Chapter One

Harbor View Towers.

It would do. At least that's what Keeley Marcello thought as she slipped the final sale documents into her briefcase. The previous owner of the building, Mike Corbin, was reluctant to part with the property but as she had learned money greased the wheels of immobility perfectly.

Technically, Mr. Corbin hadn't been the problem. It was petty mob boss, Sonny Corinthos, who held up the sale for almost a month. As owner of two penthouses within the building, Corinthos had been adamant in his refusal despite the fact that he currently resided in a spacious but well guarded mansion across town.

Insufferable bastard. Forcing her to endure three tedious dinner dates at a hole in the wall restaurant called the No Name. Corinthos poured on all his supposed charm to impress her. It only took ten minutes in his presence before she realized he was trying to sleep with her. If she had to see those damned dimples again, she wasn't to be held responsible for slapping the smirk off his face. She heard he had a reputation but this was ridiculous. The man had known her for less than a week. Did marriage vows mean nothing to him? Honor? Integrity?

Then she had the misfortune of meeting his vacuous harpy wife and felt a small twinge of sympathy for the man. Her files had indicated his marriage of almost ten years and the two children he shared with a Carly Spencer but they said nothing about the woman needing a trip to the rubber room. Keeley couldn't say who she felt more pity toward, Sonny for being married to the maniac or Carly for being tied to the adulterous bastard.

And someone actually allowed the two to breed?

After quietly excusing herself from the table to escape the arguing couple, the moment she sat down in the Bentley and gestured for the driver to return to the Metro Court Hotel, she called the real estate agent to begin looking for suitable properties. Furious at having wasted so much time only to not achieve her goal, she was shocked when the owner of the Towers called the next day and agreed to the sale.

She discovered the reason for the mobster's swift capitulation while sipping from a glass of wine and watching the news coverage of the explosion at the Corinthos Coffee Warehouse. Reporters were predicting an eminent mob war. As she watched the flames devour the structure she was inclined to agree. The small altercation between Corinthos and Luis Alcazar that required his attention worked in her favor.

Tonight's visit with Alexis Davis, attorney for Corinthos and Mike Corbin, cleared final signatures. This was merely a formality. The design company had already come in and renovated to her specific instructions. The security company had already rewired the building for the latest in state of the art defense measures.

The top floor was converted into one large dwelling and the floors beneath shared only two apartments each. It was a neat little idea she had copied from a movie and thought the familie would appreciate. Stepping into the elevator, Keeley took out her cell and made her call. When the line on the other end was answered, she smiled with contentment.

"The transaction is complete."

It was all she needed to say. "Very good Keeley. The others will arrive within the hour. They will meet you at your hotel. Have you taken care of that other business I left for you?"

"I'm on my way right now. It shouldn't be too difficult to get Mr. Luke Spencer to sell us the casino license. He's amiable but pretending to be otherwise. Enough money and he'll sign over the license." She rolled her eyes, "I swear, if this wasn't important I would wonder why you're making such a big fuss about this little rink dink city. Whoever heard of one casino license? It's ridiculous."

"The important thing is that I want the Atlantic Royale prepared to open its doors for business within the week." She heard the depth and authority in the masculine voice but also the complete confidence in her skills. After all this was her area of expertise.

The set up.

Keeley flicked raven waves away from her face revealing a glimmer of ruby on her earlobes, and steadfast determination. There was both beauty and strength in her face. She didn't need masculine appreciation to know that her skin glowed honey smooth, the expensive Donna Karan camel cashmere suit covered a body curvy and seductive. She wasn't a frail flower, no, she was confident. Secure of her role within her familie. She had learned over the course of her existence to make use of not only her beauty but of the brilliance that everyone of her line possessed.

There was no way, some small time aging wannabe adventurer would deter her from her goals. "The Atlantic Royale will be operational upon your arrival." She hadn't failed once since she had begun working in her position as legal counsel, and aside from the one glitch with Corinthos, she wouldn't now.

