If We Ever Meet Again
Chapter One
Stop thinking about it, Claudia told herself. It was one night. Sure, it had been amazing, but that didn't matter. She didn't know the guy's name, or where he was from. He had just been looking for a rebound after he'd had trouble with that girl or whatever. It was meaningless sex, Claudia's favorite. So why did she keep dwelling on it? It was over and done with. Time to move on.
Besides, she had more important things to worry about. After visiting her father in the hospital the night before, she finally realized how sick he was. He was paralyzed, for starters, and he kept talking about Maria and her freaking roses, and how she visited him and everything. And since he was totally nuts, Trevor had pretty much taken over the organization, shutting Johnny out of his birthright. Trevor thought he was so smart, bringing Claudia back here to control her brother. Well, little did he know that Claudia had no intention of following his orders. She'd make sure that Johnny was put on top, and that she wasn't far behind. She hadn't worked her ass off in Italy for nothing.
Claudia adjusted her black shirt and smoothed out her hair with her hands as she stood in front of her full-length mirror. Her suitcase, which she had still yet to unpack, was open on her bed, revealing countless pieces of priceless couture, most of them of black and red color. There were also, of course, the bazillion pairs of black and red heels and boots, which made Claudia's stomach do somersaults just looking at them.
Claudia had been standing in front of her mirror for a good ten minutes now. Why did she care so much about how she looked? The only people she was going to see today were Trevor and Johnny. Trevor would mentally undress her anyways, just like old times, and Johnny was her brother. Neither of them had much interest in her clothing.
But something in the back of her mind told her she needed to always look good, on the off chance that she'd ever bump into that guy again. What were the odds, though, of them becoming more than strangers? Close to zero, that was for sure. And that was the way it should be. Sex like that was meant to be anonymous. Why mess it up with names and feelings?
But it had just been so—amazing. Claudia had never had sex like that before. There was that one guy in high school who she'd lost her virginity to, but that had been too nerve-wracking of an experience for her to really enjoy it. Then Trevor, which didn't count, at all. And, finally, a slew of guys in Italy. Sure, no one did the deed like the Italians, but no Guido Juicehead could hold a candle to her mysterious stranger. The way he held her, caressed her, kissed her…it was the best sex in the world. It was the triple-decker chocolate fudge cake of sex, with the little game at the bar represented by vanilla ice cream on top. Claudia loved mystery, suspense, intrigue, and, of course, sex, and all of them mixed together was like winning the lottery.
Claudia shook her head. She needed to stop. She was never going to see that man ever again, ever. So she needed to get over his power in the bedroom and search for someone who could do it better, if that was even possible.
No, stop, she told herself. It's over.
11/4/09
Focus, Sonny told himself as he poured over the documents on his desk, not taking in a single word. That woman he had picked up at the bar last night…wow. When he had been looking for angry revenge sex, he sure as hell hadn't been expecting something like that. It had been quite a pleasant surprise. But no matter how great the sex was, he still couldn't believe that he was still thinking about it the next day. It was supposed to have been a one and done deal, to ease the pain from Kate's rejection to his proposal. So why on Earth was it still haunting him? Why could he still picture every feature of her face, every curve of her body, they way her lips met his…
Pull yourself together, he urged himself, trying to shake his head of any thoughts pertaining to that night. But it was just so hard. It was the best sex he'd had in a long time, maybe even ever. Kate should piss him off more often.
Where did things stand between them now? Usually, when a marriage proposal is rejected, the relationship doesn't last much longer. And did he even want to hold onto her? He had taken her back to Bensonhurst, revisited their old haunts with her, got down on one knee on the sidewalk of their hometown, in the snow, and professed his love and devotion to her. And she had just walked away like she had had a bus to catch. Sonny didn't feel sorry at all about what had happened last night, especially since it had been so good.
"Hey, boss," said Max as he walked into Sonny's office without knocking. Sonny jumped. He had been alone with his thoughts for so long that Max's unexpected arrival gave him quite a jolt.
Max noticed his employer's uneasiness. "Something wrong, Mr. C?"
While Sonny trusted Max with his life, he wasn't ready to tell anyone about last night. That was between him and his beautiful stranger. "Nah, it's all good. I'm just tired."
"Yeah, you…got in late last night," said Max.
Did he know what was going on? "Yeah, I guess so. Did you want something?"
"Just to inform you that all five families will be present at the meeting in a couple weeks, including the Zaccharas," Max reported.
Good, thought Sonny. That would take a lot of focus, preparing for that meeting. It would definitely be enough to distract him from his little tryst. "Thanks, Max. Trevor representing the Zaccharas?"
"Actually," said Max, a tad uncertainly, "he says he has some sort of surprise. We're trying to find out what it is."
Now Sonny was concerned enough to really focus. "What kind of surprise? An ambush?"
"It doesn't seem like that," said Max with a shrug. "But we're still gathering information."
