Normally I would have taken her back to Mo's steak house, but I didn't want to risk seeing her with another girl on my arm. It sounded ridiculous because I didn't even know the girls name and I was worried about her seeing me with another woman and the other woman would probably eat her alive.

It was still a risk with the restaurant that I choose. It was just down the street, and she could still see us, but it was late enough in the evening that unless she was standing right in front of me, she wouldn't know who I was.

"Your hometown is beautiful. Your mom and I went out and did some shopping today and we had lunch."

"Thank you. I like it here." I replied keeping it short. I didn't want to give off any sort of impression to her.

The rest of the car ride was quiet, and I could feel her wanting to say something, but she picked up on the fact that I didn't want to talk.

When Jay pulled up to the restaurant, I opened the door and went around and opened Alle's door and held out my hand again and she quick to put hers in mine and I led her inside. It was an Italian place. Thought it was fitting for the date.

The hostess knew who I was and instantly took us back to our table and there was a bottle of wine waiting for us and warm bread. I pulled her chair out for her and went and sat down in my chair and the hostess poured us each a glass of wine and handed us the menus.

"What is good here?" she asked again trying to make conversation. I couldn't be completely rude to her. I might have to do business with her father one day or my father may be doing business with him now.

"Everything but I prefer the Grilled Fish with Artichoke Caponata."

"That sounds great, I will try that."

I motioned for the waitress to come back and take our order, and I ordered for both of us and got a different wine that would pair much better with the dish.

"What is it that you do for work?" I asked, although it was painful to ask because I was pretty sure I already knew the answer. She was just like every other mafia princess.

"A lot of charity work."

Which really was code for I spend daddies' money waiting for a husband, so I could spend his money. The rest of the date went just as you would expect. Boring and just like all the other ones that my mother had set up for me. I paid our bill and had all intentions of taking her back to the hotel and thanking her for a nice night and then texting my mom that it would never happen.

"It's beautiful out, we should walk for a while," she said as we stepped outside. It shocked me a little and to keep up the gentleman persona I had going, I turned us, so we were walking in the opposite direction of Mo's Steak House, so I didn't run into the beauty that had taken over my mind.

"The stars here look so much brighter here than at home, but it's a lot cooler here," she said as she ran her hands up and down her arms. I got the hint and took my leather jacket off and placed it over her shoulders.

"Oh," was I could muster up to say after I gave her my Jacket. I knew I was being rude but really the stars. I'm not a romantic and this date was over before it started, and she couldn't seem to figure it out.

We had gotten five blocks from the restaurant and getting close to being out of the main area of that street and I heard a woman's scream.

"Did you hear that?" I asked and I motioned for Jay to get out of the car. He was following us. He quickly pulled over and got out of the car as Alle stepped closer to me and pressed her body against mine.

"Get in the car," I growled at her, but she didn't move. The woman started screaming again, "No, stop, please," I heard and I shook Alle off me and took off down the alley way. It was dark and the perfect place the commit a crime, if it wasn't for us walking by.

I crept down the alley way as quietly as possible. I didn't want to scare him off because you don't hurt women, plain and simple. As I got closer, I could see the man had her pushed against the wall and his arm was pressing against her throat and her hair covered her face, but I could just make out the color, and my blood ran cold realizing it was her.

I kept quiet and stormed to him. He was to focused on her and didn't even see me coming. I grabbed the back of his jacket and jerked him off her and threw him to the ground. She stood there frozen to the wall. I was torn as I wanted to slit his throat and leave him to bleed out in the alley way, but I didn't want to scare her. So, I pressed my boot into his throat and pressed down until he started fighting.

"If I ever see you near her again, I will kill you, don't fucking try me," I growled and pressed even harder for just a second before letting him go and he got up and ran so fast like the scared little bitch he was. He could hurt a woman but when someone his own size or bigger he fucking runs.

I turned to see my beauty standing against the wall shaking. I stalk over to her, and she closes her eyes. "Please don't hurt me," she cried.

