Fifty-four: Restaurant

Temperance

I slip a blue dress over my thin frame. The one-inch slit showing my stomach wasn't the thing making me feel exposed, it was the way the dress clung to my frame. Then I put on four-inch high heels. Even with these on I still have to look up to Alec.

Alec steps out of the bathroom in a black tux. "You look so fucking gorgeous." He wraps his toned arm around me and kisses my forehead sweetly. I sigh in his arms, his cologne dancing in my nostrils.

Tonight we will be going to dinner with Alec's family. Connor and Zander will be joining. The top picks from the gang will be acting security.

"And you look handsome as always." I compliment him back with a smile. Even though I feel exposed, I do feel pretty. This is the first time in a long time I feel pretty since my self-esteem had been destroyed over the years.

I put in silver hoop earrings and look at myself in the mirror for a second longer. I want to change something. But what?

Then I have the idea. "I want another piercing." I blurt. Alec looks at me, scanning me. He has piercings on his ears. So he shouldn't be upset about it. But I don't want it in my ear... well, I do but not just in my ear.

"Where?" He asks, standing beside me and looking at my face in the mirror. "My nose and cartilages," I reply confidently. I need a change. I've never had any piercings aside from the first hole I got when my mom was alive.

"We can do that." He replies. Then he grabs my hand. "Let's go." He starts to pull me out of the room. I struggle to walk in the heels at first but then soon get the hang of it.

I am nervous. Really nervous. Dinner with his parents. His dad doesn't even like me. He will hate me after this. I'm not much. He's probably looking for a princess type girl that's actually good enough for his son.

I'm definitely not the princess type girl. What type of girl am I? It seems like I can't even figure that out.

Whenever we get downstairs, the rest of the men are in tuxes. All of the men have guns tucked into their waistbands.

The girls all have on nice dresses. Vanessa looks like she was going to a party, though, which we are doing after dinner. Her dress is bright red and stops barely above her fingertips. "You look amazing Temp." Zander compliments. Alec sends him a glare.

"Our first family dinner!" Connor gushes. "It's not even your family." Ethan pops out of nowhere. "We are close enough to be family!" Connor is now frowning, causing me to laugh.

"Let's go bitches!" Vanessa yells for everyone to hear. Adam gives her a disapproving look, but his wife judges him, shutting him down immediately, and Vanessa shrugs it off as Ace walks her out the door.

Let the night begin I guess.

Then thirty minutes later, we are all getting out of the limo in front of a fancy restaurant. When we walk in, a chill hit my skin and immediately caused discomfort.

Too cold for my taste. All of the girls are now covered in goosebumps. Hopefully, when we get to our table, it'll be a little warmer.

A lady guides us to our table, and everyone already sitting brings their attention to us, probably because Adam and Alisha are basically famous mafia leaders. Something like that.

My breath catches in my throat, and I stop walking as I spot the man that bought me staring at me from another table. I thought he got shot.... why is he here?

Then I feel a hand touch the small of my back, and I jump. It is Alec's hand. He looks at me with confusion, and I pull myself closer to him.

If I just keep quiet then everything will be ok. Right? He probably doesn't recognize me. He may just think I look familiar to the girl he tried to buy.

I sit down at a table with my back against the wall to have a full view of the room in front of me. And the man that bought me.

Alec sits on the right side of me, and everyone else piles in. I keep glancing at the man. Sometimes he is looking at me, causing us to make eye contact. Other times he is talking to his friends.

Alec places his hand on my thigh, noticing that I am tense. He leans closer and whispers in my ear. "What's wrong?"

I know I can't tell him the real reason. Not at a restaurant like this. He will shoot the man and get arrested. Alec's men are placed around the building and two inside. And two at the table with us. Those two are Connor and Zander.

I wanted Chris and Kenli to come too. But they would have no reason to. So they were stuck at the mansion with security there too. I know they are safe. But right now, I didn't know if WE are safe. If I am safe.

There are guards everywhere. I am surrounded by dangerous people that will fight for me. But if he gets me alone. I won't be able to fight him off. He's twice my size.

How did no one see him? Do they not realize that this guy is the creep that bought me?

"It's just nerves. I want to impress your family." It is a believable lie. More than believable. Right?

"So Temperance.... I've heard about you on the news. Of course it was a long time ago. But I do do still remember. Where did you and your father move to?" Adam directs the attention onto me.

"U-uh yeah.... we just moved to a smaller house." I can't tell if he was trying to intimidate me or not. He is already doing it, though. He is staring directly at me with his cold dead eyes. Trying to see into my soul and devour me from the inside out.

"How's life treating your dad?" He asks. Didn't someone tell him that my dad is a piece of shit?

I let out a scoff then slap my hand over my mouth quickly.

"What's wrong Temperance?" Alisha asks. She doesn't seem like she knows what happened to me. She is kind. I don't think she would let her husband be an ass if she knew.

"My dad, he is a piece of sh-"

"I don't believe that." Adam cut me off before I can finish my sentence.

"Dad please...." Alec pleads for him to stop. I know he isn't supposed to go against his dad. His dad is a powerful man.

Arella keeps her mouth shut and her head down, and Ace grabs onto Vanessa's hand.

"Tell me how he was a piece of shit Temperance." Adam is trying to break me. This is how much he doesn't like me. And it shows. 

Zander and Connor sit silently like everyone else at the table. Alec grabs my hand and laces his fingers with mine. Zander looks up at me with wide eyes telling me not to go against Adam.

"Well. My father abused me. He sold me to men. He tried to kill me." I look at Adam with tears welling up in my eyes.

"Oh my!" Alisha gasps. Adam has a smirk on his face as I blink my tears away. I am NOT going to cry in front of this piece of shit.

"May I take your orders?" A pretty waitress shows up with a smile. She makes me feel insecure with her beauty.

Then we all order, and she is off. I look behind Alec's parents at my buyer. He is done with his food, but he stays seated. Something doesn't feel right here. Something is off.

Way off.