8.
Opie was working on his truck when Ava came up to him a few minutes after. His hands were dirty, his fingers working quickly and efficiently and Ava bit her lower lip but managed to dispel the effect he had on her.
"We have to be in Sacramento this evening. Someone has to come and keep an eye on Passado"
"Chibs will come. What time do we leave?" he didn't turn to her.
"It's an hour drive up there. We are meeting in a tea house in the suburbs at 5. Sharp. I know the place"
Opie exhaled and grabbed the cloth he used. He measured her with his grave look and there was no need for him to talk.
"It's OK, Opie. I am not screwing you over. Although you might want to bring a weapon with you. Mostly you just sit there, pretending to be my hired muscle, ready to betray me when things go bad. The last request is easy for you. Don't talk"
"Who are we meeting?"
Ava clenched her teeth. She would love to avoid meeting the man they were going to but it was inevitable. She even wondered if she was caught in all this mess only to meet him. Opie's question was still hanging in the air and Ava was hanging between telling him the whole truth and hiding as she always did. But she barely knew the giant across her and old habits die hard.
"A head of the Russian mafia in Sacramento" she told half the truth.
"How do you know him?" Opie frowned.
It was the question Ava didn't want to answer.
"He owes me a favor" Ava said vaguely with a tone that ended the discussion.
He dropped it and turned back to his work.
"We leave at 3. I'll call Chibs. We take your car" he just said.
"Hey! Big man driving in a Prius" Ava tried to lighten the atmosphere but Opie didn't reply.
Ava shrugged bitterly. She had gotten in the face of his friend and VP on top of making him stomp on his wife's memory. No matter how sweet a pussy she had, there was no way to break that brotherly love or beat the ghost of a dead woman.
The hours till Chibs's Harley pulled up were spent in complete silence. Ava was dressed and ready and so was Opie in his dark, plain t-shirt and his shaggy jeans.
"Ready, lads?" Chibs smiled at the couple.
If Jax had told him to beware of walking into them fucking, he struck out. Opie barely talked to her and kept his distance. Ava was certain that the ride to Sacramento would feel it lasted a little longer than an hour. An eternity would be more likely.
And she was spot on. Opie made himself comfortable in the car and didn't even peep to her direction. He just looked out the window, toying with his long beard. Ava tried to forget about him and focus on facing the man waiting for her in the tea house but she couldn't concentrate on either. She hated that Opie was with her on the meet and was relieved that he didn't speak any Russian.
They reached the place earlier and did two rounds around it. It was a sweet suburban place, a white house with a cute garden with nice tables and chairs and table clothes. Opie looked at the place in disbelief since it looked like a cute little place, a little too cute for a meeting involving a dangerous poison. Ava went round the back and parked.
"Don't talk. Not even if he address you. If he does, just look at me. He will get the message" Ava said and got out the car.
She went up the back ladder and she could sense him close behind. She pushed the door and if Opie was hoping for darker surroundings, he was disappointed. They were in the kitchen, a sunny, spacious room with a table in the middle. There was a woman there that took one step back the minute Ava got in and left in a hurry. Without hesitation Ava took her place on the table. Opie stood right behind her. There was a cake baking in one of the ovens and the room was filled with the scent of vanilla.
The door on the other side opened and in came a man in a perfect dark suit. His face was bony, with ashen complexion and tight lips that cracked in a smile when he saw Ava. His grey eyes reflected the cold country that bore him but they were beaming with warmth upon her. He rushed to her, followed by a massive man with no neck and a thick skull that measured Opie.
"Volchitsa" the man said in longing and opened his embrace to envelope her.
Ava got up and spoke Russian as she hugged the man.
"Net, plemyannitsa. It is rude for your friend. English" the man said throwing a look at Opie.
Ava persisted in Russian but the man raised his hand at her. Looking upon him, seeing him walking on the street he would seem like a boring 50 year-old, in a boring, expensive suit. If one was to look closer, he would see the cruelty this man had, a certain air about him. Opie recognized it. That man had killed with his bare hands and wouldn't take "no" for an answer.
