Part Two
The first thing Gia noticed when her eyes opened the next morning was that the ceiling of Jason's bedroom was an ugly shade of green. She put her hands to her face and groaned. What time was it? She looked over at the clock and cursed. It was close to nine in the morning. She knew that Nikolas would beyond suspicious now. He would also be worried…she had to hurry. She lifted the silk covers off and looked around the room for her clothes.
As she was putting them on, reality hit her. So what if Nikolas would be worried? He was a lying cheating dog anyway. Maybe she would even have breakfast at Kelly's before she went back to Wyndermere. She was fully dressed now, looking around the room to make sure she had everything. She wandered out into the hall and heard the shower going.
Jason must be in there, she thought. Should she wait until he was done in the shower before she took her leave? She wasn't really looking forward to facing him. It wasn't that she regretted the night before…she had never remembered feeling so wanted in awhile. The way he had kissed her, and touched her…He was so gentle and he held her afterwards while she drifted off to sleep. She didn't want to face him because she was pretty sure that he regretted the night before. He really cared for Elizabeth and even though she had cheated on him, Gia could tell that he still had feelings for her.
She heard the shower being shut off, and it snapped her out of her thoughts. She tiptoed downstairs quickly and put on her shoes. Opening the door, she was relieved to see that Johnny was not on the door anymore. He must have clued in after Gia didn't come out of the penthouse. She smiled at the unknown man and hit the elevator button. So far, only she, Jason and possibly Johnny knew about what went on the night before. By the end of the day, she could add to more people that list: Nikolas and Elizabeth.
The elevator doors opened and Lizzie Wizzie herself stepped off. She looked at Gia with confusion.
"Hey Liz." Gia said in as friendly a tone as she could considering the circumstances. "Did you enjoy your night at your sister's?" She didn't even give the other woman time to answer as she boarded the elevator. She just left Elizabeth with one of those confused looks on her face that she is so famous for. She smiled to herself as she traveled to the lobby of Harborview Towers. She knew that things were going to get interesting in the next few days…
She arrived back around 10:00am after a nice breakfast at Kelly's. Her purse and coat were still in a ball on the couch and she wondered if Nikolas had seen them. She hoped not. She didn't want him thinking that she was there when he was with Elizabeth until she told him. She had to laugh at herself. It was close to noon, and here she was strolling in wearing the exact same clothing she wore the night before.
Gia settled herself onto the couch and checked her phone for messages. He obviously hadn't been that worried about her because she had no calls. Wow, she couldn't believe she hadn't realized something was going on before.
Nikolas appeared ten minutes later, looking well rested. Gia smiled a big phony smile when he greeted her.
"How was the party?" Nikolas asked, not even questioning why she hadn't come home the night before.
"Don't really know." Gia shrugged. "It was kinda boring so I skipped out early. I came home but you were busy…"
"I didn't see you."
Gia could tell that she had made him uncomfortable. Too bad, Princey, she thought. "Mrs. Landsberry told me that you were in your office hard at work so I didn't want to disturb you. I was so disappointed over the party I decided to go and find some fun of my own."
Nikolas visibly relaxed. "Where did you go? I was worried about you…"
Sure you were, Gia thought. "I thought about Club 101. But I remembered that it's really know fun without you. So I went to visit an old friend. You know him, I think…Jason Morgan."
There was that uncomfortable look again. "I didn't know that you two even knew each other."
"Oh, we talked a few times. He's a nice guy…nice on the eyes too." Gia picked up a fashion magazine and pretended to be looking through it. "I was surprised that Elizabeth wasn't there. She is such a cling on…but it was for the best I guess. She and I don't get along ever since that nasty accident and us helping Helena." She knew that she and Nikolas agreed to not talk about the accident again as it brought up bad memories. She was beyond caring. She continued to lay it on thick. "We talked, and you know what…one thing led to another and I woke up in his bed this morning."
"WHAT?" Nikolas cried, dropping the files he had in his hands. "Gia…"
She closed the magazine and looked back at him. "What?" She asked innocently. "I thought you would have wanted more time…you know, maybe go a second round with Elizabeth…"
Nikolas' face drained of color.
"Oh, you didn't think I knew about that one." Gia stood up. "Maybe if you had come to the party with me last night I would have never found out. We have been spending so much time apart and I was beginning to wonder what you were doing with all that time. I was telling the truth when I said I came home early last night. I went upstairs and walked the bedroom door." The rage was starting to come through. "I heard you and Elizabeth in OUR bed. You can't imagine how shocked I was. I knew we were working to get back what we had but I never thought for a moment that you would do this to me."
"Let me explain."
"Explain what?" Gia exploded. "How can you explain sleeping with Elizabeth to me? How can you make it sound right? I can't tell you how many times I have defended you to my brother and mother. Nikolas would never do anything to hurt me, Mom, he loves me. Don't worry Marcus, Nikolas has changed for the better. You've made me into a fool. I have pushed away all my family to be with you and what did you do! YOU SLEPT WITH ELIZABETH WEBBER! I think that makes it worse! You know I hate Elizabeth. Why not someone I can stand? Like Courtney or Sarah! But not Elizabeth…God, Nikolas you must really think I am stupid."
