Chapter Sixteen
"You know I could have stayed on that island forever," She said with a cleansing sigh, as they pulled up in front of their house.
"We could have stayed as long as you wanted to, but you were the one who was in a hurry to come back to Port Charles." Sonny said as he exited the Limo and helped her out.
"We'll bring everything in Boss," Max said as Sonny and Claudia past him on their way to the door. Sonny gave him a nod.
When they got to the front door he stopped her at the door's entrance by grasping her wrist, and she turned to face him with questioning eyes. "Ok we're both agreed to start with a clean slate, once we cross that threshold we're entering our home with no more secrets and no more lies right?"
"Yes the only thing I was keeping from you was my involvement in Michael's shooting."
"Alright," Sonny replied with a nod and then swiftly scooped a surprised Claudia up into his arms.
"What are you doing?" She asked with a smile.
"If we're going to do this I want to do it right." Sonny stated as Max opened the door for them and then stood back as Sonny carried a giggling Claudia over the threshold. They entered the sitting room to find Rick and Vincent waiting on them. "Rick what the hell are you doing here?" Sonny asked in a demanding tone as he sat a silent Claudia on the floor and then turned to Max. "I thought I told you to let all the guards know that Rick's not welcome in our home."
"I did boss," Max replied.
"Wait you find me and some stranger in your house and you're angry at me, your brother, for being here?" Rick asked perplexed.
"Vinny's my new lawyer," Sonny replied and Rick flinched as if he were struck in the face. "He's welcome, you're not, get out."
"I' m here on business, Sonny." Rick began to explain.
"Business, what business, you're not involved in my business. I thought I made that clear."
"Yes you did, however there are still some affiliated with the Zacchara organization who either don't know that or still feel comfortable with me."
"Well I'll take care of that, call everyone personally." Claudia finally spoke.
"You do that Claudia. Why don't you call Dominic Corelli first, because he's been looking forward to meeting you." Claudia's face instantly paled at the mention of the name, which both Rick and Sonny noticed.
"Who's…who's Dominic Corelli?" Sonny asked, directing the question to Claudia.
"He's head of the Mannino organization in New York city, representing a family from the old country." Vinny answered. "He's actually why I'm here. I got the call right after Mr. Lansing, and Mr. Corelli sends his apologies for notifying Mr. Lansing, he says he meant no disrespect, he wasn't aware of the transition within the organization and that it won't happen again." Sonny simply nodded.
"What does he want? I thought I've already met with all the major players in the Zacchara organization."
"Oh Corelli's interest is personal, not business, well that's not exactly true." Rick spoke again.
"Why are you still here?"
"As I said I came to bring you news, Mr. Corelli wanted to inform you that he's paid the 20 million dollar dowry, and his son will be arriving in Port Charles sometime today to get his bride."
"Rick what the hell are you talking about?"
"What Claudia never told you, I wasn't actually sure that she even knew about it but that look on her face says otherwise. You see she's been betroth to Mr. Corelli's son Michael since she was 10 and he was 12. Mr. Corelli informed me that Anthony collected the dowry yesterday."
"That bastard's like a damn cockroach." Sonny spat out. "Max throw Rick outta here." He said as he made his way to the bar to fix himself a stiff drink. Max quickly moved to Rick and grasped his arm, and forcefully pushed Rick to the exit just as Milo entered.
"Uh, boss sorry for interrupting but there's a Mr. Corelli at the gates, asking to meet with you." Milo stated.
"I guess the honeymoon's over," Rick threw out with a snide smirk.
"If you don't get him outta here," Sonny spoke as he curled his lips around his teeth in an angry snarl.
"Sorry boss," Max said as he finished throwing Rick off the property.
"Bring Mr. Corelli in, but make sure the guards search him, his men, and his vehicle first." Sonny said and Milo gave a nod and then left back out.
