CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Jason keeps one eye on Johnny as Gia and Carly talk to him about their housing issue. He can tell Johnny is quickly approaching rage and wonders who is on the other end of the phone call. He's brought back to reality when Carly huffs.

"Just go. You're not listening anyway." She pouts.

Jason shakes his head. "I heard you. You can't find houses next door to each other that you both like. Why don't we buy a big piece of property so you can build two houses designed however you want?"

Gia and Carly exchange sheepish looks. "Um, cause we didn't think of that."

"See, this is one of the reasons I love you so much." Carly squeals and kisses him firmly on the lips. "Now go see what's bugging Johnny before he pops a blood vessel."

"And that's one of the reasons I love you so much." He returns the kiss as he rises from his seat. He slaps Johnny on the back and gestures towards the kitchen.

Johnny growls into the phone, "Keep me posted."

"What's going on?" Jason hands him a beer but Johnny sits it to the side.

"That was Miguel. Sonny made the call." Johnny snarls. "He made the fucking call."

Jason remains calm as the last veil is lifted. Sonny is now just another enemy that needs to be eradicated. He takes a long pull of his beer.

"Do we have everything in position?" He asks Johnny.

Johnny nods. "Just give me the word. I'll do it myself."

"No." Jason folds his arms across his chest and a cold smile starts to emerge on his face. "No, it won't be you. This one is mine."

When they walk back into the living room Carly takes one look at his face and rises swiftly.

"What'd he do?" She hisses.

Jason shakes his head. "I'm going to take care of it. Don't worry."

"Son of a…he did it, didn't he?" She gasps. Jason nods once and her eyes brim with tears. "Oh Jase."

Jason hugs her tightly. "Carly, I'm okay. It's okay."

"No, it's not. I know what you have to do and I support it but it's not okay." She shakes her head. "You're going to be hurt afterwards and I hate that because he doesn't deserve it. Gawd, I swear that man is a piece of shit. The best thing he's ever done is upstairs right now with no idea, thank god, what a coward his biological father really is."

Jason rubs her arms soothingly. "Baby, I need you to calm down okay. If the kids feel you stressing out they'll know something is wrong. I'm going to take care of this and then I'll be back here, to you, to our family. I promise."

"You better." She takes a deep breath. "Just…end this."

He leans his forehead against hers. "I will. I'm not going to let Sonny take anything else from us."

"Are you going to tell him before?" Carly's eyes start to get a gleam.

He laughs. "You want me too?"

"Hell yes." She kisses him. "Go upstairs and kiss your kids before you leave."

He returns the kiss then jogs upstairs. A few minutes later, he comes down with a determined glint in his eyes. With a single look at Johnny they're out the door.

Carly sits on the couch next to Gia. "Tell me they'll be okay."

"I was going to ask you to tell me that." Gia sighs and leans into the cushions.

Carly turns to look at her. "Back to the houses?"

"Yeah," Gia nods, "it's the only thing we can do something about."

Johnny reaches for his ringing cell. "Zacchara."

"Tonight." Jason says simply and disconnects.

Johnny races to Claudia's bedroom door and knocks once. She opens a moment later wearing a robe. He looks behind her at Nikolas. "Can I speak to you alone?"

She shuts the door behind her. "What's wrong?"

"Jason called. It's tonight." He informs her.

She nods once and tilts her head towards the bedroom door. "I have an alibi but I think it'll be a good time for you to pay Maxie a visit don't you?" Far as Claudia's concerned the Commissioners daughter is as good an alibi as it gets.

"She's with Spinelli tonight." Johnny frowns slightly. He and Maxie have been sleeping together for some time now but she refuses to leave her non-husband.

Claudia rolls her eyes. While she has no use for Maxie most days she sure as hell would rather see her brother with the spirited blonde than flighty Lulu. "Call her and tell her you want to see her. She'll meet you. Trust your big sister on this one."

Johnny looks at her skeptically but makes the call. He smiles without realizing it at her bubbly hello. "I need to see you."

"I told you…" She murmurs reluctantly.

Johnny shifts the phone. "Maxie…I need you."

She sighs. "Where?"

"Our spot in ten?" He decides.

She casts a sidelong look at Spinelli and a piece of her feels like crap but another stronger piece of her just cannot resist Johnny Zacchara. "Fifteen." She ends the call.

Claudia is wearing a knowing smirk. "Told ya. You're irresistible little brother. I actually like Spinelli but anyone with eyes can see he can't handle a woman like Maxie. She's too much like…"

"Who? Us?" He raises a brow.

She shudders. "I was almost gonna say me. She loves the thrill of living on the edge. She dances on the line. She needs the freedom to play it fast and loose and Spinelli…he's just not that guy."

"Does he know what he's getting into?" He nods towards the bedroom door.

Claudia's smile suddenly lights up her entire face. "Yeah, he does and he stayed John. He actually stayed."

Sonny looks up with a startled expression at Jason's sudden presence in his living room. He recovers quickly but is clearly thrown off.

"Jason, what are you doing here?" Sonny stands from behind his desk. He looks around for Julio.

Jason keeps his cold eyes trained on his former best friend and mentor. He doesn't speak.

Sonny starts to nod slowly. "I heard you found Carly. Is that what this is about?"

Jason still doesn't respond but takes note of what he said. Sonny shouldn't know of Carly's return. That information was restricted to a very select few. He knows Bobbie didn't tell him. Diane is unlikely but not impossible. Jason leans more towards the guards. Obviously someone in their camp is still aligned with Sonny. He'll have to get the name before he finishes him.

