Babble: I know it has been forever, and ever, since I've updated this story. And all I can say is I'm sorry. But my muse is off of life support so I should be able to update more frequently from now on. I'm not saying every week but hopefully every couple of weeks.
Gratitude: I just want to thank you all so very much for the replies I've received. I checked them out when I went to post this chapter and was amazed that people were still reading even during this long layover. So thanks you have no idea how much that means to me.
Disclaimer: I can claim ownership of Jason Morgan. Hey in my delusions he's mine.
Suck up: You're so great about telling me what you think how about letting me know now? Let me hear it even if it is just to merely yell at me for taking so long to update. Cough Like I haven't already heard it Cough
Stephanie
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What If…
Chapter 30
~Vista Point~
Whenever Rory drove anything, whether it was a bike, a car, or even a tank, which she had done once, her mood determined how fast and where she would go. People didn't feel unsafe when she was behind the wheel, although the oh shit handle had been used more than once. But she was always in control behind the wheel of car, even at her most distracted. And distracted was a word that described her to a T at the moment.
Since leaving the police station she'd driven aimlessly, no particular destination or route in mind. Her mind was too busy dreading the upcoming conversation and the things she'd knew she'd have to tell Jason and the stuff she really wanted to keep secret, to pay much attention to where she was going.
Jason as usual, hadn't said a word. She knew he wouldn't unless she made the first move or it look like she was going to wreck. He was content to wait for her to begin. Man she hated that about him. She knew he was angry with her for showing up at the police station. Angry at her for lying to the cops and the DA about him being in bed with her all night. Oh he was angry all right, she could tell that by the way he was sitting, not fully relaxed just an occasional sigh that would slip out. But he would still wait for her to start.
Swallowing the disappointment over the fact she couldn't just keep driving until California, she braked and pulled into an outlook by the cheerful name of Vista Point. Absently wondering if there were a Vista Drive-in nearby, she'd kill for a double Dutch chocolate shake at the moment, she turned the Durango off. Soon the only sound that was heard was the ticking sound of the gradually cooling engine. Jason shifted once, then again, but still he waited.
Cursing her lack of patience and his seemingly infinite supply of it Rory began. "Why don't you let the anger out, so we can get that out of the way first."
"You shouldn't have done that," Jason said sharply.
"You would have rather spent the rest of the day in jail while Kojak fabricated some more evidence against you?" Rory asked pointedly.
"No," he admitted reluctantly, but before she could smile he went on. "That's why I have Alexis as my attorney. She's used to the crap that Taggert and Mac throw at me. She would have gotten me out of there in an hour. That's why I had Francis call her. That's why I was quiet. I was waiting for her to show up and do her job."
Refusing to feel guilty Rory retorted right back. "And I got you out in 5 minutes so what's the big deal?"
"The big deal," he snapped, then took a breath trying to calm down. "The big deal is you lied. What if Taggert or Dara had called your bluff and made you take a lie detector test? What would you have done then?"
"They can't prove I lied. You and I were the only ones in the penthouse last night. No one but us knows you didn't bother to come to bed last night." Rory reminded him. "So unless you suddenly get an attack of conscience I think we're okay."
"I didn't think you wanted to see me," Jason explained. "But that doesn't change the fact you shouldn't have lied."
"A, Alexis would have never let me take a lie detector test. B, if I were forced to take one, by the time they got it setup Sonny would have produced someone to counter the witness that Taggert supposedly had. C, you don't know whether I wanted to see you or not because you stayed downstairs, hiding, instead of coming upstairs and talking to me. And D, what makes you think I couldn't have passed the lie detector test?"
"Because you were lying," Jason shot back. "And I wasn't hiding. You're the one who issued the ultimatum."
Perplexed she shook her head. "My ultimatum?"
"You said I had to decide what kind of relationship I wanted to have with you, one of partnership or one with me making all the rules. To me that was an ultimatum."
"So that's why you didn't come to bed last night?" Rory asked in shock.
"I didn't know if you would want to see me," he answered wearily. "I know I hurt you yesterday, first with Francis, then moving, but most of all by not talking to you. I knew you were hurt, but I thought you would be angry too. So I was bracing myself for a fight but then you showed up, and it was different. You were different," he ran a hand over his face. "I didn't know how to react to the coldness, you're not like that normally. So I stayed downstairs."
