Rosco still couldn’t get over how lucky he had been to recapture Jaime. His head rested against the window frame as he stood looking out into the garden. Rosco’s plans had to be put into action immediately.
He would leave here as soon as possible.
~~~
Jaime lay in her room curled up with the frilly
pink pillow on her bed. Ooh! He’d better watch his back!
Jaime stewed in her embarrassment. Rosco mad her so frustrated. She closed her eyes as tears began to roll
down her cheeks. Lord, when will I
get out of this mess?
~~~
Elizabeth had sat at the table uneasily since Nikolas’ appearance at the dinner. Wayward glances towards him confirmed that Nikolas would not let this matter rest. Elizabeth became so distracted by her anticipation of his next outburst that she didn’t realize that Isabella was calling to her.
“Hmm?” Elizabeth looked up into the inquiring
eyes of the older woman.
“So how did you two meet?” Isabella asked
mischievously.
Elizabeth looked over at Jason, at a loss for
words.
Jason grasped her hand and turned to
Isabella. “She was friends with my
sister,” he replied.
Elizabeth smiled half-heartedly at Isabella
before she stole another glance towards a disgruntled Nikolas. She prayed he wouldn’t say anymore about
Lucky. Elizabeth thought about Jaime
and what she could be enduring at this moment and it sent shivers down her
spine.
Jason looked over at her and she smiled
faintly. He put his arm around her and rubbed
her bare shoulders, attempting to warm her.
“He helped me through a rough time,” Elizabeth
found herself saying.
“So friends first my dahlings?” Isabella smiled.
Elizabeth looked over at Jason. “Definitely friends first and foremost.”
Jason didn’t say anything, but Elizabeth knew as
he gazed into her eyes that it would be friends forever. Elizabeth glanced away, unable to push away
the lump that was forming in her throat.
Elizabeth flashed back to the day in her studio
when Jason told her that he was healed and he would be leaving.
“…that’s more than friends. There’s no words what I feel for you.”
Elizabeth swallowed hard and brought her back to
the conversation at the table. “Thank
you so much for the dress, Isabella.”
At that moment, Elizabeth felt the eyes of
everyone at the table studying her.
Isabella didn’t seem to mind the change in
topics. “Yes, well, I felt a connection
with you right away. Besides,” Isabella
smiled at Andre, “I would want any daughter of mine to be treated in the same
way I’ve treated you.”
Elizabeth nodded and smiled. Only she understood the implications of that
thought. Elizabeth dabbed the corners
of her mouth after the meal and placed it on the table. “Thank you for dinner. It was fabulous.”
The murmurs and nodding of the guests signaled
whole-hearted agreement. Andre and
Isabella seemed delighted. “Well that
isn’t all that is planned,” Isabella grinned.
“Do you think cook would mind if we saved dessert
for later?” Isabella asked Andre quietly.
He shook his head.
“Bellissima!” Isabella exclaimed, clapping her
hands together.
Isabella pushed her chair back and stood up. “You are all invited to join me in the
ballroom again!”
Elizabeth caught the twinkle in her eye. She was up to something.
~~~
Jason followed the guests into the ballroom
again, but held back in the doorway to check if his cell was working. He had it set to vibrate and he continued to
stay alert. Jason knew he had to focus
on the mission.
He had to find Jaime.
~~~
Jaime heard the door unlock as she quickly
slipped under the duvet. She had been
allowed to shower and afterwards, one of the guards, Arlo if Jaime recalled
correctly came to administer to her scratches and bruises.
“Who’s there?” she called.
There was no answer. All Jaime could see was one leg and shoulder in the opening of
the doorway. The person was talking to
the guards and giving them a few instructions.
“Get the car ready, we’re late already.”
Jaime’s heart raced. It was Rosco.
~
* ~
Would he never leave her alone?
Jaime pondered that question as she lay flat on
the mattress, trying to feign sleep. Of
course that was impossible.
Her ears perked up at the soft shuffling of
footsteps. Jaime felt the bed shift
with the added weight of another person.
