A whole lot of thanks to Jen Konoha and Chaotic Child. Thank you for the great reviews!
"Why are you up so early," Daisy groaned walking into the living room.
Alice looked up from the armchair where she was neatly cuddled with her notebook in her lap. It took a moment for her mind to come out of the jumble of words she had been searching though but when she finally managed to look over at Daisy she could not help but break into a fit of laughter.
"You look like you were just wrestling with a monkey in your bed," she giggled.
Daisy shrugged sending her a secretive smile, "close enough."
She then shuffled into the kitchen sleep still bearing down on her, "Do you want some breakfast," she slurred.
"No thank you," she said standing up, "there is a book I need to buy. I'll just grab something when I am done."
She waited for an answer but nothing came. Alice pictured her sister asleep on the counter-top, a frying pan hanging from her hand.
Alice made sure to be quiet as she closed the door but as she turned around she couldn't help but let out a gasp.
"Luck what are you doing here?" She questioned pressing her hand on her chest, as if that would help slow her heart.
"I was going to come and see if you would like to join me for breakfast but if you are busy…" he trailed off with a smile.
"No, no," she said shaking her head excitedly, "I was just on my way to buy a book actually, but breakfast sounds lovely."
"Perfect," he said holding out his arm for her.
Luck took her to a small café beautifully decorated with flowers and large windows. As they talked she was surprised by how comfortable she was with him. There was none of the awkwardness she thought she would feel when she saw him again. She replayed that night with him over and over again and every time she could not help but feel a warm buzzing feeling in the pit of her stomach.
After they ordered they began talking about everything and nothing.
"Tell me Luck are you the oldest in your family." She had noticed the night she had been captured that his brothers seemed to back off and let him take the lead. He obviously had the qualities of a natural born leader.
"I am actually the youngest. Keith is the oldest and then Berga. I have another brother Claire, although he is adopted, and he is a year older than I am."
"But you run the business," she questioned, confused.
"Technically, we have all inherited a share in my family's business but I am the one in charge of running it."
"And your brothers don't mind," she asked in disbelief.
Luck shook his head.
"Goodness I could never see my brother Klein sharing my father's business with anyone," she sighed picking at her food.
"You have siblings?" he asked with interest.
She nodded. "Klein is the oldest than I have another sister Sarah and then it's me and my youngest sister Daisy."
"And what is it your father does exactly?"
"Father owns Roberts Lumber company," she said take a sip of her water.
"You don't say," he smiled, "I just expanded our business into the lumber industry."
"But I thought you owned clubs?"
"The Gandor family has branches in all sorts of business," he said with a smirk.
"I see." She didn't dare ask further about the kind of business her ran. A dark feeling warned her that she probably would not want to know anyway.
Luck paid the bill and slid his hat back on over his dusty gold hair. Alice did not know why but there was something about the way he looked in a hat that made her heart flutter.
"What book are you looking for exactly," he asked following her lead down a narrow street. She noticed his eyes expertly moving over the mid-afternoon shadows.
"Edgar Allen Poe," she said absently, searching the shops for the store she needed.
"Really,' he said with a smile, "are you a fan of his work?"
"Goodness, no," she said shaking her head, "but I am commissioned to write a song incorporating some of his lines."
It was then they began to argue over the poet, both holding firmly on their beliefs on the subject.
It had soon become late in the evening but Alice hardly seemed to notice the hours passing. Luck was so different from the countless men she had met. He was just so…intense.
Everything he said he meant. He did not bother with lying; in fact he didn't seem to bother with a lot of things. It was like some things were just too beneath him.
"Alice," he said suddenly his eyes steady and alert, "start moving toward—"
"Why if it isn't my good friend Luck Gandor," came a mocking voice, "how are you buddy?"
A man, slightly shorter than Luck with messy chocolate locks, came to stand in front of them flanked by two other men. All were wearing cruel, excited grins.
"Dallas," Luck acknowledged calmly but Alice could feel his muscles tense under her hand.
"And what do we have here," Dallas asked smirking as he peered over Luck's shoulder to get a look at her, "Now you certainly live the life don't you, Luck. Nice cars, money, a running business and the cute dames. Oh to be you."
"What is it you want, Dallas," Luck growled crossing his arms; he shifted his weight a little to the right as if hoping it would block her from his view.
"Hey no need to get defensive, boss. The boys and I were just in the neighborhood and wondering if the Gandors would like the opportunity of incorporating us into their family. It's a once in a life time chance, wouldn't you say."
Luck let out a sigh shifting his hands into his trench-coat pockets, "and what makes you so sure we would be interested in having you join our organization."
"We could be very valuable assets," he replied darkly.
Alice looked the man over not sure of what to make of him. He sounded fierce but he lacked the spark that she saw in Luck and his brothers. He did not have the character to get things done, she decided.
"Did you ever stop and consider that there is a reason we have never extended you an invitation into our organization? You are more trouble then you are worth, Dallas," Luck said with a mocking smirk.
"Why you—"Dallas took a step forward and the two men behind him held up the guns that they had been concealing in their sleeves.
"Careful, Dallas," he warned, "You're in my territory."
Dallas spread his arms out wide as if beckoning in danger, "I don't see any of your men around here. I guess you're not as lucky as your name suggests."
"Oh I wouldn't say that," came a booming voice from the street.
A car was parked directly to their right leaning over the side was Luck's two brothers both with guns aimed right at Dallas's head. Inside the car were about five other men wielding machine guns that rested dangerously on the window sills.
Luck's voice turned steely and he took a menacing step forward, "I have allowed your previous actions to be overlooked out of generosity, however, if I hear you pull another stunt on Gandor turf again—well—let's just say I hope you have a high pain tolerance."
Alice could not help but shudder at this. How could this cold man be the same as the man who only hours before had been discussing poetry? Luck seemed to notice her suddenly shaken expression. Without a word he led her back down the sidewalk but not before giving a few quiet instructions to his brothers.
"I am sorry that you had to see that," he sighed with irritation.
"Luck I am not so naïve as to believe that you are an honest business man," Alice said letting out a cold laugh.
"Hmm," Luck stared down at her, "and exactly how do you feel about being with a less than honest business man, Alice?"
She stopped short a moment staring cautiously at him, "I am not sure Luck. I was not aware that I was with you."
Luck tilted his hat a little, "Alice, how would you feel about being with me?"
"I think I would love it," she smiled moving closer to him.
Hope you liked this chapter I would not consider it my best but you know life is short and so is my allotted time of writing.
