Chapter 2

'My name is Collen McDermott. I suppose one could claim I am a creature of habit, well in one case anyways.'  For some time now every day during lunch Collen would go to the park that was close to his work. When he had hit a rough patch in his life a friend was kind enough to take him here.

Instantly Collen was awestruck, It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen, so many different flowers, so many different colors. Even if just for a small amount of time, it felt as if all of his worries, all of his pain just disappeared so long as he gazed upon this beautiful garden. He would never say he had the worse childhood and upbringing, but he would never say he had the best either. There was always turmoil in his heart from a young age.

But It was safe to say it was in that moment he had some idea of what he wished to do with his life for the first time in many years.

"Oh look at him, he's quite handsome."

"He most certainly is, but he looks like he could be trouble."

Ah there it is. Collen was never a fan of being labeled, but he truly could not fault them for thinking this way. He was after all  sitting on a bench all by myself in the middle of a work day, wearing a pair of Jeans, boots, and a leather jacket. Not exactly your average look for this ritzy up and coming area. Most people around here were wearing suits, or dresses and were generally in a rush to be somewhere.

Collen glanced down at his watch noticing the time. 'Oh damn I must have forgot to set my alarm!' He thought to himself as he jumped to his feet alarming the women who had been speaking.  'Aah I didn't even think how that would look me just shooting to my feet right after them speaking about me.'

"Don't worry ladies, I'm no more dangerous then this rose." I said picking a rose from the ground and handing it to the one closest to me while giving them a warm smile.

"Oh my thank you. I love your accent! ow!" As she took the Rose from Collen she pricked herself on one of the thorns... Every rose has it's thorn.

This was far from the first time Collen's accent had managed to draw the attention of a stranger. It should be said his family came from Belfast Ireland. While he would try his best not to stand out, one thing that never fails to draw attention was his accent, but then again it seems no matter Collen's efforts you could say his looks do as well. He stood at five feet eleven inches, Weight approximately one hundred and seventy pounds, and was quite muscular.

"If you will excuse me I must be off." Collen called out waving to them and dashing off down the path.

"Is it really ok for him to give this to me though?" The young woman asked the man tending to the flowers. At first he looked a little angry but when he saw who had given her the rose he just smiled.

"Ma'am If he chose to give you every rose here no one would complain."

"Well, well he most certainly is something, and that accent just makes you melt."

'Crap crap crap I'm going to be late! I wonder if Evelyn will be pissed?' Happily the office Collen worked in was only about a mile and a half away from the park. While running something caught his attention, something he wished no one had to hear, but something he was glad he did hear.  

"Nothing in this world is free!"

Collen Screeched to a halt looking down the alley. Even without knowing the full story, anyone with a half a brain cell could piece together this wasn't going to be anything good.

"Hey just what the hell are you doing!?" Collen yelled out.

"He-Help!" The girl cried out for help. This was all Collen needed to hear. He rushed down the alley as fast as my feet would carry  him. 'This scum bag!' Collen's anger and heart rate was so high he didn't hear anything else the man had said but the moment he saw the man smack this poor girl.  Collen knew the only thing he deserved was her pain delivered back to him tenfold

POW! 

Collen delivered a punch to his face sending him flying into a pile of garbage.

"W-Who the hell are you!"

"Scum like you doesn't deserve to know!" Collen strode over and drop kicked him in his stomach as hard as he could. The human pile of trash curled up in a ball and began gagging trying his best to contain his stomach. Collen could hear the soft sob of the woman he had been attacking behind him. quickly turning his attention back to the girl who was leaning against the wall of the alley holding her face and crying. At some point her dress had been torn at the shoulder, and her face slightly swollen. 

"Come here, lets get you on your feet darlin." Collen held out his hand to the poor girl who looked as if she noticed him for the first time in this moment. After hesitating for a minute she chose to accept his hand, Collen pulled her to her feet.

"Hey now, you ok?'' He asked removing his jacket Collen began to gently wrap it around her but she flinched. 'Ah damn I hadn't even thought what she just went through, trusting random men probably isn't high up on her list right now.'

"Sorry, here you go, that bastard tore your pretty dress." He said reaching out the jacket to her and giving her as much space as possible and attempting to give her a warm smile. "After what that bastard did I doubt you're willing to trust just anyone , but I would never hurt ya." Eventually she was willing to accept the jacket and wrapped it around herself.

"Do you know who I am!?" My name is Daniel Burgundy! you son of a-"

"You're still talking?" Collen turned and delivered another kick too the man across the face, grabbing him by the collar of his suit, and punched him. Finally he lost consciousness. 'Why does that name sound familiar? Ah hell I'll worry about that later.'

"How about we call the cops?" Collen asked. Alison just shook her head. "No? alright, well how about we get out of this dirty alley eh?" She hesitantly followed Collen back out into the street away from the dark dingy alley. 

"You know you don't have to protect a piece of crap like him right? We could call the police, you wouldn't be in any danger I promise.

"It's not that. I need him, he was going to get me a job."

"Hey would ya listen to that! Your voice is almost as beautiful as you are." Ah there we go a smile. A cheesy line yes, but it seemed to lift her spirits at least a little bit.

"A job though? Sweet heart I promise any job that scum bag would offer you will not be worth it."

She looked  down at the ground. " I'm not sure you could understand."

'This poor girl's going to make my heart melt at this rate.' Collen thought to himself.

"Look if it's a job you are looking for I could help you with that at least, Wh-..Wha... What kind...." Collen's  mind began to drift off mid sentence. Now that he was seeing her in the light.. 'She truly is beautiful.. Long black hair, naturally tanned skin, long legs, an alluring yet petite figure, a rather modest chest, great posture... those eyes! Just beautiful!'

"Have you ever thought of being a model?" Her eyes shot open and she backed away from Collen, her expression turned cold. 'Why is she looking at me so differently now?' At first completely unsure of what he possibly could have said to offend her or put her on edge.

....

Finally it clicked in place in his mind. 'Ah that's it. I bet that was the angle that prick was working. Scum of the earth that man rightly is.'

Collen waved his hands held out in front of him. "No no no, I'm not like him I promise. I actually work for a rather modest agency. It's not even a mile from here. I expect nothing in return, if you would like I can walk you to the door and you don't even have to say anything to me ever again, you don't even have to give me your name."

'An agency? There is an agency in this area. Everyone in the industry knows it and it's by no means a modest agency!' Alison thought to herself. Looking Collen up and down. Even though he saved her she still couldn't quite decide how much trust to place in this strange man.

"How about this. I'll lead the way, you can stand as far back as you want from me. It's a straight shot on this very road. No random turns or dark alley short cuts. You can even turn around and leave at any time you choose if you get a bad feeling."

Alison stared at Collen for a good minute biting her lip before wordlessly nodding her head.

"Great follow me then."