Juice POV
"We're fucked." Jax said. "We gotta know who the guy was we left behind."
"How did we not clear the rooms?" Happy asked. "The one fucking time we don't clear the rooms properly."
"We were caught up." I said. "Too much adrenaline, not enough fuckin' commonsense."
"Jesus." Chibs said. "What do we do?"
"Ask Natalie some questions. Get it out of her." Jax said. "She has to know what the guy looks like."
"I'll ask, she got beat pretty badly." I said. "She doesn't really care to talk about it."
"I don't care, we can't afford a murder to blowback on the club." He looked at me.
"It's on my hands pres." Happy said. "If anything I'll go down and I ain't taking you guys with me."
"You just had kids." I said. "Bri would die if you got locked up for life."
"I know." He said. "I ain't gonna take you guys down with me though, you may have been there but I did it."
"That's last resort Hap." Tig said. "You won't go down buddy."
"This is bullshit." Kozik said. "I can't let you go down and leave Bri with two kids."
"You guys shut up." I said. "We don't even know if the guy went to the mafia or the police. We gotta fuckin' look for him. I'll talk to Natalie, see if that gets me anywhere."
"We can't afford this blowback." Bobby said. "We can't."
"You don't think I know that?" Jax looked at him. "We should have double checked every goddamn room and closet but we didn't."
"We were set on one guy and one guy only. To kill Kukov and for Juice to get his family out of there." Tig said. "We did both, but fucked up in the process."
"We fix this." Jax smacked the table. "Divide and conquer."
"Fuck." Happy smacked the table and stood. He stormed out of the chapel and left a trail of turned over stools and tables as he left the clubhouse.
"Koz." Tig said. "Go talk him down."
"I will." He stood and followed the killer outside the clubhouse.
I looked at my brothers before standing up and leaving chapel. I picked up a few over turned stools as I made my way slowly outside. I found Happy and Kozik talking by the bikes.
"Hey." I said. "What do we do?"
"I don't know." Happy said. "I never thought my shit would catch up to me like this."
"Yeah." I shook my head. "We gotta make this shit right. Maybe take it to Bri?"
"No." He shook his head. "We can't tell her this shit. She'd leave me and take the twins with her."
"Would she?" Kozik asked.
"Yeah, we had this conversation. She said if I ever went down for club shit for following after Jax, she wouldn't be around if I got out." He crossed his arms. "Karma is fuckin' with me hard right now."
"Shit." I frowned. "We really got to do this and get it right."
"Yeah." He nodded. "If I do go down and you guys stay out, I need you to look after Bri and the kids. Even if she shuts you guys out. Just look out for her the beat you can."
"I will." I nodded. "You're not leaving though."
"Hope not." He smirked.
#
"Natalie." I spoke. "You come talk to me babe."
"Alright." She nodded. "What's up?"
"You know the guy who didn't get killed that night?" I bit my lip as I waited for her to answer the question.
"I've seen him before." She shook her head. "At Kukov's mansion when I dropped the envelope. He let me inside the house."
"So he was Kukov's guy?" I blinked down at her.
"Yeah babe." She smiled. "I don't know his name. I just know he was the one who let me in."
"Thanks." I sighed.
"What's wrong?" She asked me.
"We're worried that he's gonna talk to the police and get the club all on trouble. Happy is worried because he doesn't want to go away for life." I rubbed my head. "Blowback sucks so bad."
"That'll kill Bri." She said. "Him getting locked up."
"Yeah." I nodded.
"Good." She smiled. "I hope he does get locked up and Bri is fucking miserable. Bitch doesn't deserve happiness anymore."
I rolled my eyes. "Alright. I'm heading back out."
"Whatever. Leave me and Luna." She crossed her arms. "My cousin is coming over to help me out."
"Good. I'm just trying to keep myself out of jail, so I can be here for you two. I'm sorry Nat." I hugged her. "I love you and I'll be back soon."
"I love you too." She smiled. "Be safe."
"Yeah, I will be safe." I nodded. "Kiss Lu for me babe."
"Of course." She ran a hand through her blonde hair and smiled at me.
SOASOASOA
Natalie POV
"Can you watch Lu for me?" I asked my cousin Kelly.
"Yeah." She smiled as she tickled Luna's tummy.
"I gotta run out and get a few things." I grabbed my keys and purse. "You want anything from the store?"
"Sour skittles." She spoke softly. "And a rootbeer."
"I can do that." I opened the door. "You call me if anything happens, don't let anyone but Juice in."
"I got it." She waved me off.
I walked briskly to my car and got in. I started it up and pulled out my phone and dialed a number. The phone rang a few times before the person answered it. "It's Natalie, I have information you're going to want to know."
#
"You sure that's what you heard?" He looked at me.
"I didn't hear it." I shook my head. "I saw it with my own two eyes. You see my face? I was there in that house."
"You didn't call this in sooner?" He looked at me.
"I was afraid to." I sighed. "I didn't want to get hurt."
