Jax paced the living room, every one in awhile-glancing Alexis' way as she railed off the events that had been transpiring. It wasn't enough that Skye had betrayed him, but now came the confirmation that someone was out to destroy him.
"Corinthos is the father," Jax repeated as he shook his head," why didn't I see it sooner?"
"Probably because you didn't want to," Alexis admitted, "when Ned found out, he realized things were strained between Sonny and I… before I even knew what was happening he was claiming to be the father… it continues to spiral from there."
"That's an understatement if I've ever hear one, "Jax replied dryly," it explains a lot though."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Alexis said apologetically, "all I could think about was protecting this little life."
"I have a question for you Alexis, "Jax said stopping in his tracks, "do you love him?
"He was my friend Jax, I care for him," Alexis replied warily, "no matter what's happened between us, he will always be an important person in my life."
"You love him, " Jax sighed, taking her in his arms and shutting his eyes," what does Ned have to say about all this?"
Alexis hugged her friend and pulled back, "Ned isn't exactly acting like Ned these days, he's decided to take after his Grandfather… I hate to ask, but can this stay between present company only?"
"I hate this," Jax said emphatically, " but I love you more… I won't say anything…however I would like to have a few words with Jason… and where's your bodyguard?"
Alexis began to call Johnny only to have him appear from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel Johnny said, " I was just making a snack for Alexis, she needs to keep up her strength for the baby," he smiled warmly, and disappeared back into the kitchen.
"Does he have radar?" Jax whispered to Alexis.
"No, just good hearing." Johnny called from the kitchen.
Laughing Alexis nudged Jax to sit down, just as he was about to get comfortable Jason came through the door," Johnny get in here."
In a flash of movement Johnny was at Jason's side, opening the front door, a plain white box lay at their feet, " I saw it on my way in… were you expecting a delivery?"
Alexis mouthed a no; straightening her back she tried to remain tough.
Kneeling down, Johnny touched the box, he recognized the address on the label, a plain folded card lay on top, flipping it up he read the note out loud.
Meet me on Pier 52 at 7 sharp over a mutual interest, come alone
Luis Alkazar
Johnny slowly opened the lid and studied the contents inside, he looked up at Alexis who smiled sadly, as he pulled a single Gardenia from the box, she approached him, and plucked the delicate flower from his had, she brought it to her nose and inhaled, memories flooded her mind of starlit nights in Puerto Rico, with Sonny.
"What am I missing," Jax inquired, " what do Gardenia's represent?"
"My tie to Sonny." Alexis replied in a little voice, she sat on the couch and looked at the flower," Sonny used to send me Gardenia's"
"He told me once that's if he had his way, he'd have the roof of the towers renovated to replicate Puerto Rico… and he'd buy Alexis all the gardenia's in the world if it made her happy."
"He said that?" Alexis asked, looking up surprised, "when?"
"The morning… well, the morning after," Johnny said blushing furiously," I came on duty and you were upstairs, He came to the door to get the paper and he was smiling… I'd never seen Sonny smile quite like that… anyway, that's what he said." Johnny muttered in embarrassment.
"Thank you, for telling me." Alexis said
"I know one thing for sure, Sonny wouldn't share that kind of information freely with an enemy," Jason said.
"Your right he wouldn't, " Johnny agreed, "he'd die before he'd let that happen… so that leaves the question, who knew about the Gardenia's other than myself, Sonny, you and Kristina?"
Alexis and Johnny looked at one another, "Carly!"
Jason was at a loss," what about Carly?"
"She knew… Valentine's day, Sonny sent me Gardenia's and Carly showed up, I tried hiding them, but the box and card fell and Carly picked them up and saw that Sonny had sent them to me."
"So you think Carly is involved in all this?" Jason asked, beginning to get angry.
Which didn't go unnoticed by Alexis, "it does make sense Jason, she disappears and is gone to God knows where and when she suddenly turns up alive, and Alkazar emerges not to soon after."
"I believe you," Jason said shortly, " it makes sense now… why she was so scared that I'd tell Sonny she had faked her death to punish him… I knew there was more to it… but I didn't push."
Jax spoke up, " but why steal money from me, when she had a man like Alkazar to bank roll her?"
"My opinion… Carly ended up being an unwilling asset to Alkazar," Alexis explained, catching the surprised expressions of her audience, " I'm not defending her mind you, my point is Carly is feisty and tough, but when it comes right down to it, she's about as smart a tack, her schemes usually end up tanking, and she usually scrambles to keep her head above water… no pun intended."
