The penthouse's two unexpected guests walked through the front door just as Larkin wiped away the last trace of blood from his broken nose and split lip. “Why are you here?”

Alexis Davis took one look at the supposedly innocent tableau surrounding her and moved to Sonny's side. “I am here to protect my client's interests,” she replied steadily. “Officer Taggert is here as an impartial and honest ” she emphasized the word, “witness.”

A tiny muscle tic at the corner of his left eye was the only indicator of Larkin's anger and frustration at the untimely interruption. “You don't have a client in this situation, Miss Davis. Mr. Corinthos is not under arrest. We were simply having a friendly conversation.”

“In that case, your conversation is over.” Alexis looked pointedly at the door. “I am sure that you can all see yourselves out.”

Larkin mentally added Alexis' name to the list of people who had somehow gotten in his way. “Certainly.” He smiled at a silent Sonny Corinthos. “We will talk again real soon.”

“Are you alright?” Alexis asked as soon as Larkin and his men cleared out.

“I am fine.” Sonny clutched his bruised ribs and made his way with extreme difficulty over to the sofa. Alexis took one look at Marcus Taggert's set expression and decided against asking him to assist Sonny.

“What are you doing here?”

Alexis answered the question even though she sensed that it had been addressed more to Taggert. “Agent Larkin told Mac that he was on his way to see you. Mac thought that I should try to be somewhere nearby.” She gestured toward Taggert. “I asked Marcus to come along in case there was any trouble.”

Sonny endured Alexis' searching hands with only a few grimaces and soft grunts of pain. She carefully tugged Sonny's shirt free from his pants and lifted it for a look. “They beat you up!” Alexis exclaimed, horrified. Gingerly she touched the rapidly bruising flesh. “I will file a complaint against Larkin on your behalf as soon as I leave here. We'll put an end to things like this.”

Marcus simply shook his head. How could someone as smart as Alexis Davis be so clueless about how things worked? Especially after spending so much time in and out of Sonny's criminal universe?

“Don't bother,” Sonny advised her. “I hit him first.”

“What did he say?” Marcus ignored Sonny's blank expression. “Come on. I have seen you and Morgan stonewall your way through every piece of illegal thing you did and never blink an eye. You pride yourself on thumbing your nose at the law.” Marcus' words dripped with scorn. “So what was it that Larkin could have said that finally pushed your buttons?”

Sonny reacted with equal anger. “You'll probably get a kick out of it,” he retorted. “He promised to cut Jason's body up into little pieces just for the fun of it if I didn't start talking.”

“So why didn't you start talking, Sonny? Oh, yeah,” Marcus drawled sarcastically, “you just talk a good game.”

“Marcus!” Alexis gasped.

“Alexis, it's a little too late for me to feel all sorry for him, or anyone else who chooses this lifestyle. I feel sorry for the Quartermaines and I feel sorry for Bobbie Spencer. But as far as Sonny goes, this couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.”

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