He was loath to leave the tangle of linen sheets or the gorgeous fan of chestnut hair whose tendrils he'd been fingering for the last 15 minutes, but Lorenzo forced himself to do so. The house was quiet now, but soon enough, a certain dark-eyed beauty would be awake and expecting her breakfast. Lorenzo hoped if he showered and arrived in the nursery before Kristina's first exuberant request for attention, perhaps Alexis could sleep a little longer.

The hot water began to beat down on his body and Lorenzo stood under the strong spray, letting it kneed away the stiffness that had crept into his neck from watching her sleep... sleep in his bed. He smiled just thinking about it. Never had he imagined the day would come when a woman would be more to him than just a sexual partner. Lorenzo had been too afraid that love would make him weak, make him foolish, like his brother. But it wasn't like that. Alexis made him think more, feel more... she made him live more.

[I]We love you, too.[/I]

The sweet whisper had touched him more than any grouping of words should be able to move a human being. "We" because Alexis was a package deal. Love her, love her daughter, and he did. Kristina had wormed her way into his heart even though he'd been determined not to let her big eyes and sweet smile affect him. He'd been powerless though. She was just like her mother.

As he worked shampoo through his hair, Lorenzo marveled at this new turn in his life. He couldn't pinpoint any exact day or moment when Alexis had changed from a business ally whose desperation he could capitalize on into a person he felt connected to. All he knew for certain was that things had evolved far beyond anything he could have pictured during their first awkward and tense encounter in the Quartermaine entryway.

Despite the hours of pleasure and happiness the night had given him, memories of that first meeting managed to dampen Lorenzo's mood a bit. Not because of Alexis... things with them had to begin somewhere, and that entryway was as good a place as any. Her fear had been expected and understandable as was the beat of actual outrage he'd felt at seeing her and knowing she was the last person to see Luis alive. But they had grown past that. What upset him was the redheaded viper who had arranged their first encounter.

Skye Quartermaine had tried to play him, and there was little in life that pushed Lorenzo's buttons like a woman trying to manipulate him. He'd allowed her to in order to get close to Alexis so that he could make his own evaluation with regard to Skye's charges. But after his conversation with Alexis the night he'd had her brought to him, Lorenzo had grown more furious with Skye. Even three days afterward, he'd been unable to shake the sound of Alexis' pleading voice when she had begged him to spare her child. Her child... the one Skye Quartermaine wanted so badly she was willing to throw Alexis Davis into the path of the equivalent of an oncoming train.

When he'd made the decision to have Alexis brought to him for what was meant to be a simple exchange of information, he'd wanted her unnerved but not frightened. It still made his blood boil to remember the faint bruising that had started on her wrists because his guards hadn't paid attention to his order not to use handcuffs. The same was not true of the night he'd decided to make Skye Quartermaine pay for the arrogance of thinking she could wield him as a weapon against Kristina's mother.

Construction on the Quartermaine gatehouse that Ashton had always called home had been completed and the small pseudo-family was calling it home again. Lorenzo had watched the comings and goings carefully. He knew Ashton had taken the baby up to the main house, but Skye had been out doing errands and wasn't aware of that fact. It had given Lorenzo the perfect opportunity to put his plan in motion. He'd been exacting and cruel... and gotten exactly the reaction he wanted.

[I]"Ned. Ned, I'm home."

He watched from behind a screen that blocked off what was now a dining area in the expanded home. When she got no response, he saw the redhead drop her keys and purse on the desk, then waited as she turned, her eyes scanning the room. He knew the moment she saw... the pram was across the room, the blanket dangling just so... the perfect position for her to see the flashes of red stain that were now showing upon what had been a gleaming white piece of fabric.

"Kristina!" she screamed, running toward it. She looked into the pram, but saw it empty, only more angry red stains on the bedding inside. "Oh, God, Kristina..."

"You never even considered it, did you?"

His voice was beyond cold, and he watched as Skye flinched before she turned toward him, eyes blazing.

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing," Lorenzo stated. "Nothing at all."

"Then what is this?" she demanded, throwing the bloody blanket toward him. Lorenzo caught it with his right hand as he held up his left revealing a bandage across the palm.

