She was on a beach.

Alianna felt soft sand beneath her bare feet, wiggling her toes appreciatively as a cool breeze blew through her hair. She breathed in deeply, taking in the salty air as there the crash of the waves in the distance. She looked up and saw the blue outline of the ocean in the distance. She smiled; she had never been able to go to the beach in life. Alianna grinned and took a step forward towards the water.

Beep. Beep.

She stopped. With every step she took there was a beep. Alianna frowned and stepped again, beep. Alianna breathed in deeply and stepped forward, ignoring the beeps but with every step she took, they got louder. Alianna broke into a run, frantic as the beeping got louder and faster.

Alianna gasped as her eyes snapped open. She immediately squinted as the bright lights hurt her eyes. She breathed heavily as the beeping got louder and quicker.

"Hey." Alianna gasped as a warm hand rest on her forehead and soon cradled the side of her face. "Alianna, it's okay. You're safe."

Her breathing slowed as she recognised Jax's voice as the scent of his cologne and faint undertones of a cigar washed over her. She closed her eyes, breathing evenly as the beeping got quieter. She opened them and looked over to her side. Jax was sitting in a chair next to her, his hand close to hers.

Jax smiled as Alianna's beautiful brown eyes met his. "Hey there, would you like some water?" Alianna made an indistinct sound and he got up to retrieve a bowl with ice. Alianna raised her head slightly as Jax tilted the broken ice cube into her mouth with a spoon. She lay quietly, taking in the hospital room as the ice melted in her mouth. Jax sat patiently, waiting to answer the questions he could see forming in her head.

"What happened to me?" she croaked, her voice cracked after days of no use.

"I don't know," Jax answered as he forced his eyes not to linger on the bruises too long. "I found you unconscious metres from your apartment building and brought you here."

Alianna wet her lips, "Why were you looking for me?"

Jax clenched his jaw, "There was an attack on the warehouse." He noticed that the heart and respiratory machines betrayed no sign of her surprise. Either she remembered exactly what happened that night or she had crucial control the physical signs of lying. "Many were injured but no deaths this time. Libertà is closed until further notice. Calls to your phone went unanswered so I decided to check on you."

"Oh," Alianna leaned back. She waited a couple moments, knowing he wanted to ask her how she ended up in this state but truth be told, she could not remember. Her eyes trailed along the tubes that connected her left hand to the IV. Jax's eyes never left her face, her silence scared him.

"How long have I been out?" Alianna's eyes were fixed on the IV. Jax shifted in his seat, his back and butt protesting because he hadn't left it since she was admitted. "5 days," he answered.

His answer frightened Alianna, something the monitors showed. She looked at him, seeing the apparent worry lines, his wrinkled shirt and slacks and the beginning of a 5 o clock shadow. Has he been here the whole time? She noticed how his eyes drifted to the blue-black bruises along her arm. "How bad is it?"

Jax's mouth set into a thin line, "Cracked ribs, a nasty blow to head but you didn't have any bleeding or blood clots there. Dr. Robinson performed surgery on your side. You were stabbed there resulting in some mild internal bleeding."

Alianna struggled to keep her pulse and breathing even as his fingers ghosted over the area on her abdomen, she was not able to feel the pain because of her meds but she did feel her skin tingle from his touch.

Alianna swallowed drily, "When can I leave?" She hated hospitals, they brought back terrible nightmares.

Jax noticed how nervous she was, not by her breathing or her pulse but by the way her eyes darted from one wall of the room to the next, wanting nothing more to be out of this room. "I'll call Dr. Robinson in now and you can ask him," he leaned over and pushed the button not too far above her head.

Within minutes a man with salt and pepper hair in his early 40s entered the room. Despite the warm smile on his face she couldn't help but feel threatened and she pulled her legs closer to her body in spite of the stabbing pain it caused. Jax placed his hand on hers squeezing gently in reassurance. He did not like to think of what Alianna would've gone through to make her so afraid of hospitals. He nodded at the doctor to proceed.

"Good evening Ms Rose," Dr. Robinson smiled down at her. "Glad to see you awake, I hope you had a good sleep to catalyse your recovery." Alianna smiled wanly at him as he checked her vitals and carried out physical tests. Every movement she took made her increasingly anxious and she was thankful for the warmth of Jax's hand which never left hers.

