The Ripple Effect
Chapter 14
~Penthouse 4~
Sonny merely stared at his attorney, his friend, the woman he was secretly in love with. There was no way her words meant, what they sounded like they meant, was there? Wondering if he needed his hearing checked Sonny stayed quiet.
"Did you hear me?" Alexis risked a glance in his direction. She hoped he understood because for some reason she didn't want to say the words, he should marry Carly, aloud.
"I heard you, I guess I'm waiting for the punch line. You picked a hell of a time to try standup Alexis."
"I'm sorry to say I'm not joking," she said stiffly and paced away from him.
"You want me to marry Carly?" Sonny asked bluntly.
"I didn't say that." Turning around she was taken aback to realize that he was right behind her.
"You said a wife couldn't be forced to testify against her husband. To me that sounds like you're telling me to marry Carly in order to shut her up."
His voice was soft-spoken, his eyes darker than she'd ever seen them and Alexis began to have trouble breathing for no particular reason. "I can't advise you to circumvent the law."
Noting the way her voice trembled and wondering the cause Sonny moved even closer. Her face turned a becoming shade of pink, her lips parted exhaling a rush of breath, and for the first time in a long time he felt like he had the upper hand with her. "Do you want me to marry Carly?"
"Of course not." Hearing the breathlessness in her voice she wondered about the cause. Control. She was always in control. Except of course when she wasn't, and this was rapidly turning into one of those moments.
"Then why did you suggest it?" Sonny asked and taking her by surprise he pulled the glasses off of her face.
Blinking once in surprise Alexis worked hard on maintaining a rational train of thought. "Why? Because I'm you're attorney and am therefore bound to present to you all the legal options that are available to you. Both the realistic as well as the unrealistic … my hand where are you taking my hand?" Her thought was distracted when he took her hand and moved it to the side.
"Nowhere," he replied easily, keeping a gentle hold on it. A hold she could easily break if she chose too, but she made no move in that direction. "Am I only a client to you Alexis?"
"No," she answered automatically and when she felt his hand on her back she felt compelled to go on. "You're also my friend. A fact that surprises me daily I have to admit."
Drawing her nearer until their faces were only inches apart Sonny raised a brow in question and whispered against her lips. "A client and a friend is that all I am? Or is there more?"
His gaze remained steady on her face and the weight of those dark eyes seemed to compress upon her until she tried to answer his impossible question. "Sonny."
The sight of those lips so close to her own, seemed to fill her view until the question of how they would feel against hers began to consume her. Giving up on words for the first time in her life, she instead chose to take action. Angling her head she moistened her lips in anticipation. She thought she saw a glimpse of relief in his eyes before her own lids drifted down and their lips met in a whisper of a caress.
"There's no need to announce me. This is not your boss' apartment it's my fiancée's. I have my own key and come and go as I please. So get out of my way." The strident masculine voice came through the door startling both of them.
Regaining her senses Alexis quickly stepped back, out of Sonny's hold, halting the contact between them. Smothering a curse Sonny backed off as well, turning his back on her and stalking towards the fireplace in an effort to regain control.
He had been so close. Alexis had kissed him, or it would have been a kiss if Ned hadn't showed up. She was no doubt already rebuilding her formidable defenses and he wondered where that would leave him. It had taken him years to get close enough to even attempt kissing her. He hated to think it would be years before he got another chance. With a sigh he turned in time to see Ned Ashton walk into the penthouse.
Ned glared in his general direction before moving over to Alexis. "What the hell is he doing here?" He demanded then went on before she could answer. "Do you know his flunky wasn't going to let me in here?"
Sonny shook his head in amazement at Ned's actions. Ned had been away from the woman he was going to marry for more than two weeks and the first thing he did when he saw her, was not kiss her, that if it had been him a kiss that would still be going on. No, instead of kissing her, Ned tried to start a fight. His distaste for Ashton grew in that moment, and that was saying something considering their history.
"When are you going to get it through your head Corinthos that although Alexis, through some misguided sense of loyalty, has chosen to continue working for you, you do not control who she sees or doesn't see," Ned was warming to his tirade.
"I asked to meet with Sonny, Ned. We had some things to discuss regarding his case." Alexis finally found her voice.
"Can't that wait?" Ned finally focused on his fiancée and smiled slyly. "I've missed you," he murmured moving closer.
