Chapter 28 Somethin New startin?

I pulled into TM frowning at the near empty lot, Tara's car was parked out front beside the tow truck. I hopped out going to make sure everything was running ok without everyone here, Piney was supposed to be handling it. I walked past one of the new prospects shining up Tig's bike and shook my head, some things never changed. Tig was still a dick even without the guys here. I walked into the open office pushing my aviators up. "Hey Chuckie." I greeted the nub handed man.

Chuckie gave me his usual tense, nervous smile. "Good morning."

Tara tossed the papers she was rifling through down sighing. "I can't find anything in here."

"You're not the only one." I smirked turning my head to Tig's little outburst over a socket. "Jesus…what's going on out there?"

"Where the hell is my god damn 5/8 socket at?" Tig yelled throwing looks where Kozik was bent down working on his bike. "Why don't you get your own tools?"

"Why don't you eat me?" Kozik replied not skipping a beat still working.

I exchanged a look with Tara and Chuckie. "They're still fighting?" I asked in amazement. I thought the guys had a rule about letting grudges go after they fought it out.

"Given the hostility…. I'm guessing at least one vagina is involved." Chuckie grinned from beside us where we were observing the bickering through the doorway.

I shook my head not wanting to think about Tig or Kozik and anyone's vagina. "You think its ok to leave them alone?"

Piney walked up, his pace slow and gimpy. "As okay as its gonna get with those two. Don't worry, I'll play referee."

"Somehow… that doesn't comfort me." I laughed knowing Piney would let them tear into each other without a second thought about it. He loved to watch the guys throw down. "I just dropped in to see if everything was running okay here."

"Yep.. It is princess." He patted me on the back. "The old man can handle the business."

Tig strutted over, his eyes looking as wild as his hair. "You see the kid yet?" He asked me lighting a cigarette, still glaring over at Kozik.

I smiled brightly remembering little Emalee, I'd stayed at the hospital as long as I could last night before Jessica went to sleep. "She's beautiful. Jess said as soon as they're home you guys can visit."

Piney nodded, I knew what a stretch it was for the gang of big bad bikers not to see a new baby of one of the members right after it was born. "Good. We get to be the first set of Uncles to see her then."

"Carter's excited. I don't think he wanted to leave her for a minute. I told him things would be okay here, take a few days with Jess. At least until she's back home then I'm going to go help out." I caught Tara watching me, almost frowning when I talked. Weird I thought to myself. "So are we playing cards again tonight?" I joked with Tig

He threw an arm around my shoulders hugging me. "You know it kid. Someone's gotta keep an eye on you."

I rolled my blue eyes at him, watching Kozik get up from the pavement to bring Tig his socket back. "I'm a grown woman. I can handle myself."

"Sure you can. Kid." Kozik jibed making a show of delicately putting Tig's socket inside his toolbox. "That's why you stayed with Carter until you got thrown out, then came and bummed around here all night."

"I get lonely." I argued getting chuckles from all of them. "The dog isn't that great of company."

"it's a step up from that idiot." Piney laughed walking into the office with Chuckie.

I turned back to Tig and Kozik, seizing each other up again. "If I go see Jess, will I have a garage and clubhouse to come back to?" I asked warily. "Or should I bring a first aid kit with me?"

"Probably the first aid." Tara cut in a small smile on her mouth. "Hey… can I … talk to you?"

I nodded giving the guys each a wave following Tara over to her car. "What's up?" I asked her running a hand through the back of my hair. I'd attempted to straighten it out but the weather had it frizzing up into curls in some spots.

"Are we.. Okay again?" She asked bluntly frowning now.

I wondered what brought this on. I looked back at her studying her before nodding my head yes. "I told you… I was just being a bitch. I know you couldn't have stopped Cameron. We're good. I swear."

Tara opened her car door, leaning down to get inside. "Okay good. I just wanted to make sure."

"We're fine. Why don't we do dinner tomorrow night? Maybe us and Lyla?" I threw in Lyla knowing she was the only other Old Lady type female left behind.

"Sure. Sounds great. I'll see you at work."

I waved as she drove off, going to get in my own car after checking in on the guys one last time. I had to make a few stops along the way to grab Jess and Carter food, coffee, and myself an energy drink but by a miracle I made it there before my shift started. I was only doing my clinical hours now, but it was still a lot of juggling when I had the work from the garage. "Hey… I'm here." I called to my boss. "Just gonna drop this to the Jensen's."