"You…you're not going to give me to him are you?" Claudia asked with a frightened gaze. "I swear to God Sonny I wasn't keeping this from you. I was 10 when I first met Michael Corelli and his father, and I didn't know what my father was discussing with his father."
"Claudia you're not going anywhere," Sonny said as he stared at her as if she had lost her mind, and she breathe a sigh of relief. "You're my wife, carrying my child, I'm sure once Mr. Corelli learns this he'll leave with no hard feelings, and hey if he wants his dowry back we can do that too. If not, oh well, but you're not going anywhere."
"Thank you," Claudia said genuinely.
"Don't thank me, I…" Sonny began to speak and then he took notice of Vinny again and cut short what he had intended to say, and gulped down a shot of scotch. "So is what Rick said the truth or is there more to the story?"
"All true and it also confirms that Mr. Zacchara is still very much alive."
"Yeah well we had already suspected as much, but I gotta tell you I was really hoping that son-of-a-bitch had burned up in that fire at GH." Sonny said as he downed another glass of scotch.
"Sir," Max called from the entrance. "Mr. Corelli's here to see you."
"Show him in." With a nod Max stepped back and a man with a similar build as Sonny's entered, with two bodyguards. Claudia eyed him curiously, this man held many of the characteristics of the young boy she remembered meeting 18 years beforehand. He was no longer scrawny, he had filled out well but he still had the piercing blue eyes and very charismatic smile, which he instantly flashed at Claudia.
"Claudia, is that you?" He asked in a very distinguished Sicilian accent, as he entered the room fully. "My God you are breathtaking. I had known since our first meeting that you would be a beauty, but I had no idea you would be…"
"Already married," Sonny interrupted gaining Michael's attention.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Michael replied.
"You're hitting on my wife." Sonny answered.
"Ah, yes I was told of your business arrangement with Anthony, but I don't see that as a problem. You're now head of the Zacchara organization, which is fine with our organization. It was also my understanding that you no longer need Claudia's hand in marriage to cement your place. Now that Anthony has claimed his dowry I simply came to claim my wife. I will handsomely compensate you for the inconvenience. "
"So you want to purchase my wife?" Sonny asked with a friendly smile, though his eyes shown his anger. "Sorry Mr. Corelli but she's not for sale."
"I don't understand, Claudia and I were betrothed 18 year ago."
"I understand that and I can even respect it, but the fact remains that she's wearing my ring, carrying my name, and my child."
"Oh, well I…when Anthony explained things he assured my father that this was a business arrangement, not a real marriage. He went as far as to say that you two hated each other and that you would welcome the opportunity to have Claudia taken off of your hand."
"No, I'm quite happy with my wife and in my marriage. It seems to me that Anthony's hard up for funds and saw you and your father as his golden goose, but I'd be willing to reimburse you for your loss,"
"No Mr. Corinthos that won't be necessary but my father will be very pleased that you offered, and he'll also be very disappointed that I will not be taking a bride, and giving him a grandchild. Unless you think you might change your mind?" Michael asked as he threw out a charming smile. Sonny threw back a smile and simply shook his head. "And I suppose I can't seduce you either?' Michael asked Claudia.
"Oh I'm sorry you're 'asking' me if I want to go with you or stay here. I was beginning to think I didn't have any say." Claudia spoke sarcastically as she rolled her eye a bit. "I'm staying with my husband, but I'm flattered by your offer."
"Really?"
"No not really. I'm not at all happy to learn that I was used as some business deal by our fathers." Claudia stated as she folded her arms across her chest and titled her head upward a bit.
"Arranged marriages are very common in the old country, you know this."
"This isn't the old country Michael. We little women have choices now."