Clenching his fists Sonny quickly realized it was time to leave. Either that or Ned was soon going to be wearing his fist imprints on his smug dimpled face. "We can finish our discussion tomorrow Alexis," he informed her coolly moving for the door.
Refusing to meet his eyes Alexis nodded and followed Sonny to the door. Sonny made a special effort to brush against her when he reached for the doorknob. His efforts were rewarded with her sudden inhalation of breath and the air seemed to grow thick around them. Pleased that he'd made his point, that there was something going on between them, he opened the door. "Goodnight Alexis."
"Goodnight Sonny," she forced herself to meet his eyes and when her mouth dried up, immediately wished she hadn't.
Ned moved up behind her, slipped an arm around her waist and drew her back against his chest, angling his head to nuzzle her neck. He didn't even bother to say goodnight, he just slammed the door in Sonny's face.
Sonny heard the words let me show you how much I missed you come out of Ned's mouth and swallowed hard, trying to bury his jealousy, and turned to face his guard.
"Sorry boss," Max rumbled sheepishly. "I tried to stop him."
Shrugging his acceptance of the inevitable Sonny headed for his own penthouse. The image of what Ned was doing to Alexis, what she was allowing him to do to her, dogged his every step and turned his mood even fouler. He decided at the door the night was a good night to get drunk. Opening the door he moved directly to the wet bar determined to do just that.
"As long as you're pouring, why don't you pour me one as well?" Carly called from the sofa holding up her empty glass.
Sonny paused for half a minute then picked up the bottle and moved to join her on the couch. Maybe it was time to stop drinking alone.
~Jake's~
Francis stopped just inside the entryway and scanned the crowded interior of the smoky bar. Thursday nights at Jake's were dart league nights, so he wasn't surprised to find the place packed. His superior height gave him an advantage and he used it to scan the patrons until he found his quarry, leaning against the bar. Eyes narrowing Francis moved in for the kill.
"It's true there is nothing like the power a Harley gives you." Johnny O'Brien moved a little closer to the blonde nurse whose name he had forgotten 20 seconds after she had uttered it. "What's say you and I … Ow."
Rearing back Johnny brought a hand to his now stinging ear and turned to glare at his best friend. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"Why didn't you tell me that Jason was back in town?" Francis moved between Johnny and the blonde with a distracted excuse me.
"I didn't realize I was your informer." Johnny retorted mournfully when the blonde vacated the stool without a glance in his direction. His glare solidified when Francis took her now empty seat. "Why does it matter?"
"It matters because I ran into Elizabeth tonight and she asked my advice about some personal things, and because I thought she was talking about Lucky and I gave her some advice I wouldn't have if I had known she was talking about Jason." Francis began his complaint, each word flying into his intended target with the precision of a bullet. "So then we get to her studio and her door, her brand new door I might add, is open, and guess who is waiting for her?" He jeered the question and nodded when Johnny flinched. "You're right it was Jason."
Johnny's mouth dropped open in surprise. That was the most he'd heard Francis ever say at one time unless he was reporting something to Sonny. Francis normally wasn't as quiet as Jason, but he was pretty miserly with his words.
"So what do you have to say for yourself?" Francis demanded.
"Elizabeth asked you for advice about her love life?" Johnny picked the most innocuous part of the diatribe to pounce on. "The poor girl is more confused than I thought."
Johnny was spared the pain of Francis' fist in his jaw when Jake set beers in front of them.
"Here you go stranger. You looked like you need a drink." The blonde bartender smiled warmly at Francis.
"Thanks, it's on him," Francis informed her smugly.
"Wait. Why is it on me?" Johnny demanded.
"You noticed the new door on Elizabeth's studio didn't you?" Francis asked. "Since Jason is back in town you know who must have finally convinced her to get a new door," he smirked when Johnny grimaced into his beer. "I won the bet, therefore, you are buying, tonight."
"Fine I'm buying," Johnny agreed grumpily. Having seen Elizabeth withstand Sonny's pressure to get a new door, he'd been confident she would withstand Jason's advice as well. Shrugging off the depressing thought of his escalating bar tab Johnny reached for the bowl of popcorn and shifted the conversation back to interesting. "So what advice did you give her Dear Abby?"
Francis could feel the tips of his ears turning red and snarled, but his friend was unfazed. "She asked about when a guy was interested verses when he wasn't."