"I wasn't questioning your abilities systir," a soft chuckle came from the other end.

"I never said that you were, Raine," she quickly answered with the name few had knowledge of and even less dared to use. "I understand how important these first few weeks are. Have you spoken with the Alcazars yet?"

"No," and the clipped reply proved just how angry her kindreden truly was. "They are Aristocracy and as such believe they are above such meetings," he released a deep sigh of annoyance. "The Houses will not tolerate such blatant disregard no matter how old the Alcazar name is. We are all governed by the same laws. We all must uphold them."

Raine was more than angry. After more than two thousand years, someone had actually achieved the impossible.

Raine Gilchrist was pissed.

XXXXX

Sometimes it just didn't pay to sleep with married men.

All the lies and deceit, the sneaking around, it truly wasn't worth the effort. She couldn't even say that she was in love with him and that was the saddest part of all. The sex was good. Better than average but not amazing. Just good. So why was she putting herself through this?

They never went out in public. His face was just too well known for the risk. And his wife's biting tongue and savage temper was legendary throughout Port Charles. Call it selfish on her part, but just once she would like to be taken out to a restaurant for dinner. Maybe see a show. Take a ride or something, before coming back to her studio for sex. Was that too much for a mistress to ask for?

The man had money, they could afford to climb into one of his cars and drive into Manhattan if he was that pussy whipped. He was brave enough to have an affair, but not to risk being seen with her. She lifted an eyebrow in annoyance, too bad it wasn't her pussy that had him whipped. Otherwise she wouldn't be laying here across her bed feeling like a second class citizen.

A mistress.

Oh, goody, just what she had always wanted to be when she grew up. Some man's ass on the side.

Samantha McCall watched as her current lover stepped from her bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, another scrubbing the wet from his thick black hair and struggled to keep a pleasant expression on her face. It was what she was here for after all. She was the place Sonny Corinthos came to get away from the stresses in his life. The wife too much trouble, the kids getting on his nerves, the business too hectic, good ol' Sam McCall had the cure for all your problems.

P-u-s-s-y.

Maybe she was cheapening things between them, because Sonny had been nothing but kind to her. When she first arrived in Port Charles she had been alone, a stranger in a strange city determined to make a life for herself. The position at the weird little herbal shop was only meant to be temporary. Yet, Zinnia Giambelli, the elderly woman who hired her was a blessing in disguise.

Zinnia was perfectly willing to help her learn. After discovering Sam had no place to live, Zinnia graciously offered her the studio above the shop free of charge. Sam protested, not wanting to feel as if she were taking advantage, but Zinnia explained that she preferred having someone above the store for security. Sam could have pointed out the state of the art system she watched Zinnia key into every evening, but figured maybe Zinnia missed having family to fuss over.

Sam met Sonny one afternoon over lunch at Kelly's. He walked into the diner, looking distinguished and urbane in a black wool coat and his smile of hello and made her heart race. For a month he courted her with roses, expensive chocolate, cozy dinner at what she had thought was his house. She should have known he was too good to be true. Two days after sleeping with him, she discovered he was not only married, but a father and worse, the biggest mobster on the eastern seaboard.

And yet he convinced her to stay with him.

Now after six months of this hide and seek game she was getting fed up. The marriage wasn't going to end and she didn't want to be responsible for breaking up a family. Yet, every time she tried to broach ending things, Sonny found another excuse, more charm and they ended up in bed together.

Sonny slipped into his Saville Row suit and finger combed his wavy hair before turning back to her with a smile. He was perfectly prepared to escape like a thief in the night with no shame for the damage he was causing his marriage. And this was the man she was involved with?

"I'm sorry about rushing out like this."

The phone call he received while they were laying in bed was actually a relief. She had been trying to figure out a way to get Sonny to leave and coming up blank. From the look on his face it was business, and not coffee business she smirked to herself, but that other more deadly business he tried to pretend she didn't know about.

