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Chapter 15

So far as Sonny confrontations go, it wasn't a bad one. Probably because Sonny and Jason weren't directly involved, which was always a good thing. But mostly because it didn't involve Michael.

So why couldn't he stop thinking about it?

AJ sat in the Grille and drank his club soda like a good boy. Not that being a good boy ever got him anything but ignored. He could be a saint and no one would notice but step out of line for an instant and the whole world was ready to pass judgment.

So which was worse?

AJ sipped his club soda anyway.

He didn't need any incentive to be intrigued by Juliet Alcazar. She'd managed that all on her own. The stiff way she presented herself. The control. The bite. The eerie resemblance to Brenda that was lost the moment she opened her mouth to hiss or snarl at him in some exotic foreign accent. How come she had an accent and her brother didn't? Why was she so buttoned up from head to toe? So closed off. So guarded and yet so beautiful.

He was used to beautiful women who flaunted themselves. Beautiful women wore beautiful clothes and jewelry. They wore make-up that resembled a work of art. They drew you in.

Juliet chewed you up and spit you out and AJ wanted to know why. Why did she do that? Why did she carry a gun? Why was she scared they would put her to sleep at the hospital? Why did Sonny want to know about her?

Because she was Lorenzo Alcazar's sister, that's why. But it felt like more than that.

All of this and he could swear he was seeing her everywhere now. At the moment a woman resembling her was sitting at the bar, her back to him.

Long black hair carefully drawn back into a simple clip.

It could be her except AJ didn't think Juliet Alcazar was the type of woman who sat alone in a bar waiting to be picked up.

A man approached the woman. It looked like he offered to buy her a drink. She leaned over and whispered something in his ear. He nearly knocked over the bar stool trying to get away from her.

Damn. It was her. AJ picked up his club soda and headed to the bar.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gia pulled off to the side of the road and let the motorcycle pass. She tapped her fingernail on the steering wheel for a full minute, started her car and pulled back onto the road.

She didn't make it a mile before the motorcycle was behind her again. Gia frowned into her rearview mirror.

Stupid white boy.

She waited until they were outside the city limits and it was just the two of them. She slowed down to 30, 20, 15 miles per hour and then slowly pulled off to the side of the road to put her tail out of his misery.

She cut the engine, rolled down her window and waited.

Jason looked perplexed. This was a new expression and Gia was impressed. She thought he only had the one.

Constipated.

Jason reluctantly climbed off the bike and walked up to Gia's window. "Car trouble?"

"Ya, I thought maybe it was the exhaust, then I realized I'd been dragging a motorcycle behind me for the last 10 miles."

"Where you headed?" He ignored the implication.

"Why you so interested?"

Jason looked back at his bike like he was bored. "I'm not, I was just out for a ride."

"Let me put this in simple terms you can understand. Jason, I know you have been following me since I left Alexis's place."

"Like I said, I was just out for a ride."

"My brother is a cop. You think I don't know when I'm being tailed? You think Marcus didn't pull me aside and teach me anything and everything there is to know about stalkers before the ink was dry on my FOD contract?"

"You going to see Alexis?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Where is she?"

"At home."

"And where is that these days?"

"You need a lawyer Jason?"

"Maybe."

"Then call her office and leave a message. Stop following me."

"Maybe I'll just make sure you get there safely."

"I'm not your wife, I know how to drive."

"Courtney and I are divorced."

"Again, why are you following me?"

"Why don't you just give me her address?"

"Why don't you just call her?"

"We're not getting anywhere."

"Ya and this much conversation must be killing you. Get on your bike, turn around and go whack somebody or something."

"Gia."

"Hey, you aren't planning on whacking Alexis, are you?"

"Of course not."

"I think I should call Marcus."

"Don't call Taggert."

"Ya, I think I need to tell him you're following me and asking questions about Alexis." Gia reached for her cell phone.

Jason stepped back from the car. "I get it Gia."

"You gonna back off? I have him on speed dial, ya know."

"Go see Alexis."

"You won't follow me?"

"I wasn't following you, I was just out for a ride." Jason nodded and headed back to his bike.