"Never Bella," I whispered and brought my hand up to her face and cradled it just as her eyes rolled back in her head and she started to tumble to the ground. I quickly reached out and grabbed her and lifted her into my arms and walked back out to the sidewalk where the other two were waiting. She was freezing cold.

"Alle my jacket," I demanded when I got to them.

"No, I'm cold," she scoffed and it made me want to wrap my hands around her throat. I know I just said you don’t hurt women, but she is awful.

"And she is unconscious and was just attacked. NOW," I yelled and it finally got through her head, and she shrugged it off and handed it to me.

Jay moved to open the back door of the car and carefully laid her across the back seat and then shut the door when I got out.

"Make sure that she gets back to her hotel safely and then take the night off."

"Of course, sir," he said and turned to Alle who was glaring at me.

I moved towards the driver's seat when Alle figured things out. "Tyson, what about me? You are going to leave me for some unconscious chick."

"Ya, Jay will make sure that you make it to your hotel and please don't call me, ever."

I got into the car and sped towards my apartment and debated about calling our staff doctor but decided against it. She didn't seem hurt, just scared and went into flight or fight mode.

When I pulled into my private parking garage I parked and got her out and took her up to my room where I undressed her and put her into one of my shirts and covered her up and let her sleep.

Tess's POV

I woke up bright and early. I had an earlier shift than I had been working. I didn't really want the afternoon shift, but I didn't have a choice. I had to work. I had my phone interview for the hospital in a few hours, and I wanted to get a run in first. I hadn't been on a run since the day before my wedding. Running gave me a sense of freedom and helped me clear my head and right now it was so needed.

I wanted to run along the boardwalk and maybe the beach but it was too far from where I was staying so I drove down to the boardwalk and found a place to park and got out and stretched out my body and then put my earbuds in, turned on my favorite playlist and took off running.

The only people that were out here were also running or a few opening up their business. It was great and I had worked up the best sweat ever and the burn in my muscles was something that I hadn't felt in what felt like a long time.

A few hours later I hung up from my phone from the interview, and it went better than expected and they offered me the job, with a sign on bonus after three months of employment and at six months and at year. They were desperate for people, and I was desperate for a job in what I wanted to do, so I agreed. Maybe it was a red flag but obviously I wasn’t good at spotting those.

I dialed my mom's number and was so excited to tell her the good news. This is all I ever wanted in life. I used to play doctor as a kid with my dolls. I would make up illnesses or injuries and had to nurse them back to health and now they weren't going to be made up but they would be real, and I still got to nurse them back to health.

"Hey sweetie."

"Mom, I got it. They offered me the job after the interview was over."

"That's amazing. I'm so proud of you and I knew that you could do it. When do you start?"

"I have to go fill out paperwork and do a drug test and when that comes back all clear I will start."

"Good you can stop waiting tables."

"I can but for now I have to go and do that. I have the afternoon shift, so I will call you later. Love you."

I hung up feeling guilty that I moved so far and left her, but I know that she understands. I quickly got ready for my shift and headed to the restaurant.

It was official, the afternoon shift sucked. We had like three different groups of people and I spent the afternoon rolling silverware. Around six it started to pick up which was great because I had been bored and was going to fall asleep.

"Tess, can you work till close?" my manager asked. I had only worked a few shifts, and this was the second time I had been asked to cover someone.

"Yes."

"Great, thanks."

I rolled my eyes and went back to work, and I learned that I will never complain about it being slow. It got so busy and we were down more than just one person. I ran my ass off all night, but the tips poured in and with the huge tip that was left to me from the group of ten men the other night and tonight I had enough for a down payment on the apartment I liked.

Thinking of those men made me think of the dark-eyed man that left me the biggest tip of my life and God I wanted more than a tip from him and I had thought maybe he had as well, but he hadn't come back in here. Trust me I looked for him every night.

When we finally slowed way down, I told my manager that I was leaving since I had been here all day. He just waved me off and I walked out the door putting my tips into my purse and grabbing my keys. When I hit the unlock button on my car there was a man standing there.