"So you told her that as long as a guy is breathing, he's interested, right?" Johnny asked and opened his mouth to catch the piece of popcorn he'd lobbed in the air. He caught two more pieces before he realized Francis hadn't answered him. "Tell me you didn't."
"I thought she was talking about Lucky." Francis argued defensively. "She asked me what I would do if a woman kissed me out of the blue when I wasn't interested in her that way. I thought she was talking about Lucky," he reminded him when Johnny groaned. "I told her I'd probably kiss her back then let her down as gently as I could. So then we get to the studio and I see Jason waiting and realized she wasn't talking about Lucky at all. A little advance warning would have been nice."
"Francis you fucked up." Johnny informed him succinctly before tossing another popcorn kernel high in the air.
"I know," Francis finished off his beer in two swallows and signaled Jake for a refill.
"If it makes you feel any better I sort of messed up with her too, only I managed to cover it," he finished smugly. The taunt reminded him of something and his expression turned serious. "If Elizabeth asks I collect postcards," he made a mental note. "I really need to get some of those."
"What did you do?"
"I kind of, maybe, sort of, let is slip out that Jason sent me a few postcards," Johnny admitted reluctantly.
"Idiot," Francis snapped and flicked Johnny behind the ear again, hard.
"Enough with the flicking," he hissed. "How was I supposed to know he didn't keep in touch with her?"
"How were you supposed to know?" Francis practically yelled the question. Aware of the eyes on them he deliberately lowered his voice before going on. "You were supposed to know because I told you after you got both postcards not to mention them to Elizabeth, because I knew she hadn't gotten anything from him. That was how you were supposed to know."
Johnny's mouth worked but nothing came out. Shit he'd fucked up worse than he'd thought. "Jake," he bellowed suddenly. "I need a boilermaker."
"Make that two. And they're on his tab." Francis called out right after him and deliberately waited for Johnny to look away before he flicked Johnny's ear again, causing him to groan in pain.
Tired of the pain that was being inflicted on him and aware that he had messed up Johnny thought it was only fair that his boss should be thrown to the wolves as well. "As bad as our mistakes were we got nothing on the boss."
"Do I want to hear this?" Francis asked quietly, nodding in thanks when Jake set the shot glass in front of him.
"He told Elizabeth that Jason never once asked about her while he was gone."
Groaning Francis downed his shot and reached for the beer chaser. "Sonny is a stupid man isn't he?"
"Yep," Johnny mimicked Francis' movements and his lips puckered at the sudden infusion of hard alcohol. "The way I see it, if you take my mistake and add yours too it, our mistakes aren't even half as bad as what Sonny did."
"I agree," Francis took another swallow of beer. "And if you add all three of us together it's still not as bad as what Jason did, or should I say didn't do, when it came to keeping in touch with Elizabeth."
"You're right it's all Jason's fault." Pleased he'd passed the buck of the blame Johnny changed the subject. "I thought you were going fishing in Canada."
"I did."
"I thought so, but Manny swears he saw you in New York with some woman last weekend." Johnny was too busy finishing his beer to note the way Francis had tensed at that pronouncement.
"Don't look now but your being snaked," Francis offered the distraction and Johnny immediately turned to look.
"Who?"
"The brunette by the jukebox. She's been scooping you out since I got here."
Johnny inventoried the petite, but stacked brunette and when she smiled at him he got to his feet. Habit had him straightening his shirt and running a hand through his hair to make sure it was presentable.
"Breath mint?" Francis asked dryly.
"Cute," Johnny took a step away from the bar.
"No Johnny I'm serious. You want a breath mint," Francis pointed out the obvious.
Narrowing a glare at his friend Johnny stepped back to the bar. "You're just jealous because it looks like I won't be alone tonight, while you will be, as usual," he jeered and at the same time picked up a peppermint candy from the bar and popped it in his mouth. You could never be too careful.
Francis watched him leave with a shake of his head. He'd dodged another bullet.
~Studio~
Elizabeth kept herself busy by putting her clothes away and ignoring Jason's one-sided phone call. Concentrating on evening her breathing and regaining control of her hormones were harder work than she'd thought. The temptation to yank the phone out of his hand and throw him on the bed, to take that kiss she'd thought she'd been about to receive, was strong.
