This is my J&C adaptation of Susan Sizemore’s novel, "His Last Best Hope"

Stefan’s enthusiastic confession almost made Chloe jump out of her skin. Somehow, she had managed to keep her cool as she and Jax accompanied Stefan back to the main house. The raging of the winds and rain outside seemed like a perfect accompaniment to the storm going on in her life. Had it really been only a week ago that she was sunning herself on the Morgana? How could the man sitting across the table from her – the man who had made incredible love to her all night long – the man to whom she had lost her heart, although she didn’t want to say it out loud yet – how could Jax have come into her life so quickly and become such an integral part?

As usual, Stefan’s manners were impeccable. He led Jax and Chloe into the villa’s main dining room, where a table was set with fine linens and china, even at 8 o’clock in the morning. A sumptuous buffet of fresh fruit and sweet pastries cascaded down the center of the table. A variety of juices stood in frosted pitchers off to the side, as well as a hot cart where an omelet could be prepared to the diner’s specifications.

"What’s not your fault, Cassidine?" As Jax arched one eyebrow and smiled placidly, Chloe couldn’t believe the depth of his cunning. How could the man continue the charade as El Pantera so calmly when he knew that any minute, word could arrive that would mean death for both of them? "The storm outside?" He laughed and gestured towards a window with his fork. "Surely you don’t think me *that* unreasonable!"

"No, no………" Stefan wiped his lips delicately with his napkin before taking a sip of coffee. His place was at the head of the table, with Jax on his right and Chloe on his left. "I am praying that you do not hold me responsible for your woman’s poor appetite!" He sat back and stroked his chin with a sly smile. "I must say, Pantera, although she seems much more contented now that you are back, Senorita Chloe eats like one of our tropical birds!"

Jax smiled craftily across the table at Chloe, trying desperately to give her some reassurance. He knew she must be petrified, playing this delicate game of undercover cat and mouse that he thrived on. "Yes, well I suppose love will do strange things to a person, no?"

"AHA! I KNEW it!!" Stefan threw down his napkin and sat forward in his chair with a broad smile. "I KNEW there was a reason why the two of you were so anxious to see Padre Tomas!"

Jax could almost see Chloe’s entire body tense at Stefan’s words. "Well, actually I did want to discuss something with him……" {OK, he’s smiling. So I don’t think he’s going to accuse me of being a spy. But then what the bloody h*ll is he talking about? If I can just lead him on and get him to admit it himself……}

He didn’t have to wait long. Stefan rose from his chair and came to take Chloe’s hand and kiss it regally. "Let me be the first to congratulate you, my dear." He winked at Jax. "Although I personally think that *I* would make much better husband material than this rogue!"

Chloe almost choked on the strawberry she was chewing. "Hus…….husband?"

"Well, of course!" Stefan looked taken aback for a moment. "Isn’t that why the two of you wished to see Padre Tomas? To set up a wedding?"

Jax’s hearty laugh was followed by a resounding crash of thunder. "You sly dog!!" He got up from his chair and came around to stand behind Chloe and shake Stefan’s hand. "There’s not much that gets by you, is there?!"

"De nada, Pantera," Stefan replied, tipping his head to the side in a mock display of modesty at the compliment. "A man does not get to my position in life without being able to pick up on these things." He rubbed his hands together gleefully. "So…….tell me everything!!" Chloe’s gaze bounced between the two men like a rubber ball as the horrible fabrication grew in size and scope. "When did he propose to you, my dear?"

"Uhhh……….."

Jax leaned down to run his hands proprietarily over Chloe’s shoulders. His fingertips grazed her breasts, reinforcing Stefan’s impression of them as lovers and creating an ache in Chloe’s feminine center. "Go ahead, amada," he crooned. "You can tell him."

{Thanks a bunch!! You want ME to make this stuff up?}

A devilish, clever little voice inside Chloe prompted her to be brave. After all, she had survived for this long, playing the part of his "woman." She was actually getting pretty good at it! Although it was a little disconcerting, she rationalized that she could lie just as well as the next guy!