Surprised Rory focused on him. "God have we really gotten this bad?"
"What do you mean?"
"When did we become these people who don't trust each other? Who don't talk to each other?" Rory demanded. "I can't believe our relationship has deteriorated so far so fast."
"You tell me." Jason's eyes searched her face, and sighed when she bit her lip and turned away to study the horizon. Taking her unwillingness to answer as a sign he went back to the other subject. "You just shouldn't have lied."
"Did I lie?" Rory whispered focusing on him again. "I mean did I? Taggert thinks you went out last night and cold-bloodedly murdered three of your own men. Are you capable of murder? Yes," she saw his eyes grow cold but continued on. "But would you kill three of your own people like that for no reason? No. So technically you're right I guess I lied. But at the same time I was telling the truth, because although you could have killed those men, you wouldn't, not that way."
"I don't know what to say to that." Jason said finally.
"Let it go Jason, it's over with. Kojak will have to try actual police work to solve these murders, and think up another way to frame you," shifting her focus back to the window she waited.
Jason thought about trying again, but he knew there was no way he could win. "I don't like what you did and I don't want you to ever do it again. I don't want you to get in trouble because you want to help me. So no more lying to the cops."
Rory didn't respond just kept her eyes on the view.
Wanting the promise from her very badly, but knowing it was one he would never get, he reluctantly let it drop. "Did you want to talk about last night?"
In spite of herself her free hand tightened on the steering wheel. "Since you already believe I gave you an ultimatum last night, I suppose I have too," she concentrated on forcing her hand to relax. "You walked into some of my baggage last night, baggage created by the thing known as Philip, baggage I didn't even know was there."
"Philip?" Jason repeated and waited for her to go on. It was a name he hadn't heard from her before. But it was obvious from the way she'd all but growled his name that she didn't like him. If her feelings went that deep he wondered why he hadn't heard of him before now. Rory didn't usually keep her opinions about people to herself.
"Can I just go on record here and say how much I really don't want to talk about this?" Rory stalled and at the same time spoke the truth.
Shrugging he tried to let his curiosity go. "Then don't."
God she wanted to take him up on his offer, she really did. She wasn't a coward, and would argue with anyone who called her one. But she didn't think it was acting cowardly to not want to tell the person she cared for the most, what a complete ass she'd made of herself over someone else. Talk about ripping open a wound. But the mere fact that there was a wound to open, even after all this time, made her realize that she had to talk about Philip.
Yet she couldn't stop the groan of disgust, directed mainly at herself from escaping, nor could she sit still while baring her soul. Without saying a word Rory opened the door and awkwardly climbed out of the Durango. The wind was brisk, blowing the new leaves of spring off the trees, but she paid little attention to them. Pacing away from the vehicle, knowing Jason was already out of it and following her, she began walking on a planked path that cut through the woods, no doubt leading to the much-heralded Vista Point. She was still hoping for a drive thru but only a view met her eyes when she came to the opening in the path.
Moving down until she reached a railing that stopped above some steps, she turned around to face him instead of continuing down. Jason stopped about 3 feet away from her but it might as well have been 30 feet. The distance between them felt that huge. The wind tore at her hair, pulling it free of the ponytail, and whipping around her face. The bruise on her cheek looked hideous, the colors were a mix of purple, red, blue, and black, the colors of healing, yet hideous nonetheless.
Not quite knowing where to begin she chose her words carefully. "I know I came down on you pretty hard last night."
"You were upset. You had a right to be."
"You're right I did then and do now have a right to be mad. You kept me out of the loop about things that directly affected my life and I don't like that. I still don't. Only…" trailing off she began to gnaw at her lip.
"I'm sorry." Wanting to close the distance between them but not knowing if she would like that, he tucked his hands in his pockets and waited.
"I know you are and I know that should be enough for me. But you happened to trample on something I'm really touchy about. That's one of the reasons I reacted like that, or rather, I should say, he's the reason I went off on you like that." Groaning she turned around to study the view. "I can't believe he has power over me. I thought the only one who had any power over me was yo…" she deliberately stopped herself from finishing her thought.
"So who is Philip?" Jason asked with a casualness he didn't feel at the moment.