But so too was the confusion over what she would do with him after she threw him down. He was older, more experienced, and gorgeous. What could he possibly want with an 18 almost 19 year old girl who was mentally still a virgin even if she wasn't a physical one?
She felt her face flame and quickly moved inside the closet to hang up her shirts. She had to get a grip here. If Jason ever knew that he was starring in her fantasies she'd never be able to look him in the eye again. Muttering under her breath she emerged from the closet to pick up another load of clothes.
After her talk with Alexis this afternoon, she had been willing to take the chance and see if Jason could think of her as more than a bratty friend. Her talk with Sonny had soon ended that plan. If Jason had thought about her even half as often as she'd thought about him, these last 9 months, he would have made some effort to keep in touch with her.
One of the reasons she hadn't moved, she could admit now, was because she wanted Jason to know where to find her. But now it had been pointed out to her, that not only had Jason not kept in touch with her, he hadn't even bothered to ask about her. It seemed she ceased to exist for him the moment he left town.
So if you added all that up it meant that what she thought she saw in Jason's eyes when he looked at her was nothing but wishful thinking on her part. Sad at the realization and out of clothes, Elizabeth moved slowly out of the closet. She'd get through this just like she got through everything in her life, with time.
Gnawing at her bottom lip she determined never to mention the kisses or the near kisses that seemed to exist only in her mind, to him. The last thing she ever wanted was to hear the you're my friend but not that sort of friend speech from Jason. That was one mortification she knew she wouldn't be able to live down.
Stealing a look at him through her lashes she saw he was still on the phone, and judging from the look on his face he wasn't paying any attention to her. She decided to use that distraction to study him.
How had it happened? When did it happen? How had Jason suddenly shifted in her mind from good friend to potentially that much more, and more importantly how could she get him to shift back into just friend mode?
She didn't want to lose his friendship. And the idea of pursuing him until he changed her mind, like she'd once done with Lucky, never seriously crossed her mind. Jason was a man, and as much as she hated to admit it, Lucky had been a boy. They were two totally different situations. It was a bitter pill for her to swallow, but she realized that she was more equipped to handle a boy than a man like Jason.
Moving to the window she lightly fingered the collection of dragons that were displayed there. A small part of her heart was screaming at her that she hadn't misread the signs. That Jason had almost kissed her and that meant he had wanted to kiss her. It was scary how much she wanted to believe that voice, her Lizzie voice.
But what would happen between them if she risked it and she was wrong? Frustrated with her thoughts she flicked on the radio that was on her dresser. The song that drifted out had the misfortune of being the one she'd heard earlier.
Should I tell you how I feel?
Oh I want you to know,
But then again I don't,
It's so complicated.
"A hell of a lot you know," she sniped angrily shutting off the radio before the singer could confuse her even more.
"What did you say?"
Jolting at Jason's question she felt her face flame again. "I-I just really don't like that song at the moment."
"Oh," Jason nodded and noted the way she was avoiding looking at him. He'd been noting a lot of things about her while he'd taken his call. Things like the way she'd entered the bathroom and washed her hands and face obliterating every trace of the ice cream. Then there was the way she had kept moving as if she were afraid to be still, and the way she'd been muttering to herself with every step she took.
He wasn't sure what she was talking about, but when she'd emerged from the closet that final time, her face had looked so sad that he'd instinctively wanted to comfort her.
"So where were we?" Her eyes widened in mortification and she backtracked. "I mean what did you want to talk about?" Moving past him carefully she moved towards the couch and at the last second veered away from it to perch on the stool. Distance was what was called for. If she sat too close to him she might accidentally touch him, or the smell of his cologne might overwhelm her senses and there would be no telling what she would do in response. Nope distance was a good thing.
Settling on the couch Jason couldn't help but wonder if he'd spooked her earlier with the ice cream. He knew he shouldn't have pushed like that but the sight of her licking the ice cream had been too much for him to ignore and his baser needs had gotten the better of him. He'd had to touch her, he hadn't planned on it, but instinct had taken over, and now he wondered if that lapse of control was going to haunt him. Realizing she was beginning to look nervous again he filled the silence.
"I didn't know you knew Francis so well."
"He's a good friend," she answered briefly. There was still no point in Jason knowing that she'd originally gotten to know Francis when he'd been assigned to her as a bodyguard.