"Well……." Chloe didn’t have to pretend the blush that colored her cheeks. She tipped her head to the side, rubbing her cheek against the back of Jax’s hand. "He’s been asking me for some time you know." Her eyes narrowed to feline slits and the kiss she whispered across Jax’s hand almost doubled him over like a sucker punch. "Let’s just say that last night when he returned, El Pantera was MOST persuasive and I finally said yes."

"Excellente!!" Stefan clapped his hands again and chortled gleefully. "I do believe that El Pantera has finally met his match!" He paused and then looked down at Chloe’s hand. "But he has not yet put a ring on your finger?"

Chloe fought the fear that rose. She shouldn’t have played the game. She wasn’t in their league after all. They would be caught, and it would be all her fault, as usual…….

"Well, as my encantada said, I’ve been asking for some time, Cassidine." Jax moved his hands up to Chloe’s neck to massage the tension he felt, trying to ease it. "I was so shocked last night when she finally said yes that I didn’t have the ring with me!"

Stefan tapped his finger against his lips and then pointed it at Jax with a broad smile. "That, Pantera, can be easily remedied!!" He rushed over to a humidor that sat on the sideboard and opened it, taking out one of the expensive cigars within. After sliding the paper band off the cigar and replacing it, he came over to Jax and handed him the small ring. "I know it is not from your Tiffany’s, but it will do until you can put the real thing on her finger, no?"

"Oh, Stefan……." Chloe glanced up at Jax, but he didn’t seem to be panicking. This was all going too far, too fast. She didn’t even want to *think* about the possibility that Padre Tomas would show up – and Stefan would insist on a ceremony! "You really don’t have to do this……." She looked adoringly up at Jax. "As long as we know in our hearts that we’re engaged……"

Stefan’s face fell and his tone took on just the slightest edge. "Humor me, my dear. There is far too little romance in the world. Whatever I can do to restore some of it, I do." He handed the ring to Jax. "I would be honored to play Cupid for the two of you, Pantera."

Jax smiled – as always. Ever cool, ever controlled. "And I will be forever in your debt, Stefan." He took the paper band from Stefan and the lifted Chloe’s left hand, slipping it on her third finger. "With my promise of eternal devotion, amada," he purred. He pulled back and stared into her upturned face. "And you know, I always keep my promises." Before she could even take a breath, Jax cupped the back of her head and pulled Chloe’s lips up to his.

It was a hurricane. And a tornado. And an earthquake and a tidal wave all rolled into one. How could just one kiss set off such a violent reaction in her body? Chloe fought for control as she felt herself being pulled into the center of a maelstrom, drowning in the sensual pleasure Jax’s lips created.

"I’m sorry …….."

The sound of a male voice from the side of the room startled them all. Three sets of eyes turned to the door to find Jason Morgan standing in the doorway, a dripping black umbrella at his side. "I didn’t think I would be interrupting anything……." He pointed over his shoulder. "I can come back later if you want……"

"Not at all, Jason!" Stefan’s smile was just as broad as he went towards the door. Jax took the momentary respite to lean down and nuzzle the back of Chloe’s ear, trying desperately to boost her faltering bravado. Meanwhile, Stefan took Jason’s umbrella, handed it to a waiting houseman who whisked it away, and clapped an arm around his shoulders to usher him into the dining room. "In fact, you are just in time to join the celebration!"

"Celebration?" Jason’s eyes were blank, his expression grim. "I don’t think I understand……."

"El Pantera and his woman have decided to become man and wife!" Jason’s mouth formed a small "o" of understanding. "And while I’m sure that the decision was made in the privacy of their own cottage, it pleases me greatly to think that the romantic atmosphere of La Estrella del Mar may have had some *small* part in convincing them to take the plunge!"