"The biggest mistake I've ever made in my life, otherwise known as my ex-boyfriend," Rory admitted reluctantly.
~Kelly's~
"You want my help with Nikolas?" Lucky asked in disbelief. It had been quite some time since anyone had asked for his help.
"Yes. You created this mess so it's only right that you fix it," Gia huffed.
"Wait," he snapped holding off her tirade. "Back up and tell me what mess I created."
"I'm being sent to Europe on a publicity tour for Deception. One of those 15 cities in 20 days type of things," her eyes lit as she considered all the possibilities and a dreamy expression took over her features, softening them. "It's going to be fabulous we have shoots lined up at Villa's even the palace."
"Still not hearing the mess I made," Lucky prompted her before she went to far overboard.
"The trip would be fantastic if Nikolas would go with me." Crossing her arms over her chest she arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow in his direction pinning him to the floor. "But Nikolas refuses to go. He says he can't leave you."
Lucky choked on his root beer. "Me? Why not?"
"Oh I don't know," Gia began nastily. "Maybe it's because of your habit of drinking yourself into oblivion every night. Or this new habit of picking fights. Or maybe, could it possibly be, your sudden habit of seeing your dead fiancée everywhere including in a woman who has a mobster for a boyfriend?" Infuriated at him for messing up her plans with Nikolas Gia didn't even try to be tactful.
Lucky shifted guiltily at her words. He had let himself get turned into a drunk. He hadn't had a drink in two days now, hadn't been drunk in four days, but Nikolas neither knew that nor would he believe it. Nikolas had been picking up after him ever since Elizabeth had vanished. He knew he owed his brother and Gia a large debt of gratitude for that.
But there were also some things that he wasn't going to apologize for. Namely, convincing Rory that she was in fact Elizabeth. He didn't care whom he had to fight to get that done. He wasn't going to stop until he brought her home to him. The need to do that was the only thing that had made his heart whole in two years.
"Lucky," Gia wailed getting his attention. "Snap out of it Zoner boy. I need you to focus here."
Glaring at her Lucky moved past her and rested a hand on his laptop. "I know I've been out of control lately, but that's all changed now. Nikolas doesn't need to worry I know exactly what I'm doing."
Snorting Gia flounced over to the bed and perched on it. "So you wanted to get shoved into the river and almost drown the other day?"
"What do you want from me Gia?" Lucky asked coldly.
Hearing the chill in his voice, she felt a flash of guilt. "I know life's been hard for you, and I'm sorry, I really am. I just don't want Nikolas to put our life on hold any longer because he's worried about you."
When she let her guard down, Lucky could see what had attracted his brother to her in the first place. She was more than just a pretty face and obnoxious voice. "I don't want that either."
"He's pulling away from me," she admitted softly. "A little more each day. He hasn't touched me in weeks. And it's been longer than that since he's shared anything with me. I'm losing him."
"I don't believe that. Nikolas loves you." Lucky tried his best to reassure her, even though he didn't have a clue what was going on in his half-brother's mind.
"I don't think he does, not anymore, maybe he never did." She whispered her biggest fear. Feeling the sting of tears against the back of her eyes, her back firmed and she banished them. "That's why this trip is so important. We need some time, just the two of us, to get back on track."
"Just the two of you? In the middle of a publicity tour?" He couldn't help but point out the obvious.
Shooting him a cold look she rose regally from the bed. "The two of us meaning no phone calls from Jake at 2 in the morning telling us to come pick up the drunken brother who's passed out on the bathroom floor again." Seeing Lucky flinch caused her to smile slightly. "No endless phone calls from Princess Emily because of another fight with her psychotic kidnapper boyfriend. No tense scenes with his family because Helena chooses to confront him with her whole 'my prince' mumbo jumbo. Or Stefan's lectures about the women he chooses to consort with. No histrionics from Laura because you refused to speak with her yet again. No…."
"Okay, okay I get the picture," Lucky cutoff her tirade. At this point he knew the only way he was going to get rid of her was by helping her. "What do you want me to do?"
"Simple don't act like an idiot, at least don't until we're out of town. That means no drinking, no stalking Rory calling her Elizabeth, and for Christ sakes don't tell anyone you think she's your dead fiancée."
