May 2014

Jax called just to check on her which made Alexis feel warm inside as it interrupted her house cleaning. She missed him already but still didn't know how to respond to either proposal. He didn't push her on either,and they spent most of their time on the phone catching up.

"I'm flying to Melbourne on some business. That company that you researched is just ripe for the taking."

"Be gentle with them Jax. They're nice people. I just think they're ready for retiring and spending their golden years doing other things."

"Yeah most definitely. I expect it to go smoothly. Then I'll stay over a couple days to visit some friends."

"That's great. Have some fun. You've been working so hard."

He chuckled.

"To me this is fun," he said, "though I miss my partner in crime. So how's everything going there?"

She paused.

"Eventful. I spent my first night with Ned at some ELQ business meeting disgusised as an informal get together or vice versa."

"I remember those...how's Ned?"

"Good...he flew back in for the reports. Not sure how long he'll be here before heading back to Boston."

Jax sighed.

"I heard there's upheaval in the company. The Jeromes are after it...probably as a legitimate company to use for laundering ill gotten gains."

"Julian was there actually with his fiancee...I had run ins with both of them, neither pleasant."

Jax paused.

"It must have been rough."

Alexis paused.

"Carly's just being Carly...you know how territorial she's around her men..."

He sighed.

"I do...She still calls me to get information about my personal life."

"I can imagine her reaction to my spending several months staying with you."

He chuckled.

"She had some choice words but she doesn't control how to live my life. But what about Julian...how was your meetup with him?"

She paused.

"He always acts like I'm not angry with him until he's reminded that I am. It can get exhausting dealing with his view of the world."

"Be careful with him Alexis..."

She smiled at concern laced in his voice.

"Always...I know he's dangerous and I make sure he knows if he approaches my family he'll have to try to do it through me."

"Good. After what happened with Molly's boyfriend..."

She sighed.

"That's more complicated than him being a threat to my family. He didn't know what Morgan had done but he did lay the foundation for it."

"So Molly's doing well?"

"She's happy to be back home but she misses you. I do too."

"I miss you both too but I know you had to go back. So you going to be ready for this meeting?"

She pursed her lips.

"I...I ran into Luke and he wants to get involved. I guess he's reached the same conclusions as me."

He sighed again.

"You need someone Alexis. You always try to take on everything and everyone by yourself. So if you can find yourself an ally...even someone like Luke then all the better."

"Look Jax, I always walk into these situations with my eyes open," she said, "I've been protecting my family from them for years. At least Julian will be lower on my list of things to worry about compared to what's going to be waiting at Wyndamere."

"I wonder which one's come back from the dead this time."

Alexis had to bite back a smile at the impossibility of it all...in most cases except some of the dangerous men in her life.

"I've got no idea."

Julian heard the latest information on Shawn. He was due for another pre-trial hearing and Dianne Miller his attorney was keeping mum on her strategy plan per usual. It was sure to be grandiose, but imaginative given her history.
He saw her near the courthouse where he'd gone to check on Scotty to make sure he was beng a good little pocket DA for him. The threat of being forced to prosecute Lucy over his head had kept him in line.

Dianne flashed him a piercing look.

"Julian...you come here looking for an attorney? After all, you'll never know when you might need one.

"
He smiled indulgently.

"No...just here for a meeting. I hear Shawn Butler has an appearance before the judge."

"He does...it's an evidentiary motion. So how's your sister Ava doing? Living her life on the right side of the law?"

Dianne often made digs on his sister and her suspicion that she harbored a larcinous streak.

"She's fine. Her gallery's really taken off."

"I bet. I heard the ELQ meeting was a hit. Ned and you vying for PC's major conglamorate. That should be interesting."

"We're not competing. We're collaborating."

She chuckled.

"I heard Alexis was back in town and showed up to watch the fireworks. So has her attitude softened towards you?

"
He narrowed his eyes.

"Have you spoken with her?"

Dianne shook her head.

"We might go out for drinks some time to catch up. But if it's anything like last time, I'd keep my distance."

Julian remembered what it'd been like the last time he saw her before she left.

"We were civi last night."

Dianne looked at him a long moment.

"Yeah...okay well I've got to head to get ready for my hearing," she said, "but Alexis isn't like me and if you pull the same stunt as last time I'd watch my step."

He tilted his head.

"I'll keep that in mind..."

She left him and he looked up and saw Luke standing nearby. He walked towards him.

"Luke... you in trouble again?"

Luke flashed him amusement.

"No...how about you?"

Julian smiled.

"I'm here for a meeting."

Luke nodded.

"Scotty right...that was clever of you to get him onboard so quickly. I mean he's not one of my favorite people but it must have been something good."

"I don't know what you're talking about...it's just a followup interview on a story my newspaper did."

"Yeah...so was it your idea to have him under your thumb or someone else's?"

Julian narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Luke shot him a pointed look.

"I know you're not the typical mobster guy like a Frank Smith or even a Sonny Corinthoes. You have another angle here and someone else calling the shot."

Julian arched his brows.

"How'd you come up with that conclusion? I don't know where you've been getting your information."

Luke shook his head.

"It must be someone pretty big..let's just say I've been down this road before and it's looking familiar."

"Even if that were true, what's it to you?"

"Your son is my nephew if you need reminding," Luke said, "So far he's been Spencer smart in not giving you the time of day."

Julian's eyes hardened.

"He's not a Spencer..."

"He's been raised one and I'm saying that this all looks familiar. Someone else's calling the shots and I'll find out who."

Julian sneered.

"Knock yourself out with it. Any suspects you care to share while you're here?"

Luke tilted his face.

"I might have one...though they share something in common with you, they died. But like you, they might have more than one life. Is that enough information?"

Julian didn't respond.

"I'll see you around..."

Julian watched as Luke walked off. He should have figured that Luke with his wealth of experience chasing larger than life villains around the planet that he'd have a built in radar for their tracks.

Luke hadn't been the least intimidated by him but it took a lot to rile up Luke. Still, Julian knew he couldn't let Luke find out the truth.
Too much was at stake. He couldn't let Luke or anyone undo a promise made long ago.