The overhead light that guarded the entrance to the bungalow provided
an intimate setting for the man and woman who stood face to face underneath it. The
tension in the air crackled as the seconds passed and neither spoke. Finally, the
man couldn't take another moment of it. He blurted out her name again, "Ms.
Jensen-"
"Mr. Corinthos," she said, cutting him off, "why
did you follow me?"
"I didn't follow you." Frowning as he defended
himself. "I had no idea you'd be here."
Dara rolled her eyes. "I
didn't mean to the island. I meant to my bungalow. What do you want?"
"I
wanted to make sure you're okay. That's all," he explained, his dark eyes boring
into her. Her mocha skin was flawless, he decided as his eyes roamed over her face.
Huge, luminous brown eyes glistened with unreleased passion. Her full lips were parted
in a silent invitation, contrasting the air of irritation that swirled around her.
Moistening his lips with the tip of his tongue, he wondered how she would respond
to his kiss. His body suddenly yearned to know if her petite body would be soft against
him…and maybe underneath him, too. "Dara," he murmured in a husky growl
and took a step towards her.
"Mr. Corinthos," she responded in a
whisper. Her hand fell to his chest, but she didn't push him away.
Heat spread
from where she touched him and flowed throughout him. He looked down at her small
hand, which appeared even smaller against his black silk shirt. His larger hand closed
over hers, moving it to rest over his rapidly beating heart. She moaned softly as
he took another step and backed her against the door. Her faint whimper was the only
sound as he succumbed to his instincts and closed his mouth over hers.
With
the berry sweet taste of her lips on his tongue, his heartbeat skyrocketed. Insistent,
his tongue parted her lips. The kiss deepened as he explored her sweetness. His other
hand slipped through her dark brown locks, angling her head and crushing her mouth
to his. When her arms snaked around his waist and pulled him to her, he nearly exploded.
Shaken by his response to her, he abruptly pulled away and ended the kiss.
A
full second passed before she slapped his face. The stinging blow wounded his pride
and further propelled him into the real world. A world where former crime bosses
didn't make out with Assistant District Attorneys in the doorway of a secluded bungalow
and underneath a Hawaiian moon. He pressed a hand to his stinging cheek and distanced
himself from her by taking a few steps back. "My apologies, Ms. Jensen."
Breath
passed from her lips in puffs. She placed a hand to her heaving chest as she regarded
him with flashing brown eyes. Passion still lingered within the depths of her orbs,
but Sonny also noticed humiliation. Both of her responses to him, the passion and
the humiliation, cut him to the quick. He spun around on his heel and left before
she could speak.
~*~
'We love you.' Those were the words that
had gotten to Nikolas. They had been softly spoken, but even that couldn't make him
doubt Dawn's sincerity. Was it possible that even after the disgraceful way he had
treated her, she still cared for him? In his sudden desire to know the answer, he
left the sanctuary of his quarters and went in search of her.
The first place
he looked was where he had left her. He had just reached the abandoned alcove when
the doorbell rang and Mrs. Landsbury moved to answer it. Curious and not ready to
reveal himself to visitors, Nikolas remained hidden and listened as Mrs. Landsbury
greeted the guest.
"Good evening, Miss Webber."
"Hello,
Mrs. Landsbury," Sarah said. She took a deep breath and rushed on with, "Is
Nikolas here?"
"He's resting," the loyal housekeeper answered.
"I will advise him of your visit."
"Wait!" Sarah cried
as the older woman moved to close the door. "I-Is it is possible for me to speak
with him for just a moment? I promise that I won't tire him out. I just want him
to know that… Well, I'd just like to see for myself that he's okay."
Mrs.
Landsbury's response was in the negative. "I'm sorry, Miss Webber, but Master
Nikolas is not taking visitors. I will inform him of your interest."
"Thank
you, Mrs. Landsbury," the girl responded in a despondent tone. "Could you
give this to him, too? Goodnight."
The creaking door signaled that the
conversation was over and that Nikolas could safely leave the alcove. Mrs. Landsbury
smiled warmly at him and handed an envelope to him. Before she continued on to the
kitchen, she said, "Miss Webber was here. She left that for you. Forgive me
for saying so, Master Nikolas, but she appears anxious to see you."
He
nodded his thanks and she left him alone. With Dawn foremost in his thoughts, he
had almost forgotten about Sarah. Almost, but not quite. Despite his neglect, Sarah
still cared. A lump lodged in his throat.
He looked down at the plain white
envelope. His name had been written in bold, neat script. Tracing the letters with
his forefinger, he realized that he wasn't ready to read her words and that maybe
it was time for him to reconsider his future with or without her.
~*~
"Stefan,
please wait." Alexis adopted a fast stride down General Hospital's corridor
of administrative offices to reach him before he disappeared inside a conference
room. "Thank you," she breathed when she reached him.
Stefan regarded
her behind emerald eyes that glittered with icy disdain. "I haven't the time
for idle chatter, Alexis."
"No," she said, her expression apologetic,
"of course not. I stopped to ask you about Nikolas. How is he?"