"Careful Gia," Lucky warned her briefly. "I'll help you but I won't listen to you dismiss Elizabeth."
Chastened she backed off a step. "Sorry," and she was. "I'm not saying you have to mean what you say. But couldn't you pretend that you believe Rory is Rory? At least long enough to convince Nikolas that you are safe to be left alone?"
Moving his hand back to his laptop and the research that was compiling there he considered her request. Nikolas was convinced Rory wasn't Elizabeth. That could interfere with his plans. Besides Nikolas did deserve to be happy.
"Lucky?"
"I'll talk to him," Lucky agreed finally.
~Vista Point~
"Things started innocently enough. Maybe that was the problem right there, he was normal, at least he seemed to be. And I hadn't been around normal before." Rory began abruptly. "I was drawn to that the whole fascination with the unknown I suppose. Your history is limited because you woke up a full-grown man just a few years ago. My history is limited as well. Growing up with Uncle Gabe, always moving on the fringe of mainstream society, just looking for the next BBD," seeing his look she clarified. "Bigger and better deal. Normal was unique to me. With the exception of Gabe, Harry and a few others most of the people I was around were in the life. They were Grifters. It's impossible to ever let your guard down with them."
Smiling wryly she realized that a part of her missed that life. Jason caught her attention when he settled next to her against the rail. She may miss the game at times, but she didn't regret leaving it to travel with Jason.
"I met Philip right after Harry left town on that study abroad thing. Which I still say was just an excuse to study the female population of those countries." Leaving the love life of her best friend for another time, Rory moved back to her story.
"We met at a carwash, how more American could you get? We struck up a conversation and he asked me out. He was nice, good-looking, had a job, a car, and didn't live at home. I mean what more could you ask for? He was also different than any guy I'd dated before. He came from suburbia," she couldn't stop the shudder at that pronouncement. "He had the family, the dog, the picket fence, the curfews growing up, all of the things that were alien to me. Maybe I wanted different. Maybe I was feeling alone because Harry had left. Maybe I just turned into an idiot. I don't know the reason for sure, but we started dating."
Jason wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do. It was strange hearing the woman he was in love with talk about her relationship with another man. It was strange and it shouldn't have been, he'd been in this position before. Robin had discussed her relationship with Stone dozens of times, and he'd had no problem listening to her. But somehow this was different. Rory wasn't Robin. Rory wasn't remembering her first love fondly, she was remembering the pain he had caused her. The more cutting her remarks became the more he realized how hurt she'd been.
"Things were good for awhile, at least from my prospective. There were little bumps in the road, but being new to the whole relationship thing I just thought that was normal. I believed him when he said all relationships have give and take," she gave a mocking smile. "I just didn't realize all the giving was going to be on my side."
"He liked the color green on me so I wore green. Some of my friends were a bit loud and wild, so I didn't see them as much, and never with him. Sometimes my outfit wasn't appropriate so I had to change." Determined that if she had to tell the story she would be honest she refused to sugarcoat her stupidity. "All of these choices were my decisions. Philip never told me what to do, he merely suggested things. He suggested things and at the same time reminded me that this was how relationships in the real world worked. That behavior that had flown on the circuit, didn't fly in normal land."
He was beginning to like this Philip less and less.
"Gradually, subtly, I changed. I wasn't aware I was doing it. The few friends I still saw were, yet I ignored the warnings. I ignored them because Philip was right what did I know about relationships? Much less relationships in the real world? Harry would have righted me, but Harry was out of town. And Gabe, hell Gabe was Gabe, on the lookout for the BBD."
"Did he ever…" Jason hesitated not sure he wanted to know the answer.
"Hit me?" For the first time since she'd begun her story she looked him in the eyes. "I wish he had. If he had hit me, I would have kicked his ass back to suburbia so fast. But he was too clever for that, he knew how to manipulate me, how to play on my fears."
"The girl who could spot a mark at 50 paces, and smell a con at 5 paces. The girl who could break into any place she wanted, into any safe she wanted. The girl who had been raised as close to the streets as you could get without actually living there. The girl who had always looked over her shoulder, so no one could ever snake her." Laughter rang out and it was bitter, cold. "That Girl was played by a 21 year-old prep-monster from suburbia."
