After Filip left in the morning, I laid in bed enjoying the peace and quiet. The same fears and thoughts I had over the last few days dance at the edge of my mind and I push them away as I get up. Most women my age would have pushed him out the door last night if he had shown up with blood all over his shirt and no explanation. As soon as I realized that it didn't come from him, I didn't need anything else. I grew up in a house where my father would disappear and come home with bruises or cuts and I learned to just bite my tongue and tend to the wounds. Asking questions that I didn't need or want the answers to had never been my style.

Instead of pushing him out the door, I asked him to tell me where we stood as if it were any other night. Maybe there was some truth to Tara's words about this life. I still didn't have any pity for Wendy. She disgusted me at how weak she was. Turning to crank the moment things didn't go her way.

By the time I make it to TM, everyone else is there. As I walk across the parking lot toward the office, a piercing wolf whistle hits me. I spin around to where Jaxson, Filip and Tig are huddled around a car.

"What's your problem?" I smile at Jax as I turn direction toward them.

"Nothing, just figured there had to be a good reason why you're so late today." He answers with a cocky grin. Filip pretends to look disinterested.

"I just wanted to see what it's like to be you for the day. You know, last one here, first to leave." I stick my tongue out at him. As I turn to go, he reaches out and slaps my ass hard. I squeal out at the impact.

"Don't get used to it. There's only one me." He says as he laughs. I turn to look over my shoulder and notice the fierce look on Filip's face. His jealousy is kind of cute.

"Thank God!" I call out before heading into the office.


The day flies by without incident. By the time we are closing up, I'm starving and excited to go to Gemma's. It's been so long since we had a family dinner like this. On my way home to change, I call Opie to see if he will be there. His phone goes directly to voicemail which is a good indication he won't be joining us tonight. I try not to let the thought bum me out but I miss spending time with my brother and the club. I know it's killing him inside. I'm lost in thought when I pull into the driveway. I'm not paying attention as I walk up to my door.

"Hey Bree." Filip's voice makes me jump in my skin. I didn't notice him leaning against the porch.

"Jesus Filip, you scared me." I tell him as I call my nerves. He's chuckling at my reaction as I unlock the door and hold it open for him. As soon as we're in the house, his mouth is on mine. His hands exploring my body. I pull away from him, lightheaded from the unexpected kiss.

"Hi." I tell him with a smile. "That was an interesting greeting."

"I had to keep my hands to myself all day today, watching you work. Every time I see you in Gemma's office, I have to fight not to throw you up against the door." He says pressing me closer to him.

"As much as I'd love that, I don't think it would end well." I giggle as I move away from him to go change. He follows behind me and sits on the edge of my bed as I start picking up around the room.

"How was the rest of your day babe?" I ask casually, I barely looked at him all day trying to fight my own urges. When he doesn't answer I look over my shoulder and catch him staring at me. "What?"

"I was just watching you. You know you're cute when you're being all domesticated." He teases me.

"Well I'm not putting on a French maid outfit if that's what you're expecting." I joke with him as I carry my laundry to the washer. Just as I finish starting the washing machine, I feel Filip press up against me from behind. He brushes my hair to the side and lightly kisses my exposed neck. His strong arm wraps around me and I allow my body to dissolve into his.

"As much as I enjoy the thought of you playing dress up for me, I can think of better ones than the maid's outfit sweetheart." He whispers in my ear, his smooth voice and hot breath start a fire deep within me. I push away from him as his lips brush against my ear and turn to face him. Slipping my arms around his waist, I close my eyes and breathe in his scent. I nuzzle my face into the heat from his chest and relaxing. He sighs as he runs his hand over my hair and down to my ass.

"You know we gotta get to Gemma's?" I ask mumbling into his chest.

"Aye, but they didn't say we have to be on time." He replies as he lifts me up and places me on the washing machine, spreading my legs and stepping into me. I slide his kutte off of him and lay it gently on the dryer next to me before turning to work on the buttons on his shirt. He's watching every movement with intense eyes and massaging my thighs. When his shirt is unbuttoned, I leave it on him and use it to pull him closer to me.

He watches me as I lightly place my lips against his collarbone, massaging the area with my tongue. He leans on his arms against each side of the washing machine and places his cheek against the side of my head while I continue working my way along his neck. When I reach the spot below his ear that I know will get to him, his breath catches.

