Chapter 27

Ellen’s heart pounded like a drum in her chest. She was so angry she could barely see straight. “Do I need to repeat myself?” she said to Matt, pointing to the empty space next to her on the couch. “Get over here.”

Matt frowned. “I don’t know why you’re doing this,” he said, moving over to the couch and taking the designated spot. “I’m doing what needs to be done.”

“Why is that you think you have all the answers all the time?” she snapped.

“Excuse me?”

His dumfounded expression did not endear her. “You heard me! You have done everything as you see fit. Do you ever think that what you think is wrong?”

“You’re angry. I can deal with your anger, but I can’t deal with your life being put in jeopardy…again. I’ve explained this to you. Why won’t you get it? I’m doing this for you, because I love you.”

“And you feel that leaving Port Charles and hurting me six ways to Sunday is going to keep me safe?”

“Yes, it will.”

Ellen shook her head. “No, Matt, it won’t. Do you know if Bobby was working alone in this? He could have told someone about me, that I could be used as a lure to get you out of hiding. You didn’t think about that, did you?” She stood from the couch and walked over to the fireplace. “I’m still a target. You can leave, and not tell me where you going, but if someone were to come here and I couldn’t help them, what do you think would happen to me then?” She squared her jaw and gave him a hard look. “Well, what’s your plan now?”

Matt closed his eyes. The groan that passed his lips was barely audible. He rubbed his hands over his face. “I suppose you have an idea on how to deal with this?”

Ellen smiled and rejoined him on the couch. “As a matter of fact I do.” She took his hands in hers. “First of all, you definitely shouldn’t leave town. That would make me very upset.”

Matt chuckled. “I’ve noticed.” His face turned serious. “Ellen, if I stay here we’ll both be targets. My father is going to come after me. I killed Bobby, and once he finds out, it will be his mission in life to make me pay for that.”

“Shhh, there is no me; it’s us.” Ellen brushed her lips against his. “Now, let’s put our heads together and figure out what we’re gonna do.”

The next morning….

A dull ache throbbed in Ellen’s neck. “I think we covered everything,” she said, moving her head from side to side in an attempt to alleviate her discomfort.

“Yeah,” Matt agreed. “Here, let me help you.”

She leaned against his chest and sighed in contentment as his nimble fingers massaged the knotted muscles of her shoulders. “That feels good.”

He chuckled. “Interesting choice of words. I was hoping I would have heard them before now.” Matt kissed her neck and placed his chin on her shoulder. “Why is that whenever we spend the night together all we do is sit up and talk?”

She turned to face him on the couch. “Because we’re so busy trying to bring down the bad guys everything else takes a back seat. I’m hopeful that this will be the last strategizing session we’ll ever have to have. Then our nights can be spent doing something other than talking and planning.”

His thumb gently stroked her cheek. “From your beautiful lips….” Matt leaned forward and kissed her. Ellen parted her lips, allowing the kiss to deepen. An erratic pounding on the door interrupted their growing passion.

Ellen pulled away and groaned. “I guess that’s him.” Matt looked as disappointed as she felt. She gave him a quick kiss. “Don’t fret, this will be continued.” As she made her way to the door, Matt moved back to his chair. She checked the peephole. With a nod of her head she confirmed to Matt that the expected visitor had arrived, then opened the door.

“Dr. Burgess, I got here as soon as I could. What’s the problem?” Chris said in his eager beaver mode.

Ellen stepped aside.

“The problem is you, Ramsey,” Matt said from within the apartment. “Get your ass in here.”

Chris swallowed hard and slowly entered the apartment. His eyes stayed on Matt. “What, what are you doing here?” he stammered.

“Breathing, no thanks to you.”

Ellen closed the door and joined the men.

Chris chuckled, nervously. “What are you talking about?” Turning to Ellen, fear and desperation evident in his eyes, “What is he talking about?” he asked.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about. Since you were in such a hurry to talk to my family, you’re gonna keep it up.”

Chris looked as though he had just swallowed some bad milk. “Your family, I don’t know anything about your family.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “Why would you think I did?”

Ellen groaned, as listening to Chris’s highly superfluous words was making her physically ill. “Dr. Ramsey, you can kill the innocent act; we are so beyond that.” She moved to Matt’s side. “The man at the hospital yesterday, the one looking for Matt, you sent him. We know this, so you can stop in your attempt to deny it.”

Chris shrugged and pasted on a nervous smile. “I thought I was helping, he said you were old friends.”

Matt grunted. “You know what, Ramsey, I’m not even gonna go into how ridiculous the idea of you wanting to help me sounds. There’ll be another time for that. Right now, you need to make a call.”

Chris eased to the door. “Look, I don’t wanna--”

The man was startled when Ellen pushed him to the couch.

“Ellen and I were almost killed yesterday, so forgive us if we don’t give a damn what you want!” Matt raged. “You helped get us into this mess, and you’re going to help us get out of it…or die trying.”

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