"Don't put yourself down." He ordered sharply taking her hand. He couldn't help it, he had to touch her, he needed to touch her.
"I'm only telling the truth."
"You told me the other day that you wouldn't let anyone insult me when you were around. I feel the same about you. I won't let anyone put you down, not even you. You were 18, you didn't know everything, you made a mistake, it happens."
Grumbling under her breath she turned her hand to lace their fingers. "Long story short I didn't see what he was doing for far too long. I was becoming almost Stepford like." It was an exaggeration but since she knew he wouldn't know what she was referring too, it was a safe one.
"What woke you up?"
"My hair," catching his surprised look she grinned. "He started to make suggestions about me cutting my hair."
Jason eyed the dark hair that fell well over her shoulder. He always liked her hair long, his hand could get lost in the softness. And he liked the sight of it streaming over his pillow.
"He thought I needed a new hairstyle. A more mature look." The roll of her eyes told him what she thought of that suggestion. "My moment of clarity came when he suggested that I start wearing my hair up until I came to my senses and cut it," shaking her head forcefully she sent the ponytail into motion. "Anyway that moment of clarity opened my eyes to lots of other things about Philip. Including the fact he was playing around with half the town behind my back."
Knowing her temper and catching the martial glint in her eye he had to ask. "What did you do to him?"
Somehow she felt the glib remark she'd made to Emily about her vengeance wasn't appropriate at the moment, so she decided to find another way to express herself. "Dropped him, then arranged for him to be caught with one of his conquests by her father, and the police. She was underage, out of the country illegally, she also had pigtails," she finished with a frown.
"How long ago was this?"
"I only dated him for about 3 months, and ended things about a month before I met you."
Jason nodded a few things she'd said and done when they'd first met were beginning to make sense now.
"What I said last night about life with Uncle Gabe was true. I didn't have any control over things, over my life, until I took it from him, forcefully, when I was 15." Pulling her hand free she moved a step away and began to fiddle with her sling. "So if you combine that history with the fact that my first real relationship, the first time I gave up control again I was with Philip," she shrugged wincing slightly at the pain that shot through her shoulder.
"Does it hurt very bad?"
"Not as bad as this," Rory muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"It's fine," avoiding his eyes she went on. "I didn't think I was scarred by Philip. I thought who he was and what he did was in the past. But when you started making my decisions for me, taking away my control."
"It came back to you. Along with all the hurt that Philip had caused you." Jason finished for her.
"Yeah," she admitted softly. "You got caught up in the wreckage that Philip left behind. And I guess you took that to mean I was giving you an ultimatum. Sorry."
"No I'm sorry." Jason moved closer until he could touch her face and traced the vivid bruise that marred her otherwise perfect skin. "I should have talked to you before I did anything."
"Yes you should have." Rory agreed leaning into his hand. "I haven't forgotten what you did, I'm not excusing it either."
"I never thought you were," he inched closer until his other hand rested on her hip before shifting, coming to rest at the small of her back.
Rory watched him in amusement. Telling the truth about Philip had been hard, but a weight seemed to vanish from her mind. She had a feeling that Philip's hold over her was gone.
Once he'd begun touching her he was unwilling to stop. When she leaned against him, letting her guard down, a knot of tension in his stomach began to release. They still had a lot to discuss but it looked like the worst may have passed.
"So you must think we've kissed and made up." Rory commented dryly when his hand began moving in circles on her back.
"I don't remember a kiss," Jason informed her, his eyes alight with amusement and more.
"Yeah well sometimes icebergs move faster than you Jason."
Recognizing the challenging glint in her blue eyes, Jason didn't even bother to reply, he just moved. Bending slightly he brought his mouth down to her soft lips. The movement caught her off-guard and her mouth parted in surprise. He wasted no time in taking advantage of that. His tongue slid past her lips to deepen the kiss. One kiss quickly turned to another and another. His hand shifted on her head, working it's way into her hair, releasing it from the ponytail. It had only been a day since he'd kissed her. Yet it felt forever since he'd tasted her. Tasting the hint of chocolate on her lips his smile grew against her lips.
"What's so funny Morgan?" Rory demanded.
"I see you found your candy stash," he answered with a smirk.
