Alianna's stomach immediately started to grumble at Evan's words. Jax chuckled as his hand caressed the small of her back as all four watched the waiters set up the breakfast table. Jax nodded at the men before Rex ushered them out. Alianna smiled as Jax pulled out her chair for her and he sat beside her. Evan sat down opposite Jax and when Rex returned he sat opposite Alianna and they began to eat.
Jax placed his knife and fork down on the table, catching Alianna's attention. Her eyes flickered up and she noticed that Evan and Rex were almost finish eating but had stopped once Jax did. She rolled her eyes, she was hungry so she was going to eat.
Jax did not comment, he knew he had Alianna's attention anyways. "What's our plan?"
"It depends," Evan said. "What is Marino's plan?" All eyes fell to the woman at the table.
Alianna swallowed, "Well I don't think he planned on dying last night."
The men chuckled and Evan leaned forward, causing Jax to put his arm around Alianna's small shoulders. "Alright, Marino's dead," Evan said plainly, "who's next in charge?"
Alianna tensed as memories flashed before her eyes. The sadistic laughter rung in her ears and she unconsciously clawed at her skin at the ghost of his touch. Jax captured her hands with his, looking at Evan darkly. Evan leaned back, wondering how could a simple question traumatise Alianna.
"Alianna," Jax said softly in an attempt not to alarm the terrified woman. His fingers slipped in between hers and he squeezed her hand gently. It had its intended effect as Alianna jumped and slipped into an unreadable façade.
Alianna wetted her lips. "L'iiblis," she said softly, slipping her hand out from Jax's to reach for the tea to help soothe her suddenly dry mouth.
"Come again?" Evan asked looking at her in regret.
Alianna cleared her throat and swallowed the lump that seemed to form there. "L'iiblis," she said as loud as she dared. During her childhood and her days as a trainee, no one would ever though to utter his name, hound ears would single you out.
"L'iiblis what?" Evan asked, simultaneously pushing her and his luck.
Alianna shrugged, "That's his name. I don't know if it's his real one, hell I don't even know if Alianna is my real name." She bit her tongue and sipped her tea again, ignoring the curious looks she was receiving.
Jax silenced Evan's next question with a glare. "So L'iiblis," his eyes hardened when he saw Alianna wince, "what does he do?"
"Everything Marino didn't do," she replied, "which is to say, everything. Recruiting, training, selling mostly." Memories played at the fore front of her mind.
"Selling?" Jax repeated. "You mean the auctions?" Alianna nodded, looking down at her food with a sudden loss of appetite. "He's the auctioneer?" Another nod. Jax focused his attention on Evan and Rex, "I can give a description if we can get an artist. It won't be much, the bastard was wearing a hat."
"You bought someone?!" Alianna asked Jax incredulously. Her eyes flashed murderously but, to Jax's relief, she did not reach for her knife or gun. He caught Rex smirking out of the corner of his eye.
"I saved someone," he countered, not bothering to elaborate.
Alianna relaxed and regarded Jax as he talked to the others in a different light. She never thought Jax would buy someone, selling humans, it was nothing short of slavery and thankfully she was spared of that experience. She scoffed inwardly at his excuse, saving someone. Her locked away memories flashed through her mind again; of a place from where she could've been saved.
"May I be excused?" she said quietly as a wave of panic overtook her body. She clenched her fists tightly to stop them from shaking.
"You don't need to ask," Jax replied gently. The three men watched as the visibly shaken woman left the table.
"Shouldn't you go after her?" Evan said stealing a sausage from Alianna's plate.
Jax shook his head, "I'll give her time to collect herself. Something tells me there's more to this L'iiblis than what meets the eye and to make things worse, Alianna is the only one who can help me." Rex nodded in agreement and he sighed and leaned back into his chair. "I don't want to know what she's been through."
Alianna retreated into the safety of her room. She leaned back against the door as it closed as her chest heaved in shallow breaths. She felt as if there was a knot in her chest that tightened with every breath she took. Her eyes darted around the room as pulses of panic overwhelmed her senses.
Alianna gasped for air before her brain kicked into survival mode. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly and blocked everything but the sound of her own heartbeat out before exhaling. She repeated this, focusing on regaining one sense at a time.
Her fingers grazed the smooth varnish of the wooden door, she could hear Jax and Evan talking and the waiters clearing breakfast away, there was the faint taste of jasmine tea on her tongue and she could smell Jax's cologne even from here. With one last exhale, she opened her eyes, finally reminding herself that she was in a penthouse with Jax and not hanging by her hands in a cell.
A sudden knock on the door made her jump slightly and her hand shot to her gun.
"Alianna, it's me," Evan said. Underneath the happy exterior, he felt guilty for asking her about her past. "Would you like me to bring the other suitcase with clothes to you?"
Alianna frowned and opened the door before looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. "The other suitcase?"
Evan pointed to the foyer, "That one."
Alianna's mouth dropped into a surprised 'o' before being replaced with a sly smirk. Rex couldn't help himself as he audibly chuckled as Alianna slipped past Evan.
"Where are you going?" Evan asked cautiously.
Jax looked up at Alianna strut past him and paused his conversation with Naveen. Alianna turned to look at the men over her shoulder. Jax loved the wicked smile on her face.
"This is my other suitcase," she grinned, "but I can assure you there are no clothes in here."
Jax saw Rex's shoulders shaking in silent laughter and Evan's confused expression. "Alianna," he said making her look at him. He could not stop the smile at the wickedness in her eyes. "Open that up for me please."
Alianna grinned as she lay the suitcase flat and unzipped it. She bit her lip as she pulled back the cover. She laughed as she heard an expletive and a low whistle. She looked up to see Evan's dumbfounded face, Rex's smug one and a very impressed Jax as they looked at her collection of weaponry.
"You're a one woman mafia," Evan said as his fingers dragged along the foam gun holder.
"Awwww, you're so sweet," Alianna fired back, genuinely accepting the compliment.
"Tell me darling," Jax's attention was fixed on the katana as he unsheathed it that he did not see her cheeks flush at the endearment, "how do you get this pass customs?"
"There's a lead shell fitted around the suitcase," Alianna replied, "if passed through an X ray, it has the outline of clothes, bottles, etc. imprinted on it so it would give the appearance of me going on a holiday. Marino's contacts made sure I never had to open the suitcase up. The shell was something I came up with when I started my international jobs." Jax grasped the katana and sliced the air, giving her an opportunity to admire him; both his technique and physique.
"Beautiful," he murmured sheathing it and placing it into her hands; he was referring to both the blade and the image of her using it. Alianna blushed but bowed and knelt to put it into its rightful place. Rex looked at Alianna and gestured to the suitcase, she knelt again and quickly scanned each layer of weapons.
"You got everything," she said, closing the suitcase and placing it upright. She looked at the blond man in a new light, "I'm impressed." Rex inclined his head at her compliment.
"In the walk in closet," Jax said, stopping her with a hand on her stomach as she tried to wheel past him, "there are secret panels, the keypad is in tucked beneath one of the drawer lining. Use any code as you wish."
Alianna smiled and bit her lip, fighting the urge to kiss his cheek. Instead, she wrapped one arm around his waist and pressed her face to his neck. Jax smiled and kissed her forehead, catching on to her feelings before letting her go.
"I'm surprised you didn't offer to help her," Jax commented to Evan as Rex and Naveen left. "Isn't that part of your repertoire? The girl is already in her room." He laughed, knowing the Evan would never think about doing that with Alianna,
Evan glowered at Jax, "Alianna is yours, plus," his face changed to one of concern, "I don't mess with women who have more guns than me."