"Cut myself."

"What are you doing here? Get out!" Skye yelled, her panic growing by the second. "Get out of here now."

Lorenzo grinned and took a step closer to her. It made him feel infinitely pleased to see her back away from him. Normally, he didn't enjoy women being afraid of him, that was more Luis' peculiar fetish. But this woman... he wanted this one to know fear each and every time she saw him from now on.

"You never once thought about anything but what you wanted. Who cared if I decided to kill Alexis Davis, right? Because then the obstacle to you becoming mother of the year was permanently gone."

"I..." Skye fumbled, her body shaking as she realized she was being very purposefully menaced. "I never said I wanted you to hurt her."

"No, you just assumed a man of my reputation would take the woman who killed his brother out for dinner and drinks so we could talk it all out. Stop treating me like a fool, Ms. Quartermaine."

Skye hadn't actually let herself think about what this Alcazar might do to Alexis. She'd wanted her goal too much to think about the how of getting it. But she had also never told herself to NOT go to Lorenzo... even knowing what rumor claimed he was capable of when it came to his enemies.

"What I find most curious, Ms. Quartermaine, is that you seemed to have also not considered the safety of the child."

Skye looked back at the bloodied pram and its contents. "What... what do you mean? Did you do something to her?"

"No, I didn't." Lorenzo assured her. "I will never touch Kristina Davis because I promised her mother I would not."

He saw recognition flash in her mind and smiled.

"That's right. Ms. Davis and I have spoken... no dinner and drinks, but an interesting conversation. And do you know what I found most compelling about it? Her main concern was for her child. She didn't ask me not to hurt her, she asked me not to hurt Kristina."

Skye opened her mouth, ready to make some comment, but Lorenzo was suddenly right in front of her. She went rigid with fear as he loomed over her.

"You never thought about the fact that inviting me into that house, putting Alexis Davis in my crosshairs, might mean I'd exact the only revenge that would be at all equitable to me. You see, if I wanted to make her pay for killing my brother, what other payback could equal killing her daughter?"

Skye's eyes widened with realization and terror, and Lorenzo couldn't help it, he enjoyed the moment, though her own fear seemed trivial to him in the face of what he'd seen on Alexis' face. 'Please, please don't hurt my baby.' In those words, he'd known all he needed to know about why his brother was dead... and why it was that he could not and would not exact vengeance from a woman trying to stay alive to stay with her child.

"Do not ever think to use me again, Ms. Quartermaine, and do not think for a moment that you and I are allies in anything. You see, I can choose to understand why people do things or I can choose not to. I do understand Ms. Davis' actions even if the cost of them is unconscionable to me. But you? I don't want or need to understand anything about you. I will not give you Alexis Davis' child by ending her life, and if you so much as think about hurting that woman, I will find you and I will make you pay. Do you understand that, Ms. Quartermaine?"[/I]

It was the first time Lorenzo had taken up a battle on Alexis' behalf. He'd denied it of course. He was simply settling a score with Skye for trying to manipulate him. But that wasn't all there was to it, he'd known that even then. Because he wasn't just annoyed with Skye, he was angry... and Lorenzo Alcazar rarely allowed anyone to make him truly angry.

Toweling off his body, Lorenzo took a deep breath and forced memories of that vile woman out of his mind. He had spent too many hours enveloped in love to let hatred creep into this day. Moving silently, sparing a glance at the bed because he couldn't resist seeing Alexis laying in it once more, Lorenzo moved to the closet, pulling on loose fitting sweat pants and a tank top. Once he had Kristina fed and into her day, he'd head to the gym for his workout. He emerged dressed and intent on heading straight for the nursery, but when he caught sight of his lover, back arched, stretching like a contented feline, he couldn't quite make it out the door. Instead, smiling, Lorenzo walked over and knelt down beside her.

"Good morning."

She returned his smile and her hand reached out to take the one he offered her. "Good morning."

"Sleep well?" he asked. His reward was a suddenly bashful look in her eyes.

"When I slept, yes. You have a very comfortable bed."

His laugh filled the room as he kissed her hand. "I'm glad you like it."