Rory refused to be embarrassed. There was nothing funny about chocolate cravings. "Yeah. And whose bright idea was it to put it on the top shelf of the closet?" Her poke in the chest told him of her displeasure of that. "The peanut butter cups are mine Morgan. There's no place that you can hide them that I won't find them."
"I didn't put them on the shelf," Jason caught her hand and moved it behind her back. Aware of her sling he brought her to rest against his chest gently. "I didn't unpack our stuff I don't know who did." Catching his mistake too late to stop the words he closed his eyes waiting for the explosion.
"You mean some stranger unpacked our stuff?" Rory wrinkled her nose and thought about that. "And you don't know who? Jesus Jason there are a lot of freaks in the world. What if they were some kind of underwear thief?"
Relived that she had decided to look at things humorlessly instead of getting mad at him he played along. "I'm sure Sonny wouldn't hire any klepto's."
"You can't always tell about people." Stepping back she took his hand. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"We are going back to your penthouse," she informed him yanking hard on his hand to get him to move. "I think we need to check our underwear drawers."
Willing to follow her lead, Jason began to move.
~Deception~
"Elton you're killing me here," Carly all but snarled into the intercom. "You know we picked emerald as the signature color. So tell me why the first set of designs are in puse?"
Elton knew an explosion was imminent, in fact he was looking forward too it. As such he looked pointedly at his prized blotter and waited, he waited until he could hear her begin to tap her nails in agitation and temper. "Laura decided that puse would suit Gia better, she ordered the change."
"She what?" Carly screeched. "When the hell did she do that?" She demanded from her office door.
Glancing surreptitiously at his watch. 3 seconds it was a new record. "She made the change last week."
"Then why didn't anyone tell me?" Stalking over to the desk she rested her hands on his immaculate blotter and stared him down. "Why didn't anyone consult with me about the change?"
"Laura felt she knew more about the vision we're trying to achieve from the color schemes," he explained simply.
"Elton this is a woman who only wears black. Whose office is decorated in a mix of white and white. What make you think she even knows what color is?"
"There's no need to get snippy with me Missy. I'm only following my orders," Elton replied huffily trying to ease the talons she called nails off his blotter before she could ruin another one.
"Then follow these orders you little fusspot. Get me the specs in emerald as I originally ordered them." Knowing his weakness she picked up the decorative letter opener and pressed it to the blotter. "And Elton I want the specs by the end of the week."
"Mrs. Corinthos," Elton wailed eyes flickering from her to his blotter. If she put a little more weight on that letter opener then Princess Di's tiara would be marred. He's spent weeks waiting on the blotter to arrive from his cousin. He was prepared to beg if necessary.
"The end of the week Elton." Carly spun around when she heard someone clapping behind her. "Sonny," her expression changed the moment she saw her husband. "What are you doing here?"
"Having fun?" Sonny asked with a grin.
"You," she ordered her husband with a wave of her hand. "In my office," and you she turned on Elton tapping, Princess Di's face for emphasis. "By the end of the week."
Jazzed Carly moved to her office, closing the door tightly behind her she studied her husband who was leaning against he desk watching her. "So what brings you by?"
"Do I need a reason to visit my beautiful wife?"
"No. But you have one anyway." She knew him too well to be fooled and began to move closer. "Did Laura send up another SOS?"
"I haven't heard from Laura in days." Recognizing the glint in her eyes as she stalked closer he decided to goad her. "I had lunch with Alexis at the Grille, I just thought I'd drop by."
Grimacing, Carly stopped in her tracks, then recognizing the teasing glint in his dark eyes, she began to move again. "I don't blame you for wanting to see me then. I imagine you needed to see a real woman after a meeting with a cold fish like Alexis."
"Carly," Sonny cocked his head in warning.
"Sonny," Carly parroted, unbuttoning his jacket.
"What are you doing?"
"I'd think that was obvious." Running her hands up the silk shirt on his chest, she smiled at him saucily. "I'm seducing you."
Reaching for her hair he pulled on the clip until the blonde locks fell free below her shoulders. Running his fingers through the silk of her hair he smiled wryly. "This is a business office, what if I don't want to be seduced?"
"You," she placed a kiss on his jaw then nuzzled his throat. "Don't," moving her lips up she nipped his earlobe. "Have a choice." Finished she pressed her lips to his.
