Indigo
Prologue
" Johnny," said his sister, " whatever Daddy says, you can't believe it all. He'll be okay, you'll be okay. You have to promise me to be strong. You have to be strong Johnny, for your mother and me. You have to be strong! Johnny be strong!" she held on to him in her warm embrace. He knew he wouldn't be seeing her for a very long time; maybe not see her ever again. Her embrace said it all. As Trevor pulled her away from him, she kept saying the same thing: " be strong, be strong. Promise me you'll be strong."
" I promise Claudia," he whispered to her. He knew she heard it. Her face had relief all over it. He knew now he had to be strong. He would always remember his sister.
Claudia fought all the way as Trevor drug her out of the house and towards the car that would take her away from her home, her family, and everything she knew. Her life was a mess. She had known it for a while. What everyday sixteen-year-old found herself being drug out of her own house to be sent away? She fought and screamed the whole way. She screamed for someone to help her. She saw no one outside whatsoever. She only saw a boy who couldn't have been much older than her walking down the sidewalk. Still, from seeing boys not much older than herself work in the 'family business' as her father liked to call it, she knew people her age were capable of many things.
" Help me, please," she quietly said, barely in a whisper, her dark eyes staring into his. She knew he could see how desperate she was. She could see it in his deep indigo blue eyes. She also knew he couldn't help her. He hesitated just long enough. He advanced towards her, but was quickly shoved out of the way by Trevor.
" Get out of my way, kid." He said savagely. The boy let Trevor pass. She didn't blame him. He had to stay out of trouble. If only she had a life that simple. She looked back one more time hopefully at the boy now standing behind her on the sidewalk. He took a few steps forward, not exactly sure of what to do. She had looked too long because in a matter of seconds she felt a hand slap her across the face. " Get in the car!" Trevor yelled. She felt the boy's eyes on her. As soon as she was in the car, she looked at the boy standing on the sidewalk. He was still standing there, not sure of what to do, or what he could do. As the car started to move, she saw him duck his head and walk on. She turned to face the front. She knew she was being sent away. It was her turn to be strong. She had to be strong: for Johnny.
Chapter 1
Claudia sat on the steps of her family home. She remembered this spot, as the place she went when her father was too sick and Trevor was even more manipulative than usual. This is the place where she hugged Johnny before she was sent away to Europe. She could still remember sitting there with her high top shoes playing with the laces as she waited for her father to calm down from any mental lapses he was having. She was doing the same thing today, only this time, it was waiting for Trevor to let all of his adrenaline for manipulation to wear out as well as waiting for her father to regain his sanity. She had just come home no more than half an hour ago from yet another near death experience. Luckily none other than Jason Morgan, the mobster that was way too good for the mob life, had saved her. They were on opposite sides and yet he saved her life though it way have been better for him if he left her there to die. She remembered her father's expression when she came home. He was obviously surprised to see her alive and well, but also outraged. She could still remember the exact words he had said to her:
" I almost had a heart attack when I saw you getting off that motorcycle with none other than Jason Morgan. What in hell's name do you think you are doing around him. You see, this is why you are not cut out for the family business. You walk around sleeping with every guy you lay your eyes on. How do I know you're not giving him any information? Huh? How?"
She had simply answered, "Daddy, I am not sleeping with Jason. I was lucky enough to have been saved by him after my car went sailing off the side of the road after my breaks gave out."
As she expected, she saw a look of horror on her father's face. " Surprising Daddy? Really? I had thought for sure that you would have known something about this. Maybe Trevor can refresh your memory." With that last word, she left his office to sit on the steps she was sitting on right now, waiting for her father to stop ranting. She turned around to see Johnny coming down the steps.
" Are you okay Claudia?" he asked, " I heard Dad yelling at you."
"Yeah, I'm fine," she reassured him, "I don't know about Daddy though. He wasn't too thrilled to find that Jason had saved me and brought me home."
"I've been meaning to ask you about that," he said, " are you okay? Did he hurt you in any way?"
