Austin Silver POV

As I button up the last of my jacket, I stand in front of the mirror and look at myself one last time before I leave the room with my belongings.

This is going to feel different.

I have been in this prison willingly for over three years on the down-low, I had my reasons, reasons not even my own men know about, not even my cozy roommate Danny had a clue.

My situation can't be explained without guns being raised, the only ones that know about my true intentions inside the prison are very dangerous individuals.

This operation runs completely off the grid and normal life after this is completely not possible for someone like me, I knew that the moment I got into this life, nothing after this is going to make me any less of a wanted man.

The truth is, this life is all I know, mundane things like being a family man has ever appealed to me, never has nor I doubt it ever will, if it ever did, getting out of this life is impossible, I've seen countless men and women in this life risk it all for themselves and their families, but in the end it doesn't mean shit, this life gets you one way or another and someone dies.

A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts and I see one of my men open the door. "We ready boss."

I make my way out of the room and head towards the car waiting for me in front of the prison outside the prison gates. Inmates watch from the yard as I make my way into my limo, their faces filled with expressions I am used to.

Anger, resentment, and jealousy.

Three very powerful emotions that can cause any man or woman to commit a crime, ruin someone's life and their own, I know these emotions all too well.

The door shuts and the car starts, I sit back I glance to the side of me and as instructed, there sits a brand new smartphone and a cheeseburger from my favorite burger joint.

Digging into my burger as I wait for the phone to open, I can't help but let my mind wander to the mysterious young woman I can't seem to leave alone, quite literally, I gave the fucking girl a house and masked it as a job.

I had no idea how to do this properly without seeming like a complete dick so I employed her in this new property I bought, which originally was for me to escape the city life but I had my people and lawyers to transfer ownership to Rose Clark.

I don't know what the fuck I'm doing anymore, I've never even met the woman and I fucking hate kids, but somewhere deep down inside of me felt sick at the thought of her back on the streets.

The moment I laid my eyes on her photograph it burned a hole in my head and ever since I can't stop worrying about her and her brother without a roof over their heads.

I suppose she reminds me of a young me, living on the streets, working yourself up. It's the hard life and not everyone comes out squeaky clean, I've seen that happens to girls like her and small boys like Max, it's not pretty, gangs swoop in early and turn your whole life upside down until the drugs take you.

That shit is never going to happen, not in my fucking life.

I tap on the glass in front of me to alert my driver. "Où est mademoiselle Rose Clark?"

(Where's miss Rose Clark?)

"Shopping Monsieur, avec Stev et Mike." He replies and I sit back and search for her number.

(Shopping Sir, with Stev and Mike)

Fuck it, time to meet the woman I've been intrigued by, I click on her name and begin to type a text, my hands beginning to sweat as I type.

hey, how's the house? any problems

I sit back and wait for a reply, unsure if I should've said more, I don't have a slight clue how to speak to women like this, never in my life have I conversed with anyone as I do with Rose Clark.

My phone buzzes and it's from her.

Good afternoon Mr. Sullivan, I thought you were joking about the job.. Max loves the pool, I hope it's okay that I let him use it? I'm very thankful for the job opportunity, I've never worked in such a... big place before.

I snort as I read her stuffy reply, fucking Sullivan, that shit screams Garcia, probably didn't want to scare the girl before I got a chance to with my real name and identity.

Shit, this is going to be more complicated than I thought, everyone knows my fucking name and I don't want to be called 'Mr. Sullivan' by her, it will drive me up the fucking wall.

im glad & ofc, use and do whatever and call me Austin, not Sir or Sullivan

Oh, okay.. Austin! Max will be happy to hear that and thank you in person, when will that be? I would like to introduce myself to the man who has helped my family by giving me a job.

My stomach clenches at her reply, too many emotions cloud my mind, a smile makes my way to my face as I type back a reply.

no thanks needed & soon, gotta go, see u later

I turn my phone off and close my eyes.

In seven hours I can see her, perhaps my interest in this woman will disappear once I get her out of my system with meeting her? Or perhaps not, unfucking likely, I bought her a house for starters, and with her kind nature, she's never going to accept it.

Luckily for me, I'm good at manipulating people into getting what I want, and I want to give her so much more than a fucking house, my mind races with all that I could do for her, what I could give her, nothing is too much or impossible for me.

For once in a very long time, I'm looking forward to knowing someone who doesn't even know who I am, nor her, other than the things I read in her profile I had made.

Hmm, fuck.

This chick, I can't wait to see if she's as interesting as I pictured her to be.