What was it about her that he found so hard to resist? She infuriated him to no end. She loved to argue with him about the smallest thing. She was insecure and ferociously jealous. But she was also his heart. She had slid inside him so deeply that he simply couldn't picture living without his maddening wife.
Carly tilted her head when he began to nuzzle her neck. She knew she should stop this. That she should have never even started it. She was striving for a professional businesswoman image here. Sleeping with her husband, in her office, in the middle of the day, didn't fit that image, had he been her assistant it would have, but he was her husband. Her eyes drifted open and she was preparing herself to back away when her eye fell on the Modern Pool magazine on her desk. It was open to the picture of the pool table that she was going to buy and her notes were visible in the margin.
Changing her mind abruptly, she stepped free of Sonny and shoved at the papers on her desk sending everything to the floor with a thud. Relieved when the magazine disappeared under a file she hopped up on the desk and pulled her husband closer. "Where were we?" She asked with a grin. Her hands were already busy on the buttons of his shirt, his mouth was already kissing her senseless.
~*~*~
Elton jolted when someone cleared their throat behind him. Straightening he stepped away from the door pulling fussily on his shirt cuffs. Refusing to explain his actions to the guard he breezed by the larger man and moved to the desk. He was entitled to some perks with this job. At least that's how he felt about things.
Johnny kept a sharp eye on the fussily anal man in the gray suit and took his position by the door. Hearing the laughter from inside the room he quickly understood what had fascinated Elton so much he practically had his ear to the door.
~P.C. Hotel~
Marin let himself into his suite, shifting the briefcase in his hand he checked the tells he had left to see if anyone besides the maid had been in his room. Everything appeared to be in order but he didn't relax until he had fully swept the room for both bugs and people. Only after he had assured himself that there was nothing of concern he locked his electronic equipment back in its case and turned to the briefcase he'd brought with him.
Setting it on the desk he slipped out his suit jacket, adjusted the gun in its holster and opened the case, pulling out a sheath of bound papers. Habit had him releasing the hair trigger of the stiletto strapped to his arm. The razor sharp blade shot out and he used it to cut the bindings on the papers.
It was unfortunate that Morgan was not in jail at this moment. He'd hoped the witness he'd planted for the cop with the obvious grudge against Morgan would have provided enough damning evidence to take him out of play for a while, but it seemed like the witness had failed. While he would have preferred to have Morgan out of the equation, he was prepared to proceed either way. The diversion he had created in the Corinthos/Morgan camp was working. The buzz on the street was a high indicator of that.
Now it was time for step two. Unrolling the floor plans for the Lakeview, he began to study the diagrams of both Penthouses.
~Kelly's~
"Are you sure you can't see me today?" Emily asked desperately. Frowning as she listened she began to chew the polish off her fingernail.
Catching the tail end of her question, and knowing he shouldn't eavesdrop didn't seem to matter to him when he heard the stress in her voice. Drawing back into the shadows Nikolas felt no compunction over listening to her one-sided conversation.
"You can't tell me anything over the phone?" Emily questioned. "Alright I'll be there tomorrow, goodbye doctor."
Nikolas grew even more concerned when he realized she was talking to a doctor. Hearing silence from the courtyard he took a look and moved quickly when he saw it was empty. Making a circle he looked for a clue as to what direction she'd gone. It was time to get to the bottom of things. That much he knew for sure. So it was with a determined stride that he took off for the docks. He was going to get the truth out of Emily even if he had to tie her to a chair until she spilled.
~*~*~
"Thanks Tammy," Emily murmured absently when a glass was set on the table in front of her.
In trying to process what the doctor had told her, but stressing more importantly on what the doctor hadn't said, Emily could barely function. Whatever the doctor had found it was serious enough that she wanted to see her in person to explain it. Somehow she thought that there would be no need for a face-to-face meeting if she were only pregnant.
Smothering a laugh at that thought she couldn't believe what a difference a phone call could make. For weeks now she'd been stressed that she may be pregnant after a night with her ex that she had no memory of. But now she was beginning to think there could be something that much worse wrong with her. She couldn't quite fathom what could be worse than being pregnant after a rape but the ball of knot in her stomach began to grow.
"Earth to Emily."