Susie waved me off immersed in her game of free cell behind the desk, her favorite past time when we were slow. I knocked on the door to the room before going in, Jessica was sitting up with Emalee breastfeeding her. "Oh geez.. I didn't know…" I apologized.

Jessica smirked looking a little more rested today than she did last night. "Does it really matter? In the words of Juice… its nothing someone can't download for free off the internet."

"Touché." I grinned at Juice's tactfulness in discussing Jessica's porn career. "I brought food for you guys."

I glanced at the fold out sofa where Carter was passed out cold, no idea I was even in the room. "He must have been the one in labor." I joked taking the baby from her for a change. "I can take her to the nursery, let you guys rest."

"Oh my god. Please… you don't mind?" Jessica looked eager for a nap. "I didn't want to leave her in there with the others."

"Its not a problem. Its my job." I smiled down at the gurgling baby. "Auntie Aleah and Ema will go get acquainted after a fresh diaper."

I pushed the tray over to her with my foot and then headed out with the baby held against my chest, beaming the entire way. "Have you got to take a peek at the new one?" I asked Susie stepping behind the desk with the baby.

Susie stood up peering down at her. "Oh… she's gorgeous. Look at that skin."

Emalee was a gorgeous baby. Her skin tone had evened out already, no purple or redness left. She was light skinned like Carter, with his nose but she had Jessica's eyes and hair. It could turn darker, but I didn't really think it would. A blonde haired, greened eyed little girl suited them. She was a tiny little thing too, only 5.5lbs and 17 inches long. Definitely wasn't going to be huge like Carter, more petite like Jessica was.

"I know, she's adorable. I'm her Auntie." I bragged going into the nursery to change her. I laid Emalee out changing her, lotioning up her dry spots, then carried her off to the rocking chair in the corner. She had a big advantage of being the only baby we had in at the moment and I was too glad to be able to hold her the entire time.

I rocked her for a few minutes, and she was out, snoozing against me sweetly. "Just wait until Uncle Juice gets a good look at you." I whispered smoothing the blanket out around her. "He might say he doesn't like your mama but he does."

"Your other Uncle's will come see you as soon as you get to go home. You have a lot of them." I told the sleeping baby. "Not too many of them can resist a baby even if they do pretend to be tough guys."

I stayed in the nursery holding her while she slept for the next while when she woke up whining, hungry no doubt. I carried her off back to Jessica to feed, Carter was awake and freshly showered when I entered the room. "Someone's hungry." I told him passing the baby over to Jessica who looked like she'd just woke up.

"She's always hungry." Carter grinned still looking like the proud new father.

"I know. My new role is milk factory." Jessica joked unbuttoning her gown to let Emalee latch on. "Can you get us some more wipes until Carter can go out for stuff?"

I nodded grabbing the fast food bags off of the tray for them. "Sure thing. I'll bring them in in a few."

"Thanks Lee." Carter said, his eyes still on his girlfriend and baby. "I heard from the guys earlier, told Juice you'd be coming home with me. Seemed to make him happy."

I frowned, Juice hadn't called me since last night when he'd weaseled phone sex out of me. "I bet it did. I'll be back." I went back out going to write down Emalee's feedings and changings onto our charts we kept for the next shift. I was scribbling away when I heard someone cough up above me from my hunched over position. I looked up over the desk, shocked to see Logan standing there with a bundle of balloons and a gift bag that said 'welcome baby'.

"Hey umm… I'm here to see…. Jessica." He said looking just as uncomfortable as I felt.

"It'll be a few minutes. She's feeding the baby." I replied all business like. "You can wait over there." I pointed at the small group of chairs.

Logan nodded going to sit down, I noticed then that his left hand was in a bright white cast. My eyes widened at the sight of it. What in the hell did Juice do to him? I didn't care about him but I didn't think Juice had a violent streak either. I peeked at him from behind the desk a couple of times. He just sat there, looking at his phone every now and then looking very out of place in the maternity ward. I waited a few more minutes before going down to Jessica's room.

"Hey… you have a visitor." I told her with a grimace.

Carter and Jessica exchanged confused looks. "Who is it?"

"Its… Logan." I sighed handing Carter the pack of baby wipes and another pack of newborn diapers just in case. "He's waiting out front. I told him it'd be a bit and he decided to wait."

"I'll get him. Don't worry, I don't think he'll cause any problems in here." Carter assured me walking out with me to go get his nut job best friend.