"I should leave it, though," Alexis said, sighing. "Kristina will be up soon."

"Yes, she will, but she has a date already, with me. So you just stay snuggled up a bit longer."

"You don't mind?"

Lorenzo watched the natural sparkle in her eyes dance as she spoke to him. There was no doubt... he had lost himself... but it appeared the rewards were far greater than what he had sacrificed.

"Not at all," he replied, then he leaned in for a long, soft kiss. He pulled back, finally, prepared to leave, but she would not release his hand.

"I meant it, Enzo."

[I]We love you, too.[/I]

He leaned back down, his body close to hers. "I know you did."

One more kiss, this one longer and not so gentle... and then Alexis settled back against the pillows as Lorenzo made his way toward the other lady in his life. He opened the nursery door not sure if she would still be sleeping or not.

"Zo!"

Not, clearly. She was sitting up, playing with her toys, still content to entertain herself, at least until her second favorite audience participant entered the room. Her arms reached for him, fingers opening and closing as if to urge him on.

"Good morning, Little Miss Davis," Lorenzo said as he reached in and picked her up. Kristina giggled as she settled into his arms and he walked over to the changing table. There, feared arms dealer and drug lord Lorenzo Alcazar changed a soiled diaper in under two minutes, redressed the cooing angel, and returned the fresh and clean baby to his arms.

"Let's go have some breakfast. What do you say?"

Kristina let out her now famous "mm-hmm," which was her answer to almost half the questions ever posed to her. Chuckling, Lorenzo carried her to the door and toward the stairs, all the while, one thought in his mind in response to Kristina's pure adoration of him...

Of all the things he had done in his life, earning the love and trust of Alexis and Kristina Davis was the one thing he was sure he would never regret.

*****

Temptation seemed to have been the ruling theme of Alexis' life the last 12 hours or so, and she saw no reason to change it now. Her Jacuzzi tube and a decanter of vanilla bath salts were beckoning her. Rising rather reluctantly an hour after Lorenzo had gone off to get Kristina, Alexis sat on the edge of the bed, the top sheet wrapped around her body as she searched for her clothes. Powerful and erotic memories assailed her as she zeroed in on their location, and with the linen sheet wrapped around her, Alexis stepped over to the balcony doors, stopping to pick up the Armani skirt Lorenzo had eased over her hips the night before. Unfortunately her situation worsened once she ducked out to retrieve what was left of her shirt and slip. Her clothes were, well, not wearable given their removal, and her room was three doors away.

Some part of Alexis cried out for her to feel ashamed of her behavior, but she just wasn't willing to listen. Yes, she'd lost all control. Making love on a balcony, even in the dead of night, was not her usual M.O. And certainly her sanity could be called into question because of who her partner had been. They'd also been careless... though Alexis was more worried about the implications of how swept away she had been than she was about consequences. She had been on the pill since a few months after Kristina's birth because her hormones hadn't regulated on their own, and Lorenzo had taken enough time between driving her mad with the way his hands felt on her body and reaching for protection once they were in his bed to let her know she had no other worries as well.

Still, she could never remember feeling so utterly out of control with a man. Even though she'd made a clear and conscious choice, once she had done so, her reason had fled her. Not even... not even the night of Kristina's conception had she felt so utterly free to do what she wanted to do in the bed of lover. That realization didn't bring her shame despite the nagging voice in her head. It made her feel something else entirely.

She couldn't see herself blushing, but Alexis could feel the pinkish hue spreading over her skin as she walked in from the balcony to Lorenzo's bathroom and laid claim to his black satin robe. The sheet puddle on the floor around her feet as she slipped the garment on. It nearly wrapped around her twice and she had to loop the belt two times to keep it closed. She didn't glance at the mirror, knowing she must look ridiculous. And even though it was a bit silly and prehistoric, Alexis loved the implications of how the garment hung on her... the way it mirrored the size and power of the man who normally wore it.

She decided to leave the sheet where it lay as a breadcrumb to tell Lorenzo where his missing robe had gone, then Alexis headed for the bedroom door. The hallway was empty, and she padded barefoot, her hand clutching the robe to make sure it was closed, toward her own room. Fifteen minutes later, Alexis sank into the vanilla scented water and turned on the Jacuzzi jets in the tub.