"It's no problem, really," she allowed a smile to curve her lips and stood from her wrought iron sleigh bed. She didn't bother to re-knot the belt of her red silk kimono, nor repair the shaggy hair that tumbled carelessly over her shoulders. Sonny liked her with the just fucked look and given that she was seriously considering ending this mess, he might as well get one last look.

"I understand. Its business. Really, don't worry about it Sonny, I'm fine."

She went willingly when he pulled her into his embrace, tilting her head back for the touch of his mouth even as she wrapped her arms around his waist. The kiss was hard and searching and thankfully brief. When Sonny pulled away, the self satisfied expression in his eyes made her want to stomp on his foot. At least one of them had enjoyed it.

"I'll call you tomorrow, maybe we can meet." He patted her head and she felt like a puppy, or perhaps a wayward child.

"I have work tomorrow night," she lied easily. If she had to make work down at the shop, she would happily hot wax the floors, clean all the shelves and alphabetize obscure herbs. Only she couldn't put this off indefinitely. Her self esteem had taken enough of a beating these past six months, the least she could do was end things on her terms. "Maybe we can have dinner here on Friday?" Two days was soon enough to break things off.

"I can't," he shrugged, "Carly's having one of her dinner parties. Her mother made some new friend at the hospital. Supposedly well connected, old money. You remember me telling you how Carly is about impressing people like that. I can't get out of it."

As they walked across the hardwood floors to the door so that he could leave, Sam knew Sonny could get out of the dinner if it was business but she said nothing. Very soon this would no longer be part of her life, "Then how about Saturday evening?"

"I have business but I can make it afterwards," he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Now you remember the guard is looking out for you. If you have any problems call Ric."

The last person on the planet she would ever voluntarily call was Sonny's sociopath brother. Ric Lansing made her skin crawl the way he was always looking at her. She didn't know if it was sexual, or if Ric was just creepy that way but Sonny's right hand man made her want to take a long hot shower if she was ever in his presence for more than thirty seconds.

"There won't be any problems." She assured him. "I'll talk to you Saturday." After a final bruising kiss, she closed the door after him and released a heavy sigh.

"And hopefully that will be the last time."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When the House of Gilchrist made its entrance every man, woman and child stopped and stared. Time drew to a halt as two of the drivers draped in all black held open the doors of the Metro Court Hotel and bowed deeply at the waist. A brisk wind kicked up a whirl of snow in the air and sent a chill down the back of the guests standing around the lobby who had ceased all movement.

Carly Corinthos paused in the middle of her argument with her mother Bobbie Spencer forgetting the very important point she had been in the middle of making. She had no idea who these strangers were but being married to Sonny Corinthos for ten years taught her what danger looked like. These people weren't dangerous.

They were predators, plain and simple.

She was reminded of the afternoon she took her son and daughter to the zoo and Michael pointed out the black jaguars and called them cool. Her son hadn't been able to understand what lay beneath that sleek, still surface but she had. It was the same simmering threat she sensed looking at the group of individuals who had walked through the door.

A tall African-American man entered first dressed elegantly in a black turtleneck and a perfectly customized black Armani. If anyone had asked how she could tell, she would have been happy to expound on her knowledge of good Italian tailoring. From the cut of his suit, she knew he was strapped. The guards that Sonny insisted follow her around Port Charles all wore shoulder holsters like that.

Bald, skin the color of rich sinful chocolate, with a goatee framing a sensual mouth, the man exuded masculinity with such force that it could make a woman's knees weak before she could brace herself.

Beside him was an Asian man, tall, clad in black as well, in a cassock styled jacket and pants. He looked powerful, despite the lean and sinewy length of his body. Shaggy hair, black as the night shadowed a handsome face, a generous mouth and dark eyes with a mystic there that made her wonder what secrets he was concealing. This one wasn't carrying a gun, not with the fit of that jacket, but that in no way lessened the lethal aura surrounding him.