Her heart was pounding against her chest
now. A hand slowly pulled away the warm
comforter. “Jaime,” a deep voice
whispered.
Jaime kept her eyes closed in hopes Rosco would
perhaps take a hint. “I know you’re not
asleep,” he smirked. “You’re squinting your eyes.”
Jaime sighed and pushed herself upright and
grabbing the closest corner of the duvet to her chest. She pouted and stared at Rosco. Jaime resigned herself to being quiet, especially
after what had happened earlier in the evening.
“What?” Rosco asked defensively.
Jaime continued to stare at him. ‘Maybe if she didn’t say anything he
would leave…’ Jaime thought.
“Would you quit with the silent treatment? You’re being such a…” his face seemed to be
searching for the right word. “Brat!”
~~~
“Brat!”
Rosco finally spat out.
Jaime’s dull eyes seemed to flicker at the word,
yet she remained silent.
Rosco didn’t even know why he was sitting
on her bed, let alone calling her immature names like a teenage schoolboy. Was this what he’d become? He’d reverted to a pre-pubescent boy who
annoyed the girls he liked?
Oh God.
He liked her.
“Uh, boss?” Arlo called from the doorway.
Rosco’s head snapped around to see the towering
man hovering at the door. “What?” he
said fiercely.
“The car is ready.”
~~~
Elizabeth felt Jason behind her as she followed
Isabella into the ballroom. As she saw
the intense look on Jason’s face, Elizabeth knew that he was thinking about
Jaime. The night was over. Elizabeth wouldn’t capture his attention
again. Well not like on the staircase
anyway.
Isabella cued up the string quartet and
smiled. “Now we dance my friends.”
Elizabeth watched as her host and hostess began
to waltz. Isabella winked at Elizabeth
and waved her towards Jason. Elizabeth
swallowed and turned around to her tall escort. “Dance?”
Jason’s blue eyes seemed to flicker and then warm
as he smiled at her. “Yes. May I have this dance?”
Elizabeth felt his arms envelop her small waist
as they began to glide across the dance floor.
“You’re not a bad dancer. Did I
ever tell you that?” she smiled.
Jason shook his head. “I’m okay. I’m not…” His
voice trailed off.
Elizabeth followed his gaze. Jason was looking at a servant whispering in
Isabella’s ear. Her face had changed
from a glow to a clouded grimace. She
said something hastily to Andre and walked quickly out of the ballroom.
Jason had stopped dancing and leaned down to
whisper in her ear. “I’m going to
follow her.”
Suddenly Jason placed his hand on his chest, just
above his heart. He opened his the side
of his lapel and pulled out his cell.
Elizabeth watched him nod his head and hang up. “Rosco’s here. I told them to wait till I get there. Are you coming?”
Elizabeth’s heart leaped. “Yes, what are we waiting for?”
She allowed Jason to lead her towards the dining
room exit.
~~~
Nikolas watched Jason dragging Elizabeth towards
the dining room. He grabbed Gia’s hand
and cut off their path. “And where
do you think you’re taking her?” he glared.
Jason stopped in his tracks. He tried to maneuver around Nikolas, but Nik
wouldn’t allow it, stepping in front of Lizzie and Jason at every turn.
“Get out of my way Nikolas!” Jason gritted his
teeth.
“Or you’ll what?” Nikolas dared. “You’ll kill me?”
Jason sighed.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” he replied gruffly.
“Well I know I’m not letting you drag Elizabeth
anywhere else!” Nik spat, looking him up and down.
Jason moved towards the door again. Nikolas pushed him back. “You’re not going anywhere until we
settle this!”
~~~
Elizabeth clenched her fist. “Nikolas, get out of our way!” Elizabeth
whispered angrily. “We’re wasting
time!”
Jason looked over at her and then at the
door. Elizabeth nodded. Jason moved around Nikolas again, but
Elizabeth reached over and gripped Nikolas’ tux lapels so he couldn’t get in
Jason’s way. “Stay out of this
Nikolas!” Elizabeth warned and rushed after Jason.
