Alianna frowned sleepily as she woke up. The sun was already in the sky, something that was currently becoming the norm for her. Usually, she was up before dawn as she enjoyed watching the sunrise but that stopped once she started sharing a bed with Jax. They coiled themselves around the other like vines so the slightest move would wake the other up. Now that he was in Miami, Jax was busier than ever so Alianna made a small sacrifice so he could get his rest.

She turned to her other side where Jax usually lay. Normally, he would have an arm securely around her but he had left to deal with some issues in the early hours of the morning. Alianna had woken as well but soon fell back asleep after reassuring whisper and kiss to her forehead.

Alianna admired the tan skin of his back, a plain of defined muscle forever marred by a scar. Her fingers traced it, following its course diagonally from his abdominal area to his tailbone.

"I was captured one night," Jax's sleep-laced voice broke the peaceful morning quiet. "It was my stupidity, I was walking back from my latest conquest's dorm, drunk. My father was warring with a nearby family. Evan and I were supposed to be looking out for each other but we both succumbed to our urges that night. They held me in a bunker for days. I was tortured, whipped and starved. They wanted the location of the family house. I held out for as long as I could until one blow from the whip, split my skin open. I cried out in pain, my body felt numb and my mind went blank but some time in between there, I gave them what they wanted."

Jax could not face Alianna, his face was filled with shame and sadness. Her silence worried him but the feeling of her fingers strumming across his back encouraged him. "They left me to bleed to death there but the ropes had started to fray. I managed to free myself and stumble home." Alianna could see it, a younger Jax covered in blood and gore, walking through the night, livid and delirious.

Jax swallowed drily, "I was too late. Three days too late. They destroyed the house, men who I looked up to now looked up at me with lifeless eyes. Blood covered the marble floors, groans of pain and cries of anguish was all that could be heard. My father took a blow to the head, putting him into a coma for around three weeks and my mother." Alianna's arms wound around him as a quiet sob escaped his lips. "She was shot, multiple times, trying to protect my father. She died almost instantly." Alianna pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "All because of me." Jax trailed off into silence as Alianna held him.

"And your father?" she prodded quietly.

"When he woke up, he left for Italy," Jax answered. "Leaving me to clean up the mess I had made." He still couldn't face her, surely she was disgusted by what he did.

Jax's breath was knocked out of him slightly as Alianna rolled him onto his stomach. His heart hammered as her lips touched the tip of his scar. His skin burned as Alianna kissed the length of his scar softly before pulling away. He rolled over, propping himself using his elbow and looking at the woman sitting crossed legged next to him.

"It wasn't your fault," Alianna began. "I have heard many a man expose his darkest secret at the brink of pain. You are so strong, look at what you've done since then. You took a fallen empire and created a formidable force to be reckoned with. You are a great man and I'm sure your mother would be proud of you."

Jax smiled and cupped her face. Alianna leaned into his touch as he caressed her face. "You have no idea what your words mean to me Alianna." Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name from his lips.

Jax looked over his shoulder at the clock, "We need to get ready, we have a busy day."

"We?" Alianna asked coyly with a smile on her face.

"I'm taking you to the warehouse today," Jax said stretching and getting off the bed. "Go get ready, we'll have breakfast in the restaurant today."

Alianna grinned and bounced off the bed and kissed his cheek. They had been in Miami for two weeks now but she hardly stepped out of the hotel room. Her constant companions were Jax, Naveen and Emilio, her newest bodyguard; not even Evan or Rex stopped by.

Jax chuckled as he watched Alianna zip out of the room and he listened to her footsteps as she entered her room. He found himself missing the warmth of her body and the peace of mind knowing she was near. He sighed before getting off the bed and getting ready for the day. He put on a T shirt and jeans before pulling on his boots and tucking his gun in the waistline of his pants. When he walked out of his room, Alianna was already dressed and ready as she sat at the island.

Jax wrapped his arms around her and Alianna smiled looking up at him. "Are you armed?"

