Chapter 14

As Alexis and Johnny started back to the penthouse, Johnny called Sonny with his cellphone.

"Sonny, We need to talk. Alexis and I need you to stop all operations until the three of us have sat down and talked. We are on our way to you now."

Sonny hung up and stared at his cellphone a moment before dropping it into his pocket. Johnny and Alexis had come to a decision. He could sense it. Sonny turned to the gentlemen that were in the penthouse with him.

"Gentlemen, we need to put this discussion on hold until further notice. My associates are on their way here now and there have been some developments that need to be discussed. Head over to the warehouse and wait for further orders from me there. Diego, there is a man by the name of Dixon also at the warehouse. Check him in at the Port Charles Hotel and tell him that Miss Davis will meet him there later once she is free. Do not alarm him and do not give him any reason to suspect anything out of the ordinary. Just tell him that Miss Davis is running late."

"Si, señor. It will be done."

Sonny watched the men leave his penthouse and set about removing the evidence of their presence. Johnny knew these men and knew what they were capable of and he knew without a doubt that Alexis would not want to know them. Until he knew what happened with Johnny and Alexis he believed it would be best for all concerned if the arrival of the "Cuban Mafia" were kept quiet.

Johnny and Alexis entered Sonny's penthouse, hand in hand, and found him patiently waiting on the sofa.

"Hey guys, everything ok?"

Sonny rose to greet them. He wasn't sure how to react to Alexis yet. The last time he saw her, she had been unreachable. She hadn't wanted him with her. He looked toward her and waited for a response from her.

Alexis walked over to Sonny and hugged him. She wanted to put him at ease since he was unsure of her frame of mind. She was pretty hard on him earlier and the memory of what she put him through was evident in his reluctance toward her.

"We need to talk. All three of us, together."

She let Sonny feel the calmness radiating from her body. And as she went to sit on the sofa she took his hand and pulled him along with her.

Settling down for a conversation that Johnny knew Sonny would not agree with had him on edge. But, he was through with violence. He wanted no part of it anymore. A simple, uncomplicated life was all he desired now and Alexis would help him attain it.

"Sonny, the game has changed considerably since we left earlier. Alexis and I have come to a decision. I realize that you may not agree with our decision; you may even resent that you were not included in the decision. I'm sorry for that. I really am. But, Alexis and I are tired of running. We're tired of other people having control over us. It stops tonight. As long as we continue to allow Helena and Stavros to govern how we exist, they win. If we allow them to continue to threaten us, they win. Our objective here is to effectively disarm them without violence. We welcome any help you can offer as long as it remains within the margin of the law."

Sonny slowly stood and walked across the room to stand by the desk. His head was bowed and he was rubbing his fist back and forth across his lips. It was his usual stance when he was concentrating. He glanced toward Johnny and Alexis and again looked down.

Alexis could tell that a battle was going on in Sonny. He had already begun to question his past actions and she knew he was committed to protecting all of them. He had already made the decision to give Johnny a chance to get out of the business. However, she was unaware of just how far he had gone in his pursuit to protect them from Helena.

Sonny was unsure of how to proceed. He could admit to being uneasy about the change in course they made without him. He could also admit to himself that he was glad Johnny was starting over. But, he was having trouble with deciding how he was going to handle the change. He wasn't sure if he should tell them he called his 'mafia' in. There was also the concern of how they were now going to stop the Cassadines. Sonny raised his head and looked toward Alexis. She was patiently waiting for him. His heart was tied to her and he knew just how much she hated his line of business. It was really the only problem between them. And although they had not discussed it or made an issue of it, the evidence of Stavros' attack on her was very visible in the bruises on her cheek and neck. While looking at those marks, Sonny made his decision. He would give them the space to handle the situation as they saw fit, but he would not stop. They were his responsibility and he would take care of them his way. Enlightening them of his decision would only serve to anger them, so he would go about the business of getting rid of Helena and Stavros quietly on his own. He returned to sit back down by Alexis.

"Ok guys, if that's the way you want to handle it. I'll keep the guards in place though if that meets with your approval, okay?"

"Sonny, I know this is hard for you, but thank you. Johnny and I appreciate you allowing us to handle this our way. We know that Helena is going to continue to harass us, but we'll handle it as it comes. I would like to file an injunction against both of them, but I don't want to give the police a reason to suspect you or Johnny in any way for anything that has already happened in this mess."

"Alexis, the police will not have any reason to question us. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing at all. Everything is clean, so do what you feel you have to do to protect yourself legally."

Johnny had not been taken in so easily by Sonny's cooperative acceptance of their change in plans. He had known Sonny a lot longer than Alexis. Sonny wasn't going to stop just because they asked him to. Johnny also could tell that Sonny was hiding something and he intended to find out what it was.

"Thanks Sonny for seeing things our way. Lexie, it's been a long day. Why don't you check in on Kristina? We've left her alone far too long. In fact, why don't you just stay with her tonight? I don't want to give her the impression that we've forgotten her or are intentionally avoiding her?"

"Johnny, are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Yeah, I am. I'd like to spend some time with Sonny. I think he has a right to know the what and why of the decision we made tonight, don't you? We've been together a long time and for me to decide to walk away, I just think he needs a little more than what we've given him."

"I see your point."

Turning to Sonny, she hugged him and kissed him. "Will I see you first thing in the morning?"

"Try and stop me. Sleep well, Alexis. I'll wake you with a fresh cup of coffee in the morning. Any preference to what you would like for breakfast?"

"Yeah, could I have you?"

"Always."