Claudia sheaved the knife in the hidden compartment of her purse. She looked and found Jason starring at her with his arms folded across his chest. His face void of any emotion. He spoke to Coleman without removing his gaze from her. "Out." He ordered. Coleman didn't hesitate. He grabbed his jacket and a set of keys from under the counter and hustled his way to the door. Claudia stepped in front of him and blocked his exit. "Not a word." She warned in a menacing voice that promised unspeakable pain if he spoke a word. Coleman looked back at Jason. His eyes pleading for assistance. "He's fine." Jason told her. Claudia's eyebrows narrowed as if to say Jason's word was not good enough for her and then reluctantly stepped. Coleman quickly scurried out the door.

Claudia closed the door behind Coleman and flipped the sign from open to close. Jason took in the destruction around them and then fixed a cold hard stare at Claudia. She stared right back at him with the same intensity. Jason was first to break the silence. "Who wants you dead?" It wasn't actually a question. He said it more as a statement of fact.

Claudia couldn't help herself she broke out in laughter. "Who wants me dead? Is that excluding present company?" She asked, but didn't wait for a response. "The only person that wants me dead in this town is you and your boss."

"First of all, if I wanted you dead I wouldn't hire some low rent thug to do it. I would handle it myself." "You could try." Claudia snickered under her breath. Jason ignored her snide comment. "And Sonny wouldn't either." He added. "Maybe one of your associates from Europe followed you here?"

"No one in Europe knows where I am and the only person I've pissed off enough in the States to want me dead is Sonny." Claudia shrugged. "Maybe they weren't after me at all, maybe you were the target and I was just collateral damage."

Jason rubbed his chin giving her words some serious consideration. It was quite possible one of the other families could be trying to muscle in on Sonny's organization while he was preoccupied with Johnny. The other families were all aware of the Zacchara problem. Sonny was distracted and if Jason was gone the organization would be completely vulnerable. "It's possible." Jason reluctantly admitted.

Claudia went over and started to pick up some of the chairs that was lying around the bar floor. Jason was picking up the table that had used for cover. "I believe you when you say it wasn't you. We're cut from the same cloth. I would never send anyone else to handle my business and I believe you wouldn't either, but Sonny, He's a different story." Claudia picked up the pool sticks that were lying on the floor and place them on the pool table. "Sonny wouldn't hesitate to try and kill me and my brother. I'm not going to take any chances. The meeting is off."

Jason did not like the sound of that. He closed the distance between them. "If you cancel the meeting I can't guarantee Sonny will submit to another one."

"Not my problem." Claudia told him as she tossed the cue ball she held from hand to hand "Sonny more than likely just tried to kill me." She stretched out her hand and moved it across the room showing Jason the damage and just how close they had both come to pushing up daisies. "I'm not letting Sonny within ten feet of my brother until I'm sure this was not his doing."

"I'll find out." Jason assured her. "and then we'll set up the meet."

Claudia's race grew ridged. She took a step towards him. "What makes you think I would trust anything you told me? Sonny is your boss and your friend. I wouldn't trust anything you told me."

Jason glared back at her. They stood toe to toe. Looking like to large cats about to square off against each other. Tension crackled in the air. "If this was Sonny's doing, then he tried to kill me too. Do you honestly think I would protect him or any man that tried to kill me?"

Claudia thought about it for a few seconds then she placed the cue ball on the table and rolled it into the side pocket. "Again" She said as she reached in her purse and Jason's hand instinctively went for his weapon. Claudia ignored the gesture. She pulled out a business card and handed it to him. "Call me when you've figured out if your boss is trying to kill you or not."

Jason grabbed her arm. Claudia drew her weapon with the other hand and pointed it at Jason, but Jason's grip didn't loosen. She looked up into his face and it was as cold as ice, except there was also fire dancing far beneath them. Her body tensed and the spot on her arm where he held her heated. She jerked her arm to pull away, but Jason gripped it tighter and pulled her into his body. Her gun pressed against his chest, but Jason didn't flinch or back away. Instead he leaned down and captured her mouth with his. Heat soared through Claudia's body as Jason deepened the kiss. Her hand with the gun feel to her side and Jason released the grip on her arm so he could place his hand at her hips and pull her even closer to him.

Jason's mind was telling him to stop. She was the enemy, but his mind was having very little influence over the rest of his body which was being consumed with ravenous desire for her. He backed her up until she was pressed up against the pool table and then with one arm wrapped around her waist he lifted her till she was sitting on the table, while never breaking free of her lips.

Her legs parted so he could fill the emptiness between them and the short dress was now leaving nothing to his imagination as it was hiked up high on her thighs he could see the traces of red lace peeking out from underneath.

His hand began to wonder across her body until it finally rested on her breast. He began to fondle it and Claudia pulled back from his kiss and threw her head back in ecstasy. He began to kiss the length of her neck and Claudia threw her head back and moaned. They both froze in place when they heard a man clearing his throat. Jason spun and Claudia looked up to see Coleman standing in the doorway. "I forgot my wallet." He said with a devilish grin on his face. "Don't mind me I'll be out of here in two seconds."

Jason remained in front of Claudia blocking her from Coleman's view. Claudia squirmed on the pool table and managed to some what fixed her clothing and gather up her things. She pushed at Jason's back in order to get him to move. Jason was caught off guard and stumbled forward and she slipped off the pool table to her feet. "That's okay." She said to Coleman in a breathy voice. "I was just leaving." She turned to Jason and once again handed him her card. Jason reached out for it and let his fingers brush her skin as he removed it from her fingers. Claudia visibly shuttered. "Call me when you have secured a safe place." She told him. She was desperately trying to regain her cool, calm composure but the heat swimming through her veins made it hard for her to do so. So instead she moved hurriedly out of the bar.

Coleman shrugged his shoulders at Jason. "I'm sorry man. Next time lock the door." Jason gave him a look that clearly told him not to speak. Jason gathered his leather jacket and walked to the bar and placed a wad of money on it. "Not one word." He told Coleman and then his eyes drifted in the direction Claudia had exited. "Not one word." He repeated making sure Coleman understood he was not just talking about the shooting. Coleman took the money off the counter and nodded. "Hey man, not my business." "Keep it that way." Jason told him and then left out the door.