Gia waited until he pulled away before she pulled back out onto the road herself. What the hell was going on with Alexis?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, what did you say to him?" AJ took the bar stool next to Juliet.

She didn't even bother to look at him.

"I told him to fuck off in four different languages, do I need to go for five?"

"Go ahead, I bet it's sexy when you say it in Italian."

She just sighed and played with her swizzle stick nervously.

"Waiting for someone?"

"No."

"What are you drinking?"

"Go away."

"Hmm. Never heard of it. What's in it?"

"Arsenic. Shall I order you one?"

AJ shrugged. "Can't drink. I'm an alcoholic."

"Alcoholics can drink arsenic, I promise. Here, let me order you a double." She raised her hand to signal the bartender.

"So what will it be AJ? Tonic water or ginger ale?" He looked at AJ.

"Ouch, you Americans take this whole alcoholic thing very seriously. The bartenders can refuse to serve you?" she asked.

"The ones that work for my grandfather can. Thanks, Harry. I'm fine."

"And would the lady like another sparkling water?"

"I'm fine." She waved him off.

"Sparkling water?" AJ raised an eyebrow.

"I choose not to drink. I don't like hangovers."

"So you aren't meeting anyone, you aren't looking to get picked up and you don't drink. What are you doing here?"

"Where's my gun?"

"Tell me why you're here and I'll give you a hint."

"Will you really?"

"Well, it won't be much of one but tell me anyway."

"How badly do you want a drink right now?" she whispered.

"Almost as much as I want to know why you're here," he whispered back.

She looked down at the other end of the bar. "It doesn't even compare then."

"Compare to what?"

"To how desperately I want a cigarette."

AJ followed her gaze to the man smoking at the other end of the bar.

"You're telling me you come here for what...the smell?"

She snapped her head back towards him to glare. "You are the alcoholic in the bar."

"How badly do you want that cigarette?"

"Enough to kill him just to suck the nicotine from his finger tips."

AJ laughed. "That's sick."

"You've obviously never smoked."

"My parents are doctors. They'd kill me. Bad enough I used to drink like a fish."

"I never cared much for alcohol. But smoking? My fingers never know what to do with themselves since I quit." She snapped the swizzle stick in half in her frustration.

AJ smiled. "I have an idea. Order a vodka."

"I told you..."

"Just do it." AJ slid off the barstool and made his way to the other end of the bar. After a brief exchange he returned to Juliet with a cigarette.

"I quit."

"I know you did, but I didn't." AJ took his seat next to her again and grabbed a pack of matches on the bar and lit up, he choked a little but managed to blow smoke in her direction. "Now drink your vodka."

She frowned but had to admit she was enjoying the smell so she took a sip of the vodka and sputtered. "This is disgusting."

"And this isn't?" He held up the cigarette.

She tried another sip, he took another drag.

Harry watched them both with amusement. What a pair.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What the hell is going on?" Gia stood in the doorway.

"Hi Gia."

Gia didn't answer, she marched into the front hallway with her books. "You moved? To the country? Into a house that looks like Hollywood moved to New York?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you've lost your mind."

"Glad you like the place."

"It's great. Why is Jason Morgan looking for you?"

The smile left Alexis's face. "Jason?"

"He tried to tail me. Stupid little..do you know what Marcus would do if he found out?"

"Did he follow you here?"

"He tried but I busted him."

"What did he say?"

"Not much but when does Jason ever say much? You know it won't take him long to find you."

"I know."

"So why is he looking for you?"

"He isn't. Sonny is."

"What's he done now? I thought you refused to be his lawyer anymore."

"I did."

"So?"

"Gia, it's complicated. I can't tell you."

"Alexis, did he threaten you? I can talk to Marcus."

"No, it's nothing like that. At least not at this point."

"Alexis, you're scaring me. Tell me what's going on."

"So this is Gia?" Wong stood in the doorway.

"Who's that?" Gia pointed to him.

"Gia, this is the new love of my life. His name is Wong."

Wong bowed. "May I take your things? Dinner will be ready in five minutes but there is a pitcher of martinis prepared for you ladies in the courtyard."