The sound of my door slamming shut jerks the two of us apart. I push him away as I jump down and straighten my shirt out. He looks around for a moment before an idea comes to him. He takes off his button up shirt, leaving him in a white tank top and pulls the dryer away from the wall. He pretends he's looking at something as Jaxson comes around the corner.

"I don't know Bree, I think it should be good now. Give it a try." Filip says to me with a wink. I lean over and push the button on the dryer. It springs to life and I smile.

"Hey Jaxson!" I greet him, pretending I just noticed him there.

"What's going on?" He leans against the doorway, arms crossed against his chest and an accusatory scowl on his face.

"My dryer wasn't working and when I mentioned it to Filip today he offered to swing by after we closed and fix it for me." I tell him.

"Why didn't you ask me?" he stares at Filip's back. Filip concentrates on pushing the dryer back against the wall and looks up at me.

"She didn't ask me, I offered." Filip told him as he turned around to face Jaxson.

The tension between the two was obvious and I couldn't stand being under Jaxson's suspicious glares. I sneak between Jax and the wall and return to my room and close the door to get dressed. That was close. As quick as possible, I change into a pair of tight jeans with a short sleeve v-neck shirt. When I leave the bedroom, Jaxson and Filip are waiting in the kitchen. I feel Filip's gaze run up my body and Jaxson notices too. His face turns an odd shade of red.

"We ready? Wouldn't want Gemma getting mad at us." I say as I bend down to wrestle my shoes on.

"Yeah, ride with me?" Jaxson asks but his voice indicates I don't have an option. "I wanna swing by the hospital quick before we go over there."

"Of course, I'll see you later Filip." My words bring him out of his trance and he nods at me following us out the front door.


The ride to the hospital is tense and I can tell Jaxson isn't happy. When we pull in, he helps me off the back of his bike before climbing off himself.

"Gonna tell me what's going on?" he asks

"With?" I keep my answers short and sweet.

"You and Chibs?" Shit, he really does suspect something. I struggle to keep my face innocent but he's known me all my life and catches my brief guilty expression. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me?"

"Jaxson Teller! Don't you dare judge me. You have no clue what you're talking about." I tell him in a voice I typically reserve for my niece and nephew when they're not listening. "You tell anyone about this and I will disown you. I'll never speak to you again and I mean it. You understand me?"

"No, not even close. I don't understand what you're thinking. You think he cares about you, that he's gonna fall in love with you?" He steps closer.

"Who said that's what I'm looking for?" I ask him, trying to keep up my tough façade.

"I know you, I know what you're looking for. You don't just sleep with someone on a whim. You do it because you care. Look how long you made Nathan wait when you dated him." He tosses back. I run my fingers through my hair, brushing it back from my face. I have no clue what to say to him.

"Just please don't tell anyone. Not yet. Let me figure out if it even needs to be told." My voice is pleading, desperate. I close my eyes and wait for his anger.

"I'll talk to Chibs before I decide what I'm doing with this. He's a brother it's only fair." He concedes but his expression doesn't fade. "Do you love him?"

"I don't know." I answer honestly.

"Would you tell him if you did?" he asks

"No, are you insane? What good what that do? You honestly think he'd make me his old lady, his wife, start a family with me? This is just something that's happening for now. I'm not stupid enough to think he's gonna fall in love with me Jaxson." I drop my gaze to the ground.

"You deserve better than that." He tells me as he pulls me into a hug. "Protect your heart baby sister. Don't let him use you. You deserve to be treated like a queen."

"Jaxson, you know damn well I'll never have a normal love life. I can't date any of the guys in the club, too many risks. No guy in this town will even hit on me for fear that you or Opie will bury him in the woods. No new guy will stick around after meeting this part of my life. I know how this works." I tell him, the thought is kind of depressing.

"Let's go check on Abel." He doesn't deny the truth in my thinking, which makes me feel even worse.


When we finally get to Gemma's house, the place is packed. Bikes and cars are lined up along the driveway and street. Every light in the house is on. Jaxson grabs my arm before we go inside.

"I love you baby girl but I can only keep this quiet for a little bit. You know that right?" He tells me seriously. "Chibs is my brother and that blood runs deep. You grew up in this stuff you get that. I can't say he's using you for sure but I know this isn't going anywhere and you need to cut it off before you get hurt."

I look up into his eyes, his concern is genuine and it nags at me. All the fears I've had over the last few days come rushing back. I nod, afraid of falling apart if I say anything. I put a fake smile on and he drags me through the kitchen door.


That's the last rewritten chapter - bring on the new ones. :)