Elizabeth opened her eyes squinting in the bright morning sunlight.
The windows that provided spectacular views of Lake Michigan last night
were now flooding the expansive room with light of the breaking day.
Bringing her eyes in focus she came to remember where exactly she was –
Jason Morgan's private penthouse. It was still a difficult concept for
Elizabeth to conceive. Here she was being protected from her own husband
by his nemesis no less. What a bizarre twist of fate.
Slipping the silken robe over her shoulders she made her way to the windows once again. Even at this early hour the lake was abuzz with activity. Mindlessly she watched jet skis, sailboats and speedboats pulling the occasional skier parade across the lake. If her life could have just been that simple she wished.
The rustling from the other side of the closed door caught her attention. Jason – she thought to herself, as a smile she had no control over claimed the features of her face. Without hesitation, Elizabeth reached for the doorknob of the only thing separating them, thinking that for just a little while longer she would indulge herself in the fantasy her mind had created the previous night.
"Jason," she called, as she walked deeper into the living room. "Jason?" Elizabeth's voice was more questioning the second time she spoke his name. An eerie sensation filled her as wild thoughts danced in her head. Was it possible that Jason and Anthony had been in on this together? Could all of Jason's noble talk about how women were to be protected just have been a ruse, a set up for Anthony to handle her privately? Her anxious voice called again, "JASON!"
"Mrs. Malucci?" The man who had ushered her from the patio last night appeared before her.
"Where is Jason?" Elizabeth asked.
"Mr. Morgan had business this morning. He asked that I escort you home."
"Oh," Elizabeth attempted to hide her disappointment.
"I was told the kitchen is at your disposal. Would you like something special for breakfast?"
"No."
"Should you change your mind, just ring for room service. Mr. Morgan left instructions that you were his special guest and were to be treated as such."
"Thank you – I think," Elizabeth said under her breath.
"Coffee?" Johnny asked raising the silver pot in the air.
"No thank you."
Elizabeth crossed the room to the windows that looked out on the Magnificent Mile. The shops below showed signs of the start of what surely would be a busy day filled with tourists flooding through their doors. The words of her being considered Jason's special guest repeated in her mind. If this had been a different time or if she had been a different person, those words would have meant something to her, but that couldn't be. She had seen too much of the world Anthony, as well as Jason, lived in to think that they meant the same to them as they could have to her.
"Are you sure I can't offer you some breakfast?" Johnny asked.
"No, thank you," Elizabeth countered as she reached for the pot and poured herself a cup of coffee finally. "Exactly when will I be allowed to go home?"
"Mr. Morgan said that Capo Malucci isn't expecting you until just before noon."
Elizabeth felt her blood boil as she listened to her life being planned as if she wasn't even a part of it but rather a mere spectator. "And my car?"
"I believe that it was returned to the Malucci Estate earlier."
"Efficient aren't we?" Elizabeth mocked.
"Yes."
"So regarding my taking a shower, has the good Mr. Morgan handled those provisions as well?" Elizabeth quipped.
"Actually, I think he did have a change of clothes sent up from you from one of the shops in the lobby," Johnny smiled, knowing certainly that his statement added fuel to her already bright fire.
"Oh did he?"
"Yes, if they don't meet with your approval, I am sure that we could have something else delivered," Johnny said in his most accommodating tone.
"AAHHH!" Elizabeth groaned leaving the room. Johnny heard the hard slam of the door as Elizabeth left him.
Elizabeth emerged from the master bedroom an hour later to find the man who had replaced Jason the night before sitting exactly where she had left him. He looked up at her then down as his watch then headed for the elevator.
"After you, Mrs. Malucci," Johnny said as the shiny doors slid open.
Elizabeth was again forced to look at her reflection in the mirrored surface. She saw herself in the skirt and blouse that Jason had sent up for her, amazed that both fit her perfectly. That thought had crazy ideas spinning around in her mind again. Thoughts that would have been better if they had come in another time and place.
Johnny wound the car through the busy Chicago streets while Elizabeth looked at the people aimlessly going about their business, in the hope of getting lost in her surroundings. But that never happened. Her mind was fixated on the disappointment that continued to eat away at her when she realized that Jason was gone without so much as a goodbye. Why it had affected her so deeply, she didn't know. That emotion hadn't been part of her grand scheme, indulging some little girl fantasy – she didn't have time for that. Besides no matter how differently Anthony and Jason may have been dressed, they were cut from the same cloth. And for Elizabeth that spelled disaster all the way around.