He
bristled. "Nikolas' welfare is none of your concern. Good day, Alexis."
"Stefan,
please," she begged. She latched onto his arm as he moved to walk away. He stared
at her hand and then looked her dead in the eyes. Immediately, she released him.
Taking a step back, she said, "I just want to know that he's okay. We're family,
Stefan. You can tell me how he's doing. I promise you that I won't seek him out-"
He
moved swiftly, stopping when he stood only inches from her. Through clenched teeth,
he bit out, "Of that, I am quite certain. You will not speak with Nikolas nor
inquire about him. You are misguided. We are not family. You no longer exist. I will
not remind you of this again."
"But Stefan-"
"You
made the decision to betray me, Ms. Davis. You must now suffer the consequences."
Despondent,
Alexis fell against the wall. She was only trying to protect him, she thought as
he stormed away from her. His best interest was her motivation, not betrayal. Her
greatest hope was that someday he'd realize that and forgive her. As she pulled herself
from the wall and began to slump down the hallway, she despaired that she had lost
her best friend. Forever.
~*~
Keesha frowned at the small piece of
paper she held in her hand. She found it hard to believe that the address was right.
How could her cousin afford such expensive digs? The elevator doors opened on the
top floor of the Port Charles Hotel, and with a look of confusion on her face, Keesha
edged down the hallway towards the penthouse suite.
Again, she looked down
at the noted address and the brass suite number that was on the door. "This
can't be right," Keesha murmured, but she pushed the doorbell all the same.
"Here goes nothing."
"Just a moment!"
The voice
sounded right, Keesha decided. Taking a deep breath, she waited for the door to open
and prove her right or wrong.
"Keesha! You're here!" The door opened
with a flourish. A woman, a few inches taller than Keesha, enveloped her in a warm
hug. The resemblance between the two women was unmistakable and most would assume
that they were sisters instead of cousins.
"I'm so glad you made it,"
Pamela Faith Ward gushed. Ending the hug, she grabbed Keesha's hand and pulled her
inside the penthouse. "Come in. Come in."
"I'm in!" Keesha
laughed after she had been dragged inside and the door was slammed shut behind her.
"Faith, I cannot-"
"Wait a sec, Cuz. Before we go any further,
call me Pamela."
Keesha's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Excuse
me? Pamela? For years, you'd have a fit if we called you by your first name. You
said that Faith was more exotic. What gives?"
The other woman shrugged.
"I just wanted a change. Have a seat and allow me to play hostess." Keesha
sat and Pamela went to the bar. "What would you like to drink? Have you eaten?
I can order room service."
"Room service?" Keesha repeated.
Her fingertips marveled over the plush ivory sofa. Her gaze wandered over the expensively
decorated living room. In addition to the plush sofa, there was a matching loveseat
and easy chair. Beautiful sculptures rested on the mantel and exquisite artwork adorned
the walls. Her attention drifted to Pamela and the beige silk lounge suit she wore.
Unbelievable. Without considering propriety, Keesha asked, "How can you afford
all of this and room service, too? I didn't know that the Peace Corp paid so well."
"They
don't," Pamela replied with a shrug. She opened a small bottle of Perrier and
poured the contents into a glass. She held up the glass in offering to Keesha, but
Keesha shook her head. Pamela then took her glass and came from behind the bar. She
settled down on the sofa beside Keesha. "I'm on a different career track these
days. The Peace Corp was a wonderful, rewarding experience and one that I will always
treasure, but it is not for me. I'm on a different path now, Cuz."
Keesha
shifted on the sofa. She gave her cousin a hard stare. "I'm listening, and if
it's illegal, I think I may have to kill you."
"So dramatic!"
Pamela chuckled. She set the glass on the coffee table. Pulling her legs underneath
her, she looked Keesha with a thoughtful expression on her face. "You reminded
me so much of Granny Mae when you said that."
A faint smile came to Keesha's
lips. "A day doesn't go by that I don't think about her and wonder what she
thinks about us…and the choices we've made."
Pamela took Keesha's hand.
"She'd be proud of you. Maybe a little scared at times, but she'd be very proud.
Of me, I'm not so sure. I doubt if my current line of work is what she had in mind
for me."
"And what would that be?" Keesha asked. "You've
stalled long enough. How did you get all of this?"
"I earned it,"
Pamela explained. "And no, I didn't do anything illegal. After my time in Botswana
was up, I went to London for a while. But you know that, right? Anyway, while there,
I made a few connections and was offered a killer position with a cosmetics company.
The owner recognized talent when she saw it and now, I'm a VP. End of story."
"I
had no idea," Keesha murmured. "So who's the owner, and as VP what do you
do? Details, woman!"
Pamela laughed again. "You haven't changed
a bit. I was worried when I heard that you're a cop now, but I shouldn't have been.
Bossiness is a good trait for a cop to have."
"I'll take that as
a compliment," Keesha countered.
"As you should," her cousin
replied with a smile. "The company is Hunter International. Quentin Hunter was
the owner of it, but somehow his ex-lover owns it. Her name is Carlotta Christofides.
