***I couldn't keep you guys waiting! I hope you like it! Thanks again for all of the reviews and guest reviews...you motivated me to write this quick!***

Kate heard someone knocking at the door and peeked through the blinds on the windows to try and see who it was. She strained her head, unable to see anyone so she went to go sit back down, figuring it was a couple of kids just messing around. But as soon as she sat back down she heard the knocking again.

"Get the fucking door!" Carlos yelled from the bathroom.

As much as she didn't want to get the door, not wanting anyone to see her face, she was scared to deal with him again. She had been lucky enough that he had left her alone for the last couple of days. Her ribs were feeling a little better, only really hurting when she coughed or sneezed. The swelling on her face had subsided and she was now able to see out of both eyes, but there was some bruising and cuts still evident which she tried her best to hide under makeup.

She opened the door and came face to face with Jax. What the hell was he doing here? She saw the expression on his face change from concern to confusion to anger and she regretted her decision to answer it in the first place.

"What happened to you?" He asked.

"You should really leave," She answered. She wanted him to go and right away. With Carlos's arsenal of weapons inside, he could leave Jax's boys fatherless within seconds.

He just stood there, studying her face, looking like he had no intentions of going anywhere.

"Please Jax, you have to go right now."

His eyes continued to probe hers until he glanced behind her. Hearing the footsteps she knew it was already too late.

"Well Jax fucking Teller, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Carlos said, stepping outside and pushing her behind him into the house.

"I'm here to talk to Sage."

"Sage?" Carlos laughed. "Sage huh?"

"Something funny?"

Kate cringed. This might be the last day of my life, she thought.

"If you're looking for Sage you can find her at Diosa," Carlos started, "I hear she's a good lay."

"He's my boss Carlos," Kate piped up from inside.

"Oh that's right, my apologies." She could see from her place in the foyer that the two men were staring each other down, Jax with a look of sheer disgust on his face.

"She hasn't been at work and Collette asked me to come check it out." Jax informed Carlos.

"She's fine, she'll be back in no time. She just fell down chasing after my kids," Carlos stated, cracking his knuckles behind his head and then stretching like it was no big deal.

Jax glanced over Carlos's shoulder at Kate and her heart sank. She looked away, feeling humiliated and guilty for hiding it all from him.

"Isn't that right sweetie?" Carlos called out to her over his shoulder. She really fucking hated him.

"Yes," She answered quietly.

"Yes what?"

"Yes baby."

Jax scratched the back of his head, almost as though he was trying to keep his hand busy and out of trouble, "So Carlos, do you know Martin Paulsen?" She stared at him and wondered where he was going with this. A part of her wanted to run to the refrigerator, grab the money she had hidden and run past Carlos to Jax. But she knew what that meant for Jax. Carlos would have at least 30 guys after him in no time. She knew he could handle him one on one, but for her to put his babies in danger? She stayed planted in place. Even if Jax left and Carlos beat her to death she couldn't do that to his family.

"Yeah of course, we have a close business relationship," Carlos answered. This was news to Kate.

"Well he has a fascination with Sage, he pays extremely well and has been asking for her. I would really appreciate it if you let her come back with me. I will make sure it will be worth your while," Jax's face looked completely serious.

Money talks with Carlos and she could see the wheels spinning inside his tiny brain, "Here's a question, what percentage do you make off of her?" As disgusting as it was, Kate was relieved that he might actually be going for it.

"70," Jax was still staring Carlos down, not responding to Kate's inquisitive looks.

What the hell? Really? Kate was pissed hearing that, hopefully he was just talking shit, making it work for the moment.

"So you get 70 and Sage gets 30?"

"Yeah."

"I want 75 percent total, every time she's with him." The fucker was trying to pimp her out.

"50."

"No way man, sorry you just have to deal with her not being there a few more days," Carlos started backing up into the house.

"I'll do 65, but that's all I can do. We have business expenses too and I can't take a loss. Think about it man, it will be good for you. The asshole's there every night so you'd be doubling her profits." Jax even had her convinced, it had to work on Carlos.

"65 and I get my pick of pussy when I need it."

Jax stared at him and glanced over to Kate, the expression on his face spoke volumes. Yes she knew what a fucking asshole he was. He was obviously trying to keep in character with Carlos, but she could tell he wanted to end him right there.

"65 and it's open house."

"The man's waiting Sage, get your ass ready." Carlos turned around and yelled at Kate.

Kate practically ran to her room to get dressed. She needed to pick out something she would usually wear to work and put on extra makeup to make it convincing for Carlos. She tried to grab any essential she could and throw it in her purse, not knowing what she was going to do once she got out of there at this point.