Sonny nodded in approval. "Okay, keep up the good work. Get back to me with anything you find out. I refuse to be caught off guard by the likes of Trevor Lansing."
"You got it, boss," said Max with a nod as he headed out the door.
Once his bodyguard had left, Sonny leaned back in his chair, folding his hands together and contemplating. What could Trevor possibly be planning for that meeting? It couldn't be good, that was for sure.
11/4/09
"Well, look who finally decided to join us," said Trevor smugly as Claudia walked into her father's old office. It looked the same as when she had last seen it: dark, depressing, and with a Trevor lurking in the corner. Johnny sat on the desk, seeming a tad amused at the animosity between Trevor and Claudia. Well, thought Claudia, he wouldn't be enjoying it so much if he knew exactly what had happened all those years ago.
"You know what, Trevor, I come back here with Daddy in the hospital, and I think, 'yay, I won't have to apologize for being a girl.' Well, never mind, I guess. I'm sorry I'm a girl and take pride in my appearance. Unlike you. I'm pretty sure you've had that shirt since I was thirteen."
Johnny laughed. Claudia grinned at him. No matter what Trevor had done to her in the past, she would not let him control her now. She had changed in Italy. She had grown this wonderful little set of bones that many referred to as a spine. Also, after last night, she felt like she could do anything.
Trevor rolled his eyes. "Well, since you've decided to grace us with your presence, why don't you try helping out instead of throwing insults?"
Claudia smirked. "Okay, fine, I'll start working. My first order of business: making you leave."
Trevor looked like she had smacked him clean across the face. "What are you talking about? I run this organization!"
"Is your last name Zacchara?" Claudia questioned rhetorically.
"But—"
"I didn't think so." Claudia's brown eyes bore into Trevor's, but he didn't move an inch.
"Despite whatever personal feelings you may have for me, you and your brother need me," Trevor insisted, standing his ground. "I know the ins and outs of this organization. I've been with it since its inception. You can't just skip back here from Italy and expect to be running things."
Claudia rolled her eyes. "If you had any real credibility, that property that used to belong to Lorenzo Alcazar would have been in Zacchara possession months ago." Trevor appeared shocked at her knowledge, which Claudia enjoyed. "You didn't think I did my research before I came here? Well, you're wrong again, Trev. Don't underestimate me. Ever."
Trevor shook his head in mild amusement as he finally left his corner and went to sit down at the desk. "So you know about the property. So what? What does that prove?"
"That you don't know a damn thing about me," said Claudia, walking over to the desk. Johnny moved from his spot, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire as his sister leaned her arms on the dark wood, staring directly into Trevor's eyes. "You thought I'd just come back here and let you push me around. That ain't happenin', Trev."
"What happened to you?" Trevor asked, still smiling amusedly. "You used to not talk to anyone, always kept to yourself, didn't cause problems. What happened to that Claudia?"
"She grew up," Claudia spat. "She didn't want to be shoved to the side like her mother. You may have gotten rid of her, Trev, but you'll never get rid of me."
She and Trevor stared right into each other's eyes for a good second before he said, "Who said I wanted to get rid of you? I just don't want you runnin' around here like you own the place."
"But I do own the place," Claudia pointed out. "This is my house."
"Your father's house," Trevor corrected.
"Daddy doesn't live here anymore," said Claudia, her voice cold and curt. "He's too busy pretending my stepmother is watering his precious roses."
"You need to redirect your attitude," said Trevor, still not becoming completely angry at the situation. "You'll be making your official entrance into the Zacchara organization at a meeting between the five families in a couple weeks, and I don't want you wasting all of your energy on insulting and correcting me."
"Oh, so now you're my PDA?" Claudia scoffed. "Planning my schedule for me?"
"Claudia, come on," said Johnny, speaking for the first time. "I know you don't like Trevor, but try not to be antagonistic. We're all on the same side."
Claudia shook her head in disagreement. "No, you and I are on the same side. Trevor's just a little snake that slithers wherever it benefits him."
"You're quick on your feet," Trevor observed, ignoring Claudia's snide comment. "That'll be good at the meeting, especially with Sonny Corinthos there. You might actually beat him out for this property."
Claudia held up her hands in a way that said, "hold the phone." "Let's back up a bit, Trev. Not only did I do research on that property, but on the other five families. Besides Sonny Corinthos, they're all a bunch of Marlon Brando wannabes. But Sonny Corinthos has a serious record, and could have been a beneficial ally if you hadn't screwed up."
"I didn't do anything!" Trevor insisted. "Your father made enemies with Sonny, not me!"
"But after that black and white ball, when Daddy became paralyzed," Claudia continued, "you had the chance to make peace with Corinthos and get him on our side. We could have split the property with him and blown all of the other families out of the water. But now he's an enemy, and that plan is useless."