Elizabeth looked over her shoulder, as the car she had just vacated grew smaller in the distance before entering the Malucci mansion.
"Good morning, Mrs. Malucci," Helena said as Elizabeth stepped into the foyer. "Your father is on the terrace. He wishes to speak with you."
"Elizabeth, I think we should talk first." She turned to see her father in law.
"If you would like. Tell my father I will be with him momentarily," she said turning back to Helena.
"I trust you were comfortable last night?" Rocco Malucci began as they were left alone in his study.
"Where's Anthony?" she questioned still a little more than apprehensive.
"Attending to some business."
"The business of planning my unfortunate accident?" Elizabeth returned stoic.
"Not if he knows what's good for him."
"Excuse me?" Elizabeth did little to hide her stunned expression.
"My dear," Rocco said softly. "I am well aware that this is less than a stellar marriage. As I am aware that my son has a taste for one too many goomahs. For that I am truly sorry."
"You're sorry?"
"I won't say that I haven't had my share as well. Maybe I wasn't the best influence, but Anthony has made his exploits an art form all his own. I am sorry that you are the one paying the price."
"I don't think I understand." This wasn't at all what she had expected.
"All you need to know is that Anthony will never humiliate you the way he did last night. I have seen to that. And you also will not have to worry about his retaliation for your showing up at the Morgan estate."
"Why – why are you doing this?"
"I know that you were conned into this marriage by my son. Sad to say he conned me as well. I just want you to know that all of the Malucci men aren't as callous, cold and calculating as my son."
Without warning Elizabeth got up from her seat and kissed Rocco on his cheek feeling for the first time that she had an ally inside these walls.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason retrieved his car keys from Ronald and made his way to where he knew his Porsche would be. He slid into the leather driver's seat and let out a heavy sigh that was a mixture of relief and frustration. The previous night's hours ticked past at a snail's pace, leaving Jason with nothing more to do than watch them and think about Elizabeth lying in the adjacent room. Finally when he could no longer stand the tension that tortured him, Jason summonsed Johnny to relieve him, something he should have done from the very start.
So why was it that suddenly being rid of his temptation didn't vanquish her image from his mind's eye? Jason let out another heavy sigh running his hands over his face wondering exactly why a woman married to his rival had such a hold on him without barely doing a thing more than putting Anthony Malucci in his place.
Jason felt the grin cross his face as he again saw Anthony fall headlong into his pool. The laughter that hadn't been able to escape him at the time it had happened now sprang forth with vengeance, until Jason felt the tears drip from his lashes. Even through his enjoyment of the memory, Jason couldn't help but question if Rocco could really control his son as he had alluded to. From what Jason had seen of Anthony Malucci, he was anything but controllable. He resisted the strong urge to turn his car around and take Elizabeth to the Malucci Estate himself. Looking in the rearview mirror, he could still see The Drake Hotel looming in the distance. Each block carried him further away from Elizabeth. Whether he liked it or not, that was the way it had to be.
"Jason?" Joseph's voice startled him.
"Morning."
"What's this all about?" Joseph's voice was just on the edge of being accusatory when he saw his son saunter through the front door in the same suite he had been wearing the night before.
"I was keeping the peace."
"Excuse me?" Joseph was more than a bit baffled by the remark.
"I explained to Emily and Zander last night that I needed to take care of some family business...."
"What family business? And why am I the last one to know?"
"I was cleaning up one of Malucci's messes again."
"WHAT?!?!"
"It's not what you are thinking."
"Then do explain!" Joseph walked into his study motioning for Jason to follow.
"Well after the little scene last night between Anthony, his wife and I guess what you would have to call his latest fling, Rocco decided that it would be better for all those concerned if his daughter in law were to stay away from the house for the evening."
"And exactly how do you fit into the picture?" Joseph raised his brow questioningly.
"Rocco asked that I look after her. So I acted in a way that I thought you would want me to."
"And exactly how was that?"
"I kept the peace," Jason repeated.
"Somehow I don't believe Anthony will be seeing it in that manner."
"Okay, let me get this straight," Jason said frustrated. "Last night you were all for Rocco handling his own problems. Yet when he does and enlists my assistance, I am the one in the wrong? I thought you would be thankful for my stopping Anthony before things got even more out of hand?"
"That's not the point."
"Then what is the point?" Jason questioned.
"It is that Anthony is going to see what you did, whether it was his father's request or not, as a move against his family."
"Run that by me again?" Jason dropped his head and narrowed his eyes as he stared quizzically at his father.
