Carly finally convinced Jason that she'd be okay going into work. She is only mildly annoyed about the two guards that are hovering protectively around her at all times, mainly because she's been nervous of running into Jax, nervous about the potential argument. However, she hasn't seen him. According to the staff, he hasn't come into work at the hotel at all since he's been back.
She was honestly relieved. She's dreading having to deal with him on a regular basis, but she wasn't going to let him push her out of her hotel. She was damn proud of what she'd accomplished here, of what she'd built, and she was ready to fight for it.
She looks up at a knock on her office door to see Sonny with a travel tumbler in his hand. His voice is at its most charming, his dimples showing, as he tells her, "I brought you some of that juice I used to make you when you got nauseous with Morgan. I remember it helped settle your stomach."
When he hands it to her, she puts it down on the desk as far from her as possible, eyeing both the tumbler and her ex husband with trepidation. "Uh, thanks. What can I do for you today, Sonny?"
He gives a look oozing with contrition, "I just wanted to tell you I am sorry about how I reacted yesterday, for upsetting you to the point you got sick. I guess it just came as a shock. I'm not neutral where you're concerned."
She sits back in her chair, her eyes intently studying her ex. She's learned the hard way that the more charming he's being, the more cautious she should be. Graciously, she tells him, "Thank you. I appreciate the apology."
He moves into her space, leaning against her desk right beside her chair, "I just worry about you and the boys. How are you doing with everything?"
She stands up, putting her within inches of Sonny, and when he doesn't move back, she skirts around him, "What are you doing, Sonny? We're not really buddies who chat about our feelings."
He comes close enough to run his hand up and down her arm in what she assumes is an attempt to be seductive. "You're right, we're not buddies. We are so much more than friends."
Jerking her arm away from his touch, she bites out, "We were more, and it was a disaster. Sonny, we made each other miserable. You shot me in the head, for heaven's sake. If this is some attempt to get back together, please don't."
"You know how sorry I am for ever hurting you. And, don't forget, there were some great moments in the marriage. It wasn't always miserable, sometimes it was passionate and beautiful." He cajoles.
"Sonny, stop! I can't do this with you. I cannot believe you are here, doing this little seduction attempt when I haven't even filed for divorce from Jax yet, and I'm pregnant with your best friend's child. You think this is an appropriate time to hit on me?! Or, once again is this all about what you want with no consideration for my wants and needs at all? I can't believe you!" Her voice rises, causing Max to step into the room.
"Carly, is everything okay?" He asks, somehow both concerned and threatening at once.
"Max, get out of here. We're fine." Sonny's voice gets hard.
Max continues looking at Carly, waiting for a response, not reacting to his boss. She watches fury light Sonny's eyes. "Are you questioning my orders?" Sonny asks, his eyes intense.
"Mr. Morgan said her doctor wants her to stay stress free. So, if she is upset, that's a problem, sir. Don't you agree?" He responds with a calm voice.
"Max, I'm fine. I'm sure Sonny was just about to get to the point and leave me to work in peace." Carly says pointedly.
He narrows his eyes at Max, but responds to Carly, "You and the boys need to move in with me. While everything is changing, they need somewhere familiar and safe. And I have more room than Jason." Sonny's tone shifts from persuasive to demanding.
"No," she replies, blunt and forceful.
"Why not?" He demands.
"Besides the fact that you're a Nazi when I'm pregnant and force gross juice on me when I'm already nauseated? Us living together is a horrible idea. We will be at each other's throats within an hour." Shifting her tone, she continues, "The boys are over the moon living with Jason. And they love Spinelli, I think they've officially adopted him as an older brother. We have decorated the boys room, and my room already. And, Sonny, I need calm; Jason makes me calm. So, we are fine where we are." Carly keeps her voice calm and steady.
"Carly…" Sonny argues.
"No, Sonny. The answer is no. Now, I have work to do. I would like you to leave." When he looks like he's going to continue pleading his case, she narrows her eyes, "Either you leave or I will."
"You are being unreasonable, if…" he says patronizingly.
"Fine," she cuts in, "I'll go." She grabs her purse, turning her attention to her bodyguard, "Max, let's hit it."
Sonny's hand reaches out grabbing her arm. Threateningly, he growls, "You're making a mistake."
Max grabs Sonny's hand, pulling it back painfully, "Back off, Boss."
Sonny pushes back, and Max gets between Carly and her ex, letting her get out the door. Watching as the other guard whisks her away, the mobster gives the bodyguard a look that promises violence, "You need to remember who your loyalty lies with before I have to remind you."
"Just protecting Carly, Sir." He responds, then, he turns and follows after Carly. When he gets to the car, she's already getting in with the other guard, Tommy's, help.
Getting into the driver's seat, he asks, "You okay?"
She gives him a grateful smile, "On the scale of awful interactions I've had with Sonny, that one doesn't even make the list. Thank you for your help."
"Yes, ma'am." A blush reddens his cheeks. With a bashful grin, he asks, "Where to?"
"Take me home."
Jason has Spinelli helping him with opposition research on Jax. The computer genius has his nose glued to the screen, while Jason stands behind him looking baffled by what he's doing.
"Curious. Oh, that philandering rake!" He speaks to himself, his fingers moving so fast they're a blur.
"What's curious?" Jason asks.
"It seems Jax's latest trip was not business related. The blackguard was with this jezebel at a hotel in Paris. There's surveillance that shows his dastardly affair against your beloved, the maternal Valkyrie." He says, his voice raised in indignation.
"You have pictures, videos?," Jason demands. "Let me see." He looks at pictures of Jax kissing Brenda at several different cafes in Paris, as well as a rather pornographic elevator ride. "Son of a bitch!"
