CHAPTER FOUR
"Are you okay Carly?" Marty questions the next day.
I wave away his concern as I fight the blush creeping up my neck. I know I'm moving a little slower today than normal. Hell my legs gave out the second I tried to stand this morning. Saying Jason is rough in bed is an understatement. The man is a true savage and I was not prepared. More than happy but definitely not prepared to play Jane to his Tarzan.
Believe me I get it better than anybody why little Lizzie is still swinging from the vine. The thought makes me sick but trust I get it. The man has skills and the cocky bastard knows it. After the ninth round the shit eating grin on his face started to piss me off but I couldn't have stopped if I wanted too.
I take a seat at the bar and blindly study the agenda for today. I can't focus. All I see is passion filled blue eyes staring at me like I'm his last meal. The thing is…I don't know what happened. I don't know what changed in our relationship. I know he was pissed at the thing with Karpov and I guess seeing us together brought up feelings about me and Sonny? I don't know.
We didn't talk about it either. He got up. He cooked. We ate. He drove me home. I started to get out the car. He grabbed me, kissed me hard, felt me up and told me he'd see me later then he drove off before I could form a sensible reply. Confusing? Yes. Wanted? Hell yes.
"We meet again Ms. Spencer."
I blink and look up. Andrei Karpov is standing next to my chair with an amused smile on his face. I toss my hair behind my shoulder and meet his gaze head on.
"I think it would be better if we didn't speak again Mr. Karpov." I state firmly. "My staff is more than adequate enough to field any request you may have."
His demeanor changes slightly and he clasps his hands behind his back. "I'm afraid my request is of a personal nature. I am in need of a companion for dinner; a certain beauty that happens to own this very hotel, in fact."
"I'm flattered, truly, but I'm not interested." I stand abruptly expecting him to move but he doesn't and we end up in much closer proximity than I would like.
He places his hands on either side of the bar completely invading my space. "I am not a very patient man Ms. Spencer. I will play your American game for the time being but I will have you in the end." He kisses me on the cheek.
I feel a burn where he kissed me and shiver. Something about Andrei gives me the creeps. He wants to get me in bed, I know that, but there's something else and that's the part that has me tied in knots. I try to shake it off but as I take a step away from him I feel eyes on me. I know that feeling and I don't have to look up to know who's watching me. I'm surprised I didn't feel it the second he walked in.
I catch Jason's eye but he's no longer looking at me. He's staring at Andrei and he has the death glare again. I bite my lip as I look between the two men. Deciding to defuse the situation I stroll over to Jason and give him a quick hug.
"Hey you." I whisper into his ear.
He doesn't take his eyes off Andrei as he hugs me and whispers in my ear, "hey you back." He watches Andrei exit the lobby and lets me go. "Did he hurt you?"
"Jason, no." I try to shake off the unease Andrei caused. "It was the usual. He wants me. He's going to have me. It's not a big deal."
He kisses me lightly on the opposite cheek. "Come by the penthouse later on. We need to talk."
"Okay." I frown in confusion. "Is that why you came to see me?"
He grins. "No but something came up. Meet me at 7?"
"Of course." I'm still confused but oh well.
The sun is setting when I leave the hotel. I decided earlier I would take a quick drive to Shadybrook to visit Lulu before heading over to Jason's. I'm just getting into the backseat of the limo when I hear it. The sound rattles the windows of the Metro Court. Fear constricts my breathing. The blast came from the direction of the warehouse district. My only thought is Jason.
When I arrive at the docks I realize the fire is raging from a different section of the warehouse district. Pier 52 to be exact; the same district I ended up when I took the drive with Karpov that first night. The same district we were shot at while I was "snooping" through Karpov's shipment. I know what happened, I know who did it and I know why.
I climb back into the car and order my driver to take me directly to the penthouse. Once I'm there I let myself in. Spinelli and Maxi Jones are hanging out on the couch when I walk in. He immediately jumps up and tries to explain that "Stone Cold" wasn't home.
I smile. I like this kid. I can't help it. He talks weird and he's a bit hyper but it's clear he adores Jason and that's enough for me.
"It's okay Spinelli. Jason asked me to meet him here." I take a seat on the couch but quickly stand and head for the pool table. Knowing what Jason has done and why has me nervous. I need to do something with my hands.
A whispered conversation between Maxie and Spinelli catches my attention. It's hard to miss. I don't think Maxie can whisper to save her life. I definitely heard the words Jason and Slavic Seductress.
"Excuse me?" I sit the cue down with a thud.
Maxie quickly grabs Spinelli's arm. "Um nothing. You know how Spinelli likes to ramble on and on and its kinda like me when I'm nervous only he does it whether he's nervous or not which when you really think about it probably isn't as adorable to most people as it is to me but then most people don't get Spinelli like I do which is probably why he's turned out to be the best friend I've ever had and…"
"Stop." I hold up a hand. I know what she's doing and I'm not about to be fooled. I gesture to Spinelli. "You, spill it."
