The Convenient Wife
by Kelly

chapter 62

She didn't know precisely when, but sometime in the night he roused
from where they had collapsed in blissful slumber on the couch and
carried her into their bedroom. From there, he strode with her into
the bathroom to the large, well-built shower that could easily be
shared by two. Under the hot palpating sprays, she came half-awake in
his arms and leaned into the solidness of his body, giving herself up
to his strength.

There was fruit on her body and his, matted in her long silky hair. A
great sticky mess that she was much too sated and weak to do anything
about.

Dimly she was aware of his hands on her…caressing fragrant shower gel
gently across her skin… then later the feel of his fingers massaging
shampoo into her hair, stroking languidly across her scalp as she
slumped against him in total relaxed peace.

Her eyes opened to slits just enough so that she could watch him.
With a tenderness that revealed who Sonny Corinthos was in his soul,
he removed all traces of their endless adventurous play while bearing
her weight against him like the tower of strength he was. And after a
time, when he was done, his lips found hers and he kissed her with
such love, such adoration, that tears surged weakly to her eyes. A
sob caught in her throat, one she was only just able to conceal from
him.

She needed him again, even in her state of mindless exhaustion. She
needed to be with him. Blindly, she reached out and again he was
there. Pressing her against the shower stall. Loving her gently…
slowly…endlessly until she cried out with him, her mouth open against
his throat.

Sonny was right. Sometimes it was better to surrender.

In silence, he carried her from the bathroom wrapped in her favorite
fluffy terry towel. He dried her wavy tresses with brisk strokes.
Then he turned back the covers and placed her in the bed beside him.
She sighed against him as he pulled her in to spoon against his body.

God, he was so good to her, she thought. So good. So much love. Love
she could never doubt again…

The thought made her want to cry even more…the thought of how much he
was willing to sacrifice to stay in her life, to be her lover, her
husband. To make her happy.

She bit her lip against the tears that threatened and prayed for
strength. She had to be willing to sacrifice just as much to make him
happy, too. She had to be.

***

The last of Carly's things had been packed, but there were a few
items she needed from the store. She planned to bundle the boys into
the limo and make a quick trip to Madeleine's, a new department store
that had opened in the heart of Port Charles.

Leticia had just finished cleaning up the morning dishes from their
breakfast and had gone upstairs to get the kids ready; so all that
remained was for Carly to alert one of the guards to their plans. She
opened up the front door and saw that Max was standing there in his
usual position, leaning against the outer wall, a cup of coffee in
his hand.

"Thought Francis was on today and you had Sonny's door," she sneered
at him.

"We rotate duty, Carly. What do you need?" he asked brusquely and she
rolled her eyes. His manner had been coldly businesslike since she
and Sonny had split. It was clear which side he was on…the one that
paid his salary.

"I need to make a run downtown," she told him flatly. "Be ready in
ten, please."

Max nodded, then something caught his attention inside the penthouse.
Carly tossed a look over her shoulder and saw the bags sitting by the
staircase.

"Going somewhere else?" he asked, suspicion evident in his eyes.

Carly's own eyes narrowed. "Yes, but I won't be needing your
assistance, thanks. Or your input."

She slammed the door in his face, barking, "Ten minutes, remember?"
through the door at him.

Arrogant jerk, she groused mentally. Treated her like an imbecile
because of course "the great Sonny" could never be wrong in his eyes.
Because as the lucky ex-wife she should just sit by, count her
alimony, and accept whatever emotional scraps were tossed her way,
right?

Her lip curled. Well, Max, you try living with a man who views you as
a silly bit of fluff he can never trust. You try dealing with someone
with moods as volatile as Sonny's. You try staying meekly in the
background while you watch him lapse into silences, his eyes faraway
as he mourns the loss of a woman you can never compete with. Because
all you ever owned was his body…while she held his heart.

And you gave him two children. Two beautiful boys. For what? So that
he could make forever into a lie?

No one ever bothered to ask Carly her version of events. They just
sided with Sonny. And she was highly sick of that. She needed her own
life….apart from him. Apart from all of them.

She shrugged and determinedly shoved her anger to the back of her
mind. Max would be part of her past soon. And she'd be damn glad to
see the back of him once she was out of this place.

***

Max stared at the closed door, tension riddling his body. Where the
hell was that witch going and had she even bothered to tell Sonny? He
hadn't seen just her bags by the stairs; the boys' luggage had been
there as well. She had sole custody. What if she was planning to run
off with them just to cause Sonny more angst? What if she planned to
travel without benefit of guards? The kids would be unprotected. She
couldn't be that idiotic, could she?

He thought of who he was dealing with and nodded his head. Yes, she
damn well could.

He flipped open his cell phone to call his boss. But then he thought
better of it. What exactly would he say to Sonny? "Boss, I think
Carly may be taking off with your kids, so get over here, and go off
on her so she can throw you in jail and take off for parts unknown?"

Max swore under his breath. This called for a slightly cooler head.
He dialed Jason's number instead.

The man almost slammed his fist against the door when the number rang
and rang then went to voicemail. He checked his watch and sighed. It
was early yet. Usually Jase was up working out, but perhaps the man
had slept in for once. Max thought it safe to leave him a message.

"Hey, Jason. Max here. I thought someone should know Carly's packed
her and the kids bags and isn't telling anyone where she plans to go.
She hasn't made arrangements for me or Francis to shadow them which
means I doubt she's taking guards. Thought it best to alert you. I'll
stay with her today, find out all I can, but you better call me or
get over here as soon as possible."

He broke off the call and slid the phone back into his pocket. His
boss had been through enough. He was finally with a woman who kept
him pretty level, who made him happy without sucking the life out of
him, who didn't constantly scheme her way through life.

He had seen the man's happiness last night at the apartment. Just a
day spent buying Krissy a bathing suit…like a normal dad. Max had
teased him, but it had all been in fun. He was actually proud of the
way his boss was acting; Sonny finally had some balance in his life.

There was no way Max was going to let a tramp like Carly ruin that
for Sonny. Not this time. And not on his watch.

chapter 63