A/N – Thanks for all the responses. Glad you liked the hotness.

Chapter 37

"Did you leave any room for dessert?"

Violet groans as the waitress approaches them. "Can I get you something from our dessert menu?"

"It won't hurt to look," Francis says.

"Okay."

They peruse the menu and decide on a piece of chocolate lava cake to share. When the waitress places it between them, they smile.

"That looks so good."

They take several bites before they are too full to eat anymore.

"Will that be all?" the waitress asks.

"Yes, I'll take the bill."

"That won't be necessary. Mr. Sarducci already paid."

Francis is surprised.

"His wife is a sucker for love—his words not mine."

Violet chuckled.

The waitress leaves and Francis is not sure what to think about Paul paying.

"He's tough, but he has a big heart and he's very respectful of guards. I think he sees that Jason is the same way and wanted to do something nice. Don't over think it."

Francis nods. "Okay. I'll make sure to thank him tomorrow. You ready to go?"

She smiles as she stands and they head for the car. Francis opens her door and then takes her back to the hotel, insisting on walking her to her room to make sure she gets there safely.

Once she has the door unlocked, she turns to him. "Thank you for dinner, Francis. I had a great time."

He smiles. "Me too. Do you think we can do again before you leave?"

"I would love too."

He averts his gaze, wanting to kiss her, but not sure if he should. She reaches up and touches his face. "It's okay."

He leans down and plants a soft kiss on her lips twice before slowly deepening it as she embraces him more fully. The door shuts behind her as the kiss becomes more passionate and then Francis slows it down and gives her one more peck. "Goodnight, Violet."

She gazes at him with a goofy smile. "Goodnight, Francis."

After fumbling a bit, she gets the door open again and slips inside. Touching her lips, she does a silent scream and then a little dance. Francis Corelli is a really good kisser.

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Carly stops in front of Sonny's table and the man let out a sigh and then curses under his breath.

"What are you doing at a strip club?"

Slowly, his eyes rose and pinned her with a glare. "What do you want, Carly?"

Her hands flew to her hips. "Seriously? Since when do you come here? Are you avoiding me?"

Sonny really didn't feel like dealing with Carly which is why he hadn't gone home. "I'm a grown man. I didn't realize that I need your permission to do anything."

"If you don't leave with me right now, I'm moving back in with mama."

He smirked and took a long sip of his drink. This might actually work out since it would mean he could come and go as he pleased. Carly likes to snoop and he couldn't have word of his plan getting out. "I don't do well with ultimatums. You do what you need to do, but I'm not ready to leave."

If Sonny could be killed with a look, the lethal one on Carly's face would have done it.

"Fine, I'll go get Michael. I think it's best if you stay away from him for a while since your priorities suck. Sometimes, I don't know what I saw in you."

"A meal ticket?"

That did it, her eyes filled with tears. "Fuck you, Sonny. I'm done."

He shrugged. "You're dismissed."

"Asshole," she muttered as she strode away.

He gazed up at the stage and took in the brunette currently gyrating in front of the pole and then waved towards the manager.

Coleman joined him. "What can I help you with?"

"Who's the dancer?"

"That's Trixie."

"Send her to room three when she's done." He stood and Coleman noted his demeanor.

"Do I have your word that there will be no roughness?"

Sonny nodded.

"Okay, I'll tell her and it will be up to her if she wants to," Coleman said before moving away. He isn't a pimp. The girls can be with whomever they want. There must be trouble in paradise which certainly was no surprise. The Corinthos's were a train wreck on a good day.

Outside, Carly slipped into the car and left a message for Jason.

"It's Carly. Sonny trashed his office and Max says it's not safe for Michael to be around him, so I'm moving back to the brownstone. I'm leaving him for good this time. Be careful, he's in a foul mood."

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The next morning, Elizabeth makes her way to Emily's room with some breakfast. She is a little sore because they had made love so many times, but it was so worth it. Shower sex had been awesome and she swore she could still feel him inside her.

Jax grins when she walks into the room in a daze. Emily notices too and tries not to laugh. Her friend has got it bad.

"That good?" Jax says, snapping Elizabeth out of her haze as Emily swats his arm.

"Behave, she is with my brother."

Liz shakes her head. "Don't worry, I don't kiss and tell."

"I'm going to go let my driver know what time to pick us up while you chat."

He leaves and Liz sits on a chair next to the bed.

"Did he stay all night?"

"Yeah."

Liz smiles. "I know it's too soon for you, but he's a keeper, Emily."

"He's been really good to me."

"Do you think you'll be able to give him a chance?"

