The Claudia Zacchara Collective

Gunpowder and Lead

February 2008

Rated R- for extremely harsh language.

Part Four

Jason made sure he was out the next day, so that if Claudia got the crazy idea into her head to actually stop over for brunch, he wouldn't have to deal with her again. It was bad enough that he hadn't been able to get her out of his head all during his shower that morning.

A chick with a gun, he thought to himself, Damn, so hot.

He walked back into his apartment around three o'clock that afternoon to find Claudia and Spinelli playing video games.

She said "You missed an awesome meal. I'm guessing that was on purpose. I'm offended, Morgan. You'll have to make it up to me."

He silently heard the words in bed after that sentence: You'll have to make it up to me...in bed.

"Spinelli...what the hell?"

Spinelli nearly tumbled off the couch in his haste to jump up and explain, talking a mile a minute, about how Claudia showed up and he couldn't send her away plus she brought stuffed french toast from Kelly's and it smelled good- yadda, yadda. Jason silently simmered as he listened to the explanation. Spinelli should know better than to let an enemy wander around their place.

"I don't want her in the apartment when I'm not home, understand?"

Claudia answered for Spinelli "You don't have to talk to him like he's a child. He's a grown man. If he wants company that he should be able to have company over. I'm not Satan, you know. Just a Zacchara. We aren't lethal unless there's a full moon out."

"Vixenella, Stone Cold is well within his rights to insist I honor his wishes. The Jackal is a mere grasshopper and he is The Master."

Claudia smiled at him "Have you ever thought that you should be The Master? Maybe Jason can take some lessons from you."

"What could The Jackal teach Stone Cold?"

"Plenty, believe me."

"That's enough," Jason said. "Upstairs, Spinelli...and don't let this happen again."

Spinelli scurried up the stairs. Jason opened the front door. "Bye."

Claudia slowly got to her feet. Jason's eyes locked in on her ass when she bent over to retrieve her purse off the floor. His mouth went dry. She straightened and turned toward him again.

"You know," Claudia said "you'll have to deal with me sooner or later. Because if you don't...things will get very ugly very quick. Sonny and Johnny...they're both emotional men. My Johnny has better judgement than Sonny. But Johnny is young and, at times, he lets his heart decide things his head should. You wouldn't want them squaring off. Cause so much as one eyelash gets touched on my brother and someone will answer for that...and they will answer to me."

She walked past Jason into the hallway. "Think about what you really want out of our relationship. We could work well together." Claudia flashed him a sexy grin. "Should we make each other happy?" Her smile fell away and her voice dropped low. "Or very, very miserable?"

She headed for the elevator. Jason should have shut the door, he knew that, but instead he followed her. Something about her speech, how she could stare him down and offer sex with one breath and threaten murder with the next, got his blood pumping.

Or maybe it was her short, short skirt and those fuck me red heels she had on.

He wasn't young anymore. He didn't think with his heart...not when it came to new woman in his life. Those days were done. But, very rarely, he still did think with his dick.

XXXXXX

She was steaming mad when she walked out of his Penthouse. Three meetings, three dismissals. The docks, the bar, and now...it was really getting old. Not to mention his little No, I'll walk hissy fit on the side of the road.

How in holy hell can I work with this man? she thought.

There was only one answer. Make him want her so bad that he would give her whatever she asked for.

Claudia wasn't above using her body to get what she wanted. She'd done it more times than she could count. And if asked about it there was no way she would cry or feign embarrassment. She did what she had to and whoever didn't like it could screw off.

She'd gladly have a fling with Jason to smooth the way to a truce. But how could she turn on the charm when everything he said pissed her off? Claudia knew she had to figure out a way to not let Jason get to her, if she wanted to keep running her pills in and out of Port Charles. The money she was making was too good to close up shop now. She needed to bank a nice little nest egg to smooth her transition from daughter of a mob boss to The Boss.

Claudia punched the button for the elevator. She heard Jason walk up behind her and turned around. His usually hard eyes were filled with something even more intense than cold indifference...hunger.

It was a good look on him-and one that had a stunning effect on her body. She licked her lips. He stepped close to her.

"Yeah?" Claudia asked. She had to work hard to not back up away from the raw animalistic need in his eyes, because seeing it made her knees weak and she could sure use a wall to lean on, and also to not move closer and press herself against him. She simply stood her ground and waited for him to make whatever move he had in mind.

Jason's hand rested on the wall next to her, his body was nearly touching hers but not quite. She could smell his clean soap scent and feel his body heat, which only led to the craving to taste him- to see what is under than steel shell he wears so well.

"The No Name. You still want to meet?" he asked.

"Yes. Friday night?"

"Tonight."

Her eyes widened. "That's not the offer that was on the table."

"Take it or leave it."

"Since you put it that way," she lifted her hand and patted his cheek, then smirked "I'll take it, Jason."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

He took a large step back. She'd said his name for the first time ever. He didn't think it would effect him, hearing it on her lips, or feeling her hand against his skin, but both shot jolts of electricity ping ponging around his body.

That was a good reason to stay away from her. Yet...he couldn't help thinking...as she climbed onto the elevator, giving him a wave and wink and before she said "See you tonight at nine sharp. Don't make me wait," was that if they did work out a peace treaty then there would be no reason he couldn't sleep with her afterwards, if he wanted to.

And there was no doubt... he wanted to.