"Alright, Ms Rose," Dr Robinson looked over the charts on his clipboard, "all I have to do is a couple of scans to make sure you don't have any blood clots or bleeding now that you're awake."

"Then I can go home?" Alianna visibly perked up and it made Jax smile.

"Once your scans come back clean, you and Mr Boveri could leave," the doctor replied.

Alianna bit the inside of her cheek as he confirmed her suspicions. Jax had been by her side this whole time. The thought surprisingly comforted her as she cast a sidelong glance at him.

Jax glared coldly at the doctor and the older man noticeably stepped back in fear. Jax sighed and did not meet Alianna's curious gaze. "Let's begin," he said.

The doctor nodded and one of the male nurses came in wheeling a wheel chair. He made to lift Alianna up but Jax held up his finger and gestured to the IV stand. Alianna watched the young man as he drifted to her side, disconnecting the receptors for the monitors. The nurse nodded and without any warning she was lifted off the bed.

Alianna inhaled sharply and her arm instinctively wound around Jax's neck as he carried her over to the wheelchair with the nurse trailing behind with the stand. She was amazed at the nurse's compliance but figured that he was terrified of the mafia boss but in actuality, Jax refused to have any man touching her.

She smiled a thank you to him. Jax smiled down at her before nodding to the nurse and Alianna watched as Jax's disappearing figure as the nurse wheeled her away.

~

Jax was gone when she was returned to the room but dinner was there instead.

After a female nurse came in to remove her catheter and disconnect her from the IV, Alianna was left alone to savour the mashed potatoes, grilled chicken breast and veggies. Just as she tipped the cup of water back, the door opened to reveal the doctor and Jax who had his hands full.

"Good news," he said as Jax carried bags with names she did not recognise sprawled across the side and a garment bag into the bathroom.

 Alianna raised an eyebrow but refocused her attention on the doctor. "All your scans came back clean," he said and a wave of relief washed over her. "You're free to go; I'll just write a prescription for some antibiotics you need to take for a while and painkillers if you need them. Avoid strenuous activities for 4-6 weeks and you'll be fine. Mr. Boveri has volunteered to sign your release forms as well as cover the expenses and assures me that you'll have a personal doctor to attend to you later."

Alianna looked at Jax's indifferent face in amazement. She knew everything the doctor just listed in addition to what he brought to the hospital could not have come cheap or easy but Jax did it anyways. Her walls came up halfway, both touched and wary of his generosity.

Jax's gaze was fixed on Alianna's face. He knew she didn't trust him fully and he didn't blame her for being suspicious. He would do anything for his girl, even though she wasn't his...yet. As Dr Robinson left the room he stepped closer to her.

"I bought some clothes and shoes for you," he said looking down at her in admiration, even though her face was slightly swollen and she was in a hospital gown, she still looked damn beautiful.

"There's also a small bag of toiletries," he continued, brushing her hair back slightly, "and your belongings are in that box." He pulled back his hand, leaving Alianna gazing up at him in wonder, "I'm going to finish up everything now, and I'll come back here to escort you when I'm done." Jax had to stop himself from kissing her before he left the room.

Alianna audibly huffed as she watched Jax's retreating figure go out the door. She pushed away the table and stood unsteadily on her feet. Once she regained her balance, she padded across the floor and into the bathroom. True to Jax's word, a small black leather bag filled with travel sized shampoo, toothpaste, body wash and other necessities in there.

Alianna smiled before stripping out of the gown and stepping into the shower. She sighed as the hot water hit her body and soon got to work getting rid of the grime and muck as the scent of mango and some type of citrus filled the air. Soon her shower was over and she was wrapped in the thin hospital provided towel as she stood before the bags.

She took out the contents of the first ludicrously pink bag and her face flushed red as she held the delicate bra and underwear in her hands. Had Jax personally bought this for her? The thought both amused and mortified her. She dried off and slipped on the undergarments, they were miles better than anything she ever owned but her smile faded when she caught her reflection in the mirror.

Her entire torso was black and blue, a stark contrast to the white bandage over the surgery incision. Alianna bit back a sob as she forced herself to look away. She bit her lip as she rubbed in the body lotion with the same scent as the body wash and shampoo. She gingerly unzipped the garment bag and took a step back in surprise.

