Chapter 3

"One moment!" Keesha called as she went to the door. She looked throgh the peephole. Not recognizing the face she asked simply "Who is it?"

Seems Jax got himself another woman. What did that make? 5? Jerry shook his head. It had been over two years since Brenda died, and Jax seemed resigned to living the rest of his life emotionally alone...dating many women, not liking any. And love? Jerry had to admit, he doubted Jax would ever love any woman again.

But he wished he'd at least try.

"I'm Jerry. Jax's brother. He called me to pick him up." Jerry shifted as he waited. So what was *this* woman like...

Keesha opened the door. "Sorry, he told me he called someone, but he didn't say who." She reached out her hand. "I'm Keesha Ward. Nice to meet you."

Jerry shook her hand with a smile. "Jacks. Jerry Jacks." he grinned and Keesha smiled.

"Come in." She moved out of the way and Jerry studied her as she closed the door. Very beautiful, like all of Jax's women. A little short to be a model...then again, Brenda was small.

"So Keesha, what do you do for a living?"

"Nothing really. I'm in between jobs while I try and figure out where I want to live. If I want to move back here."

"Back?"

"Oh, I used to live here a couple of years ago. You probably know...*knew* Justus. He was my cousin." she finished softly.

"Justus Ward was your cousin..." Jerry's train of thought stopped as he looked up as the bathroom door opened. Jax walked out, obviously straight from the shower, a white hotel robe wrapped around his body, running a towel through his hair.

"Can I get you two anything? Of course, I guess everything in the refrigerator is bad...."

Jerry stared at Jax. He wouldn't. All the talk of going after Sonny through Justus was just that...talk...

"I hope I'm not interrupting." Jerry murmured.

Keesha's mind was still on the food in her refrigerator. "I guess I can order something. Do you two want anything, you are perfectly free to join me..."

"No..."

"Actually I am kind of hungry, if you don't mind." Jax interrupted Jerry. "My treat, of course."

"That's okay..."

"I insist." Jax sat down on the couch and looked at Jerry. The Jacks brothers watched as Keesha picked up the phone to order. Jerry came over and sat down next to Jax. "Tell me that you didn't."

"Not yet. That's why I want you here, I'm only going to explain this once."

"Absolutely no way!"

Keesha looked over at Jerry's exclamation. Obviously Jerry played the protective role in this family.

"Sorry. Just a muffin. I already ate."

"Can you please ask them to bring one of my specials...with the..."

"Hot apple butter." Jerry finished for Jax.

Keesha nodded and smiled, turning her attention back to the room service attendant on the other end of the line.

"My mind is made up." Jax answered Jerry's unasked are you sure question. "Either you're in or out, but I am doing this and I am convincing Keesha to help. Right now."

"I'm sick of your damn ultimatimums Jasper." Jerry sighed. But sick or not, once Jax made up his mind to do something, something that led him closer and closer to danger, purposefully Jerry was sure...Jerry knew that he would be there. To save Jax from himself.

"They said it would be around 15 minutes." Keesha said as she hung up the phone. "If you don't mind, I'm going to shower and change."

"Um, Keesha, can it wait a minute?" Jax said as he leaned over, resting against his legs.

Keesha stared at Jax marvelling at just how beautiful, physically, the man was, unaware that was what she was doing until she noticed he was smiling at her. "Sorry." she mumbled.

"For what?" Jax leaned up and watched as she sat down on the table across from him and Jerry. "Anyway, I'll make this short. I have a proposition for you."

"What kind of proposition."

"Marry me." Jax said simply, realizing if he put that point out there immediately, he would have time to snowball her with his thoughts before what he said registered.

Or so he thought.

"Why?" she asked just as simply.

"Why?" Jax looked at Jerry. Keesha was a little too calm, he wasn't dealing with an ordinary person. "Why...because it will be the only way to get rid of Corinthos."

"How is my marrying you going to get rid of Scummy?"

"Scummy?" Jax laughed. "I like that. See, I've been studying Sonny, and the people who worked for him. That includes...I'm sorry, included your cousin."

"Justus worked for Moreno. That's why he's dead. Sonny was sending a message."

"How do you know this?" Jerry asked.

Keesha turned her attention to Jerry. "I'm not stupid. Justus is the DA. Yet, Moreno's workers are never arrested, let alone prosecuted for anything. Meanwhile Sonny went on what-three trials in the past two years."

"However he was never convicted. You know why?" Jax interrupted. "Because he also worked for Sonny. Justus played both ends. Sonny knew when he was going to be arrested, and he knew that he'd get out."

Keesha looked at Jax again. Their glances locked and for what seemed like an eternity, all they did was stare into each other's eyes.

"So..." Jerry began as he looked back and forth between them. What was that? Jax must have slept with her already, then again, had he, then that look wouldn't have been so intense. No not yet. But he would, Jerry decided. Well, at least it would be easy to trick everyone.

"So..." Jax broke eye contact and tried to find his train of thought. "Justus has information on both of them. Neither of them know that. He also placed information with Alexis Davis, the condition being that you not get it, unless you are married to somone, because he feels then that you will be protected by this person. Sonny doesn't know that. He won't even know where the information came from."

"That's a little sexist. I don't need to be married to be protected." Keesha rolled her eyes and stood, walking to the window. "So marrying you will allow me to get this information?"

"Us," Jax emphasized.

"And what will we do with it?"

"Use it. What else...so?"

"Fine. Let's go."

"Fine?" Jax and Jerry said in unison.

"Sure why not. We get married, get the information, get an annulment, my life can continue. Whatever." Keesha turned and started for the bathroom.

"Wait." Jax got up and she looked at him. "There's more to it...it's a double edge plan. I don't know how long it will take to get the information, I know it could take a lot longer than simply going to Alexis and asking her for it. Which is where the second part comes in. Sonny has a weakness. He has many but his main ones are that he doesn't like to see me happy, he doesn't like to see me with women if he suspects I'm using them for any purpose-which is the only reason I would be with someone, according to Corinthos. And that leads to, any woman I may seem happy with, that he thinks I am using, he is going to try and save them. He did it with Brenda, he did it with Alexis, he even tried to do it with V when we worked together."

"I hate Sonny. That's common knowledge."

"Doesn't matter. He is going to want to save you from me. If he believes that we are really and truly together."

"Why would you be using me?"

"Justus gave you his ELQ proxy. I want back into ELQ."

"I can just skip the reading of the will I see." Keesha shook her head. "How much...never mind. So let me get this straight-we can be married for an unknown amount of time."

"I figure 6 months at the very most. I was thinking you would go to the will reading, then I could take you on a trip, we would come back in a week or so, married."

"What makes you think we could convince Sonny that we are truly a couple?"

"You can." Jerry mumbled. Just keep staring at each other like that. "Trust me."

Jax looked back at Keesha. "You, of course, will have your own room at my house; I can pay..."

"I don't want any money."

Jax prepared himself for the onslaughts of are you insane?!

"Fine. Can I shower now."

"Fine?"

"Fine. I want Sonny...dead." she admitted. "In jail will have to do. What's six months. It's fine. Now can I shower?"

Jax nodded and watched as she went into the bathroom shutting the door.

"Easy." Jax said and looked at Jerry.

"She feels nothing matters; don't you recognize that look?" Jerry stood and came over to Jax.

"I had it after Brenda died," Jax said quietly.

"You still have it. Or else you wouldn't be putting your life in danger. Not to mention hers."

"Keesha won't be hurt. I will make sure of that."

"What about you? Oh, I guess that's my job."

Jax looked at Jerry. "Did you bring me a change of clothes?"