"You know exactly what I am saying."
"Not actually. I don't think that I do," Jason countered. "If you are even remotely implying that I had anything but the most honorable intentions tonight." Jason thought that even to his own ears he sounded a bit too overzealous.
"Jason," Joseph's voice softened. "I know you would never do such a thing, but that's not the issue here. The issue is what Anthony believes......"
"I don't care what he believes," Jason cut his father short. "Out of respect for you, I did as Rocco asked. Nothing more – nothing less.
"But you know it's far from that simple."
"If you only knew," Jason thought to himself.
"Jason, I just don't want to fan the flames between our families, especially not with Rocco's health the way it is. It's bad for business."
"No – Anthony and his hot head are what's bad for business."
"That goes without saying," Joseph concurred. "But whether you like it or not Anthony does wield some influence over a few members in the other families, and god forbid if he can somehow rally his forces. Are you prepared for the wrath?"
"Could you please explain exactly what it is I am missing here?" Jason sighed pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "I only did what I thought you would have wanted me to. I complied with Rocco's request to keep his daughter in law safe, which I might add I was in no way bound to do. And you are telling me that I could be starting a war!?"
"Jason," Joseph rested his hand easily on his son's shoulder. "I am proud of you for your actions, especially given the way that I know you feel about Anthony, but this would have been far less complicated if you had just handed if off to me."
"Why?" Jason was still confused. "I thought you trusted my judgment."
"I do, it's not your judgment that's in question."
Jason closed the door to his room in an effort to shut out his father's rather pointed words, yet that hadn't been the case. As much as he hated to admit it, Jason knew that Joseph was right. He knew that Anthony would take any little mark he could against the Morgan Family and do his best to turn it into ammunition of war. It didn't matter that Anthony was a cad when it came to his wife. It didn't make any difference that his lust for power made him haphazard in his business dealings. The only thing that did matter was what web he could spin to bring down Jason's family.
Jason stretched his weary body across his bed in the hopes that sleep would engulf him rather than the images of Elizabeth's face. But with each close of his eyes Jason saw her. He saw her smile, the slender curves of her body, he could even hear her voice still. Suddenly everything about her consumed him.
His father had assured him that he trusted Jason's judgment, so why was it that Jason all of the sudden didn't trust himself? Was it just the fact that he despised the way he saw Anthony treating his wife? Was it that he loved the spitfire he saw take on her bastard of a husband or was it more than that? That was a question Jason pondered as he made his way to the shower.
Slipping the silken robe over her shoulders she made her way to the windows once again. Even at this early hour the lake was abuzz with activity. Mindlessly she watched jet skis, sailboats and speedboats pulling the occasional skier parade across the lake. If her life could have just been that simple she wished.
The rustling from the other side of the closed door caught her attention. Jason – she thought to herself, as a smile she had no control over claimed the features of her face. Without hesitation, Elizabeth reached for the doorknob of the only thing separating them, thinking that for just a little while longer she would indulge herself in the fantasy her mind had created the previous night.
"Jason," she called, as she walked deeper into the living room. "Jason?" Elizabeth's voice was more questioning the second time she spoke his name. An eerie sensation filled her as wild thoughts danced in her head. Was it possible that Jason and Anthony had been in on this together? Could all of Jason's noble talk about how women were to be protected just have been a ruse, a set up for Anthony to handle her privately? Her anxious voice called again, "JASON!"
"Mrs. Malucci?" The man who had ushered her from the patio last night appeared before her.
"Where is Jason?" Elizabeth asked.
"Mr. Morgan had business this morning. He asked that I escort you home."
"Oh," Elizabeth attempted to hide her disappointment.
"I was told the kitchen is at your disposal. Would you like something special for breakfast?"
"No."
"Should you change your mind, just ring for room service. Mr. Morgan left instructions that you were his special guest and were to be treated as such."
"Thank you – I think," Elizabeth said under her breath.
"Coffee?" Johnny asked raising the silver pot in the air.
"No thank you."
Elizabeth crossed the room to the windows that looked out on the Magnificent Mile. The shops below showed signs of the start of what surely would be a busy day filled with tourists flooding through their doors. The words of her being considered Jason's special guest repeated in her mind. If this had been a different time or if she had been a different person, those words would have meant something to her, but that couldn't be. She had seen too much of the world Anthony, as well as Jason, lived in to think that they meant the same to them as they could have to her.
"Are you sure I can't offer you some breakfast?" Johnny asked.
