Chapter 5
Sonny looked up as Jason came into the penthouse, a folder in his hands. "Is that the information on Alcazar's daughter?"
Jason nodded and handed the folder over, saying, "She's clean."
Sonny took the folder from Jason and scanned the information, seeing that Jason was right. "She's pretty young," he said as he looked over the bio that was included. Sonny looked up at Jason and noticed that he was rubbing his wrist. "What happened to you?" he asked.
"She's young and tough. I took her to one of the warehouses to get some information out of her and she kicked the gun out of my hand," he said, smiling slightly at the fact that his wrist still hurt like a sonofabitch, but he respected her strength and admired her courage. "She's got a good right hook too," he added, the small smile still on his lips.
Sonny smiled as well. It usually took a bullet for Jason to feel much pain and even then he would deny it up and down and insist he was fine. "I invited Sara over for dinner with the family and I want you to be there," he said as he stood up and walked around to the front of his desk. Sonny had always considered Jason a part of his family.
It took a couple of moments for Jason to nod his acceptance. Then he looked down at himself, muttering, "I'm glad I changed," remembering how both him and Jessica had rolled on the dock, narrowly missing falling into the water.
"Do I want to know what really happened out there?" Sonny asked, his head snapping up at Jason's comment. He did not like the implication or the look that briefly flashed in Jason's eyes.
Jason's eyes snapped up to Sonny's and he raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure what Sonny was implying, and wasn't sure he wanted to know.
Sonny shook his head. "I don't think it's a good idea Jason," he said. He thought of Jason as a brother and was trying to look out for him.
"What are you talking about?" asked Jason, Sonny's implications were a little unnerving. Jason was usually very good at hiding his emotions from the outside world, but somehow, Sonny seemed to be able to see right through him. He was one of the few people that could, with the exception of Carly.
"I'm talking about you and Alexandria Alcazar," he said, looking at Jason. Sonny was not as good at reading Jason's feelings as Carly was, but he knew about women and what might be happening with Jason. "Jason, she's 18 and Alcazar's daughter, that's two strikes against her already. We may be on good terms with Alcazar right now, but that could change at any moment and you know that. With everything going on, we do not need a war on our hands."
Jason knew Sonny was right and he nodded this understanding to Sonny and then moved to the other side of the room when there was a knock on the door.
"I'm here to see my brother," said Sara as she stood at the door, her eyebrow raised as the guard knocked. She turned to Alex and said, "I hope he's not going to set up a guard at our hotel."
Alex hated guards and rolled her eyes at her friend as the guard escorted them into the room. Her eyes instantly landed on Jason, who was standing off to the side. Sonny looked up as Sarah and Alexandria entered. He was not too thrilled at Alex being there, but he was sure that Sarah wanted her there, so he was not going to say anything about it right now. "Make yourselves comfortable," he said. "Carly went to pick up the boys from her mother's and Kristina and everyone else should be here soon."
Sara nodded her eyes on the guard as he went back out the door. She then turned to Sonny. "Please tell me you are not going to assign one of those for the hotel."
Sonny looked at her questioningly as she indicated the man that had let her in. "A guard?" he asked. "Only if I feel it's necessary," he said, knowing she would fight him on it like Courtney did.
"I am very well trained in martial arts, so is Alex . . . and I'm starting to see what a good thing that is," said Sara as she glared at Jason. Alex had not told her exactly what had happened with Jason that afternoon, but she was sure it wasn't pretty. She noticed the slight bruise on his jaw and the one on his wrist. Sara turned to Alex with a smile. "What did you do to him?"
Looking completely innocent, her eyes open wide, Alex looked from Sara to Sonny and then to Jason. "What? It's his own fault for pulling a gun on me. He's just lucky I didn't have mine," she said, glaring at Jason, dropping the innocent act. She was still pissed about the way he had treated her.
"You have a gun?" Sara asked, her eyes now full of humor, her mouth trying hard to not form a smile as she looked at Jason. "Next time you do that, which I don't recommend . . . watch out for the left leg followed by the right cross . . . although I think you've learned that on your own."
Jason didn't say anything, but his eyes told it all as he kept them on both of the women, especially on Alexandria. "I'll keep that in mind," he finally said quietly.
Soon everyone arrived and Sonny had dinner ready in no time. He was glad that his children took to Sara very well and Courtney and Ric seemed to like her too.
