A/N – Thanks for the comments! The shit is starting to hit the fan.
Chapter 7
Jason and Eva entered the penthouse and she immediately ascended the stairs and went into the bedroom. He followed her and watched her remove her shoes from the doorway.
"You want to talk?"
"I don't know what to say."
Jason took off his jacket. "I think you know that no matter what you choose, he'll try to kill me."
Her bottom lip quivered. "And how am I supposed to deal with that? This is insanity."
"I can take you away from here if you want."
"And what? We go on the run forever?"
"Well, maybe until I can figure out a way to take him out."
The harshness of his voice stuns her silent.
"That's the reality of the business. Kill or be killed."
"I don't want to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life."
"Neither do I, but I'd do it if it means you'd be safe."
He moved closer and embraced her tenderly.
"I don't want you to give up your life for me."
"Don't you get it yet? I have no life without you in it."
Tears rolled down her cheeks as the weight of his words penetrated her heart. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."
"Ditto," he said before gently kissing her. "Get out of that dress. I know you're tired and I want to hold you."
She lifted the dress off and let down her hair and then moved in front of him and removed his shirt and to his surprise, she put it on and buttoned it.
"I think your sexiness is more lethal than my glare."
She smiled and then slipped into bed and Jason quickly shed his clothes and joined her. After gathering her in his arms, he kissed her forehead and then laid awake for quite a while after she succumbed to her sleep, contemplating how to get out of this mess.
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Lorenzo paced back and forth in his hotel room. The money had been transferred first thing in the morning and now, he can start making shipments. With business taken care of, it's time to start dealing with his fiancé and teach Jason Morgan a lesson.
While it would probably be easier to just walk away, Eva had publicly embarrassed him and that he couldn't let slide.
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Jason rubbed his face and then met Johnny's gaze. "If we chose to ignore him, then I need to get her out of the country."
"Or, we ignore him and then see how he reacts."
"I don't think he's bluffing. He wants to punish her because of me and I can't let that happen."
"I agree that we can't just hand her over, but that doesn't leave us with many options."
"His compound is too heavily guarded and he's staying put."
There are no good options in any scenario and the stress is wearing on him.
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Sonny shut the door to his office and then dialed his phone.
"Hello?"
"Maximus, it's Sonny."
Maximus waved his secretary out of his office. "You sound stressed."
"I screwed up and I need help."
He sighed. "What happened?"
"I made a deal with Lorenzo Alcazar."
"That's a good thing, right?"
"Yes, but it may have cost me, Jason."
"You can't afford to lose him."
"I know. I'm trying to make it up to him."
Maximus sipped some water. "Explain."
"Lorenzo's fiance left him without telling him because she caught him cheating and she ended up meeting Jason and coming to Port Charles."
"All of this is over a woman?"
"Jason is in love with her."
"I know who you speak of and yes, she is an extraordinary woman, one a man like Lorenzo wouldn't want to give up."
"I recognized her from some pictures and didn't tell Jason I was aware of her identity because I was trying to save the deal."
Maximus let out a string of curse words in Italian. "This is bad."
"I know. Lorenzo signed the deal, but basically said that she'll be back with him willingly or not and I think he's going to try and kill Jason."
"There is no try in that. He'll do it to make a point." Alcazar is a dangerous man and one you don't piss off. "What do you want to do?"
"Do you have a man on the inside there?"
"Yes."
"Will he be in a position to tell us Lorenzo's whereabouts if he takes her or Jason?"
"Yes. I will give him your information and he will get you a message, but it might be delayed. He can't compromise his position."
"Understood." This man is his only chance to possibly save them.
"Keep me posted."
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Jason peered out the window of the warehouse. It's too quiet. The deadline had come and gone and now, it's a waiting game.
"Alcazar's jet landed," Johnny said.
"Do you know who is on it?"
"No. I have a guy in the woods with binoculars though."
Johnny's phone beeped. "Several men boarded, and they brought a crate out. That's it."
Jason pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can he follow?"