Gia looked shocked as the man took the books from her arms and disappeared into the kitchen. "Well, I thought for awhile you'd fallen for Sonny. I guess your tastes have improved."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


She was friendlier drunk but then most people were. It was strange to be the sober one though. And the nauseous one. One cigarette had led to a pack being purchased in the gift shop off the lobby.

And one vodka had led to three and a Juliet barely able to sit up on the barstool. He offered to drive her home. She was horrified. Lorenzo could not see her in such a state. No. Never.

And she repeated that several times. In a few different languages.

She took a suite at the hotel. A large suite. The best they had. So AJ proceeded to take her up in the elevator, since she couldn't walk a straight line, to her suite.

"You are a very bad man."

"Ya, but congratulations it takes most people a little longer to figure that one out."

She pointed at him as she leaned back against the wall for support while he fumbled with the key card. "No, no, I knew. I knew first time I see you, you are bad. Bad for me. You not go away and that is bad."

AJ pushed the door open. "Your suite awaits."

"I think you should go away from me." She stumbled into the suite and left the door wide open.

"Are you alright? You look kind of green."

"Not as green as you," she laughed.

"Well the good news is I don't think smoking will become a habit for me. Last thing I need is another vice."

"What other vices you have besides drinking?" She held up her hands and flopped back on the couch.

"Too many to name."

"Try for me, talk so the room doesn't spin. I will curse you in the morning when my head splits wide open."

"The room is spinning?"

"Si, yes. Very fast."

"You should eat. Eat something maybe."

"Oh no." She shook her head. "Not hungry."

"Okay, but drink some water and take some aspirin. I'll call room service and order some aspirin."

"Some in my purse, over there." She waved her hand towards the door where she'd dropped her purse. "Only, you bring it to me. I don't want you stealing from me again."

"You have another gun?"

"Maybe. Bring me my purse."

AJ picked it up off the floor, it didn't weigh enough this time to contain a gun so he handed it over.

He poured her a large glass of water, took a seat next to her and handed her the glass.

"This is very bad. Why did I let you do this to me?" She sipped the water.

"I'm sorry. I could handle three vodkas with my eyes closed. I didn't think." He pushed her hair back out of her eyes.

"This is why I don't drink," she pouted.

She pouted. Perfect little French pout. Perfect little lips puckered out with large, sweet brown eyes looking up at him. He did it without thinking.

And he shouldn't have.

The second his lips touched hers she stiffened all over. The soft little pout became a wall of hard, firmly closed lips. He pulled away immediately.

She drew in a big breath and shook her head. "Get out!"

AJ jumped up off the sofa. "I'm...I'm sorry."

"I hate you!" Tears filled her eyes.

"Juliet, I'm so sorry. I swear, I didn't come up here to do that..."

He didn't finish. She jumped off the couch and ran for the bathroom.

She didn't even get a chance to close the door before she was retching over the toilet.

Of all the reactions he'd had to a kiss, this one certainly went down as the worst. But he knew it wasn't really that.

He stood there and knew he should leave. She wanted him to leave. She was going to be beyond furious if he didn't.

But he couldn't. He made it all the way to the door before he turned around and headed back to the bathroom.

"Get OUT!"

He ignored her and grabbed a hand towel and began to run it under the faucet. "I can't."

"Go way." She threw up again and AJ suddenly remembered how nauseous he felt himself. How was he going to do this? He had to try.

"Juliet, I swear, I won't try that again. I won't. But I can't just leave you like this. Can I call your brother?"

"No." She started crying.

"Then just, just let me help. It's my fault."

She continued to cry, sitting in the floor, her stomach convulsing, her face hot. It was worse than being stabbed. At least then she hadn't done it to herself.

AJ tentatively placed the cold towel on her head. She didn't pull away so he pulled her hair back out of her eyes and sat down next to her in the floor.

"Please go."

"Just stay still. I will when you're better. I promise."

"Why won't you ever go away?" She shook her head.

Because you need me? But he couldn't say it aloud. She didn't want to hear. Yet.