Alianna wiggled out of his arms and lifted her loose tee to show her gun of choice secured in a holster and her knife was strapped to her thigh, concealed by the flare of her skirt. She wrapped her arms around Jax's waist as they waited for Naveen, Emilio and Scott to escort them down. Jax thread his fingers through her hair. He had gotten used to this, their moments in the morning, and he looked forward to them.

A knock on the door brought them out of their thoughts and before Jax could stop her, Alianna rushed to answer it. "FIve minutes on the dot Never-Late-Naveen," she grinned.

Naveen rolled his eyes at his friend, "Shush Always-Ahead-Alianna." 

Jax laughed while Emilio and Scott looked on slightly disapprovingly. They both thought that Naveen was too close to Alianna as she was the Boss' woman but Jax never reprimanded him and encouraged their friendship so they kept their mouths shut.

"Let's go," Jax said, smiling as Alianna's hand fit into his. They chatted quietly as they walked down to the restaurant. Alianna smiled as Jax pulled out her chair for her.

"How many people will I be meeting today?" Alianna asked. Though they sat in the more private section of the restaurant, there were people around too.

"Around one hundred and fifty," Jax answered, he paused as the waiter filled up their water and took their orders.

"Only?" Alianna queried as she sipped her water. Jax sent her a withering look. "I'm used to dealing hundreds....or maybe even a thousand. I'm not sure, I never stayed long enough to count."

"You're only meeting those in that warehouse," Jax elaborated quietly, "I have other men scattered about; spies, clean-up crews, recruiters. We're bigger than you think."

"I'll keep that in mind," Alianna smiled as the waiter returned with their breakfast. 

Jax went traditional with eggs, bacon and sausages but she felt a little more adventurous going for a crème brulee French toast with a side of veggies. Jax nodded to the waiter, ensuring that they woould not be disturbed for the duration of their meal. The couple chatted, steering away from mafia matters.

"Are Evan and Rex busy?" Alianna asked. "I haven't seen them in a while." She was already done with her meal and was looking at Jax earnestly.

"They'll be joining us today," Jax replied as he finished up this meal, smiling inwardly at her enthusiasm. "If I didn't know any better, Alianna, I'd say you're excited to meet my family."

Alianna better her lip as her brain formulated what she wanted to say. "The family I came from, it wasn't the best, but lately, isolation hasn't been agreeing with me either. If you weren't with me, I would be miserable. I do not enjoy it, but I miss being part of something, something bigger, does that make sense?"

Jax looked at Alianna, he knew exactly what she meant and what she was feeling. He looked up as Scott nodded, signalling that it was time to go. Wordlessly, he took Alianna's hand and secured an arm around her waist as they walked out. Jax's silence unnerved Alianna slightly but she did not mention it as Jax opened the car door for here. Naveen sat at the driver's seat and Scott entered not too long after.

"Emilio went ahead to talk to Joel," Naveen informed Jax. Jax nodded and Alianna looked out as the vehicle began to move. Jax smiled as Naveen took the long way to the warehouse so Alianna could take in the scenic view. Alianna looked at Jax as her view was replaced with the walls of the warehouse garage. Naveen and Scott looked at each other before exiting the car. They knew that some people did not like Alianna and it was pure fear of Jax that would keep them from acting on it but they needed to be ready for anything.

"Alianna," Jax said, resting his hand on hers, "I know you miss the comradery," ah, that's the word she was looking for, "and I hope you find here, with my family." Jax fought a smirk as he watched her blush as he kissed her hand. Jax opened the car door and helped Alianna out. Alianna's eyes drank in the well lit corridor as distant chatter filled the hallway. She rest her hand in the crook of Jax's arm as he led the way.

"Are you ready?" Jax asked as they paused at the double doors. He was not going to force to meet everyone if she wasn't comfortable. Alianna squeezed his forearm and smiled.

"Let's do this."

Jax smiled and opened the door. The main floor of the warehouse fell silent as the Boss came into view but everyone's eyes were trained on the woman standing next to him. Alianna shifted into her emotionless façade. The hundreds pairs of eyes focused on her but when she looked at the man next to Evan and Rex, the hairs on the back of her neck rose.