A young woman entered next, slender and petite dressed in black skirt that dragged the floor with each light step, a sheer white tuxedo blouse and a leather u-neck vest that hugged just beneath firm high perched breasts. She looked like a gypsy with that wealth of dark hair curling wildly around her delicate face. Cerulean eyes gleamed with mischief as she lifted one of the many necklaces around her neck out of the way with fingernails tinted with black polish.

She smiled and said something to the Asian man, then turned to glance back over her shoulder. Carly followed her line of sight to the woman who walked in behind her. She was also draped in black like her companions. Sleek black pants, turtleneck and stiletto boots, she walked like a model on a catwalk. Long chestnut brown hair was scraped brutally back into a single ponytail that hung over the shoulder of her military styled coat. Beautiful despite the austere expression on her face, the woman was no less dangerous than her companions.

Unlike the others, the wind blew open her ankle length coat, revealing the shoulder holster and the butt of the guns in them.

Despite all of this, it was the final man who entered who made Carly Corinthos weak with lust.

He walked as if he could lay waste to anything in his path. Not even Sonny with all of his money and power, his guns and guards, carried himself this way. Tawny brown hair was cropped close to his head, framing a face that spoke of power and ageless strength. It wasn't his passionate mouth that drew the eye, nor his gorgeous face. It was his eyes. So compellingly blue, they struck a vibrant cord deep inside her. Made her think dirty thoughts. And made her want to think up a few more still.

He too wore all black. A fitted v-necked sweater and black trousers that emphasized every nuance of his beautifully proportioned body, from the broad chest that strained for freedom against the merino wool, to the force of his thighs and the slimness of his hips as he walked, to his long silent feline gait despite those boots he wore.

Carly glimpsed the shoulder holster beneath his leather jacket but didn't doubt for one moment that those two guns were the only weapons this man carried. Hell, the man himself was a fucking weapon. She watched him place a guiding hand at the base of the young girl's back and together they walked forward. Unable to resist, her eyes followed their progress as they walked straight to the woman Carly had caught Sonny having dinner with that night at the No Name.

"Mama," she whispered harshly, "That's the woman I told you about who was with Sonny. She bought Harbor View Towers from Mike."

"Really," Bobbie Spencer looked in their direction but Carly grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "What are you doing?"

"Don't stare at them," she rolled her eyes, wondering how her mother could be so oblivious sometimes.

"Then how else am I going to see, Carly? That's Keeley Marcello. She a lawyer with that Gilchrist Corporation I was telling you about. The woman who made the generous endowment to the hospital. She bought Luke's casino license from him."

"What?" Carly forgot all about being discreet then. "Luke wouldn't sell that license to just anyone. Hell the city has been trying to get that license from the Haunted Star for years and this Keeley woman just waltzes into Port Charles and gets Luke to do the impossible."

"Not all that impossible," Bobbie smirked, "Six million dollars is more money than Luke would have ever gotten for it." At her gaping intake of breath, her mother nodded, "That's right. She cut him a check today right there on the boat. Evidently, her employers are opening a new casino in the new building near the docks."

"Sonny isn't going to like that," Carly pursed her lips, thinking of her husband's business and the fact that he used to clean money through the Haunted Star.

"Well, you and Sonny will have the opportunity to meet her on Friday."

"That's her? The woman you told me came from old money?" The woman certain to become apart of Port Charles society and that Carly intended to use as her stepping stone to that exclusive place herself. "She's just a lawyer?"

"Evidently, her brother is the CEO of Gilchrist Corporation." That was all well and good, but Carly could see her invitations to the exclusive Port Charles Country Club being shredded to bits. This Gilchrist Corporation was going to be trouble of a different sort. Sonny's sort. Especially if the muscle that just walked through those doors was any indication.

No one invited the mob into the upper echelons of society no matter how old their money was.

However, blue eyes was trouble she didn't' mind getting into. Sonny thought she was stupid and blind to his affairs. Especially with that McCall woman. Maybe it was time to show her husband that he wasn't the only one who could be unfaithful.

This one looked like the perfect boy on the side.