"If you have the balls to come into my home then have the guts to tell me what this is about." Sonny puffs up. "What? You came here to gloat? I heard about the new kid. I'm supposed to think it's yours? Are you buying that? We both know Carly's a slut on her best day and a whore on her worst."

Jason still doesn't respond but his eyes burn brighter with each word. He'd told himself for old time's sake he'd end him quick but with each word Sonny is prolonging his own agony. He also notices Sonny hasn't asked about his own son once since he started talking.

Sonny wipes the sweat that's starting to form on his forehead and sniffs. "Either speak or get out! I'm sick of this!"

Johnny leans against the patio door. "Now you should know by now Jason doesn't speak until he wants too."

"You." Sonny glares at him. "I heard you were back. Jason, how could you lie to me? You know what kind of…"

Jason shakes his head. "If you say the word betrayal one more time I'll cut out your tongue. You were fucking up. Johnny needed to get info and he got it the way I told him to. The fact you thought he was capable of that kind of disloyalty is further proof you're not fit to run this business."

Sonny explodes. "I'm not fit? I made you!"

"You gave me a start but I made myself and I've been carrying you for a long time." Jason eyes grow colder. "I didn't realize it then but my ELQ stocks were your only interest in me. It just turned out I was a good enforcer. My decisions kept you alive. My loyalty to you kept you alive through all kinds of shit that should've killed you; fucking Carly, letting Ric get his hands on her and doing nothing about it. You shot her in the fucking head while she was giving birth! You got my son shot because you are so fucking stupid you thought you could just decide to quit. You know there's only one way out!"

Sonny paces the room. "Is this what it's all about? Carly! That bitch has always gotten in your head. I did you a favor when I took her from you. You couldn't control a woman like Carly."

Johnny laughs coldly, "Yeah and you did a real good job at that. You broke her down until she didn't know which way was up. All she knew was she wanted out and you reminded her every day of what she'd lose if she left you…Michael. Well thanks to you she's lost a part of him anyway." He looks at Jason. "Please let me kill this fucker."

"No." Jason states and Sonny starts to relax. "I told you on the way over here. This one is mine."

Sonny laughs nervously. "You think you can do this to me? I'm connected. You take me out and people will be at your doorstep before the sun rises. You, Carly, and your whole family…dead except for Morgan. "

Jason smiles and Sonny knows something is coming. "Morgan is my son."

"What?" Sonny's jaw goes slack. "You're a fucking liar. Morgan is mine."

Johnny rolls his eyes. "You know Jason doesn't lie."

"You were fucking her behind my back?" Sonny lunges for him but Jason easily sidesteps and sends a crushing blow to the back of his neck. Sonny drops to the ground in a heap.

Jason nods to Johnny. "Toss him in the trunk."

When Sonny comes to he recognizes the room he's in immediately. He knows it's over. Jason is really going to kill him.

He looks at the man sitting across from him that he once considered a brother. "Just make it quick."

"Was but you talk too much." Jason shrugs. "Before you go, I need to know whose the inside man at the Towers."

Sonny sniffs. "I'm not giving you shit."

"You will." Jason stands. "We both know you will. Save yourself some of the pain and just give it up."

Sonny ignores him and asks the question that's been burning him since he woke up. "Is Morgan really your son?"

"Yes." Jason states evenly. He debates on whether to tell him it's through adoption but decides against it. Let Sonny think he's been played for a fool all this time. He really doesn't care.

"And this new kid?" Sonny lifts his chin.

Jason nods with a hint of a smile. "My wife gave me a new baby boy."

"Your wife?" Sonny yanks against the ropes binding him to the chair. "You married her?"

Jason stretches. "Stop stalling and give me the name."

"Fuck you!" He spits.

Jason shrugs. "Have it your way. Johnny!"

Johnny enters the room. Sonny takes one look at the plastic suit and goggles he's wearing and starts to cry like a baby. Johnny gives Jason a look like "can you believe this shit?"

Once he's done and the name is released, Jason shakes his head. He knew Sonny would break. It was a matter of when, not if, and unsurprisingly it hadn't taken long.

"It's time." He says to Johnny.

Sonny struggles to breathe. "You can't make her happy. Nobody can. In the end, she'll betray you just like she betrayed me. It's who she is."

Jason flips open his knife. "I told you what would happen if you said that word again. Why do you doubt me?" Afterwards the sound of Sonny's muffled screams continue to fill the room.

Johnny folds his arms across his chest and grins. "Nice work. We should've done this ten years ago."

"We weren't ready." Jason shakes his head. "I had to grow up. She had to grow up. I hate what this asshole did to us and we probably would've been together if he hadn't gotten in the way but I don't know if we would have lasted. The place Carly and I are in now…it's gonna last man. All the bullshit, all the drama, me not reacting, her overreacting, it's done. We're solid."

Johnny nods. "Kill this fucker and let's go home to our wives." He looks at the clock. "It's about time to feed my godson again."

Jason laughs. "You're obsessed with my kid." He shoots Sonny once in the head and twice in the chest. "You thought about having one of your own?"

"I'd knock her up tonight if I could but she's not ready." He shrugs as they get ready to leave. "Once we get this house shit settled and our life in some kind of order maybe. Until then…gotta live through you brother."