"Best wishes." Jason’s enthusiasm was almost as minimal as Stefan’s was over the top. He faltered for a moment, but then put out a hand towards Jax. "You’re a lucky man."

"I think so," Jax smiled. Chloe finally rose from her chair and he immediately enfolded her, pulling her to his side and cradling her beneath his arm. He glanced out the window when lightning lit the sky again. "So…….what brings you out here on such a terrible morning?"

Jason glanced nervously at Stefan. "I…….uh…….." He nodded once, as though deciding on what he wanted to say. "We had business to discuss, Stefan and I."

Stefan shook his head and laughed a little, going to the sideboard to pour Jason a glass of juice. "You are a most dedicated man, Jason." He handed him the fine crystal filled citrus nectar. "And a most compassionate one." He lifted his own glass to Jason in salute. "I am sure that Sonny will somehow appreciate what you have done for him this morning – even if he can never tell you."

Chloe’s eyes flitted between the two men at the ominous-sounding words. Jason took a sip of juice and then shrugged his shoulders. "Sonny always was a religious man, especially after Vincent died. Calling Padre Tomas was the least I could do for him under the circumstances."

Even in the tropical heat and humidity, Chloe felt a chill run down her spine. Stefan had said that Tomas was called to administer the last rites – and now Jason seemed to be saying that the man was Sonny. He had looked hale and hearty just days before in the alley when he fought with Jax. The only serious wounds Jax had inflicted that day were to Sonny’s pride. So the only thing that could have brought him to death’s door so quickly was…….Jason?

Jax tightened his hold on Chloe when he felt her shiver. "I understand now." He nodded towards Jason. "I’m sure that you and Stefan *do* have a lot to discuss……..and we certainly wouldn’t want to interfere in any way." Chloe managed to hide her sigh of relief when Jax pulled her towards the doorway to the foyer. "So before this storm gets any worse, I think my woman and I will be heading back to town……."

"We have matters to discuss also, Pantera." Stefan’s abrupt shift to a brusque business tone made Chloe even more uneasy. "Some of our less than scrupulous associates may try to take advantage of a perceived vacuum in the power structure due to Sonny’s………passing. We need to make sure that these people understand that Corinthos’s territory is not sinking. It is just taking on a different captain, if you will."

"I see your point, Stefan, but then you must also see mine." Jax was adamant. "The Isabella just got into port last night. None of my men are aware of the …… changes…….that have obviously taken place over the last twenty-four hours. I want to get back to them to calm their worries and protect what is MINE." When his arm slid up from Chloe’s waist to settle around her shoulders, he trailed his fingers over the side swell of her breast and lifted an eyebrow at Stefan. The double meaning of his words was obvious. "Comprende, amigo?"

The coldness Chloe saw in Stefan’s eyes frightened her more than anything since she left the Morgana. Then, to her shock, he broke into an indulgent smile. "Of course, Pantera." His gaze shifted to Chloe. "I will send one of the women back to your cottage when the storm breaks to pack your woman’s things and bring them to the main house."

Chloe wanted to scream that she didn’t CARE about her clothes, or shoes, or anything back in the cottage. She wanted to ask Jax how the heck they were going to get to town when they didn’t have a car. She wanted to get as far away from La Estrella del Mar as fast as she could. But she had to push all those feelings deep down inside and keep up the game. There wasn’t much farther to go. They were so close. The finish line was in sight. If they could just keep up the charade a *little* longer…….

"That’s very thoughtful of you, as usual, Stefan." Chloe felt Jax’s body tense as she volunteered an answer before he could. "But I have a feeling that once Pantera and I are married, clothing will be an unnecessary option……."

Both Jax and Stefan laughed heartily at Chloe’s quip, although she could tell that Jax’s every instinct was still on guard. "That’s right, wapa,"

he purred, "since I intend to take you somewhere very warm and *dry* for our honeymoon!"