"We do this in English, volchitsa " he said in a heavy accent.
Ava flinched. That was exactly what she was trying to avoid. She was tempted to get up and go but she was caught between a rock and hard place. Least she could do was try and get out of it quickly.
"OK. Do you have it?"
"You know I do" the man sat down across her.
"What do you want?"
"A sit down with the Sons of Anarchy to talk business"
Ava gaped at him and she took deep breaths. Opie frowned and came up closer to her.
"Did you think that your family wouldn't keep an eye on you?"
Ava shook her head. She was reluctant to ask more details. She was exposed as it was.
"I got no pull with the Sons. I can just relay the message"
"The message is relayed" the man said and looked at Opie "The business I am proposing is lucrative. Tell your president we need to meet. I am willing to come down to Charming"
Opie just nodded and turned his look at her.
"I like him" the man smiled at Ava.
"Sure you do. So, can I have it?"
The man waved at the goon and he brought forth a small, black, rectangular box. The man opened it and in it there was a syringe. Ava took a deep breath and stretched her arm.
"Not so fast, volchitsa. The proposition to the Sons was just an opportunity I saw. This" he closed the box "This is a personal favor to you and it will be repaid as such"
"Name it" Ava sat back down.
"A Sunday spent with the family" the man crossed his arms.
Ava frowned angrily. She half turned to Opie without looking at him. She would have preferred it if there was anyone else with her than him. He was the last person she wanted to let in on her family history.
"Sunday lunch. Forget about the rest of the day"
"Come on, volchitsa" he smiled heartily "Do your old uncle a favor"
Ava shook her head and sighed. She could feel Opie's gaze burn her skull with flaming questions.
"OK. One day with the family. Breakfast to dinner. Happy?"
The man's face couldn't be happier. His thin lips smiled widely as he pushed the box to her and got up. Ava took the box and gave it to Opie refraining from looking at him and turned to her uncle.
"Come here" he opened his arms and he showered her in endearments in their mother tongue "Call me, volchitsa"
Ava didn't answer. Instead she leaned in and left a kiss on his cheek and made for the door.
"Give this phone to your President. It has one number. When and if he wants to meet he calls me. I know you got some heat on you right now but I am a patient man" the man told Opie and handed him a phone.
Ava was waiting by the car agitated. Opie walked up to the car with a thoughtful, inquisitive look and Ava knew he was itching to ask more. He kept looking at her while on the road and Ava was starting to feel awkward.
"Say it, Opie!" she finally snapped.
"What does, …"volchitsa" mean?"
Ava chuckled relaxing. She turned to him with a raised brow and she saw he had a coy smile on his lips.
"It means "she wolf" in Russian"
"Cool" he fussed with his beard and Ava felt the sudden urge to do the same to his thick beard.
She turned and focused on the road. Her road in this story was coming to an end. The rest of the trip they remained silent and Ava's thoughts flew back to her past, her father, her uncle. She couldn't outrun them no matter how hard she tried.
When they reached the cabin there were two bikes out. One was Chib's for sure.
"Jax" Opie pointed at the other and pushed the door.
Jax and Chibs were drinking beer and stood up when she and Opie came in.
"You got it?"
Opie handed Jax the little box. Jax looked at her suspiciously.
"You want to shoot him down? Go ahead! I am tired of this shit" Ava threw her hand in the air, went out and flopped on the couch on the porch.
Her leg was twitching, she was biting hard on her lower lip and her eye was looking at her car with intensity. She could hear voices in the house. Some heated discussion was going on in there and Ava was guessing Opie was filling Jax in about the meet with her uncle. A few moments after, Chibs came out on the porch and looked at her.
"When?"
Ava turned to him and she tried to tame the tempest in her mind, the fury that was tempting her to be unleashed. But she knew she had to get this over with and then go.
"I'll take him in tonight. Have your man be there"
"It's settled"
"The Mayans?"
