Sorry for the delay, computers been acting up lately. So, without further delay, on with the chapter.
Jason's jaw had gone rigid with anger and his eyes impassive as usual, as he trained his nickel-plated 9 automatic on Francis's head.
Francis flinched at the violent coldness in Jason's eyes. It became clear to Francis why he had a hard time putting away his gun, when he left. You'll never know when a situation like the one he was in now would arise.
"Uh Jason." He started
"Don't speak" he told Francis softly, but in a very much lethal tone. Jason fought to keep his temper in check. He wanted nothing more than to kill this bastard but Elizabeth was standing behind him. The mere thought of Elizabeth broke through the cloud of anger that hovered about.
"Speak quickly." He told the older man, but kept his gun, trained on him.
By the time Francis was through with his explanation, Jason resolve to shot Francis had vanished however beating him to his death sounded better. Everything made since to Jason except Elizabeth, which Francis conveniently talked around. He would ask but, not while Elizabeth was present. Jason let out an heavy sigh, how was he going to deal with this one.
"Jason I know I have know right to ask you this, but I want to be the one that tells Sonny that I'm alive."
Jason turned his attention back to Francis. "You're right you don't, but since you're were a man that once had my respect and loyalty, I guess I'll give you that much. You have until mid-night tomorrow, after that I can't make any promises."
Francis gave him curt nod. It was all he could do, out of all his pupils, he had the most respect for Jason, and it pained him to know Jason didn't share the same level of respect anymore. Francis' thought were cut short when he felt Jason grab him by the labels of his shirt and kneed him in the gut twice then delivered a mind-numbing punch to his jaw. By being caught off guard, Francis landed on the ground. Elizabeth was immediately at his side surveying the damage.
"Elizabeth, Elizabeth can I talk to you?" Jason asked. Francis waved his arms and motioned her to go talk to him. "Liz I'm fine, really nothing I haven't felt before."
Elizabeth walked outside with Jason. "Was that really necessary?"
"No, but I felt like doing it."
"Since when have you started acting on your feelings." As soon as the words escaped her mouth, Liz recognized her mistake when she saw scowl upon Jason's features. "Sorry," Elizabeth sucked her bottom lip between her teeth thinking of how to change gear. "Soooo how did you know where to find me?"
"You're alias Ms. Morgan Bowen the name you checked in under, and there was the fact I overheard Lucky and Nikolas talking about you."
"Oh" She hoped this was as awkward for him as it was for her.
"So how is your baby?" Elizabeth smiled "She's fine, sleeping right now."
Jason was never one to talk around a subject but the question he really wanted to know was is there anything going on between Francis and Elizabeth.
"So you and Francis are dating?"
Elizabeth looked away wanting to laugh at his question, but when she craned her neck to look, up she saw his eyes. The fire that she clearly saw, the simmering passion that burned behind his blue eyes, but even more than that she saw a tiny glimmer of hope.
He was so beautiful. She was amazed how much honesty he showed with the raw emotion of his eyes. He was baring his soul, something he never truly did, but here he was before her so open and vulnerable, and she was afraid.
'Don't do it Elizabeth. You've been down this road before, and love is not your friend. Ask the unforgiving pain of your heart to look at where love put you, got you, and where you'll be if you don't get Jason out.'
"Francis and I are—are getting married."
In one fail swoop Jason felt his heart fall, and his eyes returned to ice. He looked in Elizabeth eyes for any deception. She was either telling the truth or she had become a great liar.
"Congratulations, even though Francis and I are not on great terms I know he'll treat with dignity and respect."
Elizabeth reached for his hand and he saw it. It was more of he didn't see. He saw no engagement ring and Francis wasn't the type who leaves his lady's with a ring. He beamed inside, maybe she had become a better liar. "I'll see you later." He told her heading down the hall.
Elizabeth mentally berated herself. She now had to convince everyone that she was engaged to Francis and plus there was the fact she had to tell Francis the "great news."