" I told you, no, he did not hurt me. He saved my life. It was the hit man Dad and Trevor sent after me who was trying to take it."
" I know you told me, but it's hard to wrap my mind around it. Don't you two hate each other's guts?"
"Well," she said irritated, " I don't really hate him. I have no reason to, but he hates me for no apparent reason I might add."
" Claudia, Claudia calm down. It's okay," Johnny said, " you won't have to cross paths again if you don't want to. Now all you have to take care of is business."
"Johnny, I'm going to owe Jason Morgan for the rest of my life. How do you know he won't stick this to me again?"
" I don't," Johnny said, " but I'm looking at the bright side of things." He gave his sister a kiss on the cheek and stood up. " Now I've got to go. I have a prior engagement." His sister looked up at him skeptically.
"Where do you have to go so late at night?" she asked.
"One, it's none of your business, and two it's early morning. You stayed up all night. You should probably get some rest. I'll be fine."
" So you're meeting your little girlfriend, Lulu, huh?" she didn't have to wait for an answer. His face said it all.
"Just be careful, okay John?"
" I will. I promise," he said, and with that he walked out the front door.
Chapter 2
Jason woke up early in the morning to a knock at the door. He slowly started getting up.
"Spinelli, could you go answer the door?" Jason called.
" The Jackal would bee more than pleased to leave his regrettably pink room to see who would love to be in the company of his master Stone cold." Spinelli responded.
"Spinelli, just answer the door," Jason said exasperated. Spinelli was a great, trusting, and innocent friend, almost like a younger brother, but he could get on his nerves easily when he had rough nights. As Jason slowly walked down the stairs, Spinelli finally answered the door.
" Why Vixinella," Spinelli said, " Stone cold is not really in any condition for visitors. He had a rough night and needs complete rest so that-"
"Spinelli it's okay," said Jason. Spinelli rushed out the door. Claudia stopped him.
"It's okay spinelli. I don't mind. You can stay." She smiled. She had met him before a couple weeks back when she came asking Jason for a favor which Jason almost immediately turned down. She had always thought of Spinelli to be too sweet and brilliant for the mob business.
" Oh, thank you for not finding my presence a nuisance," said Spinelli. Claudia turned her attention to Jason.
" I was just coming over to thank you for what you did last night," she said, " you saved my life, and I'm grateful beyond belief knowing you could have just left me there to die. I thank you."
" Don't mention it," said Jason, looking away.
"Oh, the Jackal was unaware that the reason for stone cold's late night excursion was to save Vixinella's life, and she being from the opposite side. What a noble deed Stonecold," said Spinelli.
" Actually, I was involved with that because I was meeting her to get some information about Michael's killer." Claudia became antsy. She knew Ian Devlin was the one who shot Michael, but if Jason were to find out she was behind it, she would not live to see the next day.
"Still, the Master has done a sincere act of chivalry-"
"Yeah, okay Spinelli. Now you've got to go." Said Jason. Spinelli dashed out the door. Jason turned back to Claudia.
"Okay, why are you really here?" asked Jason.
" I told you. I'm ere to thank you and to also say when the time comes along, I will repay you."
" How could you ever repay me? Actually no, why would you want to repay me?"
" You saved my life when you didn't have to Jason," she said, "I don't hate you despite on what you may think. I know you hate me, but I don't know why just like I don't know why you're in this business. Why are you in this business Jason? Huh?"
" I don't know," he said quietly, "frankly it's none of your business."
" I know you can't remember that much Jason," Claudia said daringly, "I was just curious."
" You bringing up my accident really isn't helping so I suggest you go," Jason said forcibly.
"Okay," Claudia gave in. she walked out the door and to Jack's. She needed to play a game of pool. That was too close of a call. She knew Jason was smart. If he knew the truth, there was no doubt he would want her head on a silver platter, and she did not like wearing her silver so high up on her neck. It was meant to dangle fashionably, not keep you in death's grip.
Chapter 3