At the dinner table it had taken a few moments for everyone to get used to each other and by the end of it, both Sara and Alexandria felt more comfortable. By the end of the meal, Sara was feeling calm and she could tell that Alex felt the same way, which was different because of her association with Lorenzo. Lorenzo, she thought, suddenly being brought to what happened earlier that day . . . how happy he had made her. Never had she lost herself the way she did with him.
Alex saw the far away look on her friend's face and rolled eyes, poking Sara in the ribs. "Do you mind? I'm trying to eat," she said with a slight smile on her face. She had a feeling she knew what her friend was thinking about.
Sara smiled and then reached down for another bite of Sonny's famous Italiano Lasagna and then looked down when she felt a tug on her shirt. A smile came to her face as she brought Kristina up and into her arms. "Hi," she said to the little girl, letting her finger run down her face.
Sonny smiled at the interaction between Sara and Kristina. She was great with the kids. After dinner was done, everyone helped to clear the table while Sonny tried to fend off Carly and Michael's pleas for ice cream.
"You want ice cream Michael?" Sara asked her nephew and laughed as everyone at the table nodded their heads in answer to her question. "Alright, leave it to me," she got up, settling Kristina in her mother's arms. And then she followed her brother into the large, spacious kitchen.
"You are as bad as Carly," Sonny said as he watched her rummage in the large, sub-zero freezer for the ice cream. He was not about to tell her that he had hidden it all the way on the top and in the back.
"I love ice cream . . . where the h . . . ah-ha!" She grabbed the huge tub of ice cream. "Trying to hide this from us?" she wiggled her eyebrows and reached in the first cabinet on her right, searching for bowls, and found them in the first one she opened. Weird, I feel like I know this place like the back of my hand, she thought as she began to put ice cream into the ten bowls, adding chocolate syrup and bananas and cherries to the ones that were yelling for it.
Sonny watched her with a smile and helped her to carry out the bowls. He looked at his three children, soon covered in the sticky dessert and shook his head. He was about to threaten Sara with having to clean them all up when he noticed they were short one person. He did not like the idea of an Alcazar wandering in his home. He turned to Sara, and said, "We seem to be missing someone."
Sara looked around, seeing that Alex was not there. "I'll be right back," she said, going into the living room and then heading out onto the balcony where Alex was. "Hey."
Alex turned around and saw Sara. "Hey," she said.
"You okay?" Sara asked as she stepped beside her and then looked up to see the stars shining. The rain was over for now.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed some air," she said, not looking at her friend. It had been a long couple of days and she figured it was all catching up with her. "Actually, I think I'm going to head back to the hotel, I'm pretty tired," she said.
Sara nodded. "Allie . . . I'm sorry for dragging you here."
"You didn't drag me Sara, I agreed to come. I'll see you back at the hotel. Tell everyone I said bye," Alex said, wanting to just get away for a while. After saying good-bye to Sara, Alex decided to walk back to the hotel and took a short cut through the docks.
"Alexandria?" a voice from behind her said.
Alex turned and faced her father. "What do you want?" she asked. She was not in the mood right now to talk to him.
Lorenzo took a step out of the darkness. "I wanted to see you," he said."
"Well, you saw me," she said, tired and still hurt by his earlier actions with her friend.
"I know you were in the hotel room when Sara and I . . ." he stopped when he looked at her. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."
"Look, I have spent so much of my life trying to get your attention and now I'm done. I don't care what you think or do anymore," she said.
"You've been trying to get my attention?" he asked, confusion written all over his face.
"Yes, I sent you letters, cards, pictures, over the years, and got nothing in response. I worked my ass off to get good grades, to be the best at everything I do, and still, nothing!" she exclaimed.
"I never got anything," said Lorenzo as he took a step back. "I received nothing like that."
"What? That's impossible. I know I sent them to you," she said, also confused. She had a feeling he wasn't lying about this.
Lorenzo shook his head. "Something must have happened in transfer Alexandria, but I never got anything about you. Whatever I knew about you, I learned from what little your mother's family would share with me, and that wasn't much," he said. His wife had left him when she found out the business he was in. She made sure to get full custody of their daughter and did everything she could to cut him out of Alexandria's life. He didn't fight as hard as he had wanted, because he felt that this would be the best way he could protect his daughter from his life.
Alex shook her head. "Then I've been angry all these years for nothing?" she asked, more to herself than her father.
Lorenzo went to sit on a bench. "Alexandria, I am proud of the accomplishments you have made, I am proud of you. You're my daughter, my own flesh and blood. I love you."
Alex looked at her father with tears in her eyes. "I have been waiting my whole life to hear you say that," she whispered, letting the tears spill down her cheeks silently.
