Chapter 6
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After one last quick check in the mirror, Keesha left the bedroom. She
took her purse off the table and opened the door. As she waited for
the elevator to take her downstairs, she realized the butterflies in
her stomach were continuing to grow. She took a deep breath. What was
going on with her?
That was simple. This was her first *date* with Jax. The plan was to
have it out in not plain view, right at the PC Grill, where someone of
interest was sure to walk in on them. And this date made what they
were doing more real. Though he had said no turning back just last
night, she realized that there was still an opening for him or her to
change their mind.
Not after tonight. Because after tonight Sonny would be put on warning.
And that’s why she was nervous.
She got on the elevator and took another breath. Well, this would be
good for her, it would make the date seem more real to on lookers, she
decided. Because any woman would have to be nervous the first time she
went out with Jax-that was a given.
When Keesha got to the dining room, Jax was already there. He was
sitting in his chair, looking inside of the menu. She started towards
him, and the butterflies exploded. The feeling in her stomach was so
intense she had to stop walking for a moment. She looked at him and
went over to the bar. “Screwdriver. Please. Now.” she said quickly.
She glanced over at Jax and saw him looking around the dining area for
her. Finally he saw her and smiled, waving her over.
“Thank you.” Keesha said to the bartender before taking a drink. She
closed her eyes and prayed she wouldn’t say or do anything she
shouldn’t.
Then she ventured forth. “Am I late?”
“Right on time.” Jax pushed the chair back under her and then went
over to his side of the table again. “And looking very lovely might I
add.”
“Thank you. You’re aren’t so bad yourself.” she teased, hoping to calm
herself.
“Nervous?”
“Yes.” she finished her screwdriver quickly.
Jax watched her with a smile. “Slow down, you don’t want me to take
advantage of you, do you?” Keesha choked and leaned over the side to
cough as Jax laughed. “I’m sorry...are you okay?”
“Yes.” she ran her fingers through her hair and took a drink of water.
“Second thoughts.” he said once she placed the glass down.
“No. Just give my drink a second to work it’s magic and I’m sure I’ll
be the perfect date.”
“Look at me.”
“I am.”
“No, you’re looking past me.” Jax leaned forward and took Keesha’s
hand. She looked down at their hands on the table as Jax laced their
fingers. Slowly she looked up again and stared into his eyes. He
rubbed her hand gently with his thumb. “Better?” he asked quietly.
Keesha realized she had stopped breathing and took a deep breath. And
as she did, and as she looked into the sea of Jax’s eyes, and as her
body continued to warm from his touch...
The *alcohol* she reminded herself...not from Jax, but from the
alcohol.
She started to pull her hand away. “Yes, I’m better.”
“Are you sure...” Jax held on to her hand tightly as he looked down at
it. It was so much smaller than his, but holding it seemed to bring
him some comfort, though until he held it, it hadn’t even noticed he
needed to *be* comforted. He looked into her eyes once more, and
lifted her hand to his lips.
“Yes.” Keesha had to continue to remind herself to breathe as Jax
placed a small kiss on her hand. The strange thing, she noticed, was
that she did feel better.
“Good.” he winked and let go. “Your menu Mademoiselle.”
“Thank you.” Jax and Keesha said in unison as the waiter brought their
food. Jax waited until he left and then repeated to Keesha. “It seems
that Alexis just found the will in her file.”
“Found it? That seems a little easy. Why did she find it after he
died, in her files of all places.”
“Is it possible Justus left instructions for it to be placed there
after he died, so that Sonny or Moreno wouldn’t get to it first.”
“He would have just left it with Alexis. She was one of, no she was
the only person he trusted. They have some sort of tragic black sheep
attorney of the family thing going, if that made sense.” she laughed.
“That sounds nice.”
“My mixed up words?”
“No, your laugh.”
Keesha looked at Jax as he took a bite of his food. “Thank you.” and
her nerves started up once more.
“What about you?” Jax asked when he looked at her again.
“Me?”
“Justus didn’t trust you?”
She had to remember, Jax was all business. He was a nice guy, that was
where the compliments, and the worried about her welfare came from.
But Jax was all business, and she had to remember that, or else she
could see herself getting into trouble. Besides, she had a job to do,
*they* had a job to do. “Not really. He loved me, he knew I loved
him, but he didn’t really trust me, he hadn't for a while.”
“He trusted you enough to tell you he trusted Alexis.”
Keesha shrugged. She had never really thought of it that way. She
wished she had, because it made her feel better. “So who else could
have put it there?” she brought the conversation back to the focus.
“Justus had to trust someone else-what about Dara.”
“No. That ended really badly.”
Jax nodded. He remembered when Dara slugged Justus once outside the
court room during one of Sonny’s trials. He always wondered what that
was about. “AJ?”
“Possibly. But AJ wouldn’t have done it so Justus wouldn’t even have
bothered to ask.”
“Edward...”
“Edward.” Keesha nodded and then shook her head. “No, because as much
as Edward cares for me, he doesn’t want me on the board. He would have
found some way for me to get the rest of what Justus left me without me
knowing about ELQ.”
“He would want you over Sonny. I think Edward is still a candidate.
Remind me to tell Jerry.”
“Whoa, I’m surprised you’re not on your phone asking him now.” she
grinned and took a bite of her dinner.