"Gia…"
"What can you say to me?" Gia asked. "There is nothing you can say. You can't tell me that this was one of your plans to get on Helena's side, or that this was one of her tests. THERE IS NOTHING TO SAY! Except for maybe, I am sorry I got caught. But you do owe me some answers. My first question: how long as this been going on?"
"Gia…"
"Stop repeating yourself and answer my question." Gia commanded.
"Since the beginning of the summer." Nikolas told her.
That was almost three months! How could Gia have missed it? Was she so blinded by the thought that she might be able to regain something with Nikolas that she missed all the signs? "Well, you don't have to worry about sneaking around any longer. Not only am I moving out, but I told Jason so I am pretty sure by this afternoon, Elizabeth will be free to be with you as well. You got what you wanted!"
Nikolas' face fell. He watched her as she climbed the stairs in search of her things. He finally spoke up. "Did you really sleep with Jason?"
Gia turned back and looked down at him from the middle of the stairs. "Yes, Nikolas, I did. We were two hurt people looking for a little revenge. I think we both realized that we went about the wrong way but it sure felt good when it happened. We needed to feel wanted." She wasn't prepared to listen to anything more. She went upstairs and started to gather a few of her things. She would send for the rest later. She looked around the room, and then looked at the bed. In her mind, she saw Elizabeth and Nikolas in a passionate embrace.
"You bastard!" She shrieked, ripping off her ring and sending it flying across the room. She picked up her bags and headed downstairs. Nikolas had left the room, probably to his office. It was just as well. She was leaving for good, and now the only question in her mind was…where would she go?
****
Jason came down the stairs expecting to see Gia sitting on the couch. He was taken aback when he saw it was Elizabeth. He wasn't quite prepared to face her yet. She turned and smiled and Jason felt sick to his stomach. How could she cheat on him and then smile at him like she had done every other morning?
She stood up and walked towards him. He stepped back. Confused, she just shrugged it off. "I just saw Gia in the hall. I didn't know she was friends with Carly or Sonny."
"She isn't." Jason said simply. "She was here with me."
Alarms went off in her mind. "Why would Gia Campbell visit you? I didn't think you liked her that much."
"We never really got along but after last night we discovered that we had something in common." Jason said moving further away from her. He didn't want to be anywhere near her knowing what she had done. "How could you, Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth bit her lip. He knew… "Gia told you."
"It's doesn't matter how I found out. I can't believe you would do this to me…to us." Jason cried.
"I couldn't help it. Nikolas and I have been friends for a long time. He understands me…better than you can."
Jason was genuinely hurt. "I can't believe you are saying this. I cared for you and you tell me that I don't understand you. How can you say that? I thought I understood you, but I guess I was wrong."
"I'm sorry Jason." Elizabeth
said. "Nikolas and I didn't want to hurt
you and Gia…"
"So you decided to continue to
pretend to want a deeper relationship with me?
But the whole time you were really with Nikolas…how could no one get
hurt Elizabeth?" Jason asked. "How long were you two planning to sneak
around? Weeks? Months? Years?"
"We were waiting for the right time to tell you." Elizabeth told him.
"I don't think there is ever a right time to tell someone that you are sleeping with someone else." Jason said. He grabbed his coat. "I'm going for a ride. I really don't think you should be here when I get back. I am through with the lies Elizabeth. Go be with Nikolas if he makes you happy."
"I'm sorry Jason."
"Yeah." Jason laughed a little. "I am too." He left his penthouse, briefly considering stopping to talk to Sonny or Carly about what had happened but decided against it. He needed to clear his head before he did that. A good ride always cleared his head.
This ride was different. As he whipped down the road, the wind racing to meet him, his mind was full of thoughts. Of all the times he and Elizabeth had taken off on the bike when she needed to get away from all her problems. Of all the times she had smiled at him when they were in the same room. Of all the times she had said that she was glad they had started a relationship. And of all the times she had lied to him so she could go off and be with Nikolas. He ached to know that she had down that to him. He could have sworn that he was falling in love again. It had taken him awhile to get over Robin and when he had laid it on the line again Elizabeth had stomped on his heart.
He also thought of Gia. He had been so angry with her at first. She had barged into his penthouse and told him that Elizabeth was cheating. He wanted to call her a liar but he knew by looking in her eyes that she was telling the truth. He could see the hurt in her eyes and he knew that his eyes reflected the same pain. For a night, they both wanted to erase the pain and inflict on those who had hurt them. He realized in the morning that they had gone about the wrong way. He hoped that she had realized it too.
He pulled his bike up near Kelly's and saw her. Gia Campbell was opening the door to go into the diner. Had she done the same thing and told Nikolas it was over? He watched her as she ordered something and then waited. His mind drifted back to the night before when he had held her in his arms and kissed her. She had trailed kisses all over his face and neck, whispering that she needed this. He supposed he had needed it too.
Gia had come back out of Kelly's with a drink and sat down at one of the outside tables. He shut off his bike. They needed to talk sometime. No better time then the present.