"Sounds like Carly," Jax agreed, glancing over at Jason, "this must be hard for you, considering you and Corinthos have made it your task to defend her non existent honor to the death."
Jason frowned at the Aussie, " I agreed to work with you for the sake of Alexis, my relationship with Carly… off limits."
"Still protecting her, " Jax said snidely," cut her loose, she's nothing but trouble… I tried helping her out, and look at the thanks I got in return, her stealing my money for her own private gain."
"Shut up the both of you," Alexis shouted, throwing her hands in the air, "we've got bigger problems than to argue about Carly… do you realize that if he knows about this… he must know about the baby too!"
"That's it, I'm getting you out of the country, " Jax ordered, "I'll have my copter gassed and ready to roll in forty-five minutes."
" I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because I have a date, " Alexis replied, picking the card up off the table, " with Luis Alkazar."
"Breathe, Breathe," Sonny ordered Alexis as they stood near the front of her Penthouse arguing.
"You know what buddy, you don't get to tell me when to breathe!" Alexis barbed back not ready to let go of her irritation with him.
"You hate my guts remember? How embarrassing would it be if you passed out cold in front of me, unless you've reconsidered."
"Hating you?" Alexis asked
"No Quitting," Sonny replied," you liked working for me Alexis, and I liked having the best and our association doesn't have to be over ... unless you say so."
Sonny blocked the sound of Alkazar's laughter as he and Daniel left the room, once alone Sonny sagged in his chair, he was bound to the chair, with no way of escape. Alkazar knew exactly what he was doing, as Sonny started blankly into his enemies eyes as he told him just what he'd do once he'd gained control of Sonny's heir.
Sonny wouldn't crumble not in front of a bastard like Luis Alkazar, even if he was screaming inside for it all to stop… things were much worse than he'd ever imagined, the precautions he'd taken in denying the paternity had been for naught, his mind raced to think of who could've known about the pregnancy other than Alexis, Ned, and Kristina… Kristina, her visit that day in the warehouse came flashing back to him, she'd been sending him a message and he hadn't even realized it.
He could only imagine the hurt Alexis must've felt when he'd so readily believed that Ned was the father… she wasn't the sort of women that fell in bed with a man on a whim, she had to give her heart first and he'd known that. That long ago day in Mercy hospital when Alexis lied to him and told him she was there to see a client, had left him suspicious and so he'd called Benny to look into it… when he'd received the news that he was about to become a Father, his heart had surged, and had wanted to run to Alexis… but he knew he couldn't so he'd put on a very painful show…by pushing Alexis out of his life, he pushed himself over the brink of despair.
Sonny had gone on with the sham, going as far to meet Jason on the docks and denying that he loved Alexis, loud enough so any unseen visitors would hear ... he'd seen the flash of doubt in Jason's eyes, that's when Sonny realized maybe he'd made a mistake in saying the words, He'd always kept his feelings private, it was hard enough admitting his feelings to the person he loved, then to tell anyone else, so when he'd said it ... he all but confirmed that he did in fact have strong her feelings that he was letting on, yet Jason never responded, he just let it go in typical Morgan style and Sonny had felt a jab of guilt over Carly, because their reconciliation hadn't been based on the right reasons. Sonny's mind had shut down after her disappearance, he didn't regret his night with Alexis in the least, it was the guilt that he'd kept Carly hanging by a string, giving her the idea that maybe they stood a chance, and for the most part Sonny had thought it was true, it began to change though as his relationship with Alexis deepened, their friendship grew and his feelings too, his attention to Carly began to waver, and she'd slipped from his mind, it was all but confirmed the night he spent with Alexis, who he wanted to spend his future with ... and then Zander had come to the door with the news, causing Sonny's world to come crashing down before him.
Sonny scanned the small room he was in, and he wished with all his heart she was there with him as she had earlier, he needed to hear her voice, see those eyes and that beautiful loving smile, she only gave him and he in return would give her the one he held just for her. When had it happened, he wasn't sure, but from the moment he'd so suavely invited himself to sit at her table and entered her life, she'd become important to him.
"You have the makings of a tremendous asset to me, personally and professionally."
Sonny hadn't known then just how true those words were ... he'd never needed anyone in the way he needed Alexis, and he'd fought it with all his being, as he became more dependent on her ... yet he couldn't resist not having her in his life, because she had the ability to make him forget what was wrong in his life, she saw past his lifestyle, saw past his ego and the mask he held so firmly in place to hide weakness, she'd seen him for who he was and she'd loved him in spite of it all, she filled his senses.