Aftermath

Chapter 20

If she had to look at one more map, Alianna was going to kill Jax.

For hours, the couple, along with Evan and Rex had been organising their next moves. Alianna was surprised at how willing Jax's men were to move around at such immediate notice. Their plan was systematic and so far seamless, moving their forces around bringing them together, hoping to lure L'iiblis and his men to a central point where the real showdown will begin.

Alianna kept her true thoughts to herself during their planning. She knew L'iiblis would not fall for their trap, he had been waiting for them the other night meaning he had not changed from her childhood; the Hound knew all. She and Jax had their suspicions on who their rat might be but they decided to keep it to themselves as inner unrest was the last thing they needed.

"Alianna?" Jax's question stirred her out of her thoughts. He smiled gently as he noted her boredom. "Anything you would like to add?"

Alianna looked at all the changes they had made while she had spaced out. "What about home?" her nail tapped the embossed B on the map. "We need more men here."

"Well the plan is to draw them away from the house," Evan mused.

"That won't work," she murmured. "You need to beef up security as much as possible here."

"L'iiblis is going to break us down, he's going to attack us where it's going to hurt us the most. And here," she gestured to the room, "is first on the list. I am not going to lose my home."

"Neither am I," Jax murmured lowly, "not again."

Alianna raised an eyebrow as Evan and Rex fidgeted nervously in their seats, avoid looking in Jax's direction. She looked him, not surprised to find the cold, soulless glare in his eyes, the look he got when he became Jax Boveri; not her Jax. The longer she looked she could see him soften his gaze as he cursed himself inwardly, he could never unleash the true beast inside around her, even though he knew she can more than handle him.

"I've ordered an electric fence to be installed around the perimeter," he said, "and I've moved half of the Keepers here."

"Jax," Evan looked at him in shock, Rex's eyebrows disappeared into his blonde fringe.

"Keepers?" Alianna questioned. Jax bit the inside of his cheek as his announcement that scared his men; excited her.

"They are my family's personal army in Italy," he informed her. "I talked to my father last night and they are on their way here as we speak. They are fully trained for a war as they protect my father when he does business. I think you might like them."

Alianna looked at Jax out of the corner of her eye. "I have a feeling I will," she replied coolly. As the discussion turned to strategy again, she slipped out of the room and returned to her retreat that was their bedroom. The cool sea breeze helped soothe the burning thoughts in her mind.

She understood why Jax held off on bringing his men to America, an army, that was what he had called them, an army that she would have to lead. Right now, his mind was no different from Marino when it came his plans for her and he was cautious about how she would feel about it.

"I am sorry," Alianna relaxed into Jax's embrace, welcoming his warmth. She had been standing outside lost in her thoughts for longer than she had originally estimated. "I'm sorry that I have put you in this position."