"They seem to have some troubles with the Niners. They are suspecting that they are the ones keeping Passado. For now"
"That was fortunate" Ava said and texted Izzy.
"He is a good boy" Chibs came closer.
"Yeah. Bobby told me the same thing" Ava was getting tired of the whole family thing going on in the club.
"It's true" Chibs said.
"Thing is" Ava shot him with the coldest look "I am not a good girl"
She went in the house and saw Opie stand at the door of the storage room and Jax injecting Passado with the poison. She went up to them, brushed on Opie's side and checked Passado's face. He was better.
"What was that? Fucking Sons! You are dead! You are all dead!" he screamed with terror.
Ava made sure he was OK and went out the room silently. Opie followed her into her room. The bed was still upset by their sleep and Ava scowled. She closed her eyes and brought forth how she felt in his arms to calm herself. The result was the exact opposite. She started packing up most of her things with abrupt moves, pushing everything in the bag. Opie closed the door behind him.
"Thanks, Ava"
"Sure! Anytime you want to slowly murder someone, you know who to call"
He sat on the bed before her, his head reaching up to her bosom and looked up at her. Right then he looked like a hurt puppy. Or maybe a cute, giant bear.
"What?" Ava softened.
He just kept looking at her toying with something on his lips. Ava hated how she couldn't resist him. She was mad and anxious and furious at how Jax treated her, how her uncle found a chance to draw her back into her family and yet all these were forgotten as soon as he kept his warm, green eyes in hers. She left aside what she was doing and she pulled closer to him. She got her wish and caressed his face, twining her fingers in his beard. He reacted to her touch and pushed against her hand.
"I just…" Opie started but couldn't finish his sentence.
"I know, big man" she pulled even closer, pushed his head on her breasts and wrapped her arms around him.
He inhaled her scent deeply and run his hand up her waist. She could feel his disposition change from desperation to yearning. His touch became demanding, greedy and Ava felt her core flaming instantly, ignoring the fact that there were three other men outside the room. When she looked down at him, his hurt look was gone. There was only hot desire in those eyes and he seemed like an animal ready to devour her, waking a deep craving in her. He pushed her up and she straddled him grinding on him slowly, moaning as quietly as she could.
They both knew it was wrong and dangerous and risky, it was going to cost them both dearly in a toll of tears and death. But they couldn't stop, they didn't want to stop. He had her there and then, trying to keep her quiet, quenching a thirst that claimed his very soul. And she responded with equal hunger, with an impetuous rush that frightened her own self. Their love-making was passionate, urgent as if their whole life depended on it. She dipped her fingers in his skin and his thrusts became more and more intense.
"Fuck, Ava" he snarled in her ear in one final thrust and she had to bite her lip down to stop herself from screaming.
They stayed like that catching their breath, coming back to a reality where not everything was hazy. Ava doubted they could ever find themselves alone and manage to keep off each other. She knew for sure that she couldn't. She was the first to break the contact and got up to get dressed and Opie followed her lead.
"I never stopped to think" Opie said as he put on his grey t-shirt "about… protection. That was…shitty"
"I am a big girl and could have stopped you. Plus, I am on the pill" Ava chuckled "as for the rest…Well, I haven't had sex for months. I was tested little after the last time I did. Thankfully he was a complete ass but clean"
Opie nodded and smiled.
"Sure you didn't want any more children" Ava said and closed her bag.
Opie looked at the tattoo that gave him away and run his fingers over it. He said nothing just picked his stuff.
"Our lives are shit" he just replied "There is no subject we can touch and it won't be painful"
"I am hearing you. Sex is good, though" Ava refused to let the last moments with him wallow in self-pity.
Bringing up sex did the trick. He threw everything aside and grabbed her, picking her up over his head. He threw her on the bed and pressed his huge body over hers. And right at that moment there was a pounding on the door.
"Are you done?" Jax's voice dispelled the moment.
Ava rolled her eyes.
