Eva looks at him not sure how she feels right then. "No, you didn't tell me about your temper."

Tristan opens the car door for her and makes sure that she's set before getting in as well. 

"This isn't the same car as yesterday," Eva says to break the tension.

"No, I have several different cars. I'll show them to you another time. If you agree to be my girlfriend I'll teach you how to drive and let you have one of the cars."

Once he finishes speaking there is an awkward tension. "It's only fair to warn you about me. You've told me all about you." Tristan finally says and releases the tension that had come with her words earlier.

"My parents didn't marry out of love. My mother's family came from money, the businesses that I own come from her. At least the original businesses, I've added to them over the years after my father damn near destroyed them." Tristan pauses, the state of the businesses when his father finally died still makes him angry. His father should have just dealt with the mafia business and left the legit ones alone.

"My maternal grandparents wanted my father's connections and somehow blackmailed my mother to marry my father. My father was willing since he wanted the legit businesses. He had no intention of being loyal to my mother and my mother didn't care that he wasn't faithful. She preferred females to males. The only reason I'm here was because I was part of the business deal made between my father and grandfather. I know that's the only reason I'm an only child.

"My father was a hard ass mafia don. He didn't take shit and lived life hard. He had not just his mistress, Tom's mother, but several transient girlfriends as well. He just wasn't capable of being with one person.

"Like I said, he was a hard ass, and scary as hell. Every one was scared of him, you didn't disrespect him and live to tell the tale. But even he was terrified of my mother when she got angry. 

"For the most part my mother was distant and cold. Other times she was almost suffocating, but when she got angry she would go bat shit crazy. Not a little crazy, a lot crazy. Besides her eyes it's the only thing I inherited from her.

"When I get angry, I lose all control and I've been known to say and do things I normally wouldn't. I've killed people and when I come out of my anger, don't remember a thing. People have to tell me and I have to watch video to see what I've done.

"If you are willing to stay and give me a chance and I tell you to leave, it won't be because I don't want you in my life. It's because I don't want to hurt you and need you to go to safety. I will have Tom take you to my penthouse until it's safe for you to come back.

"I never want to hurt you, not even by my words." Tristan has a hard time looking at her when he tells her about his temper. She's been so damaged, he's terrified that she'll leave him now.

Eva snorts. "Like I would stay in your playhouse waiting for you to come and get me."

Tristan is confused. "Playhouse?"

Eva spells it out for him. "Your penthouse. Isn't that where you took your elite whores?"

Tristan chuckles, "No, actually. It's where I go to get away from every one, including or more especially the elite whores. I have never taken a female there. Only my men have been there and only when I do an induction ceremony."

Tristan had told her about the induction ceremony. It's where he takes one of his men and makes him a lieutenant. There is a blood oath and it's sealed with sex. She has to admit that she's more than a little curious to see that.

"There's never been a female there other than cleaning staff. It's definitely not a playhouse." Tristan wants her to understand that she is a special case. "It's the safest place other than my estate. I need to make sure that you are protected, Eva. Even if it is from me."

"So, your estate was your playhouse?" Eva wants to tease him a bit. She's not sure where this suicidal tendency came from and is rather amazed by it. And a little freaked as well.

"Eva," Tristan takes a deep breath, "no, at least not for me. When the females came over they were given separate rooms from me, but not the one I gave you. I've never let any one have that one before. When I wanted sex I would go to their room and when I finished I would either return to work or go to my own bed to sleep. Females weren't allowed in my room, ever."

When Eva just sniffs in disbelief, "I mean it, not even the maids are allowed in there. One of my low level men is assigned to clean my room. I have too much to hide to allow others in there."

"Then why did you give me permission to go in there? You just met me yesterday. You can't possibly know if you can trust me or not."

"Yes, I can. Just like you trust me. You trusted me from the moment you met me. I saw you relax with me, which you didn't do even with the female customers. I know you won't betray me and you know better than to snoop. Although, I don't have a problem with you looking through my things."

Eva stares at him flabbergasted at his words. There's no way he would give her full access to his things like that.

Tristan doesn't take his eyes off the road so can only see her reaction from the corner of his eye. He gives a faint smile at it.

"Your friend, Tania, she warned me that where I'm taking you today you won't have the correct clothing. So after breakfast we'll be going to a shop to get the correct clothes so you don't ruin the ones you have or the shoes you are wearing."

"Just where are you taking me?" Eva demands. Tania knows where he's taking her but she doesn't. 

"Somewhere fun, I promise. Please, if you don't like it we'll go someplace else. But I was unaware of what she warned me of. So we need to get you things to wear that won't be hurt by getting wet."

Eva is doing her best to not have an anxiety attack. Water, wet, they better not be going to a swimming pool.

"We aren't going swimming..."

"No, Eva, although there is a swimming pool there. You won't have to get in it or even go to it if you don't want to. But it is supposed to be a hot day and you might wish too. One of the items you'll be getting is a swim suit so you can if you wish. Even if you decide not to, I want you to get one, for when you are at the estate. I have a pool and a private hot tub that we can use. That's not to mention my penthouse has both a private pool and hot tub. I would actually ask that you pick up at least two. If you want to get one that covers your scars for today that's fine and then another for when we are private. It doesn't need to be a bikini, but I certainly wouldn't mind if it was." Tristan says that last with a smirk.

Eva huffs out, "You are such a perv."

"Never said I wasn't, Baby. But I'd like to be your pervert." Tristan takes his eyes off the road just long enough to give her a smirk with those words.

Eva just says, "Why would you want to see those scars? They are ugly."

Tristan turns serious, "If you allow me to remain in your life, I will pay for plastic surgery to reduce or remove them if you'd like. But I would rather you didn't."

Eva's jaw drops, when she finds her voice she demands, "Why the hell would you say that?"

"Those scars are badges, visible reminders to others showing just how strong you are. Eva, I don't think you realize just how strong you are. I've tortured grown men that succumbed to wounds far lesser than what you've suffered. You are a survivor against the odds. You were in a very toxic environment and not just survived, but thrived. You are incredibly strong. Those scars are war wounds in your fight to live. You are the winner. You should wear them with honor."

"Do you have any war wounds?" Eva demands wiping away the tears his words bring her. She's not sure if she's crying tears of happiness, relief or anger.

"Yes, and so does Tom. He's saved my life many times and received the scars to prove it. As I have for him and I've taken a few more after he'd gone down. But my enemies didn't live to have their own." This last was said in such a cold and implacable voice that it gave Eva shivers listening to it. She knows that that is the real Tristan Wederer, the feared businessman and mafia leader.

Tristan's voice softens as he pulls over and parks the car. Once he's done he turns his full attention on Eva. "You went through hell, so if you want them gone, I'll make it happen, but you earned the right to wear them with pride, Eva. They don't make you ugly. Hell, I've never wanted someone as much as I want you. I've seen how Tom looks at you. Even though he prefers males he wants you. Whatever you decide. You are a queen and those that look down on you are nothing. They aren't worthy of looking at you, just remember that." With that Tristan gets out and comes around to open her door. 

After that Tristan does his best to make her laugh once more. By the time they leave the restaurant she is in a much happier frame of mind and doesn't mind Tristan buying her a swimsuit.