Chapter Two:




Claire closed her eyes dreamily as she stared out the plane window at all the fluffy clouds
around them, and if she peered closely, she could see the deep blue ocean beneath her.
"You seem happy." Leon's voice spoke up, cutting through her thoughts. Turning around, she saw
Leon grinning at her.
"Is there something wrong with being happy?" Claire asked as she sat back the comfortable first-class
seat.
"No, there's nothing wrong." Leon replied. "It's just that you looked like you were going to have
a good, old-fashioned nervous breakdown. Now, it's appears you've taken a pound of Vycadin."
Claire stared at him for a moment before she understood and let out a light giggle. "I don't know,
it just seems better to not think about anything right now. Especially not Chris and his sugar-momma."
Leon snorted but tried to hide it in a cough. "How do you think Chris must feel?"
"Probably getting the kick of his life." Claire scoffed. "You know how arrogant he can get."
"Yeah, I know." Leon said. "Just a few days ago, I walked in on him in the bathroom and he was
practically kissing his reflection. If you'll forgive me for saying this, I sometimes wish that
someone had turned the hose on your parents when they were conceiving Chris."
"I sometimes wish that too." Claire said lightly as she leaned back into her chair. "Oh God, how
could Chris do this? Doesn't he ever think about anything? No wait, don't answer that." she
added once she saw that Leon was going to open his mouth to reply smartly.
Claire turned away from him and stared out at the clouds again, her thoughts jumbling around
in her brain and pounding away, giving her a splitting headache. She groaned and held her head in
her hand, and another reached for her free hand. She turned to see Leon giving her a warm, reassuring
look.
"I wouldn't worry about this too much." Leon told her with a tender smile--oh, that smile. "Sure,
Chris is a playboy and all that, but he's not as dumb as you think he is. At most, he'll just
smile pretty with this... this lady for a couple of weeks before they'll eventually go their
seperate ways when they realize that this is just a meaningless fling--and we'll have a free
vacation out of it."
Claire was still skeptical but Leon was so persistent that it was hard not to lighten up about it.
"You're probably right. It's just really shocking to find out about Chris and this... this
MUCH older woman."
"Why don't you get some rest?" Leon suggested, cocking his head to the side. Something that always
reminded Claire of a puppy raising it's ears when it was confused. "We'll be in Paris in an hour,
you surely don't want to watch the in-flight movie, do you?"
Claire looked from him to the screen and then back to Leon. "I'll see you in the morning."


Leon groaned tiredly as he lugged his suitcase off the carousel and through the airport. Beside
him, Claire was looking hesitantly around, probably expecting to see some old grandma come running
up to her brother.
"Oh I just love it here!" Sherry exclaimed as she twirled around, her duffel bag hitting Chris and
making him stumble forward. "Even the air smells different from in America!"
"Mr. Redfield and company?" A voice spoke up from behind them. They all turned to see a stout little
man in a black suit.
"Yes." Chris said, stepping forward.
The man nodded. "Follow me." he turned on his heels and started forward.
"Okay, I'm leaving." Claire mumbled as she started back toward the terminal gate. Leon reached
out and grabbed her arm, swinging her around and pulling her along.
"Everything's going to be okay." Leon assured her in a comforting voice.
"I don't want to be here." Claire whined as she struggled to free herself from his grip.
"Oh come on." Leon coaxed as he took her hand in his.
Claire pouted all the way out until they arrived at a long, white stretch limosine. Her eyes widened
in amusement before she turned them back to a steely, cool gray.
Leon pushed her into the limo and sat next to her. "Surely you have nothing wrong with this?"
Claire pursed her lips and glared at him.
"Whoa-ho!" Chris guffawed as he bounced a little on the cool leather seats. "Yes, this is about
right--oh, and the rug is still here."
Leon looked down at the floor to see a white Persian rug--an expensive Persian rug.
"I hope you took cash for your services, Chris." Claire spat out as the limo pulled away from the curb
after the chauffer had loaded all their luggage into the trunk. "It would've been more honest."
Chris ignored his sister's accusations and flashed her a light-hearted grin even though Leon
could see a glint of nervousness flash through his eyes.
"I assure you Claire, Carlotta is not the type to have indiscriminative sex with anyone. She's
very selective." Chris said.
"And all she winded up with is you?" Jill asked, a look of slight resentment not unlike the one
in Claire's.
Chris shrugged, unfazed. "You two will change your tune once we reach Carlotta's." he spoke quickly,
his head turned down as if he were trying to convince himself too. "But to tell the truth, Carlotta
is a very nice woman, if you two would just give her a chance you'll grow to like her."


Chris bit his bottom lip as the white stretch limo rolled down the familiar streets and tree-lined
boulevards. His mind flashed back to that night when he had met Carlotta Cornaro at one of the
many clubs in the city. He was just sitting down and drinking a beer when one of the waiters slid him
a glass of expensive champagne, saying it was from the woman in the corner booth. Chris' eyes
searched the scene and finally landed a regal-looking woman who looked like she was about in her
late 30's. Not being one to ignore such an inviting invitation, he stood up and walked over to
her.
After settling in the seat in front of her, he smiled devilishly at her and said, "You must
be the wonderful angel who just sent down a ray of sunshine to light up my life..." Lame, Chris.
Lame. Open mouth, insert foot. But as corny as the line may have been, she smiled sweetly and
laughed. They began talking and had quite a few drinks. Before he knew what he was doing, he was
being led to her limosine out back and driven to her private villa. To Chris, it seemed like a
castle.
Carlotta was a wild woman, despite her age. Chris felt himself grow more and more helpless
as she led him down corridor after corridor and stairwell after stairwell, her lips moving over
his forehead, lips and chest. Deep in his heart, he knew it was wrong, so very wrong, especially
since he had always been attracted to Jill, as Carlotta laid him down on her bed, he felt a surge
of guilt shoot through his body. Realizing that he was being irrational he let his thoughts fly
away. All the alcohol started to take effect as he sat back and let Carlotta tease and use his
body anyway she wanted.
Chris didn't doubt that Carlotta had have feelings for him, but that was ENTIRELY on her
part. Chris felt nothing as she undressed him. As she kissed him everywhere. As she nipped and
bit at all his most private, intimate parts. After she finished her part of the loving, Chris
took over as if on auto-pilot. He slowly took her into his arms and kissed her. Then he felt her
passion channel into him and started to get more into it. Sweat rolled down his body as he entered
and re-entered her, working between her legs until he climaxed with a violent shudder.
He shuddered now as the limo turned a corner and they arrived at a elaborately designed
chantello. This was it. In a matter of minutes, he'd meet face to face with Carlotta again after
a year and a half.
"Jill?" he asked, reaching for her hand. Jill looked up at him, her face still sour. "Even if
you're still sore at me... I'm glad you all came with me."
Jill smiled and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Claire ease up too.
"As much as I hate to admit this, I'm nervous as hell."