Elizabeth sat on the sofa gnawing none stop on her bottom lip. Francis noticed this.
"What did you do?" When she remained silent, Francis knew it was a bad omen. "What did you do?" "I told Jason I was the future Mrs. Corelli." Elizabeth dared not to meet his green orbs that she knew burned with anger.
Francis let out a mechanical laugh. He got up retrieved his coat all the time laughing he needed to get out before he strangled her.
"Where are you going?" In an all seriousness tone. "I need a drink, and I going to buy a gun and shot myself to save Jason the trouble, and on top of that I need to get away from you right now."
Francis left leaving Elizabeth to ponder the mystery of her life.
- Jason's Penthouse -
Jason was back in the confines of his penthouse. After finishing off a pack of beer, he spent his time thinking about Elizabeth and Francis. Was Elizabeth's story an hoax? Or had his former friend manage to steal her heart?
Jason looked out his bulletproof skylight window above his bed. He had it installed after he and Courtney broke up. But having is built made him feel closer to Elizabeth, remembering the times the had on the stone bridge.
Soon after he hoped to make love to Elizabeth under the stars in his bed, but the looks like it may never happen, or could it. Maybe this time I'll fight for what he wanted, he thought.
He remembered the time Sonny conveniently let it slip the Elizabeth was to marry Lucky. He was tempted to ride his bike through the church and kidnap the bride.
And oh if he had known she was going to marry slick Ric not once but twice he would have done anything to stop them both. Now the man that stood in his way was Francis. No doubt Francis would try to smooth things over with Sonny. So that left him time with his supposed fiancée. He just hoped it would be enough time for them.
Jason let out a laugh he was playing home wrecker. He had been reduced to scheming to get what he wanted something Carly would do. Did he really want to ruin things for Elizabeth if she was truly happy?
Jason spent the rest of the night weighing the pros and cons of his predicament. He went back and forth for a long while, but in the end the choice was obvious even to him.
Jason's jaw had gone rigid with anger and his eyes impassive as usual, as he trained his nickel-plated 9 automatic on Francis's head.
Francis flinched at the violent coldness in Jason's eyes. It became clear to Francis why he had a hard time putting away his gun, when he left. You'll never know when a situation like the one he was in now would arise.
"Uh Jason." He started
"Don't speak" he told Francis softly, but in a very much lethal tone. Jason fought to keep his temper in check. He wanted nothing more than to kill this bastard but Elizabeth was standing behind him. The mere thought of Elizabeth broke through the cloud of anger that hovered about.
"Speak quickly." He told the older man, but kept his gun, trained on him.
By the time Francis was through with his explanation, Jason resolve to shot Francis had vanished however beating him to his death sounded better. Everything made since to Jason except Elizabeth, which Francis conveniently talked around. He would ask but, not while Elizabeth was present. Jason let out an heavy sigh, how was he going to deal with this one.
"Jason I know I have know right to ask you this, but I want to be the one that tells Sonny that I'm alive."
Jason turned his attention back to Francis. "You're right you don't, but since you're were a man that once had my respect and loyalty, I guess I'll give you that much. You have until mid-night tomorrow, after that I can't make any promises."
Francis gave him curt nod. It was all he could do, out of all his pupils, he had the most respect for Jason, and it pained him to know Jason didn't share the same level of respect anymore. Francis' thought were cut short when he felt Jason grab him by the labels of his shirt and kneed him in the gut twice then delivered a mind-numbing punch to his jaw. By being caught off guard, Francis landed on the ground. Elizabeth was immediately at his side surveying the damage.
"Elizabeth, Elizabeth can I talk to you?" Jason asked. Francis waved his arms and motioned her to go talk to him. "Liz I'm fine, really nothing I haven't felt before."
Elizabeth walked outside with Jason. "Was that really necessary?"
"No, but I felt like doing it."