“Hey, I am on a date with an enchanting young woman. Why would I want
to talk to *Jerry*.” he chuckled. “Besides, it’s not important. You
were right, I can’t think of any reason as to why I should tear Jerry
away from Bobbie again to look for who wanted you to have the ELQ
proxy. We’ll find out if we deem it necessary.”
Jax and Keesha finished their dinner. “Let’s see, we saw both Katherine
and Lucy, I’m sure everyone knows by now.” Jax smiled as he wiped his
face with the napkin.
“They’re probably having some sort of contest on who can tell the most
people in the most dramatic way.” Keesha agreed. She noticed
something had caught Jax’s attention and turned to look.
“Keesha...” Sonny said as he and Hannah walked over. “Have you met my
wife, Hannah. Hannah, this is Keesha Ward, Justus’ cousin.”
“Hi Hannah.” Keesha said politely and shook her hand. She looked back
at Jax.
“So what brings you here?” Sonny asked Keesha as he and Jax continued
to stare at each other.
“I live here.”
“Oh, that’s right. You don’t live in the hotel do you any more Golden
Boy? Why are *you* here?”
“Sonny, please...” Hannah begged softly. She understood why Sonny
hated Jax, he used and let the woman Sonny had loved so much die. But
after 2 years of this she wanted some peace. “Let’s get our table.”
Jax continued to bite his tongue. He stood and looked at Keesha. “Can
I walk you upstairs?”
“I’m sure she knows her way, she doesn’t need to be led around.”
“That’s your speciality, not mine.” Jax stated quietly. “Keesha, I’m
sorry, why don’t you go on, and I’ll call you soon.”
“Jax, I...”
“Really. You don’t need this right now. Please go.” He looked at her
and his eyes repeated his statement. *Please*.
“Okay..." she said obviously still wary.
Well, obvious to anyone but Jax who figured she was faking. Jax had to
hand it to her, she was good. Sonny was already thinking of ways to
*save* her. "Thank you for dinner.” Keesha finished.
“It was my pleasure.” Jax had gone back to staring at Sonny. Keesha
took her purse from the floor and started to move away-they were in a
crowded restaurant, Jax would be fine. She walked past him, letting her
fingers glide across his hand, and Jax realized his anger actually
reduced considerably.
Jax watched her leave the dining room and then looked at Sonny again.
“Hannah.” he nodded and left.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Sonny, please.”
“Just one second. I owe Justus, I can’t let what happens to all the
women in Jax’s life happen to Keesha-she won’t be tricked, and she
won’t lose what Justus gave her-she has to get out now.”
Hannah nodded. “I’m giving you five minutes, and then I’m going home
and you’re sleeping on the couch.”
Sonny laughed. “Feisty.”
“That’s why you love me.”
Sonny agreed with a smile and headed out to the parking lot.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!”
Jax tried to ignore Sonny, but his hatred got the better of him and he
whirled around. “What’s the problem Corinthos!”
Sonny came from the other side of the parking lot. “Do you want into
ELQ so badly that you can’t even wait until Keesha recovers from the
recent will reading. She hasn't even gotten again used to the idea
that Justus is...”
“A victim of murder?” Jax looked at Sonny knowingly. “You have no
idea of what I want with Keesha, and even if you think you do, it’s
none of your damn business.”
“Of course I know what you want with Keesha. You want her, and you
want what she has. That’s what you want with any woman. Her body for a
while, and then anything of value she has-and Keesha has ELQ.”
“Keesha doesn’t need your protection. Most importantly she doesn’t
want it.”
“Funny, you said the same thing before Alexis was almost murdered, and
let’s not get into Brenda...” Sonny stepped back as finally Jax’s last
button was pushed and he lunged for Sonny. “Come on! You think you can
take me on...” Sonny exclaimed while as usual, Jason Morgan came out of
seemingly nowhere, along with two bodyguards.
“Lose the thugs Corinthos...just you and me...” Jax said softly, his
voice cold with anger as Jason stood between the two men. Carly knew
immediatley to leave and did so.
Sonny heard the door open and held his workers back. “Some of us have
wives to go to. Maybe later.” Sonny smirked and he, Jason, and the
others left Jax to continue to stew in his hatred.
Jax leaned up against his car as his jaw twitched in furor. He couldn’t
*wait*...
“Jax? Are you okay.”
Jax looked up at the sound of his name. “I thought I said you should
go. That was a good touch you know, the worry in your voice as you
debated whether to leave."
“That wasn't a *touch*.” Keesha continued to come towards him. Jax
looked at her-he had forgotten for a second she was one of those people
truely did want to help others, even those who they didn't really know.
Keesha finally stood in front of him. “Don’t let him get to you,
that’s what he lives for.”
Jax nodded. “I know. And it’s the one thing he’s good at.” he tried to
joke as he shifted his hands in their pockets. He looked down at the
ground. He hated not being in control of his emotions, especially in
front of other people.
“Hey.” Keesha slowly reached out and tilted his face up. “It will be
okay.”
Jax looked into Keesha’s eyes and found himself believing her. “Thank
you.”
“I didn’t do anything.” she smiled as her hand reluctantly left his
face.
“Yes. You did.” He wasn’t sure how, but she had done *something* to
make him feel so much better.
“Well, then you’re welcome.” she relented with another smile. “Good
night.”
“ ‘Nite.” Jax watched as Keesha walked through the door to the
entrance of the hotel.
Shani
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