"Not without being seen. We can try to use traffic cameras."
"Have them do what they can."
"You got it."
He'll stay there until the next update and then head back to the Towers which is on lockdown.
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The crate is pried open and a woman's body is lifted out and placed on a bed.
Lorenzo's jaw ticked. He really hadn't wanted to kidnap her. It's risky due to her ex-husband's job, but Eva won't let her be hurt, so it made sense.
A guard waved some smelling salts under her nose and she starts to come too, blinking as she tried to focus.
"What? Why?" she said as she stared into the eyes of her best friend's fiancé.
"Eva left me, and I need her back. You're going to help me do that."
"You couldn't have just asked?"
Lorenzo smirked. "Under the circumstances, you wouldn't have agreed."
Nora pushed herself into a sitting position. "Where is she?"
"She's safe." Not for long, but Nora doesn't need to know that.
"What did you do that you have to get her back?"
Lorenzo ignored her question and looked at his guard. "You know what to do."
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Sonny knocked on the penthouse door, confusing Evangeline because there is a guard outside.
"Evangeline, it's Sonny. I'm coming in."
Milo opened the door and she stood.
"I was hoping to speak with Jason."
She crossed her arms across her chest. "He's not here."
"Milo told me that, but I just wanted to apologize."
"Sonny…"
"No, I was selfish and I'm sorry. I'm going to do everything I can to protect you."
"Jason is handling it."
"I know, but backup can't hurt."
She sighed. "I should have told him the truth sooner. If he can forgive me, maybe—"
"He won't, and I have to live with that. What I did isn't the same. I knew it was wrong and I tried to fix it, but it was too late. The damage had been done."
"I don't like that you hurt him over a business deal. He deserves more loyalty than that, but if he does choose to forgive you someday, I'll be supportive because ultimately, I have his back and forgiveness is his decision."
"I understand." His phone vibrated, and he frowned and then clicked on the face chat.
"Mr. Corinthos, I know you are with her."
Eva's stomach turned, and she moved closer.
"How?"
"I have my ways. Evangeline, I have someone with me that is very important to you."
She moved into view and is stunned to see Nora.
"If you don't want her to get hurt, you'll meet me. Remember our engagement?"
Eva nodded.
"The time and transportation type?"
"Yes."
"You know what to do."
The phone clicked off and Sonny shoved the phone in his pocket.
"What is he talking about?"
Eva tried to shove back her tears. "I can't tell you that."
"Eva, you can't go to him. If you do, he'll hurt you and probably use you to lure Jason to him."
"You act like I have a choice."
"You do."
"He'll kill her, and I can't have that on my conscious."
"And what about if he kills you?"
"Then I guess that is my fate."
Sonny growled. "He's going to kill Jason too. Don't you get that?"
A tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm willing to sacrifice myself for him."
Sonny shook, his head. "Even if you do, it will destroy Jason. Don't you get that?"
"He'll be okay someday."
"No, he won't. He's in love with you."
There is a blast and the building slightly shook.
"Stay here," Sonny said before running out into the hallway.
She gazed at her phone and noted the time. She has three minutes and more than likely, the blast was caused by Lorenzo. Grabbing a hand towel out of the kitchen, she took it with her just in case there is smoke in the stairwell.
When she opens the door, Sonny and two guards are sprawled on the floor and she puts the towel against her face and slips into stairwell and heads to the roof where she knows a helicopter is waiting. She sends a text to Jason before dropping her phone.
"I'm sorry. I love you."
As she strode towards her transportation, a man jumps out and meets her halfway, quickly perusing her. When he snatches the necklace off and tosses it, she gasped and then his roughly tugged her towards the helicopter and shoved inside to meet her fate.
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Jason had to run up the stairs to the penthouse since the elevators are not in order. Johnny followed close behind while Francis worked with the fire department in the lobby. Most who were unconscious, due to the gas, are awake and whatever chemical Alcazar used is gone. When he had gotten her text, he responded immediately by calling and when she didn't pick up, he quickly made his way to the penthouse.