Lorenzo let a hand run down her cheek. "I can say it over and over again until my dying day," he whispered, tears also pouring down his face. "My little girl is all grown up."
Alex nodded and leaned into her father's arms to hug him for the first time. She felt at peace for the first time that she could remember.
Gathering her in his arms, Lorenzo hugged his daughter until the tears from both of their eyes dried and he moved back. "I'm sorry you had to walk in on me and Sara," his cheeks reddened slightly.
"Well, I can't say it was the best experience, but Sara is a great person and if the both of you are happy, then so am I," she said with a smile.
"I don't know about that," he said, looking down. "She will be leaving soon."
"Actually, we're not leaving . . . at least not right now," she said. "We decided to stay, see what happens."
Lorenzo's head shot up with wide eyes. "Both of you are staying?" he asked.
Alex nodded. "Yeah, we are," she said. "I think we need to both get to know our families better. And I'm tired of running."
"Then I want to invite you to my place," he said with a smile. "I would like to get to know you better too. So would Diego."
Alex had almost forgotten about Diego. She guessed she was older than him, but probably not by much. "Sure, but can I meet you there in an hour or so? I want to stop at the hotel to freshen up a bit," she said.
Lorenzo nodded and gave her directions to his place. "I will see you in an hour then," he said, moving away and soon he was gone.
"I'm guessing you patched things up with your father," a voice said from behind Alex.
Alex spun around and saw Jason standing behind her. "Were you spying on me?" she asked, not answering his question, her defenses and walls back in place.
"I was making sure you got home safely. Sara was worried. I was coming to ask if you needed a ride when Alcazar came up," said Jason.
Alex nodded. She knew her friend had been worried about her. "I'm sorry I snapped at you," she said, looking down at her shoes. What the hell was wrong with her? She had never felt this way toward a man before. She had always kept her distance from men and was not very experienced with them.
"It's alright," he said as he took one step forward, testing the waters. "Would you like me to give you a ride so you can get ready to go to your father's?"
She smiled, knowing that he had most likely heard most of their conversation. "Yeah, I would like that. Thanks," she said.
Jason nodded and then led her to his car, getting in and driving her to the hotel. "Good luck with your father and brother . . . I'm sorry I eavesdropped on your conversation."
Alex nodded in acceptance of his apology. "Would you like to come up for minute?" she asked. She wasn't sure what she was doing and he probably thought of her as some kid who needed looking after anyway.
"I, uh, should get back to the penthouse . . ." he stopped when her hand covered his and he pretty much stopped breathing all together.
"It's because of who my father is, isn't it?" she asked, looking down at her hand over his.
Jason couldn't breathe something he was not familiar with. What the hell was he doing? "Ummm . . . not exactly," he said, trying hard to move his hand, but not succeeding.
"Then what is it?" she asked, not taking her eyes from his. She didn't know why she was pressing this.
"Alexandria let go of my hand before I . . ." Jason ground out.
"Before what?" she challenged him.
His other hand, the one she was not holding, snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Do this . . ." he whispered before his mouth claimed hers.
Alex melted into the kiss, not wanting it to end. She brought her hand up and ran it through his spiky hair. Moaning slightly as his tongue slid into her mouth.
Jason immediately deepened the kiss, running his hand through her hair, the other wrapping around the hand that put him in this position in the first place. He suddenly pulled back, leaning his head against hers. "I uh . . . shouldn't have done that," he whispered.
Alex pulled back from him, looking him in the eyes. "Why?" she asked.
"I uh . . ." he stopped. "I have to go. I'm sorry Alex."
"No. Wait. What were you going to say?" she asked, she wanted to know what he had to say. "Tell me Jason," she demanded, feeling the anger rising in her again.
"You do not need to be mixed up in this . . . with me Alexandria . . . I couldn't give you anything . . ." he turned to say something when he found himself close to her. "Alex . . ."
"Mixed up in what? Come on Jason, tell me what is going on!" she was getting angrier and was also starting to feel very foolish. She knew she shouldn't have let her guard down.
"Sonny Corinthos is a mob boss, and I work for him!" he yelled, getting angry as well. "You could get hurt, so it's just better to stay away from me."
"I don't take well to people telling me what to do Jason!" she shouted back. "But if you think I can't handle myself, that I'm some child who needs to be taken care of, then forget it!" she yelled, shoving open the door and running into the hotel.
"Damnit!" he growled, punching his fist into the steering wheel before turning on the car and driving off.