There was something so completely unbelievable about her being here, in this house, so relaxed and at home. But she was home. She and Kristina had come here looking for protection and found a place where no one, not the Quartermaines or Scott Baldwin or even Sonny could touch them. At the time, it had been her last resort, but now Alexis was almost grateful for the turmoil that had driven her to accept the last job offer she'd ever have thought to take.

[I]"Ms. Davis, I was wondering if we might meet."

His voice, the voice that so echoed his brother's, sent a chill through Alexis as she gripped the phone tighter. She turned, her eyes seeking out her daughter. Kristina was happily chewing on her lamby's ear where she sat on the blanket that covered the living room floor of the apartment.

"Are you asking me to meet with you, Mr. Alcazar, or are you making a demand and trying to sound polite?" She could have sworn she heard him chuckle on the other end of the phone following her question.

"It's a request, Ms. Davis, and I do understand your hesitancy. If you're willing, you can choose the specifics--time, place--but it needs to be today."

Conflicted was an understatement of what she was feeling. If she said no, she risked angering him. If she said yes, who knew what she was walking into. Her life was enough of a tightrope these days without this added complication.

"I realize you have your daughter to consider, Ms. Davis," he said before she could say no. "I'm willing to meet as quickly or as late as need be so you can make arrangements for her care."

So he knew that she had Kristina back. Seven long weeks had passed between her late-night abduction turned conversation with Lorenzo Alcazar and the day Ned had been forced to put Kristina back into her arms. Two weeks removed from that triumphant day, Alexis was still reluctant to give up a minute of time with her little girl. But this man knew about her life, about her custody situation. Somehow keeping him civil seemed like a good idea.

"There's a French restaurant downtown called La Boulangerie, do you know it?"

"I can find it."

Alexis rolled her eyes. What the hell was she doing? "Fine, I think I can arrange a sitter. I could be there by 8:00."

"I'll see you then."

She heard the line go dead and immediately cleared her end and dialed in a familar number.

"Quartermaine residence."

"Reginald, it's Alexis Davis."

"Ms. Davis, how are you?" Reginald had always been pleasant to Alexis, but her ability to fool the Quartermaines with the Dobson debacle had won her newfound affection with him. He was one of only three people in that damn house she could bear to speak with.

"I'm wonderful now that my girl's home, thank you. Is Alice around?"

Reginald excused himself to find Alice and Alexis wandered with the cordless back to where Kristina sat. The baby crawled excitedly toward her mama, and Alexis had just gotten her daughter settled in her lap when she heard Alice's warm and pleasant voice on the phone.

"Ms. Davis, how's the angel doing?"

"She's fabulous. And she was wondering if you'd have any interest in sitting with her for a few hours tonight."

Once the housekeeper had forgiven her for her deception, Alexis had promised Alice a job as Kristina's nanny as soon as she figured out what the hell she was going to be doing for a living. Her law license was still suspended and even when it was restored, Alexis didn't know that she felt ready to go back to battling Scott Baldwin on a regular basis. In the meantime, Alice had offered herself as an on-call babysitter, but until now, Alexis had never taken her up on the offer.

"Are you kidding? A night away from loony bin central and I get to see Kristina? What time?"

After quickly filling Alice in on the details, Alexis hung up and returned her full attention to her daughter. It was getting close to naptime, and so the mother stood, baby in her arms, and headed in to get the nap bottle ready. She loved this, the daily routine "musts" that went into taking care of her child. They were as precious to her as every big moment.

Stefan was the reason Kristina was home. That fact still stunned Alexis. Apparently, Lorenzo had been right, her brother did still care. When he had realized she was really desperate enough to hurt Nikolas in order to secure his help, something in Stefan had finally opened up again. Alexis didn't know what it was he had traded to the WSB in exchange for their "interference" on her behalf, she only knew it had something to do with their father's diabolical formulation of carbonic snow... the substance he had planned to use to freeze the world. Alexis always had to shake her head when she thought of it. The Cassadines were nothing if not great fodder for overwrougth thrillers.

