Mac
pushed open the door of Ric Lansing’s office without knocking.
Ric looked up from his paperwork, annoyance written plainly on his
face. The commissioner had come tearing in like the Lone Ranger,
Avenger of the Good and Righteous of the World.
Ric grimaced. That was exactly what Mac fancied himself: the
good guy. Didn’t he know that the good guys had to get their
hands dirty sometimes to win?
“What’s this about Mac?”
“You leaked this crap to the local newspapers, didn’t
you?” the commissioner flared, shoving a copy of the paper
under the DA’s nose.
Ric took it calmly and read the article on the front page. After
a time, he grinned without much humor. A cold little smile. He hadn’t
expected The Herald to take this to press so soon. So much the better
for him.
“Seems my big brother has run off to take a bride…not
for love but to save himself from the murder charge. First I’m
hearing of it, Mac.”
“Sure…and I’m the Queen of England. So is the story
true or not, Lansing? Did they get married?”
Ric shrugged. “Well, it would appear so. The paper has quotes
from an unnamed source in the Corinthos camp. Sonny’s plane—the
article says—is gone and no one knows where it is. Ms. Davis
hasn’t reported in to her office lately. It doesn’t take
Columbo to put the facts together and conclude that something’s
going on.”
Mac shook his head. “What the hell is Alexis thinking?”
he muttered to himself.
“I think her heart is in control of this one, Mac,” the
DA sneered, a grim look on his face. “Obviously she loves my
brother more than her own pride and reputation.”
“I’ll concede this isn’t the best decision she’s
ever made,” Mac said, “but YOU backed her against a wall.
People do stupid things when they’re cornered. And to top it
off, you put it in the paper so the world can enjoy this scandal
like they’re watching a damn soap opera. That was cold, Ric.”
“I told you I did not leak that story—”
“Well, if you didn’t, you know who did. And they did it
with your complete approval! You’re a snake. You claim to care
for the woman yet you’re helping to bring her down just because
you’re jealous she’s connected to your brother!”
“She had a choice, Mac,” Ric erupted, jumping to his feet.
“She could have cooperated with the case and that would have
been the end of it! She chose HIM…she chose to save HIM instead
of herself. And that will be her downfall. But it was her own damn
choice, Mac, not mine!”
Mac stood there, his face registering his continued disbelief. “You
actually buy what you’re saying, right? You think the choice
was that simple? Life is that black and white for you?”
“You’re a man of the law, Mac. Life is supposed to be
black or white for us: guilty or innocent, truth or lies—”
“Panic Room kidnapper or district attorney. If life is so black
and white, Ric, which are you? Good or evil? Cuz looking at what
you’re doing to a so-called friend right now, I honestly can’t
tell which!”
Mac spun on his heel and left.
***
Jasper Jacks unfolded the morning paper and lay it out across the
linen of his breakfast table. Room service had just delivered a
bowl of fresh fruit and some eggs and bacon cooked to perfection.
The coffee was stunningly hot and strong, the way he liked it since
he’d lived with Alexis. He smiled a little smile at that last
thought. She’d been a hoot to live with when they were married.
She’d enlivened his day with her vibrant personality, her wit,
her intelligence, her compassion ever ready when he needed it. She’d
made the corporate raider proud to have her as his wife. And though
he’d been in love with her friend Chloe at the time, he had
still enjoyed the sight of his sexy wife in her lingerie each morning.
In fact, he may have lengthened his breakfast routine quite a few
times just to prolong the experience. Alexis in lingerie with those
long, long legs was a wonderful way to start the day.
He missed her. He missed just talking with her. But he had been
so wrapped up in his own world, his own drama, his own mishaps with
the women in his life. And then with the death of his father. He
hadn’t paid his dear friend nearly enough attention. And that
he would have to remedy.
His smile broadened as he took a gulp of the coffee and scanned
the front page. Then he promptly spluttered the java across the
linen tablecloth as he took in the lead story.
Coughing and spluttering still, he reached for the phone and dialed
Ned’s private number.
“Hello?”
“Have you seen the damn Herald this morning?” Jax rasped.
“Yep.”
“And?”
“And Alexis has gotten herself into one hell of a mess, Jax.
But if you’re calling to ask me to jump in and pull her out,
I can’t. I won’t.”
“What the hell are you talking about? If she’s back with
Corinthos, there’s no question about it. We have to act.”
“Did you read the name of the person he’s accused of trying
to murder?” Ned demanded, his voice sharp. “A.J isn’t
my favorite person in the world, but I would never wish him dead.
He’s my family. Alexis KNEW Sonny planned to kill him and she
did nothing!”
“Allegedly, Ned. There’s no proof as yet—”
“You know it’s true just as well as I do, Jax. He did
it and she protected him. She’s still protecting him. And it
may get her thrown into jail and away from her daughter for good
this time.”
Jax’s gut tightened. “And that would actually make you
happy, wouldn’t it?”
“Of course not. I love Kristina. I want her to be happy and
to be with her mother. But if Alexis is dumb enough to help that
idiot after all he’s done to her—”
“Then you’ll be willing to step right in and take your
child back. You’re unbelievable.”
“No, you are, Jax! How many times are you gonna rescue someone
who doesn’t want to be saved? She loves him. And she’s
a damn fool. I won’t get involved in that anymore.”
Jax shook his head. “It bothers me that she was accused of
a crime that could put her in prison yet she didn’t trust either
of us enough to come to us for help. That’s not just because
of Sonny, Ned. It’s because we haven’t been her friends.
Not for a long time.”
“Then you go and be that friend, pal. Like I said, don’t
expect me to help you. I’m on the law’s side this time.
If she did this, she deserves punishment.”
“That’s mighty high moral ground to be standing on for
a Quartermaine, isn’t it?” Jax sneered.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that people do strange things for love, Ned. Immoral
things. Like bed their uncle’s wife and actively try to woo
her away from said uncle. Like marry one woman while already wed
to another. That last offense was illegal, wasn’t it? Yet you’re
too good to deign to offer a little understanding to Alexis? I’d
remember my own sins before I passed judgment on Alexis if I were
you.”
“Well, thanks for the reminder, Jax. But the fact remains that
Alexis chooses Sonny above all others…and now even above the
law apparently. So I will not be rushing in to save what cannot
be saved. You do what you want!”
“Thanks, Ned, I always do,” Jax retorted and slammed down
the phone.
He would not turn away from her this time, no matter what Ned said.
Alexis was in deep and if he could help her, he would. There was
no way she was going to go down for Sonny Corinthos. Not if he could
help it.