I slipped back behind the desk, eavesdropping while Carter told Logan he could go in. I watched them walk by, pretending to be looking at a magazine until they'd passed. Maybe he'd taken the hint after all. I pulled my homework out of the bag I carried going over my paper again that I had to turn in tomorrow afternoon on how vaccines worked. Pretty interesting stuff once you started to dig into it. Chemistry had to be my least favorite class this semester, but I didn't have much longer to go if I didn't drop any classes this time. I worked along without interruptions for a while until Logan came back by on his way out.

He paused by the edge of the desk looking unsure of himself. "Look.. I know you think I'm a jerk, but I just.. Wanted to be with you. I didn't think it was such a bad thing."

"I have someone, and I love him a lot Logan." I looked up meeting his eyes for the first time all day. "It was fun with you while it lasted but we both know I don't belong with you. I belong with Juice."

Logan didn't look satisfied with that answer, he bristled a little bit. "I'm asking you to consider giving me another chance, maybe when he's in prison. I helped you, you never did hold up your end of the agreement."

Fat load of good his help did me. The bail didn't last very long. "I can't. I'm sorry, I really am. It just… doesn't work for me like it used to." I gave him a wry smile. "You'll make some girl happy someday."

"Maybe. Maybe so." Logan backed away giving me a look that reminded me of the night I'd been at his house, when something…. Dark possessed his normally friendly eyes. "Have a good night Aleah."

It seemed too easy to get rid of him without a fuss. Any other time he'd freaked out or I'd freaked out. It was just way too calm and serene until I got off of work and went down to my car. The back and front windshield were both busted out. I knew without a doubt who'd done it. Furious, I dialed the garage on my phone. "Teller-Morrow….. Chuckie speaking."

"Chuck, its Aleah. I need someone to come get me, I'm at the hospital." I snapped into the phone. "Tell them bring the truck."

"I accept that." Was his quick reply before we hung up.

I waited outside in the cool night air for about 15 minutes before the tow truck pulled in, Kozik behind the wheel. He leaned out of the rolled down drivers window grinning at me. "How much for the night darlin?"

I flipped him off climbing inside the truck with him. "You're gonna have to tow it." I pointed at my car.

He nodded already backing the truck in to hook up to it then getting out to attach the chains to my poor baby. I loved that car. It took him a few minutes before he got back in. "What happened?"

"Ex boyfriend." I told him with a dark look. "Crazy ex boyfriend."

"Damn. You drive men to the brink of insanity huh?" Kozik laughed driving us back to the garage. He'd already changed out of work clothes and had jeans, sleeveless shirt and his cut on.

"Something like that."

Kozik turned the radio down low, Nirvana was playing. "So… should we be worried about said ex boyfriend doing anything else?"

I shook my head, determined not to have a babysitter while Juice was gone. "Nope. He usually just acts a little crazy then lays low for a few days. Juice broke his hand two days ago, guess this was his payback."

"Shit… you guys throw down around here." He grinned in the way that made me squirm when his eyes dipped over me. "You got any plans for tonight little girl?"

We were pulling into the gated lot, the prospects were carrying pieces of lumber back and forth building something. "You mean besides trying to find a ride home?" I asked him still angry about my car.

Kozik shut the truck off looking at me from his side of the cab, still grinning. "I'll take you home after I unload the car. Might even put the glass in the windows."

"Didn't know you were a mechanic." I smirked remembering him refusing to do an oil change. "There a reason you want to know what I'm doing tonight?"

"Just thought you'd like to play a few games of poker again. Grab something from the diner."

I looked at him wondering if this was such a good idea. Piney and Tig were here too but still. "Fine. But we stay with the others ok?"

Kozik just laughed getting out of the truck to start lowering the car down. "Sure thing kid. You're not my type anyways."

"So you've said." I reminded him watching him unhook the car. Tig walked over, already drinking even though it was barely 7. "Hey Tigger."

"What happened here?" He asked nodding at the car.

"Accident." I told him giving Kozik a look from across the top of the car. "Just an accident."

Tig dragged on his beer leaning over to look at the busted out glass. "Gonna be a couple of days before we can get those shields in. Might have to take Gemma's ride for a few days."

I hadn't even thought about that. Mom's Escalade was parked at her house, and I knew where the spare keys were kept. "I didn't think about that. Hey if you talk to the guys… don't mention it ok?"

Tig's cornflower eyes narrowed at me, not liking that idea. "And why not?"