The laughter stopped and all eyes were drawn to the glass doors leading to the patio by a loud crash. A few seconds later, Chloe caught her breath when Faison and several of his men strode through the doors and into the dining room. "Well, well, well…….." He smiled amiably at Jax, Stefan, and Jason, yet Chloe felt a distinct chill in the air. "What have we here?"

Stefan stepped out in front of the small group as Jax pulled Chloe behind him protectively. "Faison! I did not expect you until this evening!" His tone lacked the warmth that it had when he spoke with both Jax and Jason.

"Obviously." Faison eyed the other two men contemptuously. "I see that you have taken advantage of Mother Nature’s fireworks this morning to set up a few pyrotechnics of your own, Cassidine."

"I don’t know what the h*ll you’re talking about, Faison." Jason ambled up to stand next to Stefan. "I came by here to talk with Stefan for personal reasons." He nodded back towards Jax and Chloe. "They were already here, celebrating their engagement over breakfast."

"Of course they were." Faison nodded but then the smile left his face. "Why don’t you just cut the cr*p and tell the truth, Cassidine," he growled. "I heard about Corinthos’s ……. demise, to put it politely." Stefan clasped his hands firmly behind his back while Jason remained emotionless. "I’m not at all surprised to find the two of you here, carving up and sharing his empire. But you….." Faison waggled a finger and smiled viciously at Jax. "You surprise me, Pantera." His eyebrows lifted with an idea. "Unless……"

The smile that Jax returned made Chloe wonder how he could be so coldly calm compared to the heated passion she experienced the night before. "Unless what, Faison?" He spread his hands to the side. "Why don’t you tell us all why I’m here, since you seem to have it figured out."

"You told him, didn’t you?" At a slight nod, Faison’s men moved closer to him.

"Told who about what?" Chloe truly didn’t know where the conversation was going. Did Faison know about Jax’s true identity, or was he still afraid that Jax would tell Stefan about his double-dealing?

"Don’t be an idiot, Pantera." There was a collective gasp in the room when Faison suddenly drew a gun and trained the sights on Jax. "You told Cassidine about what happened the day after the storm."

"Ohhhhhh……" The smile never left Jax’s face but he pulled Chloe further behind him, shielding her completely from any stray bullets with his body. "You mean the day that you tried to steal my shipment and sell it behind Cassidine’s back." Stefan’s only reaction was to arch an aristocratic eyebrow, but Chloe knew him well enough by now to tell that he wasn’t pleased at the revelation. "The day I found out that you planned to double-cross Stefan and take over some of his action."

"An interesting revelation indeed, Faison." Stefan kept a wary eye on Faison’s gun yet shot the gray-haired man a chilling glance. "I must confess to underestimating you. I never suspected that *I* would be the target of your malevolent genius."

Faison’s lips thinned with regret and he nodded towards Jax. "So you *hadn’t* told him, eh, Pantera?" He shook his head at his own foolish impulsiveness. "Then it seems that I am guilty of underestimation also." Then he raised the pistol and cocked it. "But unfortunately, none of that matters now. Everything is out in the open now, where it should be. And the time has come, mi amigo, for you to die."

"YOU’RE the one who should die!!" Chloe’s anguished scream from behind Jax’s back echoed in the quiet room. He tried to keep her behind him but she pointed at Faison, reaching over Jax’s right shoulder. "YOU should die for killing my family in cold blood that day!!"

Faison’s eyes widened. "*That’s* where we’ve met! On board the Morgana!" He chuckled. "I could swear that I recognized your voice, but I couldn’t place it." He leveled the pistol somewhere near the right side of Jax’s neck. "Good fortune *truly* smiles on me today. I will get rid of two nuisances with one shot."

Everything began to happen so quickly that Chloe’s head swum. Before Faison could squeeze off a shot, there was a popping noise from behind the draperies. Jax grabbed a large silver tray of pastries and dumped them on the floor. He handed the tray to Chloe to use as a shield and pushed her in the direction of some overstuffed chairs near the doors to the foyer. Faison’s men returned the fire from Cassidine’s men, who had started the melee in defense of their superior. Jason drew a weapon from behind his back and began firing at Faison’s men.

