Chapter Twenty-Two

Sitting in his car in the drive way, Johnny pulled his cellphone out and dialed the number. It was picked on the first ring. "Hey. I couldn't talk earlier. Can you come?"

"After hearing that message, I am more than ready to get back to gold ole Port Chuck. Are you certain that she is right though?"

Giving a humorless chuckle, Johnny rested his head against the seat. "I am. I don't know why you are so shocked. You are 'dead' too." He looked at the darkened house that contained his family. "I just need to make sure that Elizabeth, the boys, and now Georgie are safe. I think that she was dragged into this because of her connection to us. Her and Liz are close."

The other man sighed. "Don't even go there, Zacchara. Georgie Jones has a past with Diego. He always had an unhealthy obsession with her. As for her and Lizzie, I am personally glad that they are friends. She will be exactly what Georgie needs to get through this. And with Emily gone, I am sure that Liz needs all the friends that she can get. I know how PC treats her when she decides to break the supporting role that the worthless citizens place her in."

"Truer words," Johnny muttered. "Are you sure that you are ready from the fallout. I had not planned on exposing you like this."

"I am. Don't worry so much. You need me up there. I will arrive in two days. Just make sure that you protect Liz and Georgie until I get there." The man paused and gave a laugh. "I can't wait to see everyone's face."

Amused at that remark, Johnny couldn't help but agree. After ending the call, he let himself into the silent house. It didn't surprise him to see that the boys were already out when he checked on them. His eyes softened as he watched them slumber. It still amazed him how much he loved them. They were adorable little scamps. Checking their room, he frowned to find the bed made but no Elizabeth.

A noise in the hall caused him to turn and he saw his wife standing in the doorway of the guest room. Motioning him back into their room, she gently closed the door.

"Another rough evening?"

Leaning against him as he brought her close to him, she shook her head. "It will be that way for awhile, but tonight was actually better than last night. I just laid with her until she fell asleep. How was your day?"

Stepping away and stripping out of his clothes and pulling on some sweats, he gave her a brief rundown on the events of the ship. Seeing her frown, he paused and just watched as she sat on the bed. "Are you alright?"

Hearing the concern, she gave him a reassuring smile. "I am fine, just a tad bit concerned. First the warehouse and now this."

Tugging her down on the bed, his lips moved softly against her ear. "I swear to you, things are fine. You know that my profession is not the safest, Elizabeth, but things are fine on that front." Feeling her shiver as his breath barely touched her skin, he smirked. "I love you, baby. I will always keep you, Cam, Jake, and the newest baby safe. Never doubt that."

"I know," she admitted as she turned her mouth to his. As the kiss started then deepened, she moaned into his mouth. "God, I have missed you."

Knowing that they still had to discuss the issue of the new person coming into town, he started to pull away when she shoved him back and straddled him. All other thought fled as Elizabeth took control. Johnny growled as he felt himself surrending to her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cool night air felt good on his hot skin. As he watched the house from the distance, he inwardly smirked as he saw the master bedroom light go out. Enjoy it while you can, Zacchara, he thought with a sinister laugh.

Focusing back on the other window, he wondered how she was. It still irked him that she had ran to the one place that he would have trouble accessing. Georgie was the reason that he had come back. While the money that Lucky was giving him helped, she was the goal all along. After she had humilated him by choosing her weak ex, he had sworn to get revenge. Now even that had ebbed. He just wanted what belonged to him. And there was nothing that was going to keep him from her. When he left for South America after fullfilling his part of the job, he knew that nothing would keep him from taking her with him. Georgie Jones belonged to him and he planned on making her understand that.

The guards were making their hourly check on the property when he saw something unexpected. Intrigued, he watched through the binoculars as Samantha McCall, now Morgan he remembered, drove past the Zacchara cottage. Amused to figure out that more than one fraction was trying to tear down Elizabeth, he started to whistle.

The idea of the stupid con woman going up against John Zacchara was downright laughable. Diego knew that she had better pray that Morgan really loved her, because John was Anthony's son after all. He may not show it like the old man had, but he had a streak that was just as vicious when provoked.

Knowing that he would get nowhere near the princess tonight with the extra guards that had been brought in, he left his hiding spot and started back to the hotel that he staying in. He was hoping that Elizabeth woud be working tomorrow or at least leave the house. He wanted to take care of her as quickly as possible. His main goal was to get Georgie back to his father's compound.

Thinking back on what he had learned about Elizabeth and her unexpected hooking up with Zacchara, he wandered if the mobster would pay for the information on what Spencer was up to. Deciding that it was too risky to approach the man, especially if Georgie had talked, he tossed his jacket on the bed and grabbed a beer. Besides, he had always thought that the Webber girl had been a snob to him, especially when she had been running with Morgan through the town. Payback was a bitch, he thought as he drained the bottle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth was at the stove, flipping pancakes, when she heard the soft footsteps on the back stairs. Turning and seeing that Georgie was slowly making her way into the kitchen, she assessed the younger woman. The bruises on her face were now fading to a greenish yellow, but it was the broken look in the eyes that bothered her.

"Hey, Georgie. Help yourself to some cocoa. Do you want a pancake?"

Her stomach rumbled and she flashed a small grin at Elizabeth. "I think that sounds good. Where is everyone?" she asked as she stirred her drink before easing into a chair.

"Francis is outside talking to a couple of the new guards, Johnny and Jagger left for a meeting. Cam and Jake are watching tv until I make them come eat." She paused and nibbled on her lip. "How are you?" she finally asked gently.

"Um, I am surviving." Her gaze shifted away from the concern look that Elizabeth had. "I know that I have to get back into a routine. But I really need to thank you and Johnny for letting me stay here."

"No thanks are needed. I know exactly what it is like to just need to get away and feel safe, Georgie." Turning off the burner, she moved and sat across from her. "Are you sure that you are ready to get back out there? Don't rush things just because you feel like you are hiding." Seeing the shock, she shrugged. "I did that too. Going back to work before I was ready made it worse, and way more obvious that something was wrong."

"I am concerned," she conceded. "There has been no sign of him."

Patting her hand, Elizabeth knew that fear well. "Johnny and the guys are going to find him, Georgie. Until then, I think that you should continue to stay here. The boys adore you, I like having the company, and I know that Johnny would be relieved not to explain to Mac why you had a guard."

Unable to stop the giggle at the thought of that conversation, she knew this was in the safest place that she could be. "And what will I tell Mac?" she wondered.

"Easy. That you are taking my offer as a nanny." Seeing the surprise, Elizabeth laughed. "It may be a lie, but it is a very believable one."