"No, thank you," Elizabeth countered as she reached for the pot and poured herself a cup of coffee finally. "Exactly when will I be allowed to go home?"
"Mr. Morgan said that Capo Malucci isn't expecting you until just before noon."
Elizabeth felt her blood boil as she listened to her life being planned as if she wasn't even a part of it but rather a mere spectator. "And my car?"
"I believe that it was returned to the Malucci Estate earlier."
"Efficient aren't we?" Elizabeth mocked.
"Yes."
"So regarding my taking a shower, has the good Mr. Morgan handled those provisions as well?" Elizabeth quipped.
"Actually, I think he did have a change of clothes sent up from you from one of the shops in the lobby," Johnny smiled, knowing certainly that his statement added fuel to her already bright fire.
"Oh did he?"
"Yes, if they don't meet with your approval, I am sure that we could have something else delivered," Johnny said in his most accommodating tone.
"AAHHH!" Elizabeth groaned leaving the room. Johnny heard the hard slam of the door as Elizabeth left him.
Elizabeth emerged from the master bedroom an hour later to find the man who had replaced Jason the night before sitting exactly where she had left him. He looked up at her then down as his watch then headed for the elevator.
"After you, Mrs. Malucci," Johnny said as the shiny doors slid open.
Elizabeth was again forced to look at her reflection in the mirrored surface. She saw herself in the skirt and blouse that Jason had sent up for her, amazed that both fit her perfectly. That thought had crazy ideas spinning around in her mind again. Thoughts that would have been better if they had come in another time and place.
Johnny wound the car through the busy Chicago streets while Elizabeth looked at the people aimlessly going about their business, in the hope of getting lost in her surroundings. But that never happened. Her mind was fixated on the disappointment that continued to eat away at her when she realized that Jason was gone without so much as a goodbye. Why it had affected her so deeply, she didn't know. That emotion hadn't been part of her grand scheme, indulging some little girl fantasy – she didn't have time for that. Besides no matter how differently Anthony and Jason may have been dressed, they were cut from the same cloth. And for Elizabeth that spelled disaster all the way around.
Elizabeth looked over her shoulder, as the car she had just vacated grew smaller in the distance before entering the Malucci mansion.
"Good morning, Mrs. Malucci," Helena said as Elizabeth stepped into the foyer. "Your father is on the terrace. He wishes to speak with you."
"Elizabeth, I think we should talk first." She turned to see her father in law.
"If you would like. Tell my father I will be with him momentarily," she said turning back to Helena.
"I trust you were comfortable last night?" Rocco Malucci began as they were left alone in his study.
"Where's Anthony?" she questioned still a little more than apprehensive.
"Attending to some business."
"The business of planning my unfortunate accident?" Elizabeth returned stoic.
"Not if he knows what's good for him."
"Excuse me?" Elizabeth did little to hide her stunned expression.
"My dear," Rocco said softly. "I am well aware that this is less than a stellar marriage. As I am aware that my son has a taste for one too many goomahs. For that I am truly sorry."
"You're sorry?"
"I won't say that I haven't had my share as well. Maybe I wasn't the best influence, but Anthony has made his exploits an art form all his own. I am sorry that you are the one paying the price."
"I don't think I understand." This wasn't at all what she had expected.
"All you need to know is that Anthony will never humiliate you the way he did last night. I have seen to that. And you also will not have to worry about his retaliation for your showing up at the Morgan estate."
"Why – why are you doing this?"
"I know that you were conned into this marriage by my son. Sad to say he conned me as well. I just want you to know that all of the Malucci men aren't as callous, cold and calculating as my son."
Without warning Elizabeth got up from her seat and kissed Rocco on his cheek feeling for the first time that she had an ally inside these walls.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jason retrieved his car keys from Ronald and made his way to where he knew his Porsche would be. He slid into the leather driver's seat and let out a heavy sigh that was a mixture of relief and frustration. The previous night's hours ticked past at a snail's pace, leaving Jason with nothing more to do than watch them and think about Elizabeth lying in the adjacent room. Finally when he could no longer stand the tension that tortured him, Jason summonsed Johnny to relieve him, something he should have done from the very start.
So why was it that suddenly being rid of his temptation didn't vanquish her image from his mind's eye? Jason let out another heavy sigh running his hands over his face wondering exactly why a woman married to his rival had such a hold on him without barely doing a thing more than putting Anthony Malucci in his place.
