Courtney Matthews slid onto the stool and called to the bartender, Jake, whom the bar was named after.

“Hey, Jake,” Courtney called. “Have you seen the squirt?”

Jake, a pretty woman who always thought that Courtney and her younger half sister Elizabeth Webber didn’t belong in her bar, nodded. “She’s in the back, hustling some of my regulars at pool.”

Courtney grinned. “Give me a bottle of Killians.” Jake set the bottle in front of her.

“You should take her to go hang out at Club 101 more,” Jake told her. “You know if anything happened to her here, Sonny would have my head.”

“Sonny doesn’t even know we come here,” Courtney confided in the other woman with a smirk. She grabbed the bottle and walked away.

Elizabeth was surrounded by men as she played the game. Though she was the youngest person by far in the bar at only nineteen, Jake let her in anyway and would only serve her club soda.

Elizabeth and Courtney didn’t look alike in the slightest due to their different mothers. Courtney took after her blonde mother Janine while Elizabeth resembled her dark-haired mother Adela. Adela had put Elizabeth up for adoption shortly after her birth, fearing her abusive husband and Elizabeth hadn’t found her brother or sister until about a year ago.

She’d settled into Port Charles just fine and she was now a regular at the dive near the docks, despite Jake’s irritation at the idea.

“You’re late,” Elizabeth murmured, leaning over the table. The second she leaned over in her short leather skirt, every guy’s gaze either dropped to her ass or to the cleavage she was showing in the tight low cut tank top.

“Traffic,” Courtney replied. “Stealing their money again?”

“I’m winning fair and square,” Elizabeth complained, making her last shot and sinking it. She straightened and smiled brightly at the men around her. “I believe that’s the game gentlemen. Pay up.”

Later after Elizabeth had collected her generous winning, the sisters congregated at a table in the back. “So guess who came home just as I left,” Courtney told her sister.

“Who?” Elizabeth asked, her blue eyes scanning the bar for another sucker to take money from.

“Jason Morgan.”

Elizabeth tilted her head to the site. “Jason Morgan. As in Michael’s right hand man?”

“That’s right,” Courtney replied. “He left town about a year before you showed up so you’ve never met. Well, he’s only the sexiest man I’ve ever met in my life.”

“Tell me more,” Elizabeth replied, immediately interested.

“He’s tall–would probably tower over you,” Courtney began, “and he always wears jeans and t-shirts with this awesome leather jacket. Totally the stereotypical bad boy.”

“And let me guess, you’ve slept with him.”

Courtney pouted. “Not yet, but it’s not for lack of trying.” She grinned. “But this is the first time he’s been home in over two years. I think it’s time I finally landed him.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “Not before I do.”

“Oh? What makes you think he’d go for you?” Courtney asked. “You’re just as much Sonny’s sister as I am.”

“Well, yeah, but Jason has known you as Sonny’s sister. He’s never met me.” Elizabeth grinned. “You know most guys can’t resist me.”

“You mean my leftovers,” Courtney remarked scornfully. “Jason’s not one of the losers you meet here. He’s a real man and he needs a real woman.”

“And he’s already turned you down more than once,” Elizabeth reminded her. “What makes you think this time is going to be different?”

“Fine, if you think you can get him before I can, then let’s make it interesting. I bet you five hundred bucks that I sleep with him first.”

“You’re on,” Elizabeth accepted.

“Be prepared to lose, Lizzie, dear,” Courtney smirked.

“Haven’t you learned yet…I never lose,” Elizabeth replied saucily.

—

“So, she’s your half-sister?”

Sonny Corinthos nodded and poured his friend a drink. “Here. Yeah, she showed up about a year. She’d just turned eighteen and was released from the foster system so she dug around a little, found out that Adela was her mother and from there, she found me.”

Jason Morgan tipped back the drink. “How do she and Courtney get along?”

“Better than you might think. They’re always getting into some type of trouble. I swear, neither one of them has any taste in men.”

“So, what’s the reason you called me home?” Jason asked, getting down to the heart of the matter.

“It’s Elizabeth,” Sonny told him. “She accidentally met up with Sorel’s son, Joey, Jr. a few weeks ago and she broke up with him almost immediately. He’s been calling her and following her around. The little shit isn’t taking no for an answer.”

“And you can’t knock him off because of the deal you made with Sorel last year,” Jason said.

