She whipped through the paperwork for the motions she would file for the gun possession case Jamal’s friend’s father was charged with. She wanted to get home before Maxie put Stone to bed. As she was reading the last of her motions for errors, there was a knock at her outer office door. She wondered who would be visiting her this late.

Knowing Enrique, her guard, was investigating the situation, she confidently opened the door. TO her utter surprise, AJ Quartermaine stood in front of her.

“Good Evening, Dara. May I come in?”

Quickly getting over her shock, she stepped aside to allow him entrance. “Hello AJ,” she greeted him as she led him to the lobby.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m here,” he commented, sitting down.

“Yes, the thought has crossed my mind.”

“Sonny.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re the new council for Corinthos and Morgan.”

Dara’s mind raced for anything that would have revealed that piece of information.

“No, Dara, your secret is safe with me. And it’s not public knowledge.”

She raised her eyebrow.

“Once a Quartermaine, always a Quartermaine. My Grandfather has a 24/7 surveillance on Jason.”

Shock registered on her face.

“Yes, he knows. I think he only tolerated it for the sakes of Grandmother and Mom.”

“Why do you need to see me? I only represent Sonny in his Corinthos and Morgan business interest.”

“You’re the only person I know who is acquainted with both of us who talks to me. Plus you’re fair.”

Dara nodded. “I’m not Sonny’s messenger.”

“I know, but this is something he needs to know and it took a lot for me to come here. I probably spent twenty minutes outside in the parking lot trying to convince myself coming in here and talking to you was the right thing to do.”

Dara was very intrigued, but this time she made sure her face remained blank. “I didn’t know you and Sonny had any business together.”

AJ grimaced and lowered his head. “Michael is our business. I’m Michael’s biological father.”

So the rumors were true. She had thought Carly had no idea who her son’s father was. “Okay. And?”

“Carly approached me recently and said she would back my claim that Sonny used force to persuade,” AJ used hands quotes around the word persuade, “me to sign over my parental rights. And she would support my case to have my rights reinstated and Sonny’s adoption overturned.”

She wouldn’t allow her mind to reel at this reminder of who Sonny was and what he did. She remained calm and put her best face forward. “Why are you telling me this? And you and Sonny aren’t exactly friends so why should he or I believe you?”

AJ nodded. “He has no reason to believe me, but I thought he should know for what it’s worth so he can watch his back and more importantly Michael’s.”

“AJ, why did you come here? This would have been your perfect chance to get Michael back.”

“When Carly came to me and stated her case, I’m not going to lie, a part of me wanted to jump at the chance. Then the rational part of me remembered who I was talking to. And after she left, I met with my sponsor and I realized this was my opportunity to be a father again to Michael. Parents give to their children without expecting anything in return. Well this is my chance to give to Michael without getting anything back. I can be a true parent. Michael deserves,” he shook his head, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Sonny is the best person for Michael out of the two of them, and I will do whatever it takes for Carly not to have sole or full custody of him.”

Dara studied AJ’s body language and his eyes. She knew he was telling the truth. “I’ll inform Sonny. What are you going to tell Carly?”

Reaching into his pocket, he handed Dara a group of quarters. “I’ll tell her I hired a lawyer and she told me that my chances are iffy.”

“And that Carly could go to jail for knowing about a crime and not reporting it.”

“Thank you, Ms Jensen. I will pass the information on.” AJ stood and walked to the door. “I’ll contact you as soon as I speak to my partner in crime.”

“AJ, be careful. Carly can be dangerous,” she cautioned AJ.

“Always,” he assured her, opening the door.

“Why me?” She had to know.

“When you were with Justus, you always treated me fairly. You didn’t treat me like AJ, the loser. And you didn’t hold my past against me. You treated me like regular old AJ Quartermaine, and with a family like mine, in a town this small that doesn’t happen that often. Thank you for that, Dara,” he stated, slipping out the door.

Suddenly the door opened again. “I really like this clandestine meeting thing, I should see if Felicia needs a partner,” AJ commented, with a nod, and quickly closed the door.

She was touched by AJ’s words. She had never been anything but cordial to AJ, like her mama had taught her. But she had never gone out of her way to talk to him. She shook her head. You just never knew what kind of impressions you made on people.