"Because… I don't want them to worry. They should be focused on Abel right now." I reasoned with him. "Thanks Kozik."

"No problem little girl. How about those cards?" He jerked a thumb at the clubhouse. "I'll order us some grub."

"Well isn't this fuckin cozy?" Tig leered at him. "Maybe I was going to keep an eye on her for Juice."

I held my hands up in mock surrender. "Hey… there's enough watching to do for the both of you. C'mon." I walked ahead of them into the clubhouse, it was pretty well empty except for Piney and three women. "Geez… its like a ghost town in here."

"I know. Why you think I don't mind hanging out with you kiddo?" Kozik grinned grabbing the takeout menus from behind the bar and a deck of cards.

"Aren't we a prospect short?" I asked them glancing at Phil and Miles when they came in, sweaty and dirty. Or I guess in Phil's case… filthy.

Tig gave me a facial shrug hitting his fist down on the counter for another beer. "We have too many anyways."

"You want Chinese…. Thai.. Pizza….or barbeque?" Kozok asked looking down at the flyers in front of him. "Charming sure ain't changed much in the past 8 years."

"You don't like it? Go the hell back home." Tig told him giving him an evil look. "Nobody wanted you here."

"Hey hey hey….. Not again. You two shut it up." I pointed at both of them. "Looks like you already scrapped again anyways."

Kozik touched his cheek like he'd forgotten then grinned pulling his cell out of his pocket. "Just a boxing match."

I looked at him curiously, taking in his profile again. "You box?" I asked chewing on my bottom lip. "Like.. Seriously?"

"Like.. Yes." He sneered reading the barbeque paper over for the third time. "You want to just go to Nikki's?"

I took the paper from him looking down at it. "So.. You could teach me?" I pressed him wondering if some self defense would help me ward off Logan.

"Maybe." was his reply. He tapped his fingers on the table impatiently. "Food… what you thinking?"

"Ummm… you pick." I handed him back the menu not seeing anything I really wanted. I waved my hand in front of his face while he text, feeling bolder with him than the other Sons. "So.. About the boxing?"

Kozik flipped his phone shut, looking back up at me. "Let's go to Nikki's. I'll take you to Gemma's for the car too."

Still no answer on the boxing. I gave him a seething look standing back with a loud scrape of my chair. "You want anything Piney? Tig?" I didn't bother asking the prospects, I didn't like them. They'd never be Half Sack.

"Sure doll. Bacon cheeseburger. Onion rings." Tig told me standing up to get his wallet out of his pants. "And if he touches you, you tell Uncle Tigger ok?"

I threw a look over at my shoulder where Kozik was getting Piney's food order. "Don't think I have to worry about that. He knows I'm an Old Lady."

"Don't trust him." Tig muttered glaring at Kozik again before pressing a few bills into my waiting hand.

"I hear you Tig." I sighed shoving the money in my pocket. "We'll be back." I followed Kozik to the door heading to the tow truck.

Kozik paused looking at me crazily. "Where you goin?"

I motioned at the truck, then realization hit me. "We can't carry food on your bike." I argued watching him grab a helmet. "Do you even have a bitch seat?" He didn't seem like the kind of guy that would. Happy didn't.

"Umm yes I have a bitch seat. Made specifically for bitches." He sighed sounding irritated.

"Did you seriously just call me a bitch?" I asked in disbelief snatching the helmet he held out to me.

"No. I said it was made for bitches. Never said you were one. You made that assumption." He twisted the words around mounting the bike. "You comin or what?"

I climbed on behind him, trying not to touch him anymore than I had to. I didn't want this to be close or intimate in any way. I slid my feet onto the side pegs and held onto his cut with a lose grip. "I'm ready."

Kozik reached up pulling my hands down roughly. "I don't bite and I don't have cooties."

I grinned placing my hands on his sides when he took off out of TM, he drove faster than Juice did. Or Jax. And he rode a little too close to the yellow line for my liking. But a ride on the back of a bike was making me feel better about my day

Juice's POV

I was sitting on the edge of the small bed in the room Trinnie and Kerrianne were using playing poker for candy. "Raise you." I pushed a Dum Dum in the pool.

"So Juicy, you got a girl?" Trinity asked me with a sly grin.

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I nodded yes. "Yep… an Old Lady." Why teenage girls liked to ask embarrassing questions, I didn't know.

Fiona snorted from her post by the door at the sound of the term. "Old Lady. I never did understand the greatness in that title."