*****

I feel the car stop and the door open to my right. "We've arrived sir."

"Time?" I grunt out tiredly as I run my fingers through my hair, the cold air of summer night hits my skin as I stare at the building in front of me.

"2 AM Sir."

I sigh out heavily and get out of the limo and walk towards the house, it's quiet as hell, but I know my men are patrolling the property, knowing of my arrival I had them instructed to guard Miss Clark, just until I arrived, then I can arrange new security protocols and patrols.

Me being out still puts others in danger, and since I'm going to be staying here with a mysterious woman, to my competitors and enemies, it may seem like I've lowered my guard, especially if any of my men talk, if they fucking dare, knowing full well what happens when people speak of my private life.

I turn the handle to the front door and walk inside, not knowing where the light is and it's too fucking late to mess about, I grab my phone and put the flashlight mode on so I can see where I'm going.

The smell of pasta bolognese and a sweet flowery perfume scent can be smelled as I make my way up the spiral stairs of the house.

It's way too quiet, is she even here? Does she has no sense of da-

WHACK.

I see a fucking bat come straight at me but luckily for me I see it and raise my hand and grab the bat before it interacts with my face.

"Woah there." I say amused as I grab the bat from whoever swung at me.

Raising my phone flashlight up I see who it was exactly that tried to knock me out with a baseball bat.

The instant I see her face it all comes into place, like all my interest had doubled and my senses are on high alert with the woman that has plagued my mind since the moment I accidentally fucked up the number I was supposed to text.

"Who the hell are you!? I called the police! Leave before you still can!" She says and I can't help but chuckle at how cute she sounds when she's trying to sound so threatening and fierce.

I lower the bat. "No one is coming love, and I just got here, now whose the rude one?" I tease as I flick on a light switch close to me.

The lights come on and I see her more clearly, her hair is down and messy, but in a weird way I find it sexy as hell, she's in a long dress shirt but I can still tell that her legs are long. Her small nose and perfectly shaped heart lips draw me in the most, and that was before my eyes landed on her eyes.

Her face scrunched up then the realization hits her and I watch amused, intrigued by her expressions. "A-Austin? Right?" She mutters and I grin as I hand the bat back to her as I nod my head.

"Nice to finally meet you, do you greet everyone that way, or do you just like me?" I ask teasingly as I lean against the wall, smirking down at her.

She grows shy under my gaze and I can tell she is intimidated by me as her eyes land on a few of the tattoos on my neck and hands.

She clears her throat and sighs. "I'm so sorry Mr Sullivan, if I had known you'd be arriving I would've never tried to assault you." She says shyly and I snort.

I lean off the wall. "Austin, not Mr or Sullivan."

I nod to down the hall and she looks at me confused. "Bedroom? I'm fucking knackered, as much as I want to get to know you, I might pass out on you any minute." I say smirking tiredly at the young woman who blushes whilst nodding her head.

"Oh, um right, this way." She hints to follow her as she rubs her shoulder.

I follow behind her and my eyes zero in on her tiny ass, not just her ass, she's small compared to most women, slim too, not that I hate it, she looks sinfully delicious to me.

There just needs to be more of her.

She opens the door to the master suite and I look around tiredly as I take off my suit jacket and throw it on the nearest chair. I feel Rose's eyes on me as I turn around whilst I unbutton my shirt, her eyes go wide, and then she turns around shyly.

"Um, goodnight Mr su- Austin, oh.. um and sorry for almost hitting you." She says embarrassed.

I throw my shirt on the chair and walk over to the door, I hold the door open and watch as Rose turns around, her eyes instantly land on my bare chest and I see her throat swallow, and then her eyes meet mine slowly as she looks up at me, a hint of lust and fear fill.

"Goodnight sweetheart." I say huskily and she nods and walks away to the room opposite mine, she opens the door and walks inside of her room, before shutting the door she looks back at me and smiles shyly before closing the door with a small smile on her lips.

I grin and shut my door.

My chest is beating faster than usual and I won't lie, she's doing fucking strange things to my self-control when she looks up at me or when she looks at my body, which I won't lie about, I'm in the best shape, I was before prison but now I have more muscle on me, what else is there to do 24/7 in prison surrounded by assholes in max prison.

Removing the last of all my clothes I throw them on the chair and turn off the bedroom light. Too fucking tired to give a shit about anything else I lift the covers and plant face first in the soft pillows that smell like lavender, totally different to my pillows in prison.

For the longest time, I cant wait to go to bed and wake up.

Just so I can properly meet the shy girl across the hall from me.