In it was a beautiful dress. The black sleeves were long to cover the bruises and the white flared skirt was enough to hide the bruises on her thighs as well. Alianna carefully slipped it off the hanger and over her head, slowly due to a sharp pain in her side. The material was soft against her skin and fit her like a glove. She looked at her reflection again, much more satisfied this time before slipping on the ballet flats that were in the other bag.

Alianna folded everything up before stepping outside to the box. She opened it and breathed in deeply. Expectedly, her gun and her knife lay inside but her mind raced; had Jax looked inside the box? And if he did, what was he going to do with her? Could he put the puzzle pieces together and figure out that she had to kill him? She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she strapped her weapons to her thighs; just as the hem of her dress brushed her thighs the door opened.

Jax inhaled sharply as he took in the beauty in front of him. He congratulated himself on his dress choice in spite of the hasty decision. It suit Alianna perfectly, modestly showing off her curves while hiding the ugly bruises beneath; seeing her in a dress that he bought for her filled him with a sense of pride and protectiveness.

Alianna played with the hem of her dress, her skin felt hot under Jax's heated gaze. She cleared her throat to catch his attention. "Jax?" she said softly, his name fell so naturally from her lips. "Am I all cleared to go?"

Jax snapped out of daze and smiled at her. He strode forward and took the bags from her. "Let's get you out of here," he muttered. Alianna smiled and walked in front of him. She thanked the doctor and the nurses she saw, unaware of Jax's adoring gaze before exiting the automatic doors.

Alianna slipped into the passenger seat of Jax's BMW as Jax loaded the trunk. He shook his head, he didn't expect her to wait for him, as he got into the driver's seat. They didn't speak as the low baritone voice of a Spanish singer crooned through the speakers.

Alianna took the time to assess how the past 5 days treated Jax. She noticed that his hair was combed and his 5 o' clock shadow meticulously trimmed just enough to accentuate his traditional Italian jawline. He was relaxed but not at ease and she saw the gun tucked into the waist line of his slacks. Even though his unreadable brown eyes were fixed on the road, his fingers twitched on the gearshift, a habit she found odd because the car was automatic. A smile played at her lips, half wanting to feign surprise that he knew the way to her apartment building without her telling him.

Jax got out as soon as he pulled the key out of the ignition. He sauntered over to Alianna's side and she didn't bother to hide her amusement. Jax rolled his eyes as she swept past him when he opened the car door, inhaling deeply as he caught smell of her mandarin and mango shampoo, his new favourite scent. Alianna raised an eyebrow in surprise as Jax opened the door to the apartment building. She immediately knew what he wanted and had a feeling he would not like what he saw.

Jax placed his hands in his pockets and he surveyed the dark, dank lobby. There was no one here, no one to stop any of Marino's men if they came after her. Alianna saw his jaw clench in her peripheral and kept her head held high as they walked over to the elevator. She pressed the button as Jax slid the gate shut. She could feel Jax's anger as the elevator rose to the fourth floor.

Alianna discreetly slid the key for her apartment from its space between her knife and its shaft. She was hyper aware of Jax scrutinising the building as they walked to her door. She liked to think that the building was once beautiful and full of people but once the neighbourhood gained its risky reputation, people moved leaving behind a hangout for thugs and thieves. The landlord was a drug lord himself but one flash of her knife stamped any possibility of recruiting her.

Jax stood warily in the corridor as Alianna unlocked the door. His fists clenched in rage as he saw the poor excuse for a home she lived in. He needed to get her out of here, now. He looked at Alianna as she placed the key next to her bag; she looked out of place dressed in a designer dress in this mess. This may have been her home once, but no more.

"Pack your things," he said lowly and Alianna spun around, careful not to expose her weapons.

"Why?" she asked firmly. She had seen this coming; there was no way he would let her stay here. She didn't have plans of staying here anyways, Marino knew where she lived and that will make her an easy target.

"Alianna, I don't want to come across as controlling," Jax continued as he walked around, "but you and I both know that you can't stay here."

As usual, Jax was right but Alianna wasn't a pushover. "And where will I go? I have to stay here until I find a new place."

Jax rubbed his jaw at her stubbornness. He stepped closer to her and Alianna smirked lightly but held her ground. His intimidation techniques did not faze her. Jax looked down at her coldly, not amused at her defiance, "Leave it to me, just go pack."