When he threw open the door of the stairwell, Sonny moaned, and Jason knelt next to him.
"What happened?"
Sonny tried to shake off the haze. "Evangeline—I think she went to meet him."
"What the fuck made her do that?"
"I had visited to apologize, and Alcazar contacted me via face chat. He was holding some woman who is important to Evangeline. He spoke in code, but she seemed to know what he meant. I tried to talk her out of it. She's willing to sacrifice herself to save you and the woman."
"Dammit! Why couldn't you have just stayed away."
"I'm sorry. I was trying to fix this."
"You can't."
Jason threw open the door to the penthouse, knowing she probably isn't there.
Johnny had run to the roof, knowing that was probably the only way she could have escaped and quickly found the phone and her necklace and returned.
Jason had just cleared the last step after checking upstairs when Johnny entered and handed the items to him.
"She's gone."
Jason felt like he was shot in the gut. "We have to find her, Johnny."
"I have a feeling that he'll contact Sonny soon."
"Then, I'll stay close by," Sonny said from the doorway. He had already informed Maximus of the new development.
Jason sank onto the couch and covered his face with his hands, feeling completely helpless.
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Evangeline is taken to house in the woods and shoved into a room.
"You can't escape. There are guards planted all around the house and on your balcony. There will be one in front of the door and at the end of the hallway. Mr. Alcazar will see you shortly."
"Nora?"
"She is not here but is safe. Once you are married, he'll agree to let her go back home if she promises not to tell anyone what happened. If she does, she dies."
Eva nodded and the man left.
A half hour later, Lorenzo opened the door and stepped inside, studying her for a long moment before moving forward.
"Tomorrow morning, you will be my wife."
"Why tomorrow when you could force it against my will tonight?"
He smirked. "I want you to be well rested and take the night to accept your fate."
"I'll never accept it."
"You will do as your told. A doctor will be here in a few minutes."
"For what?"
"You'll see."
He left her alone and a few minutes later, a man entered the room with a bag.
"Go into the bathroom and take off your clothes. There is a hospital gown on the counter. Put it on and then lay on the bed," the guard instructed before placing a small table next to the bed.
Evangeline tried to stare at the doctor to get him to look at him, but he wouldn't bite, so she did as she was told.
Once she was settled on the bed, Lorenzo stepped into the room to watch.
Much to her humiliation, the doctor told her to bend her knees and open her legs wide and then examined her.
"There are no signs of any STD's," he said officiously. "This might make you cramp a little."
Her eyes widen as he inserts his hand and then tugs on the string of her IUD and removed it as she grimaces when a cramp overwhelms her.
He disposes of it and his gloves and then turned to Lorenzo. "Will that be all?"
"Yes. The money has been transferred." It's amazing what people will do for a large amount of cash.
Eva's legs drop to the bed. She feels so violated and the realization that at some point he is going to take what he wants makes her ill.
When the doctor is gone, Lorenzo moved closer.
"Get some sleep. The priest will be here in the morning. You will cooperate and be convincing or Jason and Nora will die. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
He turns off the light before leaving and a loud sob left her lips as she moved into a fetal position. She cried until she ran out of tears.
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Jason stayed up all night trying to find clues, but there were none. The damage to the Towers was superficial and already being fixed. After spending several hours helping Johnny review surveillance videos and coming up empty handed, he is emotionally spent. Every bad scenario had gone through his head as the sinking realization that Eva could already be hurt badly tightened his stomach like a vice.
He has never felt so vulnerable in his life, nor had anyone sacrificed themselves for him as Eva had done. He didn't know whether he wanted to kiss her or spank her. She would have never forgiven herself if her friend had been killed. It had placed her in an unwinnable situation and it is hard to be angry with her for doing what she thought was right, so he decided to funnel all his angry in Lorenzo's direction. And with that thought in mind, he made a call for someone to take out Lorenzo's home in South America. That should be enough to make the man contact him. Until that happens, all he can do is try not to lose his mind.
