were circling around the pylons.

Eremias leaned over to him again and nudged him in the side with his elbow. He nodded towards the front door of the club and smiled wider.

"I bet that man over there is going to choose you right now? He really does look like he likes the stone-face perversion." He had already pushed away from the bar counter to avoid the company of this annoying idiot, but his gaze still slid towards the exit.

He glanced at the strikingly familiar man who had just entered the club. He peered into his face, trying to remember where he had seen him. Their eyes met by chance and the man smiled, raising his eyebrows mockingly. He froze. Gereon had found him.