"I see so you're not against arranged marriages so long as you agree with your father's choice in a husband." Michael said and his words stunned Claudia a bit with their honest implication. "Had I known Mr. Corinthos was my competition I would have come immediately. I think that had you gotten to know me, you might have seen me as the better choice. I guess it is my loss. Well I'll be staying in Port Charles for a few days on other business, we have a huge order for our caviar at one of the major hotel's here, the Metro Court. That is where I'll be staying if you change your mind." Michael announced as he reached out and grasped Claudia's hand, pulling it to his lips and kissing it. "Arrivederci," He said looking at Claudia seductively, holding onto her hand a bit longer, and then he released her and said his goodbyes to Sonny and Vinny before he left the room.
"Wow, well he sure grew up and filled out," Claudia said in a teasing tone and she moved to stand beside Sonny at the bar.
"Don't even think about it," Sonny warned.
"Think about what staying married to you or leaving you to marry Michael Corelli? There's nothing to think about, whether I like it or not I'm married to you. I said the vows and I'll honor them."
"Where did that come from? I thought you wanted this marriage and what it brought as much as I did."
"Yeah I thought I did too…no I did and I do." Claudia quickly added when she saw that her words seemed to bother Sonny, who clenched is jaws and averted his eyes down to his empty glass as he nodded his head a bit. "It's just a very bitter pill to swallow to learn that the only thing my father thinks I'm good for is trading off to any man who can garner him the most money and power."
"Your father's a fool, but you know that I don't see you as some business arrangement, right?" Sonny asked as he looked directly into her eyes, he reached out and grasped her hand into his. "We're starting over again remember?" He asked and she only nodded. "You're my wife, and the first woman in my life who also has a place of power in my business. You understand the business, this life, and me like no one else ever has. I like that and I like you being my wife." He said the last part in a lower voice that he only wanted her to hear.
Are you saying that you like me Mr. Corinthos?" Claudia asked with a teasing smile, and Sonny's dimples quickly indented his face. She moved closer pulling her hand from his and wrapping her arms around his neck, and he placed his hands comfortably on her hips.
"Yeah you're alright." He replied and both their smiles widened, both loving the cat and mouse games they often played.
"Uh, I'm going to head out, unless there's something else you needed Mr. Corinthos, Mrs. Corinthos?" Vinny interjected, but was ignored.
"So do you like me a little bit or a lot?" Claudia asked and Vinny could see that they wanted to be alone and so he left out, closing the door behind him.
"I can show you, better than I can tell you,"
"Oh really,"
"Absolutely," He replied as he pulled her hands from his neck and then tugged her to the stairs behind him.
"My father will be very disappointed by this betrayal," Michael Corelli spoke to the man seated across from him in the limo.
"What betrayal I informed your father of Claudia's current marriage, that is was a business arrangement, he understood that and said that that wouldn't be a problem. I can't help if you have a problem with it." Anthony Zacchara replied as he continued to sip at the glass of wine he held.
"Under normal circumstances it wouldn't have been. I would have tried to make a sweet deal with Mr. Corinthos in exchange for Claudia and if that had not worked I would have killed him."
"So what's the problem?"
"You failed to mention that they are expecting a child." Michael announced and Anthony's face showed his true surprise at the news. "I am not completely without honor I will not tear apart a family."
"Wait Claudia's gone and gotten herself knocked up? I'm gonna be a granddad?" He said with a chuckle. "Is it a boy or a girl?"
"We did not discuss the sex of their child. Besides her body didn't show any signs that she is pregnant so I think it might be too soon to know the sex. But back to 'our' business, I think under these unforeseen circumstances it is only fair that you return half of the 20 million dollar dowry." Michael Corelli stated.
"Yeah, yeah fine." Anthony said his mind reeling with other thoughts. "I'll have half of the funds transferred back to your account, but don't spend it I might still be able to get you your wife, and get what I want, my organization back and potentially a new 'true' heir to run it when I'm gone." Anthony spoke with an elated grin, "but I may need your help."
"And I might be willing to help, dependent on my getting Claudia." Michael agreed.
"Oh Claudia, the bain of my existence, you may have finally done something to make your father proud…giving me a grandson."