She slightly nodded, not willing to take the conversation any further. Her friendship with Jax is complicated, and there is some guilt there because she is attracted to him. She had mourned for her marriage for the last six months, but with Nikolas coming back and then dying, she felt like she had started at square one again. It was the moments she forgot him and relished in Jax's closeness that made her feel guilty.

"Good."

"Why are you so fidgety?"

"I don't think you really want to know that."

Emily made a face as she tilted her head. "Really?"

Elizabeth blushed as did Emily right as Isabella entered the room.

"Hmmm, what was that look all about."

"You don't want to know," Emily said.

"Oh, but I do."

"Elizabeth had sex with my brother and is paying the price for it. Now, can we change the subject before I gag?"

Isabella laughed. "Well, that is great news."

"I'll say," Elizabeth said.

Emily started to giggle.

"What?"

"I just—I don't think I've ever seen you walk funny before."

"Emily!"

Isabella started to laugh too and Elizabeth dropped all pretense and let herself enjoy the moment.

Jax appeared and then stopped in his tracks. Paul is on a phone in the hallway and suddenly, he feels the need to join him.

"Don't be scared. We don't bite," Isabella said.

Jax's eyes narrowed. "Do I even want to know what you are talking about?"

"No!" Emily and Elizabeth said at once.

He held his hands up. "Alright, I won't ask. Why don't you have the ladies help you dress? The paperwork has been signed and you're a free woman."

Emily put down her breakfast sandwich. "You don't have to tell me twice."

"I'll be in the hallway."

Emily finished her breakfast and then Liz helped her into the bathroom and then took a seat on the bed.

"Are you happy, Elizabeth?" Isabella asked.

"I'm so happy that I keep pinching myself to make sure it's real."

"Good, because you deserve it."

"So, what did you find out from Vinny about Francis and Violet?"

Isabella rubbed her hands together. "They had a very good date and he walked her up to the room. Violet texted me afterward and said he's the best kisser ever, so I'd say it was a colossal success."

Liz clapped her hands together. "Did Vinny come with you?"

"Yes. He's in the hallway."

Liz quickly texted. "Okay, now for our next couple."

Two minutes later, Kelly entered the room.

"Hey girlfriend," she said before embracing her. "I've missed you so much." They had texted a few times since Liz had left California.

"Me too. This is Isabella, just consider her one of the girls."

Kelly held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you. What are you up to?"

"Well, operation Emily and Jax is on hold for a little while."

"That's understandable."

"But Francis and Violet are hitting it off."

Kelly chuckled. "Please tell me that I'm next."

Liz's eyes twinkled as Emily re-joined them. "You are and I hope you noticed the hot Italian guy in the hallway."

"There were two hot Italians and one hot Australian."

"One of the Italians is mine."

Kelly grinned. "The one wearing Armani?"

Isabella chuckled. "Yes."

"What's the other hunks name?"

"Vinny."

Kelly's tapped her finger on her mouth. "Should I trip going by him on the way out?"

Liz grinned. "Definitely."

"I think we're going to get along just fine," Isabella said.

Paul entered the room. "I hope everyone is decent."

"We are," they said at once.

"Ready to go?" Jax asked.

"I'm ready."

Kelly hugged Liz again. "Maybe we can have a girl's night out this week."

"You think my brother will let you out of his sight?" Emily asked.

Kelly's head tilted. "You are with Jason, sizzling hot but doesn't know it, Morgan?"

Liz nodded. "Guilty."

"Okay, we have some serious catching up to do."

"Please tell me that you have him tied up at his apartment."

Paul frowned. "I—that is way too much information."

The girls laughed.

"Alright, I'm going. I'm Kelly by the way."

He shook her hand. "Paul."

Kelly waved goodbye and as soon as she turned the corner, she faked a slip and Vinny reached out and caught her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm such a klutz. Thank you so much for coming to my rescue."

He smiled, thinking she's really cute. "No problem."

Liz appeared. "Kelly? Are you alright?" She watched as Vinny gently placed her back on her feet.

"I am now. Thanks to—. What did you say your name is?"

"It's Vinny."

"I'm Kelly."

Vinny turned to Liz who smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

She pulled a piece of paper off a pad and wrote her name and number on it. "Call me. Maybe we can have coffee on my break. It's at 3:00."

He smiled. "I'd like that." After watching her saunter away, he turned to Liz. "You have good taste."

"I know." She turned to Paul who is shaking his head. "Can he have a break at 3:00?"

"Yes, I guess."

"Thanks boss."

Liz looped her arm around Isabella's. "Maybe we should start a matchmaking service on the side."

"That could be lucrative."

"I heard that Tracy wants Paulie. I think you need to make that happen. It will put all of us out of our misery", Emily said.

"I'm not a miracle worker," Liz said making Emily giggle as the nurse pushes her down the hallway under Jax's watchful eye.

