"Not working with us today Alianna?"

She smiled and turned around to the smug looking Alan. They were in the staff locker room, as always. Alianna, however, was clad in the skin tight VIP dress.

"Nope, I got the call this morning," she replied. "It's weird though, I saw Adam and Jamie in here a couple of minutes ago. I have no reason to be in there." Evan's phone call had been the happier one out of the two she'd received that morning.

"Alianna, I don't think the boss needs a reason," Alan replied as he watched her from head to toe. Alianna rolled her eyes as Kayla hit him upside the head. She was used to his teasing now, after learning he was ever faithful to his girlfriend.

"Chop chop you lot, you're on the clock," Evan appeared in the doorway causing everyone to jump. Evan chuckled as the four shuffled past him, leaving Alianna alone laughing slightly.

"Give me a second," Alianna told him. Evan nodded, studying the woman in front of him. She was in a surprisingly good mood for someone who found that someone else was trying to kill them.

"Ready?" Alianna's voice broke through Evan's thoughts and he nodded before leading her to the back entrance of the VIP lounge. Evan thought about Jax's unusual requests recently. He upped security at the bar and installed a camera focused on Alianna alone, not to mention have a guard follow her on her walk home. Evan's shoulder shook in silent laughter, he'd never seen Jax like this but then again, he'd never seen a girl like Alianna before.

Alianna was thinking about Jax too but definitely not in the same way Evan was. Her stomach twisted into knots as she thought about the phone call she'd gotten before Evan's. Surprisingly it was Marino, wanting a progress report on her mission. The entire conversation unnerved her, why would he need an update when he was within a 10 mile radius? Had he forgotten that he was the one figuratively pulling the trigger on this one?

"This is Ms. Rose," Jax said to his heads of operations here in New York. He took Alianna's hand in his as she sat. He needed to know that she was here and safe but he could see the guarded look in her eye as she surveyed the table. "Anything that needs to be said can be said in front of her."

Alianna inclined her head respectfully but as soon as the meeting started she zoned out. Marino was definitely not pleased with the situation. Can she kill Jax now? Her eyes flickered around the table again all the men were probably armed, the probability of her escaping would be very slim. Can she kill Jax at all? She looked down at that thought. Never, regardless if Marino gave the order or if she had to do it, she could not kill Jax. She could not kill him but how could she stop the rest from killing him? She shivered in realisation that simple action cast her thoughts in a different direction. Why did her body react to his touch? Why did the warmth and weight of his hand on her as they are now feel so comforting? What was the feeling unfurling in her stomach?

"Alianna," Jax said softly, not wanting to startle her from her thoughts. Alianna turned to face him, confused why everyone's attention was on them. "Humour me?" Jax motioned for her to join the conversation. Alianna frowned as she saw a blueprint of Jax's warehouse laid out on the table.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked him softly. Why was he showing her this? She could easily run to Marino with this when she committed it to memory, but would she?

"If you wanted to enter my warehouse uninvited," Jax said sipping from his tumbler of scotch, "how would you do it?" He smirked into his glass as he saw the gears in Alianna's head turning. He hated the fact that he was picking off her training but he needed to get an inside Marino's head.

"The door like any civilised person would," she answered obviously, earning chuckles from around the table. "But they're heavily guarded of course." She ran her finger across the map, "Then there's the big air vent on the roof, a possibility but too predictable." Her eyes scanned the paper again, "Are there fans here?" She tapped her on the western side of the building where production seemed to be located. Jax nodded, highly impressed as he sat back, enjoying the view of Alianna's curves as she worked. "Someone could easily block or stop and slip in and if you were a top sniper, it's pretty easy to land a couple of kill shots."

"Would you risk being sliced and diced just for a fight?" Evan asked sceptically.

Alianna turned to face him, her mouth set in a thin grim line, "It depends on the consequences of not taking it."

Jax's jaw was tight as he leaned forward and placed his glass on the table, effectively ending the conversation. "I think we can consider Ms. Rose's advice, up security at those points." A few men grumbled but they nodded. Jax tapped Alianna's knee, a silent message to stand up with him. "Now excuse me gentlemen." Alianna didn't miss Evan and Rex's knowing smiles as Jax pressed his hand into her back, leading her out.

"You know you don't have to take my advice right?" Alianna said quietly as she packed her bag, as per Jax's request.

Jax stood at the door, holding the trench coat she came in with in his arm. He could feel the weight of a knife or a small gun in it. "I don't but you raised valid points, entry points that I would have never considered," he pushed himself off the doorframe, blocking her exit. He tilted her chin up, "You're smart woman Ms. Rose."

Alianna swallowed lightly, hating the blush that spread across her cheeks. His sudden affection confused her to no end. From saving her life, to her nightmares about killing him, her emotions ran wild no matter how hard she tried.

"Thank you," she replied softly. Jax chuckled before letting her pass, loving the way her body brushed against his. He placed his hand on the small of her back, noticing how she slightly shivered at his touch as he led her through the quiet restaurant. The need to protect her was real. It gnawed him that he could only protect her while she was on Libertà property.

Alianna focused on putting on her coat that Jax held out for her. She caught the whispers and giggles from ladies and girls as they waited outside to be seated or smoked. An obviously attractive man like Jax would draw attention, something an assassin never wanted and personally, she never liked.

"Later Alianna," Jax said, reaching for the cigar in his breast pocket. Alianna looked back, sending him a small smile with the feeling that she'd be seeing him sooner rather than later.

~

Alianna's mouth went dry as her driver stopped in front of Marino's warehouse. When she got a call from Marino this evening, her gut told her that he was up to something. He never requested her presence during the week and now she got her answer. Marino's men were filing into vans by the dozen, each man heavily armed and dangerous.

Alianna sauntered over to Marino, his crop of silver hair made him easily visible. She kept an impassive mask on her face as she approached him.

"What's going on?" she asked tonelessly.

Marino didn't look at her. "You are to join the best of your squad in that van over there armed and ready within the next 30 seconds."

Alianna froze for second, contemplating if Marino was serious about that threat but when she saw his finger twitch to his gun she jogged over, loading her gun and jumping into the van.

"Boss," someone muttered in acknowledgement. Alianna rolled her eyes but nodded as the doors slammed shut and the vehicle pulled off.

"What's our mission?" she asked quietly.

"To take down Boveri."