"Guess my Old Lady ain't so old." I grinned at her. "She doesn't like that title either. My girl is what she prefers."

"How olds the Old Lady?" Kerrianne asked a little too innocently adding a Tootsie Roll.

I studied my cards again, wondering if she was bluffing. "Hmmm…. She'll be 20 this year."

"Jesus. Ye've got yerself a child bride." Fiona exclaimed shaking her dark curls. "No wonder Filip said to keep an eye on ya."

I laughed remembering the hard look Chibs had given me before taking off with the guys to handle business. "Nah. Aleah's more grown up than her age says. We been together since she was 17."

"17?" Trinity smirked tossing her cards down to show she was out of this hand. "Ya craddle robber. How old are you anyways?"

"Older than you but younger than Chibs." I replied mysteriously getting a look from the two teenage girls. "Ok ok… I'm only 26."

"A baby yerself." Fiona eyed me like she was seizing me up. "Old before yer time now."

Grinning I nodded my head. "Got that right. But I love it." I glanced at Kerrianne raising an eyebrow. "You ready?"

Kerrianne laid her cards down making me groan. "Looks like I win again." She started raking the pile of candy towards herself.

"I think someone's cheating." I snatched a Dum Dum from the pool unwrapping it. "I never lose this many times."

"Aw he's a sore loser." Trinty laughed tossing her hair over her shoulder. "How bout we give ya the best out of the 10 you've already lost?"

"I think you should let me deal… after you put the cards back in the stack."

Aleah's POV

I glanced down at Jessica, helping her into the wheelchair slowly. "I think we got everything packed."

Carter scanned the room again, looking it over carefully. "Think so too. Thanks for helping us."

I waved him off pushing Jessica out of her hospital room going down to the elevator with her. Carter was behind me carrying a bright pink and zebra cushioned carseat with Emalee snoozing in it. "Don't mention it. You're doing me the favor, letting me come home with you."

"I'm ready to lay in my own bed, use my own shower, and wallow in my own sorrow." Jessica put in. She'd already started frowning at her post baby body after her shower in the hospital.

"You look hot. Smokin." Came Carter's reply and grin. I had a feeling Jessica could weigh 400lbs and Carter would still say she was smoking. "I parked right out front."

I spotted his Tahoe already, pulled up to the curb. "Want me to strap baby in or get Jess?" I asked him pausing before we started getting them inside the vehicle.

"You take the baby. I'll take the big baby." Carter smirked passing me the carrier over.

It was feather light, like there wasn't a baby inside of it at all when I took it from lifting it into the backseat. I snapped the seat into the base, checking the position before I climbed into the back with her. Carter had Jessica in the front seat and was pushing the wheelchair back into the lobby. "You ok?"

Jessica nodded turning her head to peer into the back at us. "Yeah. She still asleep?"

"Yep. I don't think she even knows she's been moved from her warmer." I smiled down at Emalee, I'd pulled the heavy blanket down from the handle to look at her. "She sleeps good."

"When she's not up every two hours." Jessica groaned tiredly. "I could just sleep for days."

"Take a nap when we get to your place. I'll handle the baby, straighten up for you. I'm there until Juice gets back."

Carter climbed in, pulling away from the hospital slowly. He was driving way under the speed limit. I smirked when I leaned up to see the speedometer. "You know, you can go faster than 30 and the baby will be fine." I told him leaning back in my seat again.

"You know, you can sit back and enjoy the ride." Carter grinned at me through the rearview mirror. "We need to make any stops or we good?"

Jessica shook her head quickly. "No stops. Take me home. You can go back out later if you need stuff."

"You hear from the guys?" I asked Carter when we passed TM, the garage was closed.

"No. Don't worry… They'll find her." Carter sighed taking the turn for their street. "I'm just glad you didn't get snatched up too."

I nodded looking out of the window at t he houses we passed by. Tara had been missing for just one day now, taken by some bullshit MC called the Calaveras. So until the few guys that were left could track her down, I was under lockdown via Tig's orders. He'd put himself in charge, deciding that if old ladies were being targeted I needed to stay with Carter around the clock. It wasn't like I was stuck at the clubhouse though, so I couldn't complain a whole lot. I crawled out of the backseat, carefully getting the car seat out. Carter had convinced his mom Jessica needed to rest, so I was sure I was getting the evil eye from the house across from us.