Whatever the mystery delivery had been, the result was a massive shift in Alexis' favor in her custody fight with Ned. A new judge was appointed to the case, Scott Baldwin was barred from any participation due to conflict of interest when a newspaper report detailing his bias against Alexis back to their aborted D.A.'s race was published, and a before Alexis really had a chance to try and unravel what was happening, the judge had returned full custody to her.

That didn't mean it was over. Ned was still ever present, always threatning to tell Sonny the truth if Alexis didn't allow him to be a part of Kristina's life, and he was filing an appeal to the custody ruling. She was sick of his threats. The only thing that had kept her from revealing the truth was her discovery of the war Sonny was locked in with his brother. Ric Lansing had already kidnapped a pregnant Carly. She wasn't ready to let him know Kristina was another target he could use to hurt his brother.

7:00 came quickly, and Alice arrived. Alexis gave her a tour of the apartment, and then snuck out while Alice was rocking Kristina with her evening bottle in the nursery. She walked in the door of La Boulangerie at 7:57. She saw Lorenzo was already present and seated at a table waiting for her. Swallowing hard and steadying her nerves, Alexis walked toward him. She focused on supporting the image her dress was designed to put forth... smart, confident and in control. The black Donna Karan suit had always helped her feel just so.

To say she was surprised that he stood as she approached the table was an understatment. Alexis' shock increased when he moved to hold her chair for her while she was seated. If Lorenzo Alcazar's plan was to unnerve her with his manners, it was working.

"I'd like to be away from daughter as short a time as possible, so if you wouldn't mind getting right to the point."

He leaned back in his chair, the portrait of relaxed elegance. His suit was cut perfectly to his body, made of fine, expensive fabric. Alexis almost smiled as she thought that Lorenzo's tailor could give Sonny's a run for his money.

"Of course. Congratulations, by the way. I have no doubt Kristina is much happier now that she's where she belongs."

"Th-thank you." Alexis hadn't meant for the words to sound so shaky, so nervous, but again, his charming ease was in such contrast to the other Alcazar brother she had known, it was deeply unsettling.

"I want to offer you a job," Lorenzo stated plainly, almost as if it was what she should have expected to hear. Without thinking, she slipped into her natural defense mode.

"Do you offer jobs to all the people you kidnap, or am I just special?"

She could feel the deep vibrating hum of his laughter through the table. "I do apologize for my methods, but I doubted, Ms. Davis, that you'd willing meet me for a convesation, like say this one, at that moment in time."

Lorenzo was right and Alexis knew it. Then she'd been terrified of him. That he'd managed to convince her that level of fright was unwarranted still amazed her.

"And how is your good friend Skye Quartermaine these days?" Alexis threw some attitude in with the question, buying herself some more time to try and get a handle on what exactly this man was after.

"Smart enough to stay away from me altogether," Lorenzo replied. "I don't like being used, and Ms. Quartermaine's been made aware of that."

Alexis had had the misfortune of running into Skye and Ned at General Hospital last week. Her nemesis looked to be in one piece, no visible marks or damage anywhere, so however Lorenzo Alcazar had made his point, it had been done by non-violent means.

"Well, you're certainly better off without her in your orbit, that's for certain. As to your job offer, I'm afraid I can't represent anyone right now, Mr. Alcazar," Alexis replied, "and even when my license is restored, I'm not certain I'll be returning to criminal law."

He smiled, and she noticed it reached his eyes. She was amusing him somehow, but Alexis wasn't sure why.

"I hope you won't be returning to it at all, Ms. Davis. You see, I don't need an attorney, I need someone to help me build a small group of holdings into a large, legitimate business empire. I believe you are uniquely qualified to accomplish that."

Alexis was surprised again. "I'm a lawyer, not a businesswoman."

"I think your brother and nephew, your ex-husband and your former client would disagree," Lorenzo said, expressing more familiarity with her life than she felt comfortable with. "You've used your legal skills to help, of course, but the reality is good, strong negotiating tactics and a head for business is what's made you so successful. I'd like it to make me successful as well."

"Gun running and drug dealing not paying enough?"

