A/N: Shout out to am1226, Amsty, Mantha921, TeamBlaus4EVER, Georgie Girl75, kelsey112, mbite7, , Jay9529, HappysFuTuReOldLady, Skywalker1988, and CJuiceboxx3 for the favorites, follows and reviews. Hope you guys enjoy the next chapter! As always reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated
His Saving Grace
Chapter Three
Jax's POV
I stuck around Shay and Juice's place for all of about 15 minutes after Avery and her punk ass boyfriend had left. I still couldn't believe that dumbass stepped to me like that. And in front of my club! Not a smart move on his part. He's lucky I didn't break his shit off and beat him with it.
There was something about this guy that just rubbed you the wrong way. I wasn't sure what it was yet but I would find out. I damn sure didn't approve of him grabbing Avery like that. Shay didn't either. The minute they left the house she was seething. I didn't envy Juice one bit. She was gonna be a handful tonight after that spectacle.
The nagging feeling I got from watching the way he forced her out the door was what drove me to leave. Shay had mentioned a few weeks back that she'd gone to see Avery out on the outskirts of Lodi. I knew the run down trailer park she was talking about so I decided just to be safe I'd swing through; low key, of course, in just my hoodie. I didn't need to fly the reaper in Nords territory without any back up. I wasn't in the mood to deal with Darby's boys tonight. I was pissed enough as it was.
I spotted the car that prick had forced Avery into parked in one of the driveways so I pulled over. Cutting the engine and climbing off my bike I crept up the walk. I wasn't even halfway to the steps when I heard it. His voice loud and angry screaming at her followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the inside wall of the trailer-home and Avery's muffled whimper.
I bounded up the steps and burst through the door to find Avery indeed lying in a crumpled heap on the floor pressed up against the wall. That son of a bitch giving her a swift kick to the side, cursing her. He looked up when I came crashing through the door. I charged him tackling him to the ground.
"Son of a bitch!" I yelled, climbing on top of him and punching him hard in the face. I couldn't see straight I was so angry. I punched him again and again until blood covered my knuckles and he was laying there limp, my arm heavy and sore from the sheer force of the blows. Looking back over my shoulder I could see Avery still lying on the floor, her body shaking as she wept. Rushing over to her side I brushed her long auburn hair out of her face. She looked up at me tears streaming down her cheeks. Her face was red and purple from where that asshole had struck her.
"Jax." She croaked out, agony etched across her once beautiful features.
"I'm here." I said "Come on darlin'." I slowly scooped her up off the floor and carried her outside. Sitting her down on the grass in the front yard I grabbed the prepaid from my jeans pocket and dialed Juice.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"It's me." I stated. "I'm in Lodi. Get Shay and the van and get here quick! It's Avery."
"On it." He said firmly.
"Juice…"I called out before he hung up.
"Yeah?"
"Bring Hap with you." I said through gritted teeth before hanging up. This mother fucker was gonna pay! We protect our own. He'd picked the wrong woman to beat on. Looking down at her I couldn't keep my fists from clenching. The bastard had really done a number on her. I squatted down next to her putting my arm around her slowly. "Help is on the way." I said softly. She crushed against me gripping my sweatshirt tightly in her fists.
"Don't…" she started.
"I'm right here, doll." I reassured her. She clenched my hoodie even tighter looking up at me.
"Don't do it, Jax." She said her voice low and airy as she struggled to breathe through the pain. "Don't kill him." She stated her eyes pleading with mine.
I stared down into those emerald pools. No more than an hour ago they had been sparkling, shining brightly with life and amusement. Now they were blurred by tears and awash with intense pain. Seeing her face swollen and purple infuriated me. 'I'm gonna rip him apart with my bare hands! God help him when Shay gets here.'
Juice's POV
What a night this was turning out to be. So much for celebrating Avery's birthday with the family. That had turned into a big Jerry Springer episode, all because Jax had wished her a happy birthday. Avery had practically been dragged out by the ass hole de jour. That left Shay raging and ready to fight. Then Jax takes off and by the phone call I'd just received what he'd found hadn't been good.
I could see the look of concern on Shay's face while I was on the phone. It had only gotten worse now that I was hanging up. Flipping the phone shut my eyes met hers.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Jax. He said to get the van and get to Lodi quick." I took a deep breath. "It's Avery."
"What! What happened?! Is she ok?!" she questioned her voice a mix of anger and sadness.
"I dunno. He didn't say."
Shay was frozen for a moment or two and then snapped into action, racing toward the door. "I'll get the van from the garage. Meet me at her place!"
I nodded as she ran out the front door. I looked at the guys who were all standing there silent wondering what to do. My eyes finally landed on Happy. The Tacoma Killa. If Jax wanted him there it was bad. "Hap, you're with me." I stated. He simply nodded his head and rose to his feet, the muscles in his jaw clenching slightly.
"Call us with an update brother." Chibs said as I made my way to the door. I nodded and headed outside.
Shayne's POV
My mind was racing as I barreled down the highway. I was having a hard time focusing on the road ahead with all the thoughts swirling in my head. What had happened to Avery? Was she ok? The fact that Jax hadn't said worried me. I was gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter the faster I drove. My knuckles were white from the skin stretching across the bone.
I didn't care about the speed limit. Fuck the speed limit! I had to get to Avery. The trip there seemed like it was taking twice as long. I finally saw the Lodi welcome sign up ahead. I pressed down on the gas petal harder, lurching the MC's cargo van forward.
I finally made it through Lodi and saw the trailer park ahead on the right. I turned the van sharp causing the tires to squelch on the pavement. I threw the van into park and jumped out, running across the yard towards my family.
Jax's POV
Juice and Happy made it here in record time. I was still sitting on the front lawn holding Avery. Her sobs had finally given way to the occasional whimper and sharp inhale. I was trying to stay calm, but all I really wanted to do was go inside that trailer and beat the ever living fuck out of that piece of shit. Looking down at her my anger flared again.
Juice made it over to me first. "What the hell happened?!" he asked angrily as he looked down at his future sister.
"The son of a bitch was beating her when I got here. I broke down the door. He's inside."
"He still breathing?" I heard Happy's gravelly voice ask.
"Last time I checked." I looked up at Juice. "Where the hell is Shay!"
"She's coming."
Just then we heard screeching tires and saw the van swerve up to the curb. Shay jumped out and ran towards us.
"Oh my God! What happened!" she yelled as she reached us. "Avery!"
"Get her in the van Shay. She needs a hospital." I tried to say calmly. She looked at Avery and lost it.
"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"
Juice and Happy held her back from charging into the house. "SHAY!" I yelled. She snapped her head in my directions. "Get her to the damn hospital!" I wrapped my arm around Avery's back and hooked the other under her legs, slowly lifting her up I carried her to the van. Shay was right behind me. "Take her to St. Thomas. Juice and I are right behind you." I said placing Avery in the passenger seat.
I turned around and walked past Juice and Happy into the trailer. They followed me and we found Lonnie rolled over on his side trying to get up off the floor. He was bleeding from his lip. I clenched my fists and looked at my brothers. "Juice, you're with me. Hap you stay here with this piece of shit." I said spitting on him. I turned around and started for the door.
"What do you want do with him?" Happy asked, a familiar glint in his eyes.
"Make him bleed." I ground out angrily. "But don't kill him."
Happy raised an eyebrow. "Don't?"
I shook my head. "Make it hurt."
He nodded and looked down at the waist of space that was trying to get to his feet. "Oh it's gonna hurt."
I walked out of the trailer with Juice following me. I needed to get to the hospital and so did Juice. Shay was probably verbally assaulting the staff at this very moment.