"We'll have you write out your statement and sign it." He looked at me and smiled. "You good with that?"
"Yes I am." I smiled. "Me and my daughter will be safe right?"
"Yes. I promise you two will be safe from anything that could possibly happen." He handed me a pen and paper.
I quickly wrote out and signed my statement. Knowing I couldn't take anything back now that it was out of my hands. I told him the story, I left out a few people but it was what happened. Happy had killed Kukov and he had acted alone on that. This guy had promised to keep me away from any revenge from Bri. It seemed simple enough.
I left the meeting with my head held high. A smile on my brusied face as I crossed the street and went into the store. I grabbed a cart and quickly gathered formula, diapers, and the snacks for Kelly.
I paid for the items and walked back to the car. Tucked under the wipers was a black envelope. I pulled it free with trembling fingers. Ripping the envelope open I pulled out a note card. I recognized the writing instantly. It was Nik's writing. The note card just said 'cop caller'.
I got in my car and looked around. How did she know? How could Nik have possibly known. I looked behind me and there was a white SUV parked in the lot across from me. A blonde standing in front of it. I just hoped that I would still have protection for myself and Luna.
SOASOASOA
Nik POV
I never seen someone speed away so fast. It was as if Natalie had just seen a ghost.
"Bitch." I hissed as I climbed I to my SUV. "Bri better kill this slut."
I pulled out of the lot and headed towards Bri's house. She had to know and I had to tell her in person what Natalie had done. I sped the whole way there, cutting the travel time almost in half as I sped through the streets of Oakland. I screeched to a halt in front of her house just as Happy was climbing off his bike.
"Fuck." I got out the car and ran past him. Using the key Bri had given me o let myself in. "Bri!" I yelled.
"Kitchen!" She yelled back. Of course I rolled my eyes.
"Natalie went to the cops." I whispered into her ear. "I think she's trying to take you down."
"Fuck." She hissed as Happy came into the kitchen.
"Nik, I think you gave me whiplash." He smirked at us.
"Sorry!" I smiled. "Had to ask Bri for some girly things. Bri I'll be back."
"Alright." She nodded at me. "I'll be here cooking dinner."
I ran into the bathroom, checked myself in the large mirror and flushed the toilet for good measures before washing my hands and drying them. I checked my hair again and pulled it back into a ponytail with a glittery hair tie that sat on the counter top in a glittery wooden box.
"This is ridiculous." I sighed. "Why are you cooking?"
"I have to eat." Happy gruffed.
"She had babies." I crossed my arms.
"Drop it." Bri smiled. "I can cook him dinner. I don't mind doing it. I like cooking for him."
"She's a good ass woman." He smiled as he smacked her ass.
"Babe." She whimpered. "Knock that off now."
"I'm going to shower." He stood. "I'll make it quick."
"Alright." She smiled.
I checked that he was out of ear shot. "You're killing her right?"
"Duh." She looked at me. "Soon as I can get away, I'll handle that shit. I waited to long now it's come back to bite me in the ass once again."
"Yeah." I nodded. "Make sure you take back up."
"I'll take Esai." She looked at me with a smirk. "Best option other than Happy."
"Yeah I know." I laughed at the thought of Esai doing even half of what Happy does.
SOASOASOA
Bri POV
I sat with Esai in the bushes and waited. Natalie was on her way. Artillery had informed us half an hour ago. She no doubt would be here within twenty minutes.
"This is cozy." I laughed.
"Yeah." He nodded as he shifted. "Only place I can make a clean shot to his head of he leads her back into the sitting area."
"He will." I sighed. "If he doesn't, we just go in. The two of us versus them."
"My money is on us." He squeezed my thigh. "We work well together."
"I agree." I smiled. "I just need this bitch dead, she's too comfortable going to the fuckin' police."
"Should have ended her earlier." He looked at me.
"I know." I smacked him. "Tell me about it."
We got as comfortable as we could get in a bush as we waited for Natalie to show up. I frowned as I watched Bushy Brows walk around the house. I had trusted him to stick with me. Trusted him with taking care of Natalie and now here he was. Helping her hide out.
"She's here." Esai looked through his scope. "Walking back towards the room. I see him."
I wiggled past him and dropped to the ground. "Pop him and let's move." I looked through the glass windows and watched the guy go down. The glass shattering to the ground loudly. Esai ran through and I followed behind him. Making sure I was hidden.
"Don't shoot!" Natalie cried. "Please don't kill me!"
"I'm not going to kill you!" He yelled.
"I am." I stepped around Esai and pulled my mask up. "Don't even think about moving."
"I called the cops." She said. "I let them know to come here."
"Good." I hissed. "You'll having a fighting chance of surviving this." I put a bullet into her stomach. "I'm not Nik, I shoot to kil bitch." I shot her in her leg and she dropped to the floor.
"Kill me." She said. "I'm already dead inside but guess what bitch. Your life is ending soon. I promise you that Brianna, you pushed me one too many times."