The quip was out before Alexis even realized what she was saying. Instinct told her to apologize, but her pride wouldn't allow it. She didn't want the man across from her to know how rattled his presence made her. Alexis felt an odd sense of relief, though, when she saw the sparkle of amusement in his eyes increase rather than diminish.

"My business enterprises all pay very well, thank you, but these are holdings I've acquired simply because they interest me. I've done so under a corporate umbrella called Asilo. At present, the list of properties include a resort in the Mediterranean, a medical research company in California, a cattle ranch in South America and a restaurant in Manhattan. I'd like you, as the new CEO of Asilo, to shore up the present investments and help me target and acquire new ones."

"I've... Mr. Alcazar, I've never held a CEO position. There are people infinitely more qualified for a job like this. Not to mention, I think you and I are the last two people who should be working together."

"On the contrary, Ms. Davis, I think we can prove to be of mutual benefit to one another."

He was so damn calm. Perhaps it was that fact that kept Alexis pursuing details on his offer even though she had already decided she had no interest in it.

"Half the people in this city think I got away with murder, probably you among them," Alexis explained. "The other half think I really am crazy and that I just somehow fooled everyone into thinking I'm not. Either way, my reputation at present isn't exactly confidence inspiring. You'll note I'm not fending off job offers."

"But," Lorenzo began, halting any more of her arguments, "if you came to work for me, it would send a signal that I do not believe you got away with anything, but instead feel that you have made restitution for what happened between you and my brother. It may not do much to disuade the people questioning your sanity, at least not until you tell them how much I'm paying you."

Alexis stared at him. His confidence annoyed the hell out of her. She was sick of arrogant men, sick of men who thought they knew her and knew how to get what they wanted from her. The only thing was this man, who had every reason to threaten and intimidate her, was treating her with more respect than any of the other men in her life, even those that claimed to love her.

"How much would that be exactly?"

Lorenzo pulled a slip of paper from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. Alexis tried not to let her shock at the figure show when she read it.

"Are you sure your sanity doesn't need to be questioned?" she asked. He chuckled.

"You're worth it. I've done my homework, Ms. Davis. You've made substantial fortunes for the people I mentioned earlier. I simply want the best working for me as well."

The best... memories of another man who had called her that suddenly saddened Alexis. She folded the paper up and picked up her purse, shoving it inside.

"Not that I'm considering it, but I'd need to see a complete list of the properties involved, and I'd have to investigate themself. I have my daughter back, but Ned is still fighting me for access to her. I can't afford to get involved in anything illegal that he can use against me."

"Not that you're considering it."

She stopped talking and realized he was parroting back her own words to her to prove a point. "No, I'm not," Alexis said, shaking her head for emphasis. "But if I see the list, perhaps I can recommend someone else to help you."

"If you were to work for me, you'd be put under 24 hour protection. In case that might sway you at all."

Alexis didn't want that to sway her. The threat of Ned was ever present, and she didn't know what would happen once she told Sonny the truth. She didn't want to think that she and her daughter might need 24-hour protection.

"I'd need to know, also, what you'd expect as far as a time committment from me... from whoever took this job because obviously there are issues like childcare, and..."

"You'd be able to work from home unless we had business meetings to attend. I'll provide you with any office equipment you're lacking. Kristina won't have to spare you much, Ms. Davis, I assure you."

She bit her lower lip. She was not going to do this. It was lunacy to even consider it. Alexis didn't doubt if she went to work for Lorenzo Alcazar, Baldwin would actually find a way to have her declared insane, and he would be right.

"Send me the list, and I'll look into it," Alexis said, standing. She almost stumbled when he rose as well, continuing his gentlemanly and unexpected behavior.

"I'll have it to you tomorrow. May I have my driver see you home?"

"No, no," Alexis said nervously, taking a few steps away from his towering presence. She remembered the feeling of him looming over her during their last discussion. There was something oddly familiar in the way he made her feel. It reminded her in some ways of Sonny, in others of Stefan, even though neither man had his size to add to the effect, but they all exuded a sense of natural domination... they knew they were the alpha males in their respective pieces of territory, and that confidence emanated from them. It was the major difference between Lorenzo and his brother. Luis Alcazar had needed to be vicious in order to try and achieve the same persona his brother came by naturally.

