James has been an attentive host. He told me that the room I'm staying in belongs to a girl who is away at college, so I don't have to worry about losing my bed for a while. Don hasn't come around again, then again it's only been a day.

"Come on Alice. Dinner is being served and you need to eat." James says trying to help me up. Now, I don't weigh a lot, but my bruises are extremely sensitive and he doesn't want to hurt me. Therefore, he finds it hard to pick me up.

"I can walk James. You don't have to carry me. It'd probably be better if I walk." I say as he struggles to gently take me off of the bed.

"Don said not to let you walk until the doctors said it was safe to, and since they haven't given the okay, you aren't walking anywhere." Finally he picks me up bridal style and begins to walk towards the door. "We wouldn't want you pulling out any stitches from straining yourself."

"I'm not going to pull them out by walking James. You're only going to make it harder for me to get better."

James has been walking in and out of the room every three hours to check on me. Every time he says he has work to do I ask what he has to do. All he tells me is that it's just some stuff for Don. He hasn't let me go to the bathroom by myself. He'll carry me in, walks out, waits, comes back in after I say he can, and takes me back to bed.

James is also at least a foot taller than me. Which makes me look like a child. Considering the fact that he had a woman change me into a set of floral pajamas, I seriously look like a child. Being carried only irritates me more, because I'm used to serving for myself.

We get to a room with a long table. It's similar to the one we have back at Cutter's, but that's the family table. Only the members of the Don's family that have a role eat here. Does that mean James has a role here?

James goes to bring me to one side of the table, but the Don stops him. "James, she can sit by you. I have more questions for her."

"Alright." He sets me down in a seat right beside his Don, and I watch as James leaves me to go talk to some people still standing up.

"The bruising around your eye is going away. It's still a bit puffy though." The Don says, trying to make small talk with me.

"Yeah. Now if only all the other bruises would go away." I say, remembering the ugly purple and yellow bruises coloring my sides.

"They will." He says, fixing his silverware and placing his napkin on his lap.

"The scars won't." I say, focusing on the negative, as my personality type normally does.

"That's a good thing." His response surprises me and I look at him curiously. "Scars are a reminder. They teach you a lesson. Whether it be an easy or hard lesson." He says, with wisdom beyond his years.

"Thanks Yoda. I really needed a nugget of wisdom when I'm trying to feel bad about myself." My voice is laced heavily with sarcasm, which seems to entertain him.

"Sometimes you need a bit of wisdom to go on."

"Seriously, stop. I don't need a lesson in life." I say taking a sip from the water glass on the table.

"That's mine." He says while pointing at the water.

"You can have mine. I just needed some water."

"I already drank out of that glass." He looks slightly amused as my face morphs into one of regret.

"Everything just keeps getting better."

"Don, dinner is ready to be served." A woman says after scurrying up to him.

"Then you may serve it." He says after a quick nod and his mood changes. He stands from his seat. "Everyone take a seat. Tonight we have a guest at dinner, so be on your best behavior." He looks at James and a devious smirk crosses James's face. "I'm serious."

He sits back down along with everyone else. The entire dinner is pretty much silent except for a few girls giggling. What for, I have no clue.

Once everyone is finished eating, then the conversations start. They all stay seated, just chatting.

"Alice. I've got more questions." He says and I nod, giving him the okay, even though I know he'd ask without the okay. "Did any of them say any names? Maybe call one of the others by their name?"

I shake my head. "No, but they shot me with something before they started beating me. I felt like they wanted me to die."

"They are just jerks that won't last long once we find out who they are." James says to which the Don nods.

I think James is either his Enforcer or maybe a brother from the beginning.

"When did you get to where they brought you?" The Don asks me.

"Maybe 8 or 9 pm. It was dark out and I had left at seven to go out."

"Where were you going?"

"To a friend's house. They had gotten a movie for movie night, and I was supposed to bring the snacks." I gasp and raise a hand to my mouth. "I never showed up, and they took my phone. She's probably worried sick!" Panicking, I look around faking looking for something.

"Relax. What's her name? We'll call her and let her know you're safe." James says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Her name is Desire, Desire Wilkins." I say, hoping they realize the name. I may be trying to get information out of him, but I don't want my family to be torn down because of me. Plus it will give Desire peace of mind that I'm safe and not hurt, or not as hurt as I was when I was dropped.

James and the Don share a look, then look back at me. James speaks up first. "You're friends with her?" I nod. "Do you know her brother?"

