If you're reading this story, I highly suggest reading "A different kind of old lady" first. This is the second installment for that story.
I originally said I didn't think I would do a second story of Harper / Jax / SOA but I continually gain new followers / requests and it motivated me to continue writing. :) This story will have sex, violence, triggers, and foul language. Be warned!
I do not own SOA or any of the characters other then my own.
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Thanks!
Harper tossed her keys onto the nearby counter and began peeling off her shoes and coat. Once free of all non-essential items, she padded her way to the kitchen. This past run with Zeus had been exhausting. She had begun to notice that every time Charming fell into a peaceful lull; L.A., specifically Zeus's territory went to shit. She sighed heavily, throwing her half eaten bowl of cereal into the sink. New comers in L.A. were encroaching on Zeus's territory. They had taken several of his men out while they were mulling and that's how Harper got dragged in. Zeus needed her and he knew if he called, she would come running. He was the closest thing to a father she'd ever known and three short months ago, he saved her life. Harper shuttered at the memory and what Jason may have done if Zeus hadn't shown up. Zeus had put in a last minute gun order with the club, causing Harper to leave the garage in the middle of the day and head straight to L.A. It wasn't until after Harper's arrival that Zeus asked for her help, turning her quick trip to L.A. into a three day event. Harper began to make her way through the house. She froze when she spotted the darkened silhouette in the living room.
"Darlin'…" He rasped in the darkness.
"Jesus! Jax, you scared the shit out of me." Harper said, grasping her chest where her heart was now pounding through her chest. "Why are you sitting in the dark?"
"I've been waiting on my old lady to come home. See, she left a few days ago, didn't say goodbye, and I haven't really heard from her."
Harper noticed the empty beer bottles, crowding the small side table near him. "Oh god, Jax, not this shit again." She said, sounding exhausted and annoyed.
"You know how I feel about you running around doing this shit. It's fuckin' dangerous."
"You do it!" She screamed back.
"You're an old lady! You're my old lady." He said, coming out of the arm chair to stand in front of her.
Harper sighed in defeat, letting the tension ebb from her body. "We've discussed this, endlessly. You just said, three months ago that you were okay with me and the life I lead."
"I never said I was okay with it. I told you I'd never see you like I do Op or Happy." His voice still trembled with rage.
"You also said you'd work with me on this." She retorted, using every ounce of control to remain calm.
She was tired and didn't want to fight. Truthfully, she had wanted Jax on the run with her every minute of the ride but that's not the hand they were dealt this time around. The last thing she wanted was to come home to an argument after the shit fest in L.A., but she wasn't going to let Jax place her in a cookie cutter old lady mold and keep her at home.
"Yeah, I'd work with you. I'll go with you on runs, so you're not alone. I didn't say I'd let you go out and be fucking gangster!" He bit back at her.
Harper stepped closer to Jax but didn't allow her body to touch his. "First off, Jax Teller," she said, punctuating every word, "You do or do not LET me do shit. I do whatever the fuck I want to. Secondly, this is who I am! If you want some bitch to sit at home and whine or suck dicks like the girls at Cara Cara, then be my guest. I'll never be that old lady and the sooner you realize that, the sooner we can get on with our fucking lives instead of fighting about the same old shit all the time!"
By the time she finished, her whole frame shook with rage. Instead of reacting on instinct and punching Jax squarely in the jaw like she wanted to, she took off down the hallway to their bedroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it. She stripped off her clothes angrily; slamming her shirt to the ground. She was almost to the shower, when she heard the front door slam with enough forced to rattle the house.
Harper felt her foot being nudged before she realized Gemma was standing beside the piece of shit silver Kia Forte she was currently trying to piece back together. Harper finished tightening the bolt she was working on before sliding out from the vehicle. She stood with ease and walked over to the nearby tool box to replace her ratchet.
"What's up Gem?" She called over her shoulder.
"Ya seen Jax?"
"Not since last night." She said, turning to face Gemma as she leaned back on the toolbox.
Gemma was standing in her usual position; hip poked out at an angle, arms crossed, and pursed lips. "That bad, huh?" She questioned, arching an eyebrow.
"He threw a fit about me being gone on a run."
"Blame him?"
"Not too much, but I don't jump his shit every time he has to handle business. Remember that last run? He was gone for a whole week and I didn't hear from him at all."
"Bet ya didn't give'em any." She said with a smirk.
Harper barked a laugh, "Judging by Clay's attitude, you didn't either. Look, Gem. Jax is going to have to take his double standards and piss off. I'm not playing by his rules."
"I knew I liked you."
Then she turned on her heel and headed back into the garage office, leaving Harper with her thoughts and the fucking Kia she was tempted to burn down to the ground.
