Claudia stood and extended her hand to Jason and then said, "Dance with me."
Jason just stared at her. What was it with women and dancing? "We're not here to dance." Jason said and then crossed his arms across his chest in defiance.
"Have it your way." Claudia said and then turned around and surveyed the room. There was a tall dark haired gentlemen leaning against the wall across the room. He was looking at her. Claudia pointed at him and then crooked her finger indicating he should come to her. The man wasn't sure she was referring to him and looked around to be sure there was no one else in the vicinity. Assured that she was indeed summoning him, he quickly closed the distance between them. He eagerly stood in front of Claudia. "Dance?" Claudia asked. She didn't need to say another word. The man took her extended hand and led her to the dance floor.
Jason was flabbergasted. He watched as the man led Claudia across the floor. Jason tried to ignore her on the dance floor. He got up and went to the bar for a refill. He pushed his glass across the counter and Coleman picked it up.
Jason turned and saw Claudia. Her hips were swaying to the beat. The man she had picked up was standing at a respectable distance. Claudia was facing him her arms stretched out and her hands placed on his shoulders. Coleman pushed Jason's drink towards him. "Wouldn't you just love to crawl up her.." Coleman stopped speaking. Jason had turned and given him a look that promised physical discomfort if he finished that sentence. Coleman raised his hands in surrender and walked away. Jason looked back at Claudia. She had turned around. Her back was facing the man and she was looking at him as she gyrated her hips and ran her hands seductively along her side. The man took this motion as an invitation and pressed his body up against hers. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled Claudia up against him so her backside rested snuggly against his groin.
Jason's eyebrows narrowed. He had seen enough. He swallowed his drink in one gulp and made his way to the dance floor. He stopped in front of Claudia. She looked at him and continued to dance. "That's enough dancing." Jason told her in an authoritative voice.
Claudia leaned her head back and rested against the man behind her in a show of defiance. The man on the other hand stopped moving. Jason was giving him a look that could kill. He quickly took his hands off Claudia and took a step back. Claudia stopped moving and turned towards him. "I..I have to go.." He managed to stutter out as he backed away from her. Claudia turned back to Jason. "Did you have to do that?" She asked. "Are we going to finish this or is the meeting off?" Jason barked. Claudia rolled her eyes at Jason. "Fine. Let's get this over with." She said and walked over to the table.
Jason sighed in relief. He was afraid she was going to fight him on it and continue to dance. He was pretty sure if she continued to dance like that there would no way he would be able to sit by idly while another man put his hands all over her. He wasn't worried about her safety. He knew damn well she could take care of herself. He was more worried about what he would do to the other man. For some reason the sight of that man's hands on her hips made him want to snap his neck. He struggled to bring himself back some semblance of control and then followed her swaying hips to the table. Eyes forward. He told himself and then sat down.
"We need to discuss where this meeting will take place. I suggest a neutral location." Jason said in a desperate attempt to get things back on track.
Claudia settled down and was ready to get back to business. "No. Sonny comes to us." She told him. Jason was about to protest then Claudia continued, "As a sign of good faith and a true willingness to negotiate."
"Sonny doesn't need to show good faith." Jason told her.
"I think he does. Remember who it was that started this. Besides I don't trust him. He's only doing this to appease you. He could be using this meeting as a set up. I want as much control as possible to ensure my brother's safety." Jason began to list the reasons why a neutral place was better for all of them. When a strange feeling came over Claudia. Claudia crooked her head to the side. She continued to listen to Jason while her eyes scanned the bar. Where had everyone gone? All of a sudden there was now only one person that she could see left in the bar besides for Coleman. Something was wrong. Her spidey sense was tingling.
Jason saw the change in Claudia's demeanor. She was looking around the room. He continued to talk, but watched as her hand slowly moved to rest on the outside of her handbag. She slipped two fingers inside a sewed in pouch. Her eyes were locked on some one standing off to the right. The man a move and Claudia pulled out a one of her razor sharp knives. It flew through the air just as Jason simultaneously drew his weapon and aimed it at the target. The man yelped in pain as the knife embedded itself in his shoulder. The gun that was in his hand fell to the ground. Claudia turned to get another knife when she saw a man standing directly behind Jason with his weapon drawn. The shot rang through the air just as Claudia flung her body across the table at Jason. They hit the floor hard. Claudia landed on top of Jason. They rolled on the floor in unison as shots continued to ring out towards them. They rolled under a table and Jason reached up and pushed it down in front of them for cover.
Jason had one hand on his weapon and the other protectively wrapped around Claudia keeping her close to his body. He felt Claudia push away from him. He looked at her and she was sliding her hand up her leg until she reached high up on her thigh and withdrew a small caliber hand gun that she had strapped to her outer thigh. She peeked around the side of the table. The men were making their way toward the door. The one she had impaled with the knife had pulled it from his shoulder and picked up his weapon. He was holding his shoulder and backing his way towards the door. The other man was in front of him backing out also and both were laying down a rain of bullets to cover their exit.
Jason reached for Claudia and wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her away from the table edge and back close to his body. She protested but he held her tight. He was to strong for her to break free. The bar went silent and the gun fire stopped. A terrified Coleman looked up from behind the bar. "All clear." He yelled.
Claudia went to rise but Jason pushed her back down. He slowly stood first and when he was sure the danger was gone he reached his hand down to help Claudia. Claudia batted his hand away and stood up on her own. Jason was very disturbed by what had just taken place. He looked Claudia over. She appeared to be okay. "Do you want to tell me what in the hell that was about?" He asked her angrily. Claudia walked across the room and retrieved her knife the assailant had left on the floor. She wiped the blood off on her dress. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."