"Since when have you started acting on your feelings." As soon as the words escaped her mouth, Liz recognized her mistake when she saw scowl upon Jason's features. "Sorry," Elizabeth sucked her bottom lip between her teeth thinking of how to change gear. "Soooo how did you know where to find me?"
"You're alias Ms. Morgan Bowen the name you checked in under, and there was the fact I overheard Lucky and Nikolas talking about you."
"Oh" She hoped this was as awkward for him as it was for her.
"So how is your baby?" Elizabeth smiled "She's fine, sleeping right now."
Jason was never one to talk around a subject but the question he really wanted to know was is there anything going on between Francis and Elizabeth.
"So you and Francis are dating?"
Elizabeth looked away wanting to laugh at his question, but when she craned her neck to look, up she saw his eyes. The fire that she clearly saw, the simmering passion that burned behind his blue eyes, but even more than that she saw a tiny glimmer of hope.
He was so beautiful. She was amazed how much honesty he showed with the raw emotion of his eyes. He was baring his soul, something he never truly did, but here he was before her so open and vulnerable, and she was afraid.
'Don't do it Elizabeth. You've been down this road before, and love is not your friend. Ask the unforgiving pain of your heart to look at where love put you, got you, and where you'll be if you don't get Jason out.'
"Francis and I are—are getting married."
In one fail swoop Jason felt his heart fall, and his eyes returned to ice. He looked in Elizabeth eyes for any deception. She was either telling the truth or she had become a great liar.
"Congratulations, even though Francis and I are not on great terms I know he'll treat with dignity and respect."
Elizabeth reached for his hand and he saw it. It was more of he didn't see. He saw no engagement ring and Francis wasn't the type who leaves his lady's with a ring. He beamed inside, maybe she had become a better liar. "I'll see you later." He told her heading down the hall.
Elizabeth mentally berated herself. She now had to convince everyone that she was engaged to Francis and plus there was the fact she had to tell Francis the "great news."
Elizabeth sat on the sofa gnawing none stop on her bottom lip. Francis noticed this.
"What did you do?" When she remained silent, Francis knew it was a bad omen. "What did you do?" "I told Jason I was the future Mrs. Corelli." Elizabeth dared not to meet his green orbs that she knew burned with anger.
Francis let out a mechanical laugh. He got up retrieved his coat all the time laughing he needed to get out before he strangled her.
"Where are you going?" In an all seriousness tone. "I need a drink, and I going to buy a gun and shot myself to save Jason the trouble, and on top of that I need to get away from you right now."
Francis left leaving Elizabeth to ponder the mystery of her life.
- Jason's Penthouse -
Jason was back in the confines of his penthouse. After finishing off a pack of beer, he spent his time thinking about Elizabeth and Francis. Was Elizabeth's story an hoax? Or had his former friend manage to steal her heart?
Jason looked out his bulletproof skylight window above his bed. He had it installed after he and Courtney broke up. But having is built made him feel closer to Elizabeth, remembering the times the had on the stone bridge.
Soon after he hoped to make love to Elizabeth under the stars in his bed, but the looks like it may never happen, or could it. Maybe this time I'll fight for what he wanted, he thought.
He remembered the time Sonny conveniently let it slip the Elizabeth was to marry Lucky. He was tempted to ride his bike through the church and kidnap the bride.
And oh if he had known she was going to marry slick Ric not once but twice he would have done anything to stop them both. Now the man that stood in his way was Francis. No doubt Francis would try to smooth things over with Sonny. So that left him time with his supposed fiancée. He just hoped it would be enough time for them.
Jason let out a laugh he was playing home wrecker. He had been reduced to scheming to get what he wanted something Carly would do. Did he really want to ruin things for Elizabeth if she was truly happy?
Jason spent the rest of the night weighing the pros and cons of his predicament. He went back and forth for a long while, but in the end the choice was obvious even to him.