"Good morning everyone," Jax started. "I would like you to meet Alianna Rose, the newest member of our family." A cold glare silenced any mutters, Jax never introduced new people, everyone knew who Alianna was to him. "You are to protect her and treat her with the utmost respect, or else you will deal her and if there's anything left of you once she's through; me."

"Welcome Alianna," the unnerving man intoned and the greeting was returned by the crowd. Alianna felt Jax's hand tighten on hers. She looked up and saw his eyes blazing with anger; she knew Jax well enough not to ask questions now.

Jax kept his hand on the small of Alianna's back as he walked around. Everyone relaxed as the Boss greeted them in his usual way, asking about health, life, girlfriends and families. Alianna smiled as she talked and Jax introduced her, these men were a lot more welcoming than those back in New York and she suspected that Evan, Rex and Naveen had something to do it with; not to mention Jax's ferocity when it came to her.

"If you don't mind me asking," a brown haired, smiling man started, "were you really an assassin?" Alianna liked his straightforwardness so she decided to answer him.

"Yes, I am," she grinned at the look of surprise on his face. "Anything else?"

"Have you really killed ninety nine people?" the guy asked.

Alianna was silent for a moment as she counted, "My former boss made it hundred."

"Sicario," the red haired man uttered, totally shocked and frozen in fear.

"Somaro," she spat. The insult falling from her lips as a natural reflex. She hated people who called her by that name and soon fashioned a rebuttal. Jax instantly brought her closer to his side, glaring at Patrick Devano.

"Alianna, Evan and Rex are over there," he murmured into her ear. She grinned as she saw their familiar faces. She slipped out of Jax's arms before walking over. Jax watched her out of the corner of his eye, relieved to see Naveen shadowing her.

"Allo," she grinned as she hugged Evan, "I miss torturing you."

Evan rolled his eyes, "Needed time to recuperate and sort some issues out." Alianna raised an eyebrow at his nervousness.

"I hope everything went well," Alianna eyed him. Evan gulped nervously, he would have a task hiding everything from the perceptive pair. "How are you Rex?" she asked the blond as he kissed her hand. Rex grinned, something he rarely did but there was something about Alianna that made him feel comfortable enough to show some emotions.

"Ms Rose," Evan draped his arm around her shoulder, "this is Joel, Jax's head of operations here in Miami."

Alianna looked steely at the black-haired man, everything about him unnerved her to no end. His glare, his aura, everything reminded her of her dark teenaged years. She smiled lightly, "I'm Alianna."

"I know," Joel answered curtly. "I know a lot about you Alianna Rose." There was that sinister note in his tone that raised all the red flags in her head.

Two hands landed on her waist and made her jump. She looked up and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Jax. His jaw was tight and she admired how he hid his annoyance at Joel. "Come see my office," he said faux cheerfully. Alianna waved to Evan and Rex as Jax led her up the stairs to his office.

"I don't like that man," she said, crossing her arms as she stood at the window with a glare so sharp it could break it.

"Joel is alright," Jax said standing next to her pulling a cigar out of his pocket. "Rough around the edges but alright."

"I don't trust him," Alianna said. "I'm sorry if it offends you but I'm willing to work and get along with everyone but him."

"I respect that," Jax exhaling. He snaked one arm around her shoulder holding her against his chest. Alianna's eyes drifted to Patrick, she remembered his name now that he had given her a reason to remember it.

"Is that the guy you bought at the auction?" She asked looking up at Jax.

"Yes," he replied, "Patrick Devano. His sister just finished her second course of chemotherapy which they couldn't afford. That's how they rope them in; empty or unfulfilled promises. Targeting the weak and helpless."

"I wonder if he did that to my parents," Alianna murmured, "or did he just take me? I was always treated differently than the others."

"Because you are," Jax smiled kissing her hair.

Alianna leaned into him as she watched and learned how the members moved to the Boveri beat. "If I was at that auction," she asked, "would you have bought me?"

"In a heartbeat," came the stomach-tingling reply. Jax pressed a kiss to her temple, "And if someone outbid me for you; I would do exactly what I'm doing now."

"What is it?" Alianna asked.

"Fight for you."