"Trevor has a personal score to settle with Sonny Corinthos," Johnny informed his sister, folding his arms. "He's the father of Sonny's half-brother, Ric Lansing, the district attorney. Sonny's mother walked out on Trevor awhile back, and Trevor's always blamed Sonny for it."
Trevor's face turned red with embarrassment as Claudia turned back to him, laughing a little as she said, "Wow, Trevor. You have more of a past than even I knew about."
"It's not important—" Trevor started, but Claudia wouldn't let him finish.
"You're damn right it's not important. So why are you letting it get in the way of the Zaccharas dominating Port Charles? You, of all people, should know how to separate business and personal. We could've had that property, but just because you couldn't make nice with Corinthos back in the day, my brother and I have to pay for it? I don't think so."
"You can still get the property from Corinthos if—"
Claudia interrupted him again. "Corinthos doesn't have the property, Trevor. The current owner of that property is Skye Chandler Quartermaine, who disappeared from Port Charles about a month ago without a trace." She laughed as Trevor's face went slack. "You seriously think you're entitled to the Zacchara organization when you can't even figure that out?"
"So, if Skye has the property, how do we get it?" Johnny asked.
Claudia shrugged. "Trevor should have figured that out by now. But I guess he was too busy enjoying the view form his high horse." Trevor glared at her. Claudia just smirked. "From what I've found out, Sonny knows Skye Quartermaine personally, so he'll have a better chance of getting that property before us. That's when we start negotiating."
"So you're gonna wait until Sonny has the property, and then go after it?" Johnny asked, trying to follow his sister's train of thought.
Claudia nodded. "It would be easy to track Skye down, but if we can do it, so can Sonny. And given the choice between us and him, she'd sooner give it to him, if she's willing to sell at all. I say we wait and figure out negotiating tactics instead of sending ourselves on a wild goose chase."
Johnny smiled confidently. "I think I like her style of thinking better than yours, Trevor."
Trevor just scowled as Claudia gave her brother a one-armed hug, saying, "I'll go to this little get-together that you set up for me. Sonny might have the property by then. I'll try and lay down the groundwork for some good negotiation at the meeting."
"Good," said Trevor, standing up. "Your presence will be a wake-up call to the other families that the Zaccharas may be down, but we're certainly not out. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a phone call to make." With that, he left the office, finally giving Johnny and Claudia some peace.
Claudia stuck her tongue out at the door that Trevor had just left through, saying, "He's so annoying. Why do we keep him around again?"
"Because he knows too much," said Johnny with a smile. Claudia didn't return it, mostly because it was so true.
Johnny noticed his sister's confident face fall into one of vulnerability. "Everything okay?" he asked, concerned.
She didn't want him to know. Hell, she didn't want to know, and she had been involved. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just thinking about that Sonny Corinthos guy." She pulled herself away from her brother and sat down at the desk, enjoying the power that came with sitting at it. The last time she had been this close to the desk, Trevor had been bending her over it. This was a much more pleasant experience.
Johnny put his hands in his pockets. "Sonny's a wild card. He plays by his own rules. He pretty much runs Port Charles. Whatever you do at that meeting, do not piss him off."
Claudia smiled at Johnny's overprotective way. "Don't worry; I'm not looking to make enemies. Like I said: Sonny could be a very useful ally. And I did my research on him; I'm very intrigued."
"Don't get any ideas," Johnny warned, reading between the lines of Claudia's words. "He's dating Kate Howard. She runs some fashion magazine. It begins with a C…"
"Couture," Claudia finished for him. "There's an Italian version. And if the American version is anything like it…" She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Well, let's just say it's a wonder that Kate Howard stays in business."
"Sonny probably funds her with his blood money," said Johnny with a small laugh. "I've seen the two of them together. It looks pretty serious."
Claudia smirked mischievously. "I don't know. Sounds like a publicity stunt to me. It's probably how she sells those rags."
Johnny looked worried at her statement. "You're not thinking of going after Sonny, are you?"
"I told you, I did my research. I find him quite fascinating. He seems like my type of guy. Oh, don't worry," she said hastily, trying to calm Johnny down as his face contorted into a shape of deep concern. "I'm just curious. It would be a one-night stand, at best."
Johnny's face went from concerned to disgusted. "Okay, I really don't want to talk about your sex life."
Claudia smiled widely. "Okay, then I won't tell you about last night."
Johnny gagged. "I really didn't need to hear that."
Claudia stood up, walked around the desk, and gave her brother another hug, one that he didn't fully reciprocate this time. "There's a lot of things you don't want to hear about me," she said as she pulled away, looking up into his eyes. "The idea of me shacking up with Sonny Corinthos is nothing compared to other things I've actually done, things that would make your toes curl. Hell, they make my toes curl."
"Please stop talking," said Johnny flatly.
Claudia grinned again. "Don't worry, John. I have this whole thing with Sonny Corinthos planned out perfectly. I'm not even nervous. In fact, I'm very much looking forward to meeting him."