Blinking in surprise when a hand began waving in front of her face, she brushed at the tears on her lashes, and tried to pull herself out of the downward slide of her thoughts long enough to work up a greeting. "Hey Lucky."
"Where were you?" Lucky asked from his seat across from her. "I was the one that gave you the drink not Tammy, and I must have said your name like 5 times."
"Sorry Lucky I was just thinking."
Resting his elbows on the table he drew closer. "About what?"
"Everything and nothing." Knowing she didn't have to worry about him pressing for answers she changed the subject. "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay," puzzled at her response he studied her more closely. She was his oldest friend and he knew when she was avoiding something. "What's got you so upset?"
Emily jolted her mouth dropping open in surprise. Since Elizabeth's death Lucky had been pretty much oblivious to everything and everyone. She'd had a glimpse of the Lucky of old during the whole Ted Wilson mess but that had been almost a year ago. Since that problem had worked itself out, Lucky had pretty much fallen into the bottle. But now she could see the sharp glint of awareness in his blue eyes. Suddenly it looked like she was going to have to be a lot more aware of what she said to him.
"Em?"
"Zander and I broke up," it was the only thing her racing mind could come up with at the moment.
"Oh," Lucky quelled the words it's about time, just in time. "You okay with that?"
"I'm the one that broke up with him." Emily, grateful that he believed that was the reason for her unease, decided to broaden her explanation.
"That doesn't mean your not hurting Em. You broke up with Juan as well, but I still saw how much that break up hurt you," he reminded her.
"You were aware of that?" Emily asked in surprise.
Seeing the disbelief in her face Lucky shifted guiltily in the chair. "I don't blame you for being surprised. I have been pretty self-involved over the last few years. But even I knew when you were in that much pain, I just couldn't help you the way I once would have been able too. I was in too much pain myself for that, but I hoped I helped a little."
"You did," she responded quickly desperate to keep him positive.
"I have a feeling I missed more of those moments than I caught though." Regret lined his features. "I know I've let you down a lot in the past couple of years, and I can't tell you how sorry I am for that."
Emily teared up. How long had she waited to hear those words from him? How long had she hoped she would get her best friend back? On the heels of potential bad news she'd just been handed some of the best news she'd ever received.
"Jeez no more tears. I've seen enough of those to last me a lifetime." Lucky shuddered in exaggeration hoping she'd laugh instead and was rewarded with a watery smile.
Blinking back the tears she concentrated on smiling instead. "I'm just glad to have you back Lucky. I've missed you."
"I've missed you too." Narrowing his eyes he lost the smile. "I also know you Emily Bowen Quartermaine. I know there's something else that has you upset besides kicking Zander to the curb."
As much as she wanted her friend back, a very small part of her wished he would have shown up tomorrow instead of today. It was next to impossible for her to keep anything from Lucky when he was functioning on full cylinders. Spying her potential salvation over his shoulder Emily got to her feet. "Excuse me a minute there's someone I need to talk too." Not giving him a chance to complain she headed for the counter.
"Francis?" When he turned around Emily smiled. "I thought it was you. Is Rory with you? Or did she lose you again?"
Giving her a mild look and seeing Lucky at a table behind her he kept his answer low. "No she didn't lose me. She's with Jason."
"Oh," disappointed her face fell. "I'll give her a call. Do you know where they are?"
"No I don't."
"Okay I'll guess I'll try the penthouse," she turned to go.
"Ms. Quartermaine," Francis stopped her with a light touch on her arm.
"Do you know how strange it is to hear you call me that? You're probably 10 years older than me and I use your first name."
"I'm not ten years older," Francis corrected her automatically. Not knowing if he should do this or not he finally decided to go with his gut. "I know they had a lot of stuff to talk about. Maybe you can give them a little time?"
"She's still mad at him isn't she?" Emily figured it out in a flash.
He didn't confirm or deny, merely shrugged.
"Thanks for the heads up Francis. I'll call her later." Emily smiled again then bracing herself turned to move back to Lucky. She came to an abrupt halt a step later when she noticed Nikolas waiting at the table with Lucky. The brother's looked up at her stalled approach and she couldn't help but swallow hard when she saw a similar look of determination on both their faces.
This wasn't going to be pretty.