He watched her absentmindedly gnaw on the end of her pencil. Once in awhile she would impatiently push the same stray lock of hair behind her ear. Such moments were becoming more and more dear to him.
The jarring buzz of the intercom broke the comfortable silence in the room. Michael Corinthos' discreet study of his attorney Alexis Davis was effectively ended as well.
Alexis looked up from the vast paperwork she had strewn all over Sonny's coffee table. The sound of the intercom startled her and she realized that it was the first time she could remember having such an interruption disturb her concentration while at the penthouse.
Sonny reached over and depressed the speaker button. "What is it, Johnny?" His voice was tinged with irritation.
"There's a guy here for Miss Davis. It's the old lady's lapdog."
From the corner of his eye Sonny caught his attorney's wince. "Johnny!" he reprimanded the guard sharply. Turning toward Alexis, he raised a brow in silent askance. The attorney nodded and Sonny ordered Helena's manservant brought up.
"What do you think Helena wants with you?"
Alexis was truly puzzled. She shrugged and turned her attention toward the door where Andreas was to appear at any moment. "Whatever it is," Alexis murmured, "it won't be good news."
On the heels of her prediction, Sonny's guard opened the door and escorted Andreas inside. A nod from Sonny sent the man back to his post outside the door and only Sonny, Alexis and Andreas were left inside.
"Greetings, Miss Natasha." The handsome servant addressed Alexis by her birth name. "Your brother the Prince has bid me come to you."
Absolute silence ruled until Alexis regained the power of speech. "You are here on Stavros' behalf?"
Andreas held her gaze as he reached into his leather pouch. Without comment he handed Alexis a simple white envelope.
"By royal command..." Sonny's voice trailed off. "Is this some kind of joke?"
The handsome manservant ignored Sonny as though he were invisible. "Prince Stavros looks forward to your presence at the ancestral home. He suggests," Andreas delivered the message solemnly, "that if you wish to ensure that your employer remain . . . healthy , you will not disappoint him."
