Risk

Chapter LII

Overset

Carly stretches out in the bed and finds a warm but empty space next to her. She frowns in confusion and then opens her eyes. Okay. Michael isn't there-- weirdness stage one. I'm not in my room. weirdness stage two. Alertness sets in. Looking around the room she sees her robe at the foot of the bed. She grabs it and wraps it around her belting it tight and goes out to the living area. "Okay... I'm the nightowl around here; so what's up?"

She goes behind Stavros and wraps her arms around his bare shoulders. He is studing the computer screen intently. "I'm just sending Alexis a copy of her marriage contract."

"You mean Jax is actually going thru with it?! Wow. That white knight gig really bites. Let me see." Carly comes around and slides onto Stavros lap.

"There are other chairs." Stavros reminds her.

Carly wriggles in his lap getting comfortable. "Can other chairs do this?"

"I stand corrected." Stavros wraps his hands around her waist and starts toying with the belt of the robe.

Carly reads the contract and starts hooting and then covers her mouth glancing in the direction of the Michael's room hoping she didn't wake him. "This thing is a riot! It's like something out of a Roberta Gellis novel."

"Roberta Gellis."

"Bodice rippers set in the 12th century or there abouts." Carly says absently already reading again. "And Jax isn't allowed to get any nookie on the side? Where is the part that says Alexis can't get any?"

"Not my problem." Stavros slides Carly's hair to the side and starts nuzzling her neck. "It will be Jax's problem just as soon as they wed."

"This thing is a joke right?" Carly looks over her shoulder to look at Stavros. "You're pissed at Jax and Alexis and really pulling out the stops."

"No, it is a traditional marriage contract. It lays things out so there is no misunderstanding."

"My mother signed something like this?! No freaking way. Like Stefan would be responsible for Mama's actions in and out of the marriage. Unuh. Nope, never happen." Carly scrolls to the last page and sees that there is a place for Jax to sign and for Stavros with no signature for Alexis. "And this part here. Good luck finding Mama's father. She never mentions him... ever. Well maybe to Nikolas. She and Nik are tight. Evidently he was a real bastard, my bio-granddad not Nik. Laura signed this? And I thought I was a moron for not checking the fine print and that was just Deception.. not the prenup from hell."

Stavros reaches around Carly and goes to the legal documents file for the estate. With a few keystrokes he calls up another document. "You were saying?" Stavros says smugly.

"Son of a bitch! It's Mama's prenup with Stefan." Carly reads thru it with some sick fascination.

"It is an interesting document." Stavros toys with Carly's hair. "No mention of offspring. Just promises to raise her son and Stefan's nephew together."

"Mama can't have any more kids." Carly explains matter of factly. "One of her ex's shoved her down a flight of stairs at the brownstone and caused her to miscarry and she ended up having to have a hysterectomy. There was just too much damage."

"I didn't know." Stavros says softly. "I'm sorry."

"I had all kinds of problems when I had Michael. Probably would have bled to death if Jason wasn't there. Mama stopped them from giving me a hysterectomy after Michael was taken by emergency C-section. She didn't even know I was her daughter then. She only knew enough about me to hate my guts but she still went to bat for me.
And then when I lost the baby with Sonny.... maybe it would have been okay. Maybe I could have done it right that time. I was trying to do everything right. Okay so I snuck a cheese curl now and then. It was a craving alright?! But it didn't matter anyway cause I couldn't stop from picking a fight with AJ on the stairs of the Quartermaine Mansion." Carly says bitterly biting her lip.

Stavros hugs her close to him. "Shh. I know it still hurts. You have Michael."

"I have Michael." Carly reminds herself softly and tries to shake it off. "Okay... so wise guy. Show me your prenup from hell with Laura. I gotta see this."

"Hey." Gia opens the door to Nikolas. "No offense but you don't look like you've slept."

"And you look beautiful." Nikolas comes into Gia's room. "There is coffee?"

"Oh yeah." Gia goes over to the cart left by roomservice and pours Nik a cup of coffee. She is in the midst of pouring when he comes over and stands right behind her. One hand comes around her and opens.

"I believe these are yours."

"Oh my gawd." Gia looks horrified at the red satin and lace panties extending from one finger of Nik's hand. "Where did you get those?" as if I didn't know

"Lucky and I pulled an all-nighter going over the proofs from the shoot." Nik says grimly. "I found them in his bathroom."

"I can explain." Gia winces. What the hell am I saying I don't have to explain a damn thing.

"No explanation necessary. I was rather relieved to find them. I assume it means they were too damp to wear after the shoot when we left for dinner."

"Right." Gia smiles nervously and steps away. "That's it exactly."

"See." Nik smiles but it is more of a baring of teeth. "I'm fine with it." I wasn't when I found them at 2am but I'm better now "I trust you."

"I didn't actually get to see those pictures." Gia shifts awkwardly. "How dead am I?"

"Excuse me?"

"When and if Marcus sees them."

"Convent bound I'm sure." Nik says dryly.