I waited for Carter to unlock the door and trailed in behind them careful not to bump the baby awake. "I'll put her in the crib." I carried her into the all pink room, decked out in Disney princess theme. Poor Carter had an entire room that looked like it'd been doused with pepto in his house.

Gently, I lifted her out of the car seat shushing her when she whimpered and laid her down in the pink and white polka dot sheets I'd helped Jessica wash and put on. We'd gotten a lot done in the one day I'd came over and helped her. I put the seat on the floor by the closet and crept back out quietly. "Okay.. What needs to be done?"

Jessica shrugged, Carter nodded at their room. "I'll help Jess get in the bed if you'll start picking up in there."

So that was my first job. Picking up my friends million candy bar wrappers, carrying her pizza boxes out, and grabbing dirty laundry off of the floor. I knew Jessica must have really been feeling bad before she had the baby to have let her house get like this. Carter worked too, washing dishes that wouldn't fit in the dishwasher and starting laundry. I didn't peg him as the guy that knew how to do those things but he did and didn't complain. He'd even turned on some hip hop and R&B station for us to work to.

"So… you scared?" Carter asked when I walked into the kitchen carrying a bag of trash with me.

"Scared of what?" I moved beside him to rinse my hands off in the sink where he was rinsing dishes off at.

Carter pushed the nozzle towards me, his arms elbow deep in soap suds. "Of Logan."

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, thinking on that. "I wouldn't say scared exactly… more like… worried. I'm more stressed over what his next move will be than if he'll hurt me. I don't think he'll hurt me anyways. Not if he loves me like he claims."

"I think he would hurt you." Carter spoke softly, trying not to freak me out I knew. "Make sure you keep that .38 on you even once Juice is here. Juice won't be here for long before he…."

"Before he goes back inside." I finished for him hating to say it. I was dreading it so much I hadn't been able to eat much when I started to dwell on it. It didn't seem fair, we'd just gotten back together.

"I'll be here though. I love you like a sister Aleah, you're good to my girl. Not too many people have been." He pulled his arms out of the water giving me a wet, soapy hug.

How could Jess take it? I wondered. It felt like Carter was about to crush my bones. I hugged him back noting he had an almost… Juice smell about him. "Thanks Carter. You're good to me too, even before we really got to know each other. You helped me and Juice both out a lot. I'm glad we can all get along now."

"Me too. Those two calling each other sluts was driving me insane." Carer grinned dipping his arms back into the dishwater to finish his dishes.

"You ever regret this?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking his head. "Nah. I like it. I needed to know someone would take care of Jessica if something happened to me. I can't leave her alone with a kid. Now, the club will care for her."

I could get that. I'd grown up knowing my group of Uncles would dismember anyone I pointed at. "I wish they'd come home."

Juice's POV

I grabbed the last bag from the pile, tossing it over to Happy to pack in the bag of the truck "That's it bro. We're good to roll!"

"Shut it up. You're too god damn happy for this flight." Happy smiled, well as close as a smile as Happy got.

I grinned at him lighting up a cigarette. "I'm ready to see my girl, I miss her man. Being settled isn't so bad."

"Yeah it is. You're just too stupid to realize it." He gave me one of his dark looks he was famous for. "C'mon, something must be going on."

We walked closer, hearing Bobby tell Jax he'd want to take the phone that it was Tig. I felt my stomach clench wondering what had happened back at home to warrant a phone call from Tig on the burner. Jax's face fell listening to Tig then hung up the phone. "Salazar has Tara, Tig and Kozik tried keeping up with his demands, but couldn't do it. He's going to kill them."

A hush fell over all of us. I shared a look with Happy before rushing to the truck with the others to hurry up and get out of Ireland. Bobby put a hand on my chest, stopping me. "Tig said Carter has Aleah at his place. She's on lockdown just in case Salazar decides to go a different route…. Go after blood family."

I felt my own blood run cold, pulling myself into the truck hurriedly. Just when things were going good, they weren't. When in the hell could we ever catch a break? We couldn't. The ride into Manchester was long, it took forever for us to get there and board the plane. Gemma had Abel in a car seat sleeping when we all boarded, hunching together like we had last time. I sat down across from Gemma this time giving her a look. "I can't believe this."

"I know honey. It'll be okay. We'll get Tara back, the redhead too." Gemma tried to assure all of us near her. "We always work it out."

And that was what scared me. Every time something worked out for us, ten other things went wrong and my girl was in Charming without me while I was on a flight there, helpless as hell.