Her eyes flickered up to his steely glare. She slipped past Jax heading towards the bedroom. Jax grinned in victory as he stood by the door, he watched as Alianna moved organised piles of clothing into the suitcase on the floor. He walked over to the cupboard, ready to help her pack.

"None of my clothes are in there," Alianna said, just before his fingers could close around the handle. "There's barely enough room and I think there's a dead rat in the wall." She closed the suitcase and turned to face Jax. "This suitcase is done."

Jax walked over and in one swift motion brought the suitcase upright. He noted the smaller suitcase, probably for her weapons. He had looked around the apartment for any sign of a weapon but he had found nothing, Alianna was good, almost the best he has ever seen.

"I'll take this down and you can pack that one," Jas gestured to the suitcase on the floor.

Alianna nodded and watched as Jax wheeled the suitcase away. Once she heard the front door click shut, she sprang into action. She swept through the apartment like a hurricane, uprooting every gun, knife, scope and even her katana before placing them into the suitcase. She opened the cupboard, picking out several pairs of nunchucks, a hybrid dagger with a ball and chain attached and a couple of shuriken blades.

Her eyes roamed the cupboard again before resting on the black velvet box nestled between two dummies. They contain the steel knuckles, her first and only gift from Marino. She swallowed and shut the door, closing off that chapter of her life. She bent down, ignoring the stinging pain in her side and zipped up the suitcase before wheeling it to the door. She looked around the apartment pleased that nothing looked out of place.

Jax knocked on the door not surprised to have it open immediately. He studied the composed lady in front of him. His eyes narrowed as he saw the suitcase and he deftly took it from her hand. She offered him a weak smile of apology through the pain as they walked. Jax observed how Alianna's eyes kept drifting to the suitcase as he placed it in the backseat.

"Where are we going?" she asked taking in the lights of the city as they drove.

"My men live in various apartment buildings throughout the city," Jax said, drumming his thumb against the steering wheel at a red light. "After a couple of calls, I found one with an unoccupied apartment so that's where you'll be staying."

Alianna looked out as the building transitioned from run down to modern. Her eyes looked up at the huge multi-storey building as Jax brought the car to a stop. He took a moment to admire her as before stepping out and opening her door. Two of his men appeared and under both Jax's and Alianna's watchful eyes, they unloaded the trunk.

Jax led Alianna through the crowded lobby, hand pressed firmly on her back. No one stopped to chat but unconsciously cleared path for them as they approached the elevators. Alianna watched as Jax pressed the button for the tenth floor and entered the four digit code for the last white door in the corridor.

"Welcome to your new home," Jax murmured before opening the door.

Alianna gasped as she stepped inside. The interior was done in a modern contemporary style, brightly lit and decorated giving it a cozy feel but what captured her attention was the view. The most of the wall was glass windows glass windows that let the lights of the surround towers and she could see the moving traffic and people below. This all felt surreal.

"Jax." Oh how his heart loved how she whispered his name. He stood in the foyer, her suitcases on either side of him and a white paper bag in his hands. "This is beautiful," she said peeling herself away from the windows and back to him.

He chuckled before handing her the bag. "Your medication, I suggest you take a painkiller tonight," he said, knowing she probably forgot about her side. "The apartment is fully furnished. You will meet my men and grocery shop tomorrow, Naveen will be your driver."

Alianna was stunned and lost for words as everything that Jax did today sank in. "Thank you," she whispered looking up at him in awe.

Jax couldn't help himself as he snaked an arm around her waist pulling her closer to him and pressing the faintest of kisses to her hair. Alianna's breathing faltered as the heat of his skin made her tremble.

"You don't need to thank me," he murmured against her skin before pulling back and releasing her. "Just rest and recover for now. We can discuss your job and safety later."

Alianna watched breathlessly as Jax smiled at her before showing himself out. When she shook herself out of her daze, she decided to unpack and change into a short pants and camisole. Not feeling the least bit tired, she found a duvet and a pillow and curled up between the pillar and window, trying to remind herself that this wasn't a dream.

Author's Note 

This is probably the longest chapter I have written for Collision yet 

This is the second to last chapter of Collision

There will be no update next week as I write the final chapter 

Below is Alianna's dress