"I was merely imparting to Maximista that the Slavic Seductresses attempts to seduce Stone Cold has given me cause to believe he may fall into the dark side since his romantic entanglement with the Fair Elizabeth…" Spinelli starts to ramble.
I grab him and he squirms under the pressure of my hands. "Focus Spinelli. Who is the Slavic Seductress and what do you mean she tried to seduce Jason?"
"Stop manhandling him Carly." Maxie rushes to protect him. "Sasha, Karpov's attorney has the hots for Jason and Spinelli is just worried Jason's gonna jump her bones or something. Now let him go." She pries him out of my grasp and inspects him for damage. "Poor baby, are you okay? Nice going Carly."
"While the Jackal enjoys your attention I must protest that I am not as fragile as the Maximista would like me to appear. I surely can withstand the pressure of the Valkyrie's strong yet beautiful hands."
I tune out then and start envisioning Jason being groped by that blonde hussy. If she thinks she's getting her hands on my man…whoa slow down girl. Technically Jason is not your man.
Jason walks through the door. I glare at him. Maxie looks back and forth before grabbing Spinelli and pulling him towards the door.
"Spinelli and I will be leaving now."
Spinelli tries to stop her. "Perhaps Stone Cold would like…"
"Spinelli, go with Maxie." Jason doesn't take his eyes off me.
Spinelli stands there staring at "Stone Cold" then at me. Maxie gives an exasperated sigh and whispers something into his ear. A look of confusion then clarity slides across his face and he gives an embarrassed grin before removing himself from the apartment.
"You're early." He takes off his jacket and tosses it on the nearby chair.
I fold my arms across my chest and continue my glare. "If the Slavic Seductress wasn't inside that warehouse Morgan we're gonna have a big problem."
"Sasha Donev is no concern to us." Jason starts towards me with a distinct gleam in his eyes.
I back up slightly, "According to Spinelli she's trying to drag you into her bed and down the slippery slope of the dark side."
He traps me against the pool table. "I slid toward the dark side years ago Carly."
"Is Karpov…gone?" I ask quietly.
Jason's silent for a moment. He leans down and trails his tongue down the side of my neck and back up to my ear. "He never should've touched you. I warned him."
"I could handle Karpov, Jase." I close my eyes at the contact.
He lifts my shirt over my head with ease. "He scared you. I saw it. He had to go."
It takes all my willpower to stop his hands from lifting my skirt. "You said we needed to talk."
"Talk later." He murmurs against my neck.
I struggle to get loose from his embrace. "What are we doing here, Jase?"
"I'm trying to give us a daughter." He laughs as he watches me walk towards the window. I can read his thoughts and flip him off. Yes he's the reason I'm walking funny but damn it he doesn't have to laugh about it.
"Just like that huh?" I shake my head. "You've spent years telling me we're nothing more than friends and suddenly you're trying to have a baby with me? What the hell Jase?"
He runs a hand over his head. "I don't want to do this now Carly."
"We need to. We can have sex. You know I can't deny you. I just need to know why." I'm not ashamed. My body is his. It always has been.
He takes a seat on the edge of the pool table. "I saw Elizabeth."
I tense at her name but I try to remain neutral. "Okay…"
"She wants me back. She doesn't want me to claim Jake but she wants back in my bed. She's willing to sneak around and pretend to the rest of the world that we're nothing to each other." He picks up my hand and traces circles in my palm. "She kissed me and she told me she loves me. She meant it. I know that."
"So why don't you do it?" I ask around the lump in my throat. I would hate it but if Lizzie can make him happy then I'll deal with it.
He gives a half grin. I'm trying and he can see it. "Because of you."
"Because of me?"
He pulls me to stand between his legs. "Yes because of you. Because you're loud, you're obnoxious, you're dangerous and you would never, ever, deny me to anyone."
"Of course not." And I wouldn't. I'd be proud to have Jason Morgan as my man and to hell with anyone who thought there was something wrong with it. I trust Jason to keep me safe. I trust him to protect my boys. I know he never would've made the mistake that Sonny did.
He kisses me lightly. "I know. You love me no holds barred."
"We know how I feel about you Jason." I draw back to look at him. "The question is how do you feel about me? Why are you ready to be with me now when you've fought it for so long?"
He pulls me back. "Karpov wanted you. It was just another man walking into our lives and trying to take my woman like he had the right. Because he didn't know."
"Didn't know what?" I frown in confusion.
He tugs on my chin so I'll stop biting my lip. "He didn't know you belong to me."
"But I don't?" Jason is making no sense.
He kisses me again this time with blatant possession. "Don't you?"
It's not the declaration of love I wanted but for right now…it'll do.