"I, um," Alexis continued, finding her voice. "I have my car. Good night."

"Good night, Ms. Davis."

Alexis walked toward the door, anxious to get home and get some space between her and this strange meeting. But something made her stop, and she glanced back toward the table. Lorenzo was watching her, not a hint of malice in his expression. Instead, he seemed to be staring at her, and as she followed the line of his eye, she realized what he was staring at... her legs, and the rather generous split in the back of her skirt.[/i]

Alexis laughed to herself as she toweled off those same legs after a long, luxurious soak. She'd been so certain that night she would never say yes to his job offer. Neither had known how circumstances would gang up to make her decide to take the risk on him in order to protect herself and her daughter.

Walking out into the bedroom, Alexis chose clothes that would set the tone for the day... jeans and a soft lavendar sweater made of cashmere. The rain had stopped, but her earlier venture onto the balcony told her it was a chilly day. She'd have to make sure Kristina was bundled up well when they went out.

Dressed, Alexis peeked into the nursery but found it empty. She headed downstairs and soon heard both Alice and Lorenzo exclaiming amazement at some feat of Kristina's in the office. She made her way to the room, smiling the moment she entered. The office was really "their" office. Lorenzo had set it up so it was easier for them to conduct business together, their desks across from one another, comfortable leather chairs placed behind each. A few weeks ago, he had added to the furnishings. A small child sized leather chair now sat in the space between their desks. Kristina had been eyeing it suspiciously, but had yet to take a seat in it... until now. She was kicking her legs, shaking her little body in the chair while Lorenzo and Alice cheered her on.

"Looks like someone is ready to go to work," Alexis said as she stepped further into the room. All eyes turned toward her, and Kristina immediately threw her arms up into the air.

"Mama, Mama, Mama!"

Alexis laughed at her daughter's joy and moved over, scooping her up into her arms.

"I thought we'd give it a go this morning, and today she didn't curl back into me when I tried to sit her in it," Lorenzo said. Alexis nodded.

"Just needed to get used to it, huh baby girl? Yeah, Mama knows how that is. Sometimes you don't know how much you'll like something until you try it."

Alexis' eyes eased toward Lorenzo. The look he gave her made her cheeks hot as she felt herself blush yet again.

"Ms. Davis." Alice's voice drew Alexis' attention toward her. "Should I plan on the normal schedule today?"

"Alexis," the mother corrected for the 100th time, "and actually, I think you should enjoy a day off. I don't have any meetings today, and so I'm gonna spend the day with little one here."

Alice's eyes brightened and Alexis smiled. Harry Daniels, the man who owned Daniel's Landscaping, personally oversaw the maintenance of the garden here at Lorenzo's house. More than once, Alexis had caught Alice eyeing the handsome businessman, and finally, two weeks earlier, Harry had gotten up the nerve to ask Alice out for lunch. It wasn't entirely coincidence that Alexis had decided to engineer her meeting-free day on a day she knew Harry only worked until noon.

"Well, if you're sure..." Alice said, and Alexis nodded.

"Positive, you have a good day."

"Okay, I will. You, too. Mr. Alcazar."

Alice had taken time to warm up to Lorenzo, but she'd wanted to work for Alexis, so she had taken on the challenge of dealing with him. Though he could be gruff and overbearing, he was no Edward Quartermaine, and his growing love for Kristina had won her over. The two now had an ease with each other that only served to further make Kristina's world one of harmonious adults.

After Alice had left, Alexis turned to find Lorenzo leaning on the edge of his desk as he watched her with Kristina. She smiled and walked over. Kristina reached out a hand to him, and he took it, letting her hold tight to his fingers.

"Will I be seeing my robe again?" he asked, a grin tugging at his lips.

"I was thinking I might escort it back this evening, unless you have other plans."

Lorenzo was pleased to see her comfort level with the change in their relationship. Not that he'd doubted how either of them felt before last night, but he knew her well enough to know that a decision to become his lover had not been an easy one for her. He loved that he saw no regret in her eyes.

"So it's mother/daughter day, is it?"

