Attracted To Danger

Prologue

She sat in the restaurant alone, knowing she was going to get stood up again. With a sigh, she shook her head. "Life is but a routine," she thought to herself as the waiter came back. "Miss? Are you going to order?" he asked.

She sighed again, "Just... A few more minutes," she gave a bright smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

The waiter nodded, understanding. As the waiter walked away, she scanned the room again. She still didn't see him. She pulled her phone out, and quickly pulled his contact into her messaging. Where are you? She kept her text simple. What do you mean? "Of course he forgot again," she thought to herself, and sighed again.

Tonight was our date. I'm beginning to think maybe you're cheating or you don't really want to be with me. You never show up for our dates. She was getting more and more upset with every message. That's not true! She shook her head, trying to hold back the welling tears. I don't believe you. I can't be with someone who's never going to show up for dates, never does anything with me in general. She responded, pretending not to be sad. So what are you saying? She knew he wasn't really sad in that moment. She sighed and swallowed as she typed her next response. We're through Gage. She waited for a reply, but didn't get one. Suddenly someone sat in front of her. She looked up, locking eyes with a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. "Wh-Who are you?" she stuttered, quickly wiping the tears away, not wanting to seem weak to a stranger.

The man held out his hand, his expression staying stoic. "Hi. I'm William. William Hart. I noticed you were sitting alone tonight, and couldn't help but wonder," he said.

She frowned, "Why would you care?" She mumbled.

The man's expression didn't change, "You see those men behind you?" he asked.

She frowned further, and turned her head slightly to notice five tall, bulky men in suits were staring in her direction with emotionless expressions, not speaking a word to each other. She nodded slightly. "They've been staring at you for the past half an hour. Now, see the three men on either side of you?" he asked.

She nodded again. They were less bulky, smaller, but clearly muscled. "Those guys are with me. Now, I don't know you, but I can tell you're an innocent soul. The five guys behind you? Those men, I do know. They are very non-innocent men," he said.

She gave him a really confused look. He kept his expression clear as he said, "Those men, like to enslave beautiful young ladies like yourself, and sell them like prostitutes," he said.

Her eyes widened realizing where he was going with this. "B-But I I've never even..." she trailed off, scared now.

Her face became very red. For the first time, William's expression changed. He gave a little smirk, "Knew you were an innocent one. Look, I, and my six men," he tilted his head a little towards the two sets of three men on either side of them, "we can protect you. However I want two things in return. One, we need a place to lay low for a bit, we won't be bringing drugs and whatnot in your home, I promise you that, and two, don't, whatever you do, DON'T go to the police about any of this, okay?" She took a deep breathe.

She didn't know what to do. She was pretty sure she just met the leader of a gang or mob, and knew she should go to the police. She didn't want strangers in her home, she wasn't even sure if she had room for seven people. On the other hand, she sure as hell did not want those other men to get her. She chewed on her lip. One of the men from the table behind her stood up, and William flipped his hand towards one of the men sitting at the table to their left, in turn, said stranger stood up, stepping closer to them. "Make a decision," William said, his expression already back to stoic and emotionless.

"Okay. Okay. You and these six can come stay with me, and I won't go to the police. Just... Don't let them get me?" Her voice cracked in the end.

William nodded, and stood. As he stood, his men stood. He softly took her arm, "You stay with me," she nodded.

"Anything to keep them from making me into a a a ....." her thoughts broke themselves off.

He pulled her out of her seat, just as the men who'd stood lock into battle, due to the bad stranger trying to get to her.