“Yeah. And Joey ain’t listening to any of the regular men so I figured you could just keep an eye on her. Your reputation is a bit more extreme then her usual guards, so…” he sighed. “I know it’s not one of your regular things and I really didn’t want to ask you but–”

“It’s no big deal, Sonny,” Jason replied. “She’s your sister. Some jerk is bothering her–of course you’re gonna pull out all the stops to keep her safe.”

“Well…Elizabeth doesn’t know some of the stuff he’s been doing either,” Sonny admitted. “I didn’t want her to get scared but Joey’s stepped it up. He’s calling more, hanging around the building, send her letters and flowers. I just don’t want to take any chances.”

“I understand,” Jason relied. “So, where does she usually hang out?”

“Usually, she’s at Jake’s even though she thinks I don’t know about it.

“Jake’s?” Jason repeated, surprised. “Isn’t she only nineteen?”

“Jake lets her in–she keeps an eye on her. Only serves club soda. Sometimes Courtney drops in, but that’s not really her scene. She’s more interested in Club 101.”

“So you don’t want her to know I’m keeping tabs on her right?” Jason asked.

“Yeah, I don’t want her to get alarmed about the kid.”

The door opened then and Jason turned to look. He recognized the tall blonde that entered–it’d been two years since he’d seen Courtney but she still looked the same. The petite brunette next to her must be the new addition to the family.

“Elizabeth…” Sonny frowned. “Courtney, I didn’t realize you were coming over tonight.”

“Well, I knew Jason was in town, so I just had to come and see him.” She kissed him on the cheek. “You should come home more often,” she purred.

“Yeah,” Jason remarked, discreetly stepping away from her.

“I’m Elizabeth Webber,” the brunette told him. She smiled and extended her hand. “You’re Courtney’s new favorite subject.”

He shook her hand. “Jason Morgan and tonight is the first time I’ve heard about you.”

Courtney scowled and folded her arms. “So, how long are you home for? Is it permanent?” she cooed.

“Well, that depends,” Jason replied. He met Sonny’s eyes before glancing at Elizabeth. “On a lot of things.”

—

Elizabeth sighed and hung up her leather jacket. “Michael, do you we have to have this discussion again?”

Sonny scowled from his position in her doorway. “You shouldn’t go out dressed like that,” he told her.

“What, you don’t think I look good?” Elizabeth asked, glancing at her outfit.

“You know you’re beautiful but you should wear more clothing.”

“Michael, you’re overreacting. Besides, I can take care of myself.” Elizabeth’s cell phone rang and she fished it out of her leather jacket. “Hello?”

“Hey, beautiful. You haven’t returned my calls,” Joseph Sorel, Jr’s smooth voice slowed over the line.

“Joey, don’t you have someone else to harass?” Elizabeth asked, irritated. She motioned for a glowering Sonny to leave.

“Harass? Baby, I like to think of what we do as something else.”

She sighed impatiently. “Joey, we don’t do anything. It’s over, remember?” She crossed to her door and closed it, forcing Sonny into the hallway.

“Just because your brother is Sonny–“

“This has nothing to do with Michael,” Elizabeth snapped. “It was over the second you hit me.”

“Aww….baby, I apologized for that–“

“Go away, Joey,” Elizabeth sighed. She hung up the phone and sat down on the bed with a heavy sigh.

—-

Sonny jogged down the steps and immediately headed for the mini bar. “Did Courtney go home?”

“Yeah, she said she had a shift early tomorrow.” Jason studied Sonny closely. “What’s wrong?”

“He called her again while I was upstairs,” Sonny muttered. “She shoved me out of her room and I overheard her say that he hit her.”

“What?” Jason demanded.

“I swear, if I thought I could do it without some sort of war starting with Sorel…I’d make that kid disappear,” Sonny said quietly.

“Look, he’s not going to touch her,” Jason promised him. “I’m not going to let him. And I’m sure even Sorel would understand if it eventually came to more drastic action.”

“I just wish she’d use some common sense. She knows he hangs out at Jake’s and yet she goes there anyway dressed in skimpy outfits.” Sonny shook his head. “She looks so much like my mother, you know? Why do you think she acts the way she does?”

“Who knows why anyone does what they do?” Jason asked. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Listen, I’ll get a room at Jake’s. I’ll be able to keep an eye on her better.”

“Thanks, Jason. I really appreciate this.”

| Chapter Two →