"I know you love the guy but, man, his timing is impeccable" she left a kiss on his lips and pushed him.
Opie got up beaming and opened the door. Jax was half moved, half surprised to see his friend smile again and then glanced back at Ava.
"Ope, check the cabin and put Passado in her car" Jax said looking at Ava more than him.
Opie looked at them both, snatched his things and left them alone. Ava braced herself for another of these discreet involvements in each other's life. And she had only met the men of the family. She dreaded to think what would happen when the women would be thrown in the mix.
"Ope is my best friend" Jax announced.
"I can see that"
"You know he lost his wife"
"Listen, Jax. I know we don't like each other, even though for the life of me I do not see why. But you have to put up with me only for a little while more. I drop Passado off and then…pff… I am gone"
Jax took one step closer, his head leaning to his left side. His look was stern and once more Ava admired the rapid thoughts that went through that man's mind.
"He likes you"
"He met me a few days back" Ava didn't like where this was going.
"You are the first one after…his wife"
"This isn't at all awkward" Ava commented to stop him from going on.
"I haven't seen him smile for a long time. Maybe you should…stick around"
Ava took in a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"And yet I have to go while he is still smiling" Ava shook her head and she felt tears swell up inside her, ambushing her with their fortitude "Back to business. I take Passado to the PD, I fill the forms, sign the signatures and I am off. The money will be wired to me in a week or two. I will find a way to bring you your cut. I am assuming you prefer cash"
Jax pressed his lips together and concentrated on the task at hand.
"Cash is fine" he said ironically.
"You will get you your money, Jax" Ava left the room and went out the cabin.
Opie was leaning against the car, his hands in his pockets. Chibs was already on his bike and Jax came and rode his. Passado was cuffed at the back of the Prius.
"Ready?" Opie asked.
"Ready" Ava threw her bag in the trunk.
She was ready to get in the car when he caught her by the arm and drew her close. He forced her head up to him with his thumb and kissed her. His kiss had lost the tempest it had back in the cabin. It was slow, wet and sweet. Without saying anything, he left her there dumb-stricken and got in his truck. Then they all left, leaving Ava to go to the Charming PD headquarters.
On the way, Passado was silent. She was checking up on him through the mirror and she saw the rage boil in him. She knew that if he had a chance, he would notify his brethren of who was responsible for his incarceration and his poisoning. There would be a war, a bloody gangster war and for the first time in a long time Ava felt the urge to fight. She knew that she shouldn't care if a bunch of outlaws killed off each other. But she couldn't bear to think anything happening to Opie. She even felt the urge to stop the car, strangle the man and bury him before letting him hurt the man she...
"No!" Ava talked to herself making Passado turn to her.
She reached the Charming PD and as requested there were no Sons there to check up on her. She dragged Passado in and an old man came up to her.
"Are you Ava?"
She nodded. He looked at her prisoner and waved at her to follow him. Two of the officers took Passado to the cells and the Sheriff led her to his office.
"I have the paperwork here" he pushed a few sheets to sign "Ava Vasilowitz. That is your name?"
"Jax asked to dig into me, right?"
"He did" the man was sincere.
Ava wasn't the least worried. She had changed her name and had managed to establish a whole new life in paper. Paying a few officials back home, a little tampering on things and Ava Vasilowitz was born. She had no problem creating a false life for her and even living it. It was the real life that was still getting to her. She nodded at the man and took the forms from his hand.
"Is there anything else?"
"No. I'll take care of everything"
"The feds are coming in tomorrow. Make sure he is isolated. If he talks, you'll have bloodshed in Charming"
Ava got up and shook the Sherriff's hand.
"Take care, Ava"
Ava got in her car and drove away like crazy. Part of her wanted to run to the clubhouse, see him sit on his stool, put his beer away and kiss him with all her might, much to Diamond's dismay. She laughed at the thought of seeing Diamond's face when she kissed him. But it wasn't enough to make her turn her car around. She had to get as far away from him as she could.