"Well, we were hoping we could persuade you to come along," Alexis replied. "Do you have work you need to do?"

Lorenzo glanced back at his desk. He had a deal in the works that could net him millions if the Afghan rebels he would be supplying came through, though that was the sort of business he kept carefully away from Alexis. Still, he could be reached on his cell phone if that needed his attention.

"Nothing that needs to keep me here."

Her smile beamed at him. "We were thinking a trip to the children's museum, and then maybe lunch at Kelly's."

Lorenzo stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the two ladies in his life. "Sounds good to me."

*****

Somehow, Sonny Corinthos managed to get himself up the stairs and into the shower. It was "somehow" because his mind was so busy taunting him, tormenting him, that he didn't know exactly how he'd made it there. Even the pounding water couldn't push the hated images out of his mind. God, how had this happened? Alexis and Lorenzo Alcazar? It sickened him to even think about it. She deserved better than that, she should want better than that.

But still he saw her, the way she moved in his arms, the way her hair had looked as Alcazar's fingers splayed through it. And he was seeing things he couldn't have seen... his own memories of making love to her rebelling against him to give him visions of Lorenzo's hands on her body, her legs tangled with his, her face clenched as her climax approached.

"No!" Sonny yelled as he pounded his fists into the shower tile. "No."

He had to stop this. He had to get control. He had to let it go.

Sonny came downstairs to find Jason waiting in his living room. He walked past his right hand to the bar setup and poured himself a glass of water.

"Where's Carly?"

Jason stood and joined him. "She and Courtney have the kids over at my place. She thought we might need to talk."

"I'm fine, Jason."

"Are you sure? She said you were out most of the night."

Jason's words sent Alexis' voice shooting through his mind. [i]'Enzo!'[/i]

"I, uh, I needed a walk. You know how nuts she makes me when we fight. I just, I didn't want that here with the kids."

"Sonny, what's going on?" Jason asked. "You're mad at her all the time, lately."

"I don't... Jason, just stay out of it, okay?"

"I'd love to, believe me, but I thought... you know, I thought things would be so good for you two once she came home and the baby came."

Sonny started to respond but the look on Jason's face stopped him. Disappointment... Jason was disappointed in him. It was the same look Carly gave him all the time now.

"We'll deal with it."

The subject was closed, and Jason knew it, but it was far from over. Carly was getting tired of fighting, and more and more, she was coming to Jason looking for an answer. Jason didn't know what it was. Ever since Carly had finally come home, ever since Courtney had made the mistake of saying Jason had known all along Ric had her, a tension had crept into the relationship of the foursome. Jason himself was still angry at how easily Sonny had dismissed his suspicions. All he'd been able to think about was getting Carly home safely, and though that's all Sonny claimed to be focused on, he'd gotten in the way over and over again.

"I'll be right back," Sonny said, and he walked over, opening his door and crossing to Jason's. He knocked and Courtney opened the door, Morgan sleeping in her arms as Carly sat on the sofa with Michael. Sonny crossed over to his wife and sat down.

"I'm sorry. I've just, you know, there's stuff on my mind, that's all."

Carly nodded. That was always his excuse. It was starting to wear thin.

"Why don't we, um, you know spend the day together, just us the kids? Whatever you want."

"Can we go to Kelly's for chocolate cream pie?" Michael asked, and both parents smiled at their son's exuberance.

"Sure," Carly said. "We can go to Kelly's for pie. Maybe after Wyndham's. I need a few things and so does the baby."

Sonny nodded. He had to make this work. This was his family. He couldn't let his feelings of doubt keep making him distance himself from them. He'd chosen Carly. He'd pushed away a woman he knew he could love to stay here in this life. Which didn't explain why, instead of just feeling joy that she was home, he felt jealousy that it was Jason who'd really felt connected to Carly, who'd known where she was all along. Nothing explained that except something Sonny did not want to consider.

Could he have given up Alexis to spend his life with a woman who would never love him as much as she loved the man he'd stolen her from?

"Okay, then, the Corinthos family on the loose," Sonny said, forcing a smile onto his face. "First Wyndham's, then Kelly's."

Carly smiled and reached over, embracing him. "That sounds perfect."

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