A few uneventful hours passed at the garage as Harper finished up. Most of the club members were in the clubhouse or had stopped by sometime throughout the day. Jax's absence did not go unnoticed by Harper but she chose to ignore his temper tantrum. She figured he was probably hiding out in the clubhouse or over at Opi's house while he cooled down. Harper had finally decided to check his room when Gemma popped back out of the office.
"You still haven't heard from Jax?"
Harper shook her head before closing up her toolbox for the day. "I figured he was sulking in his room."
"Nah, Clay hasn't seen him either." Gemma replied, nodding her head towards the clubhouse.
Gemma shut the office door behind her as the pair stepped out into the lot. Gemma lit up a cigarette, taking a deep pull and let the milky smoke escape her lips.
"Well, I better ride over and get Abel. Who knows where Jax is, he's always got his panties in a bunch." Gemma grumbled.
"I'll go get him. I'm done here for the day. Plus, I haven't seen the little guy in forever."
Gemma eyed Harper apprehensively.
"What?"
"You gonna give me more grandkids?" Gemma questioned. She watched Harper from the corner of her eye as she blew her cigarette smoke away from the pair.
"Oh no, not me Gemma. I don't plan on having any kids, ever."
"Does Jax know that?"
Harper shrugged, "No idea. It hasn't come up. Anyways, I need to get Abel before we get another late charge."
Harper rushed into the child care center with only ten minutes to spare causing the receptionist to eye her apprehensively. Harper couldn't blame her. She was still in coveralls, grease streaked face, and she couldn't begin to imagine how her hair looked.
"I'm here to pick up Abel Teller."
Realization flickered across the elderly woman's face. "What's your name?"
"Harper."
She reached for a binder on the corner of her desk, flipping through pages lazily. "It says you're on the list, go down the left hall, and it's the third room on your right."
Harper nodded in understanding, biting her tongue at the elder lady's obvious disapproval and headed down the hallway.
"Hey Harper!" Ms. Beth called when she entered the room. "Did Abel leave something?"
"He isn't here?" Harper asked, confused.
"No, an older man came in and picked him up today."
"Did you catch his name?"
Ms. Beth paused momentarily as she removed a child who was attempting to climb a nearby bookcase. Even though it was close to closing time and most of the children had left for the day, the room was still pure chaos.
"Uh… no, I don't think he did. He has to be on the list though; Susan up front is a stickler about those things. He did have an accent though, maybe Irish, and he was wearing a black leather vest."
"Okay, thanks." Harper left the building and headed straight to her car.
She immediately pulled out her cellphone and dialed Chib's number. When he failed to answer, Harper decided to head back to the clubhouse. It was odd for Chib's to pick up Abel, but not impossible. Jax must be more pissed off then she thought if he still wasn't answering his cell and had asked Chib's to pick up Abel instead of her. He was being stubborn; more stubborn then usual which was saying something. Harper let out a disgruntled huff and slammed her foot down on the gas.
Harper made it back to the clubhouse in record time. Gemma came out of the garage office as Harper was shutting her car door.
"Is Abel here?"
"I thought you were going to get him."
"Is Chib's here?"
"Yeah, in the clubhouse."
Harper made a beeline for the clubhouse despite Gemma's protests. Harper didn't stop when she reached the church doors either. Every club member and prospect stood at once turning to face Harper.
"Look, little missy." Clay started in, "You can't just barge in here like you own the place." His voice was deep and threatening as he stared daggers at Harper.
"Chibs, did you get Abel today?"
Chibs eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "No."
The room grew quiet in an instant. Harper could feel Gemma's presence behind her. She felt her throat tighten with fear before she asked the next question.
"Has anyone spoke to Jax today or seen him?"
The group responded with a collective no as they glanced to one another for silent confirmation.
"Jax and Abel are missing?" Clay finally asked, breaking the thick silence that began to suffocate the room.
"Daycare told me an Irish guy picked up Abel, I figured it was Chibs."
"I'm Scottish."
"I know." She said with a sigh, "but most people confuse them. I did when I first met you."
The room filled with another pregnant pause.
"So where's my son and grandson?" Gemma yelled, sounding more unstable with every word.
Clay left the room, retrieving his phone, and locked himself in the nearby club office. After several minutes of waiting with bated breath, the room's tension grew when Clay returned looking red faced and worried.
"I called Jimmy. They have Jax and Abel and unless we do what they say, they'll kill Jax."
The air rushed out of Harper. She remained standing but stoic as the club erupted into mutterings around her. The ramblings were white noise in her ears as Clay's words echoed in her ears. She barely heard Gemma as she questioned about Abel and didn't begin to understand Clay's response. Harper's mind began ticking off places where Jax could be held but the list was endless.
"What about Abel?" Gemma asked as her mouth hung open in shock.
"They said this is what John wanted."