"Char? Char"

I looked around. I was sitting on the floor of the bathroom. The pounding on the door was getting louder.

"Charlie girl are you in there" that was Chibs. I slowly got up off the floor and looked at myself in the mirror. Marks on my neck were showing from where Clay had grabbed me. I splashed water on my face before turning to open the door.

Chibs stood in the doorway. "Are you ok?" he asked, his eyes scanning me, before stopping on my neck. "What the hell happened?" he asked stepping forward.

"Where's Jax?" I croaked hoarsly.

"Clay took him and Tigg for an errand" he replied. "Jax told me to take you home. Want me to call him?"

"No" I replied, "Its ok."

"Charlie whats going on?" Chibs asked worried. "What happened to your neck"

"Oh just a random fall" I replied, faking a laugh.

"I know a strangle hold when I see one" came his reply. "What I don't know, is why you would have one on your neck, when Im pretty sure Jax didn't put it there."

"Its nothing" I said sternly. "I think I'd like that ride home now thanks."

Jax house was all dark when we pulled up to it. Chibs shut his bike off as I got off.

"You ok Charlie girl?" he asked, seeing me hesitate as I watched the house.

"Yeah, of course" I lied, throwing him a quick smile. "Thanks for the lift" I walked towards the front door, counting each step in the silence. Chibs didn't leave until I was inside and had turned the lights on. Once I had locked the door, and checked it twice I went through the house turning every light on, before settling on the couch. I curled my feet under me, and pulled the blanket up to wait for Jax to come home. Every noise made my heart jump. Where was Jax? What if Clay had him out to distract him, to make sure he wasn't home. I got off the couch and rechecked the locks on the door, before heading to the bathroom. My neck was awash with blue and purple bruising.

"Damn" I muttered rifling through my make up to find some concealer. My fingers were shaking as I applied some, trying to blend it in to my skin. It hid a lot of the bruising but I covered it with foundation just to be safe. I had just changed into my singlet and a pair of boxers, and was making coffee when I heard Jax come in.

"Hey" he greeted coming into the kitchen. He laid a kiss on my cheek. "You ok?"

"Peachy" I replied looking at him. "Where did you go?"

"Just club shit," he answered. He moved to kiss my neck but I stepped aside.

"Coffee?" I asked holding up a cup.

"Not at 1am no" he replied his eyes narrowing. He moved closer and before I could stop him touched my neck. I winced in pain as he hit a bruise. Without warning he picked me up to sit on the counter. Pushing my legs open he stepped between them and tipped my head to the side.

"What are you doing?" I asked trying to move aside, but his hand on my leg grew firmer, pinching into my thigh.

"What are hiding?" he asked, taking a cloth, running it under water then using it to wipe the make up off my neck. His face turned to ice when he saw what lay underneath. "Who did this to you?" he demanded.

"Its nothing" I tried to push away, "Just a miss understanding?"

He placed his hands firmly on the counter on either side of me. "Who did this to you" he growled.

I pushed him away. "I said its nothing" I jumped off the counter.

"Was it Clay?" he followed me out down the hallway and into our room.

"Just leave it alone." I pulled the covers back and got into bed. "please"

Jax frowned as he pulled his tshirt over his head and took his shoes and jeans off. "I don't like this" he replied slipping into bed beside me. I curled up against him.

"I know" was all I said, before kissing his chest and closing my eyes. Jax pulled me closer, and linked his other hand with mine. "This isn't over" were his last words, before I fell asleep.

Jax was up by the time I woke the next morning. I dragged myself out of bed and found him in the kitchen with Chibs. They stopped talking as soon as I entered.

"Hey Charlie Girl" Chibs greeted.

"Eh" was my effort as a greeting. I sat down next to jax at the table and stole his coffee, taking a big gulp.

"Chibs was filling me in on what happened last night after I left" was all Jax said.

"Like what?" I asked innocently, the coffee turning to concrete in my stomach.

Jax just looked at me.

"I told you to just leave it" I replied standing up. "You don't always need to play hero"

Jax hand wrapped tightly round my wrist, almost breaking it "Someone clearly grabbed you roughly round the neck, then Chibs finds you some time later in the toilet where he could tell you had been sick." He was angry.

I pulled my arm away. "Don't" I yelled at him. "I am sick of you guys throwing your weight around, laying your hands on me, to get what ever you want, to threaten me. Your just a group of fucking sadists. Get out ." I pushed Jax out of his chair.

Chibs came up behind me. "Calm down Jackie girl"

"Why wont you tell us what happened?" Jax asked quietly.

My anger deflated and I sank down into the chair. "You don't understand." I whispered. "Its not that simple"

I caught the look Jax gave to Chibs. Before turning his gaze on me. "I have a pretty good idea who it was, and although he doesn't deserve you protecting him, I get why you are." He ran a hand through his hair. "He's done a lot of bad stuff, and he's not going to get away with it." Jax sat down opposite me and took my hands in his. "I need you to trust me. Ok?"

"Jax he said he was going to kill me" I bit down on my lip to stop they tears that were threatening.

"Piney's gone up to the cabin." Jax continued. "I want you to go and stay there for a few days. Chibs will take you. I'll get mom to look after Abel. I'll tell her your away with school on a conference or something."

"What are you going to do?" I asked quietly.

"Nothing, yet" He cupped my face in his hands. "I love you" he said before gently kissing me.

Once I was showered and dressed with my small duffle packed Jax walked me out to Chibs bike.

"Here" He said placing a small wad of cash into the front pocket of my jeans. He slipped a mobile in the back pocket. "Don't use yours. This is a prepay and can't be traced. It has mine and Chibs numbers in it ok" He pulled my leather jacket together and zipped it up. "I put some smokes in your duffel. "

"Im scared Jax" I quietly said. "I don't understand why I need to go away from you"

Jax rested his forehead on mine. "I have 2 plans in motion. One that will get rid of Zobelle and Clay, hopefully for good. I need to know your safe, so I can focus on it all working."

I nodded, kissing him, my hands snaking round his waist to hold him tight. Jax kissed me back, his tongue darting in to claim mine.

"Jackie boy, we gotta go" Chibs called out from his bike. Jax took my hand and walked me the rest of the way. I got on behind Chibs and put my helmet on.

"Be safe" I said to him before he kissed me again. Chibs roared the engine before taking us off down the road. I turned my head to watch Jax who stood on the drive just watching us till we had turned the corner.