Collision (#PhoenixAwardsWinner2017)

Chapter 11

Alianna stood in front of the cracked mirror as she dressed for her shift at Libertà. She felt tired to her bones, her body screaming in protest with every movement she made. Thankfully, Wednesdays were slow days so she wouldn't be moving around too much, maybe she could even rest a little in the staff room. She examined the bruises on her stomach; some were a sickening shade of dark purple and green while others were beginning to fade away, ready to be replaced by new ones. She sighed softly before buttoning her shirt.

Marino's training was getting more and more intense. Every week she would train and evaluate batches of men and select those who had potential to become more. The men were better than the first group she trained and when Marino gave the word, she would start training them solely. She sat on the floor in front the mirror and started covering the bruises and cuts on her face and neck with makeup. She tried to keep it as light as possible but it was still more than usual and Evan noticed that so now her goal was to avoid bringing attention to herself.

She sighed as got up and slipped everything she needed into her bag. Her eyes landed on the bottle of non-prescription painkillers on the table. She avoided taking the painkillers at all costs but the pain became too much for her to bear. She closed her eyes and shouldered her bag as before walking out the door.

She walked quietly to Liberta, barely nodding at the bouncers as she showed them her staff ID. Her eyes lingered on the couches outside, remembering the last time she and Jax talked. She couldn't believe how long ago that was. She hadn't heard from him since that was understandable. He was undercover and she had no means of contacting him. What bothered her was, why did she care? Why was she so worried for him? Those thoughts added to the pounding headache she had.

She slipped inside and headed to the staff area. Eric and Emily were there, quietly talking. Alianna gave them a small smile, thankful that it was just 3 of them today. They had a mutual understanding and respect for each other. Alianna placed her bag in her locker before walking out with Emily and Eric. They took their places and started setting up for the evening. Evan was in the VIP area while Rex was nowhere to be seen. She kept her head down most of the time, trying to avoid the harsh glare of the lights. At least the music wouldn't be too loud today.

A shadow fell over her and she was finally able to look up. For a split second she was disappointed but she smiled slightly as Rex looked down at her. She tilted her head at him, silently asking him what was wrong. Her heartbeat picked up as he slipped her a note. She raised an eyebrow as she unfolded it. Her eyes opened wide as she took in unfamiliar strong, bold but elegant handwriting.

One Cuba Libre please

Jax was back.

Alianna's eyes immediately darted to the glass of the hidden office. Jax smirked as he watched her fold the note and started to make his drink. He studied her was she moved. Though she moved quickly, it wasn't at her usual pace. She hid her injuries well but not well enough to hide from him. He watched her as she started towards the hidden door that would lead her to him. He glanced at his screen, he was running a couple of filters through customs database, trying to track Marino's assassin. In the meanwhile, he ran through the questions he was going to ask Alianna.

Alianna held her breath as she knocked on the office door. She heard his footsteps as he opened the door. His all knowing eye met hers and she felt one of her walls crash down. She looked down as he stepped aside, letting her come in. She struggled to bring that wall up again, it just added to the pain in her head.