"You know this harlot?" Spinelli asks.
"Brenda Barrett. His and Sonny's ex, and a royal pain in the ass." He shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as he feels a headache coming on. "Get that to Diane."
"Right away, Stone Cold. There, uh.. there's something else you should know. There's some rather concerning discrepancies in his financial records, including some questionable financing at the Metro Court. I think he's embezzling."
Jason's face turns to stone, causing Spinelli to look nervous. "Good job," he tells the younger man. Then he pulls out his phone, calling up Diane.
When the lawyer answers, he explains, "Diane, Spinelli is sending you some information that is going to make your case against Jax much easier. I have proof that he was having an affair with Brenda Barrett. He's been in Paris with her for the past month, and he's also been embezzling from the hotel. Spinelli will continue digging, but with this evidence, he's not going to be able to take anything from Carly. Use it to get every cent possible for her."
Her voice has a happy lilt as she praises him, "I do love when you make my job easier." Then, bluntly, "Jason, I thought you should know, I attempted to serve the divorce papers to Jax, but haven't been able to find him. He's not at home or the hotel."
Letting out a sigh of frustration, he growls, "Damn. Okay, I'll see if Spinelli or my guys can find him."
"Can find who?" Carly asks, coming in the door.
Jason looks her over, noting that she seems agitated. Talking into the phone, he tells Diane, "Thank you. I'll get back in touch with you if I find something."
Hanging up, he goes to Carly, standing close enough to run his hands soothingly over her arms. "Hey, I'm surprised you're home this early. Is everything okay?"
"You first. Who can't be found? You tell me, and I'll tell you." She juts her chin out stubbornly.
"Jax," he tells her gently. "Diane's been trying to serve him divorce papers. But she can't find him."
With a frown, she asks, "The employees at the hotel haven't seen him either. Do you think he's still in town? Maybe he just went home to his parents in Australia."
"Or he's once again consorting with the jezebel." Spinelli adds from across the room.
Carly looks confused, "He's doing what with who?"
Jason looks at her cautiously. Reluctantly, he tells her, "The reason Jax was gone this last time is that he was with Brenda in Paris. They were having an affair."
Her eyes narrow in anger, "You mean that son of a bitch called me a slut in front of my son while he was sneaking around behind my back?" Spitefully, she tells Jason, "We're about to take him for all he's worth. I cannot believe that asshole."
He pulls her into a hug, regretfully telling her, "There's more. Spinelli found proof that Jax has been stealing from the hotel."
She steps away running her hand through her hair. He walks to her side, his hand rubbing her back in comfort. When she turns her eyes to his, they're spitting fire. "We're going to make him pay." She says, her voice hard.
"Already working on it. We have photos and videos that we've sent to Diane. I will make sure you get what you deserve," he promises.
She looks at Jason, her eyes taking in his resolve to help her. She gently rests her hand against his cheek, "Thank you. You always go to bat for me. I hope you know I love you for it."
Taking her hand, he brings it to his mouth, kissing her palm before linking their fingers. Even knowing she is not saying it the way he aches for her to say it, he feels the words pulse through him. They are both a balm to his soul and energizing, pushing him to be everything this woman needs in a partner. He's determined to deserve the love she gives him so freely. At his desk, Spinelli is surreptitiously stealing looks at them, a smile on his face.
Jason squeezes her hand, "I have held up my end of the bargain. What happened?"
She rolls her eyes, "Sonny dropped by. He said I need to live with him for the boys, some nonsense about them needing somewhere familiar. He brought me some of that nasty juice he basically forced down my throat when I was pregnant with Morgan. Said he was sorry for how he reacted when he found out I was pregnant." She lets out a disgusted shudder and an eye roll. "Really, I think he's trying to get me back,"
Jason feels a vice around his chest. He pulls his hand back, crossing his arms. With his heart in his throat, he asks, "What did you say?"
She looks at him, seeing the tension, "I told him we made each other miserable. Just the thought of having to deal with Sonny during my pregnancy may give me nightmares for the next nine months. He was the worst; he tried to control everything I did, everything I ate." It's her turn to sooth Jason. She walks straight to him, wrapping her arms around him. After a moment, he hugs her back. "I told him I need to be calm, and you are the one who helps me accomplish that, so I told him that we weren't going anywhere."
He lets out a breath, holding her tightly in his arms. "How did he react to that?"
"Like you'd imagine, but Max got me out of there before he could get too obnoxious." She looks at him softly, "I'm okay. For a run-in with Sonny, it was fairly uneventful."
His eyes are hard, but he puts a smile on his face, "Thank you for getting out of there. I'm sorry you had to deal with him. I will talk to him again. See if I can keep him away from you."
Cuddling into his chest, she tells him, "You're worrying too much, but… thank you, for taking care of me and the boys, and letting us crash your world. I'm sorry it's causing tension between you and Sonny. I don't want to get between the two of you."
"You don't need to be worrying about that." He says softly.
"I know there are much bigger things to be concerned about…"
"Actually, I would prefer you not worry at all, instead of just redirecting your anxiety." He interrupts.
"But," she gives him a light smack, "you don't have a monopoly on worrying. I get to be concerned that I'm causing tension between you and someone who's important to you, if not the most important to you."
"Not the most important." He says, his voice a low rumble that raises goosebumps all over her body. Then, in a reassuring tone, he promises, "It'll blow over. It's hard when the woman you love is pregnant with someone else's child." A tinge of remembered pain seeps through. "But if he cares about us the way I hope he does, he'll get over it."
"And if he doesn't?" She asks skeptically.
"As long as I don't lose you, I'll be fine." He tells her softly.
"Never," she promises.