"So be it." I shook my head and put two bullets into her skull. "Dumb bitch."
"Let's go!" Esai grabbed me. "Artillery says cops are en route to this house."
"Alright." I followed him back out the way we came. "Lucas kill security and all that to this place?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "He sweeped it before we set up. Then kept going as we waited and went on. That place is clean Bri."
"Good." I jumped the fence and landed softly on the gravel. He followed suit and we got in the car and drove away. Leaving the bodies and the sirens behind us.
"Feel good?" He grabbed my hand and squeezed.
"Feel out of shape." I tried to catch my breath.
"You just had babies." He laughed. "You'll lose it and get back into shape Bri."
"I know." I chuckled. "Thanks for helping me with this."
"That's what I'm here for." He said. "I'll drop you off."
"Yeah." I sighed. "Drop me off."
#
"What's wrong?" I looked at Happy. He was gripping his beer so tightly I thought it would break.
"Nothing." He looked at me briefly before turning back to the TV.
"Tell me." I stood up and moved in front of him.
"Club shit." He rasped.
"So?" I sat on his lap. "Tell me, it'll make you feel better."
"I can't tell you this shit Brianna." He smacked my thigh and I slid off his lap and looked at him with worry. "Don't fucking ask me about it again."
"Why are you being such an asshole?" I watched him set his beer down and stand up to his full height.
"I'm being myself." He said.
I rolled my eyes. "So you wait until after I pop out two kids and you propose to play your bullshit game again Lowman? You can be an asshole and push me away, but I can fucking tell you this, you're only hurting yourself this time around."
"I'm a killer and an asshole." He rasped. "It's what I am and what I'll always be Brianna."
"I don't know what the fuck is going on with you but you better fuckin' fix it Happy." I crossed my arms. "You don't get to be rude to me because you're having club problems. It's now how it works, now how it ever worked."
"Just leave me the fuck alone." He pushed me away from him. "I don't fuckin' feel like doing this shit with you right now. I got a lot going on in my head right now."
"Whatever." I looked at him. "We're leaving for the night then."
"Don't be stupid." He spat. "I'll stay down here, out of the goddamn way. I'll get over this slump."
"Just tell me!" I smacked his chest. "I want to know what's wrong!"
"I can't tell you. I'm sorry Brianna. I made a promise to the guys I wouldn't say shit." He pulled me into a big hug and just like that he was my Happy again. "I'm sorry."
"Me too." I whispered.
"You're crying?" He held me away. "Fuck, Bri. I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing." I angrily swiped at the hot tears rolling down my cheeks. "I'll leave you alone now."
"I love you." He gave me rough kiss.
"I love you too." I smiled weakly and left him alone in the basement.
"What's wrong?" Monica looked at me.
"I'm sad." I sighed. "Uncle Hap wants to be alone, so don't bother him."
"I won't." She said. "The babies are sleeping still."
I laughed. "Good. I can have some quiet until I need to feed them again."
"When do I start school?" She grabbed my hand as we walked into the nursery.
"January." I smiled. "You excited?"
"Yeah." She nodded. "I'm going to make so many friends. I'll have slumber parties and go to birthday parties and I'll be the smartest and prettiest."
"Ain't that the truth." I smiled at her. "Remember what Hap said, no boyfriends until you can ride a Harley."
"I better start learning then." She laid on the fluffy white carpet. "Is Hap going to stay grumpy?"
"Yeah, probably baby." I sighed. "He's stressed and going through some tough stuff with the club."
"Give him candy." She suggested with a huge smile.
"He doesn't really eat candy." I frowned. "He likes beer and whiskey."
"Then give him that." She sat up.
"Already did." I laughed. "We just got to let him be grumpy."
"Alright." She frowned. "I guess I can do that."
"You got no choice. You've never met an angry Happy." I laughed. "Just stay out of his way and everything will work out just fine."
"I will. I'm going to go make bracelets." She stood. "Bye Auntie Bri."
"Bye Monica." I smiled and watched her leave the room as the doorbell chimed. I walked quickly out of the room and into the entry way. I checked the monitor and quickly pulled open the door to let the guest in.
"Happy here?" Jax looked at me.
"Basement." I pointed down the hall. "The door says Snake Den."
"Thanks." He started to walk away but I grabbed his arm.
"You want to fucking tell me what's going on? He's being a big asshole and I don't appreciate club business affecting how he treats me. So tell me." I crossed my arms.
"It's not your shit to worry about." He smirked. "Go take care of your kids."
I rolled my eyes. "I gotta worry about it because Happy is my life. So Jax I will fuckin' worry about it."
"It's club shit." He said as he walked off towards the basement.
"Assholes." I kicked over the table I kept my keys on. "Fucking club shit." I walked back into the nursery and sat in Happy's rocking chair. This was going to cause problems, if he was withdrawing from me, there had to be something huge brewing with the Sons of Anarchy.