"How does she talk me into these things?!" Gia wonders aloud. She snatches the panties from Nik's hand and goes over to one of the shopping bags and stuffs them inside. "Carly gets these bright ideas and all of a sudden... All I said that was I was wiped and wanted a long soak in a tub and she was racing up the street screaming at me and Lucky to meet her at the hotel."

"And then she raced into her suite oblivious to the fact that my father and I were there. Grabbed what I now know is the... bubble bath and kissed me on her way out."

"She what?"

"She kissed me. Grabbed my by the ears... kissed me and said you were a genius."

"In front of your dad?"

"He got a kiss too."

"You know this is all your fault right?"

Alexis comes to the breakfast table in a daze. Andreas puts her coffee in front of her not even bothering to say anything since Alexis didn't hear anything until after her first cup of coffee. Alexis grabs it gratefully and takes a sip and then sighs. "Did the proposals start coming in."

"Yes, Madame. They were arriving at the crack of dawn by messenger." Andreas pulls out the folder of the charitable proposals. And sets it by the light repast of fresh fruit and toast. Then he pulls out the emails. This was sure to wake Madame up. "And your correspondance."

Alexis yawns and then covers her mouth. "Sorry." She reaches for the emails. Right on top is a multipaged email that is stapled together. "What the hell is this?!" She rereads the first paragraph and screams in fury. "I will kill them! I will kill them both!"

"Madame?"

"Get out! Get out!" Andreas bows and leaves Alexis tearing into the document. Each page read and then ripped up to the size of confetti. "How could you... How could you, Jax? How could you do this to me?!" Even as she shreds the document she knows it's no use. It wasn't even the real document but an emailed copy. Andreas would just print off another. Like a pedigreed bitch she was being sold from one kennel to another. Not human. Just another property in an exchange between two men. Two companies and me for three companies and a property to be named later. Alexis takes the full cup of coffee and heaves it across the room shattering a mirror against the wall and the coffee cup it's contents spewing across the wallpaper. She stalks out of the room in search of Andreas and finds him in her room supervising the packing of her wardrobe. "Leave us." Alexis orders coldly.
maid leaves in a rush and Andreas starts to follow her but Alexis puts a hand on his arm. "Madame?" Andreas asks with some trepidation looking longingly toward the door. He knew that Alexis would not react well to the email from her brother.

"Not you."

"Madame? You are overset." Andreas says nervously backing away from Alexis but facing her. He wasn't going to end up like Ari.

"Yeah, I got stress." Alexis snarls. "And a massage just isn't going to get it done this morning." Alexis slams the door shut.

Lucky rolls over with a groan. It felt like he'd just gone to bed after kicking Nikolas out of his room. They'd pulled an all nighter picking out the best of the pictures to be blown up when they got back to Port Charles. He grabs the phone. "If the place isn't on fire I'm hangin' up now."

"Don't hang up." Carly orders. "I want to make a plan for today and I want to see the pictures. Stavros took Michael out with Kris for a fieldtrip. I already have coffee on."

"Damnit!" Lucky curses he looks bleary eyed at the clock. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah, life sucks but we're on a clock. I'm going to call Gia and Nikolas too. Meet in my room." Carly is about to hang up.

"Carly?"

"Yeah?"

"Nik was going to go have breakfast at Gia's."

"Good it will save me a phone call. Bring the pictures."

The disconnect tone is the only thing on the line. Lucky curses and hangs up the phone. He is still dressed in the clothes he'd worn the day before and had just fallen onto the bed after Nik left. He runs his fingers through his hair making it even more of a mess if possible. He stumbles toward the bathroom and the shower climbing in fully clothed and with the water on ice cold. The curses get louder and more colorful as one by one sodden garments are peeled off and dropped on the bathroom floor. Finally awake, Lucky reaches for the temperature controls and brings the spray up to a nice steamy level and reaches for the shampoo.

About fifteen minutes later he is knocking on Carly's door with the contact sheets tucked under his arm. Carly opens the door. Lucky sees Gia and Nikolas both looking too wide awake for the time of day. Lucky shoves the contact sheets at Carly. "Here. Where is the coffee? Nevermind I see it." He stalks by her to the coffee service and pours himself a cup of the needed brew.

Carly comes over to the couch next to Gia and spreads the sheets out on the coffee table. "Oh yeah, these are much better than digital." Carly squints at the thumbnail sized photos to try to get the detail.

"Carly." Carly looks up at Lucky's calling her name. He tosses her a loupe from out of his pocket. Carly catches it easily one handed.

"Thanks." Carly starts looking at the pictures again with the magnifying device.

"Oh GAWD! Marcus is going to kill me." Gia moans as she finds what she was sorting through the sheets for. The bath salts shoot. She whaps Carly in the upper arm with them. "This is all your fault."

"I thought it was all my fault." Nik says. He goes over to the coffee service and refills his own cup.

"It's both of your faults." Gia claims.

"Carly, Can I talk to you outside."

"Sure." Carly sets aside the photos and goes out on the terrace. "What's up?"

"I'm going back to Port Charles today. I think Lucky and Gia should go with me."