"GET DOWN!!" Jax joined Chloe behind the chairs and pushed her down again. She saw the glint of a pistol in his hand and briefly wondered where he had gotten it. Before she could ask, Jax grabbed her hand. "Come on," he murmured, nodding towards the foyer. "While Cassidine and Faison are busy trying to kill each other, we’re going to try to get out of here." He glanced grimly up towards the echoing gunfire. "Let them do each other in and save the Navy some time and trouble."

When another round of popping began, Jax pulled Chloe with him as she held the silver tray to shield her upper body from bullets. She kept low to the ground and winced every time Jax turned back to fire off another round at the feuding factions. They managed to get through the doors and into the foyer but were met by another half dozen men crudely dressed and bearing high caliber munitions.

"Get in there!!" Jax motioned over his shoulder. "Your boss needs you!" The men hesitated for an instant but then rushed past them towards the dining room.

"How did you know those guys were Cassidine’s men?" Chloe had to shout to make herself heard over the gunfire that had erupted behind them.

Jax smiled and squeezed her hand tightly. "I didn’t. I just said "boss."" He shrugged his shoulders as Chloe put her finger in her ear to shut out the noise of the weaponry. "Didn’t really matter to me who their boss was as long as they let us through." He nodded at her once again and they ran towards the front door, still crouching low. Jax was so busy keeping an eye behind them that he almost ran into the large mountain of a man guarding the front door of the villa.

"STOP!!" The man trained a rifle on Jax’s chest and then waved it slightly in the direction of the dining room. "Back inside."

"What’s going on back in there isn’t my fight," Jax informed the guard grimly. "It’s between Faison and Cassidine."

The guard gripped the rifle more firmly and pointed it at Chloe. "*Nobody* goes *anywhere* until I check it out with Senor Cassidine. Got it?"

"WRONG."

Chloe cringed when a loud bang exploded behind her left shoulder. A crimson stain blossomed on the chest of the guard and he dropped to the floor, his rifle clattering to his side as he did. When they turned around, both Jax and Chloe were stunned to see Jason standing there, his gun still smoking from the well-timed shot.

"You two OK?" He didn’t even blink an eye when there was an ear-splitting volley of gunfire from the dining room.

"Yeah……..thanks." Jax eyed Jason cautiously but then ducked when the sound of a small explosion rocked the villa. He took Chloe’s hand and was about to pull her towards the front door when Jason grabbed his arm.

"No…..don’t!" Jason pointed towards the door. "We can’t go that way. Faison’s likely to have men stationed on the perimeter of the house."

"I don’t think so." Jax grimaced at another round of shouting and shooting. "He didn’t come here today to overthrow Cassidine. He was going to……eventually……but I think he had to put his plan in motion before he expected when he saw me and thought I turned him in as the two-timing b*stard he is."

Jason chewed on his lip for a minute and then tipped his head to the side. "Could be." He gestured to a hallway over Jax’s left shoulder. "But humor me. That leads to a side exit that’s closer to where I parked my jeep."

Jax hesitated, and then nodded quickly. "Lead the way."

The threesome picked their way through rubble and broken glass in the foyer as they made their way down the hallway Jason had indicated. Jax held Chloe close to him, shielding her with his body when another, louder explosion rattled the huge chandeliers above them. "What’s going on back there?" Chloe cried. "World War III?"

"Something like that." Jax’s expression was grim as he looked towards Jason. "Which brings up another very good question. Exactly whose side are you on, Jason?"

"My own." He spoke the words with characteristic coldness. He pointed towards a doorway. "That leads to the driveway that curves around the front of the house. There’s another side road that we can take that’ll take us back to the main gate and out of here."

Jason started to move but this time, it was Jax’s turn to stop him. "What the bloody h*ll is going on here, Jason? Why are you helping *us*?"