They climbed into separate cars and headed to the mansion.

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Jason took a deep breath before entering Sonny's office. He had been dreading the meeting since he heard Carly's message.

Sonny's office had been restored back to the way it was previously which is no surprise. At first, his boss just stared at him and then after a long moment, Sonny took a sip of coffee and leaned forward. "I don't even know where to start."

Jason just sat there with a blank face, not giving him the satisfaction of an apology for not contacting him sooner.

"You brought another boss into town without a warning."

"He came on his own volition."

"How could you not tell me that you were in contact with him? He could have been using you to get the organization."

"He doesn't want it and things were very hectic. I couldn't risk it."

"Of course, he's going to say he's not interested, but I don't buy that he is just here out of friendship. He's making a statement."

"I don't know anything about that. He's only here for a week."

"Can you blame me for thinking that you are betraying me?"

"I have always been loyal to you, so do you really think that I would do something so blatantly stupid as to bring a war to town? Without Paul, Helena would still be alive and I would be away."

"I don't know what to do about all of this. Frankly, I feel disrespected."

"That wasn't my intention."

Sonny sighed and sat back in his chair. "Then prove your loyalty?"

"How?"

"Guard my sister."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Why would you put me on guard duty when Francis has been doing a good job watching her? You don't need me to be a guard."

"I do because my family is danger. I let you go save your sister and now you're going to sit here and refuse to save mine?"

"I'm not refusing to help. I'm just refusing to be a guard. I would be more effective actually looking for her stalker."

"But that isn't a decision that is yours to make. I am your boss and I tell you what to do and you do it!" he yelled.

Jason just blinked, knowing it would piss Sonny off. "I didn't realize this was a dictatorship," he finally said before rising.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Emily is being released from the hospital and I want to make sure she's alright."

"You used to be loyal to my family. When did that change? This isn't going to work for me. You were hired as an enforcer to protect my family and Courtney is my family."

"And Emily is mine. I guess you have a lot to think about."

"I won't give you the satisfaction of firing you."

"Then I guess you better keep Francis on Courtney then." He passed through the doorway right as Sonny smashed a glass against the far wall.

"If she gets hurt, it will be on your head, Jason."

He kept going, because he had nothing to say to his former friend and knew that he probably just escalated Sonny's ire, but he just didn't care. For the first time, he felt the hold Sonny had on his life loosen and it is a good feeling, one he could get used to.

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As Jason strode into the Q mansion, he could hear Isabella's laughter and then Edward's—the flirt. When he entered the sitting room to find them looking at photo albums, he frowned.

"Who pissed in your cheerios?" Tracy asked from the corner. Having mobsters in her house made her angry and the fact that Edward is entranced with the Mrs. Mobwives of California didn't please her one bit.

Jason's head snapped in her direction. "No one, but I wouldn't mind pissing in yours."

"Enough," Alan said. "We have company."

"You mean the Sopranos from la la land or maybe I should call them Sonny lite."

Paul glared at Tracy who he finds extremely obnoxious. She hadn't stopped her barbs since they had gotten there.

Jason looks around; making sure Emily isn't in the room and then stomps over to Tracy as everyone gasps.

She puts down her glass. "I'm not scared of you."

"You should be."

He throws open the sliding glass door and then picks her up, making her yelp and yell, "Call 911. He has lost his damn mind."

Everyone rushes to the door to watch Jason quickly move towards the lake.

"Holy shit," Alice muttered.

"What your language," Edward said.

"I think under the circumstances, it's appropriate," Alan said.

Paul starts to move forward to interfere, but Jason comes to a stop.

Emily and Jax who are on the other side of the boathouse are shocked as well.

"You either shut up for the rest of the day or you're going in. You're choice. I'm not going to listen to you say crap about my friends or Elizabeth. What's it going to be?"

"You wouldn't."

He pretends he's going to throw her and she screams and grips his shirt.

"What's it going to be?"

Her eyes narrow. "You might think you won this round, but it's not over."

"Why don't you grow up? Do we have a deal or do you want to be picking lake slime out of your hair for the rest of the evening?"

She mutters under her breath. "You have a deal."

He unceremoniously let's go of her and she stumbles, wildly flailing her arms to keep from falling as Jason smirks and everyone else holds their breath.

Tracy gets back control and then pushes him backwards, "You're such a jerk," before stomping towards the house where everyone gives her a wide berth.

"Well, that's one way to handle Tracy," Monica says.

Emily shakes her head. "I would have paid him to throw her in."

Jax chuckled. "There is never a dull moment in your family."

"That's for sure. So, where is my surprise?" When he had told her had something for her, she wasn't expecting it to be outside.

"Just around the corner before you get to Lila's garden."