I deliberately dawdled when I went out to buy the items because I didn’t want to deal with their faces. Around eight, I returned to the club, handed the items to Archer's friends, grabbed my bag, and told Archer. "I'm leaving."
"What? Ashley is leaving?" a friend joked, "Don't go, hang out with us."
Archer was stunned for a moment. "Why are you leaving?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Hour's up. If you want me to stay, you'll have to pay up."
Archer's face turned crimson, his teeth gritted. "Renew it!"
"I'm short five hundred dollars bucks," I said with a shrug.
Fuming, Archer transferred me twenty thousand dollars. Considering the money, I stayed with him until midnight. Then, grabbing my bag, I said, "I'm leaving. Got work tomorrow. Oh, and do I need to announce our breakup? I'll tell your friends I dumped you, and that's the end of it..."
"No way!" Archer cut me off angrily.
He cared a lot about his image.
I smiled and said, "Mr. Flynn, feel free to order again next time. Goodbye."
This time, I didn't drive him; I just walked out of the club, hailed a cab, and left him and a few friends gaping.
He could buy time with money, but only if I was willing to sell.