She's quite a remarkable woman. I think you'd like her. In some ways, she reminds
me of Granny Mae. Tough, but fair."
"Sounds like you've found your
calling."
"I think I have," Pamela said with a nod. "It
certainly feels like it. Right now, we're in the middle of acquiring another cosmetics
company. It's based here in Port Charles."
"Not Deception,"
Keesha said. Her eyes were lit up in surprise. "The company that's owned by
Lucy Coe? No way."
"Yes, that's the one," Pamela said. "But
it's not owned by Ms. Coe anymore. Jasper Jacks is the man in charge now."
"You're
going against, Jax?!" Keesha gasped. "He's ruthless. Are you sure about
this?"
"Cuz, I'm looking forward to this."
~*~
From
the outside looking in, Jake's appeared to be like any other pub. There was a bar
and pool tables. Handsome and some not so handsome blokes milled around, swapping
jokes and swilling ale…
"Ale?" Dawn repeated aloud. She stepped
back from the window and backed into Vinnie who hovered over her. His hands fell
to her shoulders, steadying her lest she stumbled.
"You okay?" he
asked. "You don't have to do this. The shooting is being investigated. Let the
authorities handle it."
"I'm fine, Vinnie," she said, shrugging
his hands from her. "I was just thinking out loud that's all. I have to remember
that I'm not in England anymore. I have to remember how you Americans speak."
"You
wouldn't have to if you changed your mind. Walk away," he advised.
Dawn
shook her head. "I can't. I don't know how to explain it to you, but this is
something I need to do."
"You're just a kid-"
"I'm
not!" she said with a harsh frown. "I turn 18 in a few weeks. I am not
a child."
Exasperated, Vinnie ran his fingers through his hair. His blue
eyes glowed with his displeasure. "Against a man like that, you're an infant.
I can't let you do it-"
"No!" she ground out. "You think
I've led a sheltered life. I haven't. I can handle this." She moved away from
him and went to the door. "Come in about 5 minutes after me, and whatever you
do…you do NOT know me!"
She slipped inside before Vinnie could react.
Triumph exuded from her and her earlier feelings of sadness after her confrontation
with Nikolas had almost evaporated. She knew that she would have to work extra hard
to assume the role she intended to play and perhaps, her feelings about Nikolas could
be used to her advantage.
The overload of testosterone brought a faint smile
to her face. Some of the men were quite attractive. A few had obviously seen better
days, but regardless their appearance, she didn't focus on any man in particular.
Her purpose was to attract the attention of one man and one man only.
She
moved to the edge of the bar and sat. A swarm of men surrounded her, and offers for
a drink came from each of them. She politely declined each one and in turn, asked
the bartender for a Coke. Service was fast and a bottle of Coke was in her hand in
under a minute. The object of her mission stood across from her, engaged in a game
of pool, and as she sipped the carbonated beverage, she thought of the best way to
approach him. Deep in thought, she was not aware that she had captured someone else's
attention.
"Hi there," a twentysomething year old man with dark
red hair said. His breath was hot against her ear and reeked of alcohol. Dawn stiffened
immediately. "Hey," he said, ignoring her lack of response, "let me
get you something."
"I'm fine," she said, trying not to convey
her disgust. "Thank you."
"Yeah," he said, his hazel eyes
roaming over her, "you're right about that."
Hairs on the back
of her neck stood on end upon his perusal. Forgetting about her plan, she felt an
immediate need for escape. She rose to stand, but the man blocked her flight. "Excuse
me," she said, holding back her anger behind a cool exterior.
"I'm
not done talking to you, yet. Come on. Let me get you a drink." He closed his
hand around her wrist.
An arm clad in leather shot out. A hand closed over
the man's wrist, squeezing until the redhead released her. "Let her go."
"Come
on, Morgan. She likes the attention. Why do you think she's in here?" Red asked.
"From
where I'm standing, she doesn't like it," Jason said with a sidelong glance
at Dawn. "Leave her alone and walk away. I won't tell you again."
"Okay,
man," Red said, stepping away. "You don't have to tell me twice."
Dawn
drew in a deep breath. Her hands trembled and she couldn't bring herself to look
at her protector. She couldn't believe it, but she had been afraid.
"Are
you okay?" the man in leather asked. "Maybe you should sit down. You don't
have to worry about him. He won't bother you again."
"I'm…um…I'm
a little shaken," she said, honestly. "I can't thank you enough for what
you just did. Thank you."
"You're welcome," he responded. He
was about to walk away, but stopped. He placed his fingertip underneath her chin
and lifted it up. His blue eyes stared down into hers, unflinchingly. "Are you
sure you're okay?"
Her breath caught in her throat. His piercing gaze
mesmerized her. Slowly, she found the ability to speak. "I've been better."
"Well,
I don't think this is a good place for you right now. I'm leaving and I don't feel
right leaving you here unattended. Can I take you somewhere?" he asked.
"I
think you're right. If you could drop me off by the docks, I'd appreciate it. My
name is Dawn, by the way. Dawn Hunter."
He shook her proffered hand.
"Hi, Dawn. My name's Morgan. Jason Morgan."