She could hear them talking outside as she snuck over to the fridge. Carlos questioning about what kind of girls were there and what exactly they were allowed to do. Jax was talking to him like he was an asshole too, giving him specifics about the girls measurements and she was happy for the distraction. She got her money out of the butter and threw it into her purse, quickly covering it up with her makeup bag.

As she came out the front door Carlos grabbed her by her arm. She could see Jax straighten up and step towards them and she hoped he didn't blow it when they had gotten this far, "You better come home with some amazing money after this."

"She will," Jax answered for her. Carlos released her arm and she walked towards Jax's bike. Jax waited for her to pass him before turning and following her. She did her best to look like she was going to work and not eager to get away. With every step that she took, she began to feel the weight on her shoulders grow less and less.

They had driven for about ten minutes or so, heading towards Charming, when Jax pulled over into an empty parking lot of a closed down fast food restaurant. He stopped his bike and parked it, getting off and helping her off too. He hadn't given her a helmet and she knew it was in an effort to look like he didn't give a shit.

"What's going on Sage?" He looked at her so genuinely she thought she would break down, not able to remember anyone ever caring about her.

"Jax, you have enough to worry about," She couldn't look him in the eyes, so she turned and stared at the road.

"What's your real name?"

She stood there like a child in trouble. She never let anyone in. It was uncomfortable even considering it. But he had helped her again….

"What is it?"

"Kate," She looked back at him, her emotions starting to get the best of her. Relief. That was the strongest one.

"I'm going to take care of this for you," He looked so tough standing there in his plaid shirt and cut, but in his eyes she could see a glimpse of something softer.

"No, you can't. You're dealing with so much shit of your own. Besides, you don't understand how powerful he is in our community," She couldn't let him deal with Carlos, just getting her out of there was enough.

He took out a cigarette and lit it up, obviously frustrated by her stubborness. He walked over to the street, staring out, deep in thought.

"Tell me what's going on." He turned and exhaled out a puff of smoke he had been holding in. She tried to look confident, wanting nothing else than to not burden him with anything more. She hated how selfish she was being, hogging up all his time with this damsel in distress shit.

"I am handling this, I have a plan."

"It doesn't look like you're handling it," He glanced at her seriously, scanning over her bruises.

"Well, I've been saving money on the side. He found some of it and this happened, but I have more," She looked at him, hoping he would believe she could do this.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Why would I?"

"So you could escape this bullshit."

"Jax, your life is upside down. I'm just a whore, you don't need to deal with my problems too."

He threw his cigarette down and got up close to her face, grabbing both of her upper arms and squeezing them. "Is that what he tells you?"

"It's the truth."

"It's not the truth. It's a choice." He stepped back and was staring right at her.

She looked off to the side, uncomfortable talking about her situation with someone else. Of course no one could understand why she stayed and for so long. Why she fought back against Collette and Mr. Paulsen, yet she just stupidly took it from Carlos, letting herself be broken. And she didn't expect them to understand, she didn't fault them for it either. She found the courage to look at him again. Why was she so intimidated by facing this?

"Do you really think it's all your good at?"

"I know it is."

He came back up and grabbed the sides of her face, holding it tenderly in his rough hands, "That's how much he's in your fucking head."

She was close to crying, trying to remain focused on holding herself together. She glanced from his eyes to the side and back to his eyes. His face was so close to hers, looking at her intently as if attempting to see all of her truths that she was trying so hard to hide from everyone. She thought about kissing him, doing something, to let him know how appreciative she was for his help. He might have saved her life twice now. But fear came over her again, knowing it would just mess his life up. He leaned forward towards her and she didn't even wait to see why. She took a step back and turned, in denial of what he was going to do.

She could see him from the corner of her eye. He was biting on the inside of his lower lip and went to sit down on a nearby curb. He took out his cigarettes and lit another one up.

"You're not going back," He looked like he was talking more to his hands than her as he rested his elbows on his thighs and dug one of his sneakers into the gravel.

"I have to go back, at least until I have everything ready," She couldn't believe her own words, was she fucking crazy? She had finally been given the opportunity to get out of there.

"No, I'll take care of Carlos and I'll go with you to get your stuff."

"And then what? If I leave him I have to move far away and I haven't saved enough yet," She knew it would never be as easy as it sounded.

"I know where you can stay."

"He will send his boys looking for me. If I'm around here I'm as good as dead. And trust me Jax, he will know you helped me. I can't do that to you….I can't do that to your kids. You don't know what he's capable of."

"Oh darlin, I do." He said as he turned and stared at her face. She knew he knew all that he was capable of, with her, with him, with everyone. He slowly smoked the rest of his cigarette. He looked distant. She felt guilty for rejecting him, especially after all the loss he had been through. But it was what was best for both of them, she just kept telling herself.

He finished the cigarette, flicked it away and stood up. "So it's settled then, you're coming with me."

****Hope you liked it and it didn't disappoint! Let me know your thoughts!****