Jason felt the grin cross his face as he again saw Anthony fall headlong into his pool. The laughter that hadn't been able to escape him at the time it had happened now sprang forth with vengeance, until Jason felt the tears drip from his lashes. Even through his enjoyment of the memory, Jason couldn't help but question if Rocco could really control his son as he had alluded to. From what Jason had seen of Anthony Malucci, he was anything but controllable. He resisted the strong urge to turn his car around and take Elizabeth to the Malucci Estate himself. Looking in the rearview mirror, he could still see The Drake Hotel looming in the distance. Each block carried him further away from Elizabeth. Whether he liked it or not, that was the way it had to be.
"Jason?" Joseph's voice startled him.
"Morning."
"What's this all about?" Joseph's voice was just on the edge of being accusatory when he saw his son saunter through the front door in the same suite he had been wearing the night before.
"I was keeping the peace."
"Excuse me?" Joseph was more than a bit baffled by the remark.
"I explained to Emily and Zander last night that I needed to take care of some family business...."
"What family business? And why am I the last one to know?"
"I was cleaning up one of Malucci's messes again."
"WHAT?!?!"
"It's not what you are thinking."
"Then do explain!" Joseph walked into his study motioning for Jason to follow.
"Well after the little scene last night between Anthony, his wife and I guess what you would have to call his latest fling, Rocco decided that it would be better for all those concerned if his daughter in law were to stay away from the house for the evening."
"And exactly how do you fit into the picture?" Joseph raised his brow questioningly.
"Rocco asked that I look after her. So I acted in a way that I thought you would want me to."
"And exactly how was that?"
"I kept the peace," Jason repeated.
"Somehow I don't believe Anthony will be seeing it in that manner."
"Okay, let me get this straight," Jason said frustrated. "Last night you were all for Rocco handling his own problems. Yet when he does and enlists my assistance, I am the one in the wrong? I thought you would be thankful for my stopping Anthony before things got even more out of hand?"
"That's not the point."
"Then what is the point?" Jason questioned.
"It is that Anthony is going to see what you did, whether it was his father's request or not, as a move against his family."
"Run that by me again?" Jason dropped his head and narrowed his eyes as he stared quizzically at his father.
"You know exactly what I am saying."
"Not actually. I don't think that I do," Jason countered. "If you are even remotely implying that I had anything but the most honorable intentions tonight." Jason thought that even to his own ears he sounded a bit too overzealous.
"Jason," Joseph's voice softened. "I know you would never do such a thing, but that's not the issue here. The issue is what Anthony believes......"
"I don't care what he believes," Jason cut his father short. "Out of respect for you, I did as Rocco asked. Nothing more – nothing less.
"But you know it's far from that simple."
"If you only knew," Jason thought to himself.
"Jason, I just don't want to fan the flames between our families, especially not with Rocco's health the way it is. It's bad for business."
"No – Anthony and his hot head are what's bad for business."
"That goes without saying," Joseph concurred. "But whether you like it or not Anthony does wield some influence over a few members in the other families, and god forbid if he can somehow rally his forces. Are you prepared for the wrath?"
"Could you please explain exactly what it is I am missing here?" Jason sighed pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "I only did what I thought you would have wanted me to. I complied with Rocco's request to keep his daughter in law safe, which I might add I was in no way bound to do. And you are telling me that I could be starting a war!?"
"Jason," Joseph rested his hand easily on his son's shoulder. "I am proud of you for your actions, especially given the way that I know you feel about Anthony, but this would have been far less complicated if you had just handed if off to me."
"Why?" Jason was still confused. "I thought you trusted my judgment."
"I do, it's not your judgment that's in question."
Jason closed the door to his room in an effort to shut out his father's rather pointed words, yet that hadn't been the case. As much as he hated to admit it, Jason knew that Joseph was right. He knew that Anthony would take any little mark he could against the Morgan Family and do his best to turn it into ammunition of war. It didn't matter that Anthony was a cad when it came to his wife. It didn't make any difference that his lust for power made him haphazard in his business dealings. The only thing that did matter was what web he could spin to bring down Jason's family.
Jason stretched his weary body across his bed in the hopes that sleep would engulf him rather than the images of Elizabeth's face. But with each close of his eyes Jason saw her. He saw her smile, the slender curves of her body, he could even hear her voice still. Suddenly everything about her consumed him.
His father had assured him that he trusted Jason's judgment, so why was it that Jason all of the sudden didn't trust himself? Was it just the fact that he despised the way he saw Anthony treating his wife? Was it that he loved the spitfire he saw take on her bastard of a husband or was it more than that? That was a question Jason pondered as he made his way to the shower.