"I know he is." He felt the unfamiliar need to press her for answers about how they'd become friends and forced himself to bury it. There were more important things to talk to her about. "You seem to have a lot of new friends."
"I don't think so."
"What about your friend Zander?" Jason kept a close eye on her knowing her reaction would be telling.
Paling, Elizabeth's mind began to race. How did he know about Zander? What did he know about Zander? This could be bad. Forcing her hands to unclench she tried to remember how to lie. There was a time she'd been an expert at it, she just needed to tap into that history. Remembering Johnny's observation she forced her eyes to his face and prepared to lie. Johnny, she realized in a flash, that was how he knew about Zander, Johnny, the little toad had squealed. "Zander's Zander," she offered finally.
Watching the various emotions cross her face had been interesting but they had passed far too quickly for him to fully name them. "Are you dating him?"
Elizabeth let out a laugh. "You know I'm not dating anyone."
"Not even a guy who drugged you?"
"Drugged?" Elizabeth shot off the stool and despite her vow not too she turned her back on him while she lied. "I wasn't drugged."
For a large man he could move very softly when he wanted too. That trait had come in handy in his line of work on more than one occasion and he used that now. He moved up quietly behind Elizabeth and asked the next question. "Does Zander have something to do with what happened to Emily?"
Jolting in surprise at his close proximity her hip caught the stool she'd been sitting on and sent it crashing to the ground. Both of them ignored it. "W-what about Emily?"
Even with her back to him he could hear the nerves in her voice and knew he was close, if not right on target. "We had a long talk today." Putting his hands on her shoulders he gently turned her around so he could see her face. He needed to see her eyes if this were going to work. "She told me what happened the night of the rave."
Elizabeth's eyes widened in disbelief, then relief, then shifted into confusion, then suspicion, before she lowered them. Her eyes were very telling to him.
"What did she tell you?" Elizabeth asked finally.
"She told me that Juan wanted to go to a rave, they had a fight, she saw him with another girl, so she started drinking and ended up getting high."
Elizabeth nodded slowly trying not to give anything away, so she kept her answers short. "Yes that's what happened."
"She also told me that when she was high she left the rave with some guy and she doesn't know who he was."
"I'm glad she told you. I know you were probably supportive of her, she really needs that." Jason's phrasing of the statements and the fact that he was asking her who Zander was, finally penetrated. And she realized, that although Emily had obviously told him some things, she'd kept the most critical details to herself.
Moving quickly she got past him before he realized it and her eye focused on her answering machine for the first time. The solid red light greeted her. That meant Nikolas hadn't called. Looking at her watch she realized that Nikolas had been thinking about her plans for almost 5 hours. She couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She just knew if she didn't hear from him soon she might have to tell Jason everything after all.
"Is Zander the man she left with?" Jason asked suddenly jolting her from her thoughts.
"No. But he was at the rave."
"Is that where you met him?"
"Yes." Her best bet at getting out of this was to keep her answers brief so that was exactly what she was going to do.
Tired with the evasions Jason decided to push. "You know I only want to help you and Emily don't you?"
She could hear the frustration in his voice and had to harden her heart against it. "There's nothing you can do. We have everything under control."
"That's not what you said yesterday," he reminded her softly. Catching her elbow he turned her around again and bent slightly to look in her eyes. "Let me help you."
"You can't." Ignoring the plea in his eyes was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. "We have everything under control."
"You're lying to me," Jason accused her. "You were drugged so was Emily and something happened to you both. I can see that whatever happened is still going on that's not control."
Feeling the sting of his words she looked away. "Everything is fine."
Backing off he scrubbed at his face in frustration. "Yesterday you wanted to tell me what was going on and tonight you don't. Something happened to change your mind. Something made you decide not to trust me."
"That's not true. I trust you," she cried immediately.
"You just don't trust me enough to let me help you," he said bitterly and when he saw her flinch he regretted the harsh tone.
"I told you before it's not my secret to share," she offered finally, hoping he'd let things go.
"I'm not going to stand by and watch the people I care about get hurt, not if I can help it. I'm not made that way. You and Emily have been hurt and you're still being hurt. I won't let you push me out of this forever," he warned her.
"Let me talk to Emily," she offered an alternative.
Sighing in frustration he knew it was the best he was going to get. "When?"