~~~
When Jason had finally reached the back door near
the kitchen, all he found was Isabella and a pair of fading red taillights in
the distance. He had called the guys on
his way there, but the signal did not reach Sonny’s men. As Jason looked at his useless cell phone,
he realized the antenna was broken. ‘Nikolas
pushed me, and it broke.’ It dawned on Jason.
Damn it!
He shook his head and closed his eyes. Jason bent over to take a deep breath. He was so close.
Finally Jason looked up at a startled
Isabella. “What are you doing here
Signor Morgan?”
Jason stared intensely at the older woman. He’d had his suspicions about Andre, but it
had been Isabella. Jason shook his
head. He should have known. Jason walked over to the woman and asked her
quietly but firmly. “Where is Rosco?”
Her brows scrunched into a frown. “Rosco?”
Jason didn’t have time for this. He grabbed his devious hostess’s arm and
walked her back to the main foyer.
As Jason began down the corridor, out of the
corner of his eye he saw a cell on one of the steel kitchen counters. He made a detour and grabbed it to the
dismay of the dark Italian chef.
Punching in the number to Avery, Jason walked as he talked. “Can you get to the car? Or set up some
roadblock?”
“No,” Avery replied. “We were waiting for your signal.”
Jason closed his eyes again. “Can you get a trace on the license plate?”
“Partial make on the plates,” Avery responded,
“but we have a couple of guys on the car right now. Hopefully we’ll be able to hear something through our contacts.”
“Phone me back right away. Whenever you get it!”
Jason didn’t like this. He didn’t like it at all.
He had him. Jason had
Rosco right where he wanted him and he slipped right through his fingers.
Jason grabbed Isabella. He brought the protesting socialite into the foyer where
Elizabeth, Nikolas, Gia and Andre were arguing.
“What the hell is going on?” Nikolas yelled.
Elizabeth’s eyes met Jason’s. He shook his head and Jason watched as her
shoulders slumped in disappointment.
“Get your hands off me Signor!” Isabella
screeched.
Jason let her go and watched her as she was
comforted by her husband.
“What is the meaning of this?” Andre asked
bewildered.
“Where is he?” Jason asked point-blank.
The Italian woman stood tall and defiant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
she exclaimed.
“Rosco.” Jason stated calmly, with an underlying
veneer. “Where’s Rosco?”
Isabella moved closer to Andre, who hovered his
beloved wife. “I think you do not
understand that we don’t know what you are talking about.”
Jason studied the man, he wasn’t lying. He didn’t have a clue what his wife was up
to. Jason could read her face like an
open book. “Isabella knows exactly
who I’m talking about,” Jason accused.
“What’s going on?” Gia piped up.
Jason turned toward the royal couple. “None of your business.”
Jason didn’t have time to deal with them. And politeness was over after this fiasco.
Nikolas frowned and pointed at Elizabeth. “When you bring Elizabeth into your mob
business, it is my business. Come on
Elizabeth, I’m taking you home.”
Jason moved to stop Nikolas, but she removed her
arm from his grasp alone. “No, I’m
not!” she retorted.
“Everyone leave!” Andre commanded as his
wife whispered in his ear.
By this time, there were two or three guards in
the foyer surrounding them.
“I do not want to have to hurt you,” Andre
threatened as Jason moved towards Isabella.
“Fine!” Jason stated fiercely. Turning towards Elizabeth he motioned
towards the door. “Are you coming with
me?”
Elizabeth nodded.
Nikolas moved to stop her, but Jason intercepted
his groping hand. “Don’t come
near her again.”
Nikolas stared Jason down. “You don’t own her!”
Jason felt the disappointment, the frustration,
and the anger of the night’s events climax into an outburst. “So help me Nikolas, if Jaime’s hurt,
I’ll…” Jason caught himself and reigned
in his emotions.
Elizabeth tugged on his hand. “Let’s go Jason.”
Jason allowed Elizabeth to lead him to the car,
which had been pulled up front.
He would find Jaime, and no one would stop him.