"You ask too d*mn many questions, Pantera." Jason started to pull away but Jax held him firm. "I came here this morning to meet with Cassidine and that’s ALL." He grimaced at the sound of more gunfire. "If I had known that all h*ll was going to break loose, I would have brought some of my own reinforcements with me. As it is, I’m alone against two factions that are at war." He shrugged. "It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I’d be safer getting out of here and coming back with some of my *own* men before facing either one of those idiots again." He gestured towards Chloe. "And since you two seem to want nothing to do with their egotistical power struggle – I figured we should stick together."

Jax’s eyes flitted to Chloe’s for just a second but then he looked back at Jason and nodded. "Sounds fair." They all ducked their heads when a small explosion echoed from the front door. "Let’s go."

Jason cautiously opened the side door, his pistol hand leading the way. "The storm’s let up some. But it’s still pouring." Jax brought up the rear as Jason led them out of the house and under a small canopy behind the villa. Chloe was getting soaked again, but after being in the hurricane with Jax and then being shot at, it seemed like a day at the beach. Jason gathered them to him as he pointed off towards the left. "My jeep’s over there."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the sound of footsteps made them all freeze. "Get down!!" Jason shoved Jax and Chloe towards a small clump of bushes on the side of the road. He turned back and fired some warning shots above the men’s heads just as they rounded the corner.

Chloe screamed when Jax took aim and fired several rounds at the villa. The loud report of the rifle he had taken from the guard made her ears ring. When she was finally able to look up, she saw that Jax had brought down a large section of guttering. Water was now pouring down on the four men who had almost stopped them, effectively creating a distraction.

Jason turned back towards the bushes. "Make a run for it! To the jeep!!" He spun and fired a spray of bullets towards the drenched men at the house to cover for Jax and Chloe.

"I’m going to go help Jason cover us!" Jax had to shout to be heard above the rain and the loud gunfire. "You go for the jeep!"

"I……..I……." Chloe fought tears and glanced down at the cigar band circling her finger. She could see the same emotions reflected in Jax’s eyes. Suddenly, she pulled his head towards hers for a quick, hard kiss. Her tongue sank past his lips and she pressed her breasts against his chest, the nipples pouting to sharp points in the cold rain. When she broke the kiss, she nodded briskly and Jax pulled her back for one quick last taste of heaven.

Chloe put her fist in her mouth to stifle her scream when Jax rushed out into the driveway. He held the rifle at his hip, spraying a wide arc with rapid fire as she scurried out from the bush in the direction of the jeep. She kept her head down and concentrated on the sound of her own footsteps splashing in the puddles of the driveway. She never recalled praying so hard or so fast in her life.

She got to the jeep and dove behind it for cover from the gunfire. When most of the popping seemed to be coming from Jax and Jason’s side of the road, Chloe dared to sigh a prayer of thanks. Now, if Jax and Jason could just make it to the jeep, they might have a chance of escaping this island retreat from h*ll.

"CHLOE!!!" Jax’s shout made her bring her head up sharply. She was about to peer over the top of the jeep when she felt an arm go around her waist from behind like a steel band. It jerked her off her feet and against the chest of a body that smelled faintly from gunpowder and cigar smoke.

"PANTERA!!" Chloe kicked her feet vainly in the air as Faison pulled her away from the jeep and into the middle of the road. He held her against his body as a shield, pointing the muzzle of a pistol directly at her temple.

"DROP YOUR WEAPONS OR YOUR WOMAN DIES, PANTERA!!" Faison’s voice was high-pitched with fear. The hand that held the pistol shook visibly.

The other men seemed to have disappeared. The only people in the driveway were Jax, Jason, Faison and Chloe. Jax braced his feet and gripped the rifle tightly, propping it against his shoulder as he took aim at Faison’s chest. "Let the woman go, Faison!!! This is between you and me!!"

To be continued…….