"I'll talk to her tomorrow. I have to work in the morning so give me until tomorrow night okay?" By then if Nikolas decided to go with her plan it would all be over. If he didn't then they would need Jason's help after all. She needed a day, hopefully she could stall him that long.
"And if Emily says not to tell me?"
She couldn't help but deflate at that possibility. "Then I'll probably tell you anyway and make her mad," she answered sadly.
Hearing the bleakness in her voice he decided to back off and give her the day.
"Was there anything else? It's getting late and I'm kind of tired." Elizabeth moved towards the door hoping to get rid of him so she could call Nikolas. Either they went with her plan tonight, or they would either have to tell Jason or rely on Lucky's plan. None of those alternatives were very appealing to her.
Trailing her to the door Jason felt the unfamiliar pangs of guilt when she opened the door. "Elizabeth I'm pressing because I care about you. You know that right? You're my friend and I don't want anything to happen to you."
The smile that had formed when he'd first started speaking felt frozen to her face, yet she gave it anyway. It seemed that they moved from 'there is no word for what I feel for you' to just a friend, and she couldn't help but be disappointed. "I know. I'll see you sometime tomorrow."
Jason moved out in the hall and before he could turn around the door closed behind him. Raising his hand to knock, the door opened slightly on its own, he was about to push it farther open when the phone rang. Changing his mind when that happened he gripped the handle to close the door, only to come up short when her words caught his attention.
"I'm glad you agree with me Nikolas. We're really the only ones who can take care of this problem for everyone, before it gets totally insane, not that it isn't already."
Jason's hand dropped from the doorknob and he began to listen in earnest.
"No it has to be before tomorrow night. If we don't do it before the rave, you know Lucky will expect us to follow his plan and that will be disaster," Elizabeth reminded her friend.
Moving around her small kitchen area she began retrieving the items that she'd been stockpiling in anticipation of implementing her plan. "I'll meet you on the docks."
A noise caught her attention, distracted from her conversation she looked over and realized the door was open. Frowning she tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and moved over to close it. "Right the docks."
Jason moved to the side just as the door closed cutting off the rest of her words. Elizabeth was up to something with Nikolas and he had a feeling that whatever they were up too it wasn't good. If she was determined to meet Nikolas on the docks he was just as determined she wouldn't be there alone. He'd keep an eye on her and if it looked like things were getting out of control, then, he'd step in. She'd be angry, but he could live with her angry. What he couldn't live with was her being hurt.
Decision made Jason moved down the hall and headed down the stairs towards the Wharf, he knew the perfect spot on the docks, where he could keep an eye out for the launch from Spoon Island.
~*~*~
"So did you leave the jag where I told you too off Pier 52?" Elizabeth pulled on her black pants and sat down to pull on her black sneaks. "No it has to be Pier 52, it's the most isolated of all the docks. With what were doing we don't want anyone to see us. Did you leave the key where I told you?"
Rolling her eyes at his reply she tugged a large piece of industrial plastic out from underneath her bed. "Nikolas I'm not going to drive your precious baby I'm just going to get the trunk ready."
Her attention shifted to the window when a flash of light caught her eye. Hopefully it was just heat lightning. This would be harder to do if they had to fight the rain. Nikolas caught her attention again.
"Yes I'm sure Nikolas. We can't let this drag on any longer. It's time Ted Wilson was found," she looked at her watch. "Are you ready? Oh Nikolas I almost forgot, where casual clothes. Clothes that you'd never wear in front of anyone." She rolled her eyes at his tone. "Just do it. I'll see you in about 20 minutes."
Hanging up the phone Elizabeth looked at the bag of supplies she'd been packing up, then took a look around her studio. What she was about to do was the biggest risk she'd ever undertaken. If something went wrong.
"Don't think like that Elizabeth." She ordered herself and picked up the bag. Flipping off the light switch she couldn't help but take what she hoped wouldn't be the final look at her studio. Closing the door she locked it with the new keys Jason had presented her and turned to head down the hall. She came to a stop a few paces later and shook her head in disgust.
Habit could be a bad thing, turning around she headed for the stairs on the backside of the building, the ones that would put her on Water's Street, and close to where Nikolas had parked his car.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alas it seems most of my readers have vanished. I guess this will be the last update for awhile. Which is a pity because I have a lot planned.
Have I made you feel guilty yet?
Yes???
Good! Then Reply.
Steph