Chapter 2:

As soon as I walked downstairs, Gemma wrapped her arms around me. "Baby girl."

"I'm fine, Gem." I lied, embracing her.

"Bull shit," she says, glaring at me. "When my son has to carry your ass in here cause you're in too much pain, that qualifies as not fine."

I sighed, knowing that I couldn't argue with her. "I've had worse. Is that better?"

"No, it's not. But it's a start." She doesn't push the subject anymore. Instead she ushers me into the kitchen where she has breakfast laid out for Jax and I.

"As much as I'd love to eat, I've got club business to attend to." Jax says, stealing a piece of bacon off of my plate.

"Ah, the Prince of Charming must do his civic duties." I stick my tongue out at him.

He chuckles. "Always a smart ass."

"What did you say about my ass, Jackson Nathaniel Teller?"

"Pulling out the full names, Joanna Grace Daily?"

"Don't you have someplace to be?" I ask, not liking that he used my full name.

Jax kissed my forehead. "See ya later, darlin'."

I watched as he left the clubhouse. In the distance I could hear his bike roar to life outside as he sped off down the street.

"You'd always said he was your Prince Charming." Gemma commented as she sat down next to me.

Rolling my eyes, I responded. "I know what your getting' at."

"Then why hasn't it happened yet? I've hinted at it for years."

"Because he doesn't see me like that."

For years, Gemma has liked the idea of Jax and I together. We'd gone to every dance together when we were in school, despite Jax's displeasure about going to a dance. Every club member wedding, I'd been by his side. Gemma saw it as a sign that we should be together. Especially since we had made a beautiful couple, as she put it.

Gemma had seen the women that Jax had paraded around with, I had as well. His choices weren't always the best. He'd scraped the bottom of the barrel when he had gotten involved with that stupid crack whore, Wendy. Thankfully it had ended before it had gone anywhere.

"What are the plans for today?" Gemma asked me, changing the subject.

I shrugged. "Figured I'd help around the garage if you needed me."

She kissed my forehead. "We can always use you around here."

Not everyone was allowed to work in the office at the Teller-Morrow Garage. Even most of the Sons weren't allowed to work in the office. The only exception was Juice- besides Bobby, since he was computer savvy. Gemma and Bobby handled everything office related when it came to the garage. I usually came in to take calls and complete the payments whenever I needed to earn a few extra bucks. The club took care of their own, I was lucky enough to be apart of the family.

My father had been one of the friends of the club when he was alive. He'd been their lawyer, saving their asses from more jail time than needed. He had seen the purpose of the club and the good that it had done to Charming. It wasn't the club that had gotten him killed, but his heart giving out. Mom had died trying to drive him to the hospital. She'd run off the road straight into a tree.

"Do my eyes deceive me or has a saint come to take me away?" Tig asked as I walked into the garage.

"A saint who will put a bullet in your ass," I scoff.

"Leave her alone, brother." Chibs said, embracing me. "Heard you come in last night."

I lean into his embrace. "It was a rough night."

"You stayin' here for a while?"

"Jax is taking care of me." I assured him.

Chibs had always been like an uncle to me. A real uncle unlike the piece of shit who claims he's my family.

The club had their suspicions about what was happening. Especially when I would show up at the clubhouse covered in bruises and bleeding. As much as they wanted to interfere, they respected my privacy. They didn't push the subject, not matter how much they wanted to. If I wanted their help, I would ask for it.

I lit a cigarette as I looked over paperwork in the office. Three people hadn't paid for their repairs. Their payment was due last Friday.

"Happy," I called out.

He steps into the office, crossing his arms. "What?"

"Here are some debts you can collect," I say, tossing a paper with the names and addresses in front of him.

Nodding, he takes the paper and reads over it. "I'll go collect."

"Thanks, honey." I said.

"You okay?" he asked me, looking at the cut on my head.

"Will everyone stop asking me if I'm okay?" I groan.

Happy puts a hand on my shoulder before walking out of the office. He's a man of few words. His actions speak louder. Him putting his hand on my shoulder meant that he was just worried about me, that he cared.

That night, Jax stumbled his room. He'd been gone all day on club business. Now it was almost midnight.

Getting up from the bed, I went over to him. "You look like hell."

"Just the greeting I wanted, darlin'." Jax wraps his arms around my waist and gives my neck a kiss.

When we pull away from each other I notice the blood that now resides on my shirt. My hands found the zipper of his jacket. I unzip it, revealing his bloody shirt. "Shit, Jax."

"Shit went down today, Jo." he replied with a heavy sigh. "S'not mine."

"Clean yourself up," I told him. "We gotta get rid of that shirt."

I knew the drill. When shit goes south it's better to take all the precautions you can. You never know when the ATF is gonna be up your ass.

Jax makes his way into the bathroom, shedding his clothes as he goes. I take the bloodied shirt from him putting it in a trashcan. I grabbed the box of matches he had in his desk, lighting one. The shirt caught fire the moment I threw the match in. I watched as it started to disintegrate into flames.

"You know there are easier ways to get rid of evidence." Jax said.

"I just like to watch it burn," I admit.

He puts his arms around me. "Secretly there's an arsonist in you."

I laughed. "Honey, it isn't a secret."

My first year of college I'd been arrested for suspicion after my biology professor's house mysteriously caught fire. He'd made unwanted advances on me. Some guys couldn't take no for an answer. He just needed the little push that was burning his house to the ground. They released me after a few nights in jail. None of the evidence traced back to me. It was all clean.

"No one ever proved anything," I reminded him.

"Yes, but you told me as soon as you did it." Jax counters.

"You're my best friend, I tell you everything and know you'll keep it a secret."

He sighs. "Yeah, and you won't let me do anything about it."

"Because I'm not letting you get sent back to jail on my behalf." I told him. "My uncle probably has a way that he's linked everything back to you."

"If you'd just let me take it to church-"

I cut him off. "Don't even go there, Jax. Just promise me you'll keep your nose clean when it comes to my uncle."

It was useless to ask him to keep his nose clean when it came to everything else. I may not know the specifics of club business, but I knew enough to know that a good amount of it was dirty.

"I promise."