I scrunch my eyebrows together. "Yes, he's my Don." They watch me carefully. "He's very strict, and if any numbers are out of place, he can get irate."

"Good." Says Don.

"Good?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Do you know him?"

"Of course we know him. He's our leading competitor." Says the Don.

"What are you competing in?"

"Let's just say that it's business." Says The Don with a look of masculine dominance, which just pisses me off.

"Are you saying that because I'm a woman? I'm actually quite smart you know."

James chuckles. "No, he definitely didn't say that because you're a woman. He said it because it's a business that most men don't even understand, and unless you're born into it, it can be quite difficult to understand."

The way he described it was effortless, but completely wrong. I wasn't born into this business. I wanted to be a part of it and did everything I could to do what was right. Which is exactly why I'm here now, to do what's right. "I bet I could understand it, whatever it is." I say. "I may not have been in the thick of action, but I know where the money comes from."

James laughs, but the Don only nods at me. When James finishes laughing, the Don stands up. "Everyone is dismissed, not including James and our guest." Everyone stands and files out in an orderly fashion. He reseats himself, but this time in a less formal fashion. "James, go get the files off of my desk and bring them to me."

James stands, nods, and walks out of the room. Again, he leaves me with his boss.

"How long have you known Desire?" He asked me in a relaxed position.

"I met her when I was dropping my brother off at his boy scout's meeting. She was there with her brother and we hit it off." I say giving him a small smile.

"Who's your brother?"

I let my face fall and wait to answer. "His name was Jace Reed. He died a few years ago in a shoot out."

Don stares at me for a second, then turns to James as he walks into the room. "Thank you James. Alice, I'll be taking you to visit your friend tomorrow. That way she knows you're safe. We'll keep you with us until you're fully healed. You are our responsibility and we will behave as such. You are dismissed." James goes to pick me up and I stop him.

"Why can't I stay with her?" If I make him think I don't want to be here, then he'll make me stay.

"Because, you're our responsibility. We handle our own responsibilities here." Don says, nodding to James. "Take her to her room. Be sure to leave a guard under her window and at her door."

"You think I'm going to try and sneak out? You people don't even let me walk? How am I supposed to climb out of a window?" I glare at James then move to Don. "You are treating me like a prisoner. I'm not going to run. You have fed me, clothed me, no matter how badly you dressed me, and you have given me a place to stay while I heal, yet you act as if I'm a prisoner."

James places a hand on my shoulder and I look up at him. "Don's only trying to protect you. There may still be people looking to hurt you. We don't know the extent of the danger you're in. Until we do, we can't leave you unprotected."

I look between the two of them and study them. James is not what you picture when thinking of a gang or mafia member. He's a glorified pretty boy. Brown curly hair, blue eyes, he could woo any girl he wanted to, except I'm not any girl, and he annoys me beyond compare. The Don has black, short cut hair and dark eyes that seem to cut through your head and read your secrets. I haven't talked to him much, but he is no where near as annoying as James. He looks like what a Don should look like. Threatening, and willing to kill you at any moment.

I sigh deeply and shake my head. "Fine. I'll stay here and be guarded. Can I at least walk? It's embarrassing that I have to be carried everywhere, including the bathroom."

Don looks up at James with a raised brow. "You carry her to the bathroom?" James glances at me then back at Don.

"I didn't want her to pull her stitches."

"She won't pull her stitches while going to the bathroom. I think she can do that on her own. As for walking around, the doctors say that you still need to rest. It's more healing then pulling stitches right now. I'll let you walk as much as you want, once the doctors tell me you won't hurt anything or damage anything healing."

I just nod and look down at my hands. "Alright. Thank you. May I go to my room now?"

Don grunts and I feel James grab around my waist and lift me off of the chair. He carries me away bridal style and I stare at the Don doing paperwork at the table. Just as I'm about to look away, his head lifts up and his eyes catch mine. He holds my stare until James turns a corner and I'm unable to see Don anymore.

James places me down on my bed and I crawl underneath the covers. "Good night Alice." He says in my doorway.

"Good night James. Sleep well." He closes the door and I stare at the ceiling.

Sleeping hasn't been easy ever since I woke up from being beaten. I think about Cutter, and Desire. I think about James and the Don. There's just so much going on in my head that I can't sleep. It takes a while for me to close my eyes, but eventually I do. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I'll get to see Desire.