"But..." Carly sighs. "Alexis blows it for me again. The wedding right?"

Nik nods. "Lucky was only suppose to be here through tomorrow anyway. We have the shots we need for the campaign and thanks to you for a new product line that doesn't even exist."

Carly studies Nik's face and then whistles. "Aren't you just Mr Volcano?! Is that steam coming out of your ears? And you seem so calm around Gia and Lucky."

"You had no right!" Nik grinds out between gritted teeth.

Carly shrugs. "She's a big girl. The pictures are hot and will sell a lot of product. As a major shareholder in Deception that is all you should care about." Carly adds coldly. "The boyfriend stuff... do on your own time."

"You turn it on and off like a faucet don't you? I thought you were just crazy but you're cold. What if I go to my father?" Nik heads for the big guns... and the only person who'd seemed to have any impact on Carly.

"Not liking the deal already, Nik?! Tell him. Go ahead. You think I care? He doesn't want you at Deception. He wants you working the estate. But I'm holding you to our deal. You want out? Fine, sell me your shares." Carly looks at the expression on Nik's face and takes a threatening step closer. "I didn't think so. Not as long as Gia's The Face and not as long as you can use mine to get in Mommy dearest's." Carly reaches up and taps Nik's temple with a single index finger. "Because up here you know-- I might be crazy and I might be cold but I'm what's best for Deception. You think I'm a junkyard dog. Fine. I can deal; just remember I'm not your dog."

"Is this what it's going to be like every time we disagree?" Nik says softly.

Carly steps back. "Maybe and definitely if you bring your dad into our business decisions.

Nik winces. "Yeah, that was a low blow."

"And it won't work so don't try it again. Because Deception isn't the only thing he wants for you. And you know it. If I think I'm right then I will fight you, I'll fight your dad... hell bring the f'ing Marines cause you'll need them." Carly threatens.

"You've made your point. And now I'll make mine. You are impulsive. I prefer to run campaigns from storyboards with clear objectives. I know you can work that way because I've seen the evidence. Based our partnership on it. This shoot will be an aberration. We will have our fights over boards not pictures. It's a waste of time and money to be shooting pictures of a line we don't have."

"Yet."

"Yet." Nikolas agrees reluctantly. "Do you see my point?"

"Maybe." Nik just looks at her. "FINE. Yes. I see your point. But I wasn't the one who wasted money on this trip. One hour, Nik, two rolls of film there wasn't even..."

Nik holds up a finger. "If you say wardrobe I will lose it."

Carly switches gears. "...location expenses other than what Laura already put out. To put Lucky and his chicky up in the finest suite in the finest hotel..."

"You're exaggerating."

"Not by much. And that really ticks me off 'cause I live to exaggerate and Laura didn't leave me any room."

Inside the suite, Gia and Lucky look out on the terrace. "You think we should get in the middle of that?" Gia watches with a wary fascination. It was more than clear that Carly was getting in Nik's face about something.

"About the time he starts trying to throw her off the balcony." Lucky looks under a silver warmer and pulls out a danish. "Until then she can handle it... and then only cause she'd probably take him with her."

"Lucky!" Gia looks at him her jaw slack.

Lucky shrugs. "It's about the pictures you know it is. I already talked him down once. That's about my limit. It was Nik's bright idea to involve Carly. Let him get a taste of what Mom had to deal with."

"They're coming back in." Gia races to a chair not wanting to get caught looking and grabs a contact sheet to look busy.

Lucky reaches for another danish. "So you two work out the plan for the day?"

"Yep." Carly answers. "Y'all are heading back to Port Charles with Nikolas. Leave the contact sheets with me. You can print up more back in Port Charles."

"I can have a plane ready in an hour." Nik confirms with a nod.

"What's the hurry?" Lucky asks.

"Family obligations." Carly answers for Nikolas. "Alexis is gonna try to make it down the aisle again. And I'm sure Nik has a lot of explaining to do to Laura about what he's been up to for the last couple days. And Gee, Lucky. I'm sure your dad is going to have a few things to say to you too."

"Like I said. What's the hurry?" Lucky says with some dread. "It'll all still be going to hell when we get there."

"Well then I had better go pack." Gia gets up from the chair.

"Me too, I guess." Lucky says reluctantly. He takes the danish with him as he leaves.

Nikolas stays behind. "You're going to be at the wedding right?"

"I haven't talked to your dad about it. I'd be fine with a video." Carly shrugs. "I've already been to one of Alexis' weddings. I don't know how she is going to top flagging down the semi. When you gonna tell Mommy Dearest about me?"

"The wedding sounds like a good time to me. Might as well get it all out then."

"Chicken."

"Prudent." Nik counters. "If Taggart doesn't already know about my father being in Milan he will as soon as we arrive back in Port Charles. So you'll be on the move again."

"Cell phone or email." Carly shrugs. "And nobody who was on the plane would say anything to Taggart."

"Luke or Jason probably not. Elizabeth? And Penny might not know that it was confidential information."

"I'll let your dad know."

"And I'll find out what is going on with the Quartermaines."