7

Chapter 488 Mother of a Fight

"

Jax wasn't looking forward to this conversation with Gemma, but he needed to have it with her because he'd had enough. All of his anger came surging back when he remembered overhearing her comment to Scarlett that he was hers. He didn't want to talk to her at TM; what he had to say needed to be said privately.

Gemma let him into the house and led him into the kitchen.

"You want some breakfast?" she asked pouring herself a cup of coffee and taking a sip. Gemma was wearing her usual uniform of skintight black pants, boots and a white long sleeved shirt.

"Anyone here watching over you?" Jax asked leaning against a kitchen counter. He knew Clay was already at TM because his bike was gone, but he wanted to make sure no one was going to overhear this conversation.

"No, I'm not like your old lady. I'm not worth protecting," Gemma said bitterly.

Jax looked at the ceiling and shook his head.

"That's between you and Clay," Jax said coolly fixing his eyes on her. "I'm responsible for Scarlett's safety."

"I thought she was so clever, she could take care of herself," Gemma said, her voice carrying an undercurrent of sarcasm.

"She can take care of herself," Jax said his voice tight as he tried to control his anger. "She's in danger right now because of me. That's why the MC owes her protection until we get our problem solved."

"That going to happen soon?" Gemma asked.

"You'll know when Clay tells you."

Gemma turned her back on Jax and began to wipe down a countertop, making it clear what she thought of what he'd said.

"Gemma," Jax said barely controlling his impatience, "I'm trying to talk to you."

"Talk," she said dismissively. "I can hear you fine."

"Look at me when I'm talking to you," Jax demanded. That passive/aggressive act of hers didn't fool him for a second.

"What?" Gemma said turning around a sponge in her hand.

"I am furious with you. I just told you that I wanted you to stay out of my relationship with Scarlett and what do you do? First chance you get, you start shit with her. All the guys heard you tell Scarlett that I'm yours. Do you have any idea how fucking weak you made me look? You made me look like a pussy whipped mama's boy."

"Well, Jax, you are pussy whipped just not by me," Gemma said sharply. "That blonde wh . . ." Gemma broke off as Jax's faced flushed with anger, "girl is leading you around by your dick. You never spend time at the clubhouse. You're always with her."

"That's because I'm happy. I don't need to get drunk or high or chase after a new girl every night. That's a better way to live my life."

Gemma snorted derisively and tossed her sponge in the sink.

"She's controlling your life. She's a bad influence."

Jax thought about the guys in the MC. With the exception of Clay and Opie, none of them had relationships. None of their marriages lasted and they rarely saw their kids. It was time for a life with more meaning.

"She's a bad influence because I don't want to be forty, getting drunk or high every night and chasing croweaters? Most mothers would think that made her a good influence."

Gemma scowled at Jax, her lips pursed.

"It makes her controlling. You're a leader not a follower."

"Except when it comes to you," Jax said sarcastically, "and then I'm supposed to follow your orders. How I live my life isn't your concern anymore. I love Scarlett and I told you to stay out of my relationship. You just ignored me and tried to cause trouble the first chance you got."

"You had no right to order me out of the clubhouse like I'm some croweater," Gemma said raising her voice. "Do you know how humiliating that was?"

Jax shook his head again completely disgusted with her.

"After the way you behaved, you left me with no choice. A member of the MC can order anyone other than a patch out of the clubhouse at any time. That's what I did. Clay backed me up because he knew I had the authority to order you out. I can ban you permanently."

Gemma's eyes flashed with fury. Her hand came up to slap Jax, but she caught herself before his hand could come up to stop her.

"How dare you even think that! Listen to me, young man, I gave birth to you. I spent sixteen hours in labor and I nearly died. I had to have an emergency hysterectomy that robbed me of ever being able to have any more kids. Don't you ever forget that. You owe me your life."

"That has nothing to do with what we're talking about," Jax said.

"Yes, it does. You are the only child I have. It's natural for me to want to protect you from making mistakes. I have been the president's old lady for longer than you have been alive. I have earned respect. How dare you tell the MC that they are to respect that blonde . . ." Gemma grimaced, "person the same way they respect me. She's been your old lady for thirty seconds compared to how much time I've been there for the MC."

"Yeah, you've been an old lady for a hell of a long time, so you should understand that old ladies don't earn respect. An old lady gets as much respect as her old man wants her to have. I am the VP of the MC. My old lady deserves respect because of my position in the MC."

"And what about all the damned time I've put into this MC? That little blonde bitch makes dinner once for some visitors and everyone thinks she's so wonderful."

"Don't refer to her as a bitch," Jax said hotly. "Those guys came here at SAMCRO's request to help us deal with some things. They weren't regular visitors. You could have called on the croweaters to help you make them a meal like you've done in the past, but you didn't do it. Scarlett stepped up and offered to make a nice home cooked meal for the guys. I didn't even have to ask her. I wanted to give the guys a good breakfast the next morning before they left and Scarlett again took it on herself to arrange that."

"She's leading you around by your dick and you are too blind to see it. You need to use your brain instead of your dick and you would make better decisions."

Jax didn't consider for a second telling Gemma that he and Scarlett hadn't had sex yet. She would just roll her eyes and not believe him. What he and Scarlett did together wasn't anyone's business especially his mother's. Gemma would never understand that he was giving Scarlett the time she needed because he respected her.

"I am making rational decisions and you can't stand that. You would rather I spend my time chasing pussy, getting high or drunk and doing whatever you tell me. Those days are gone. I've grown up in these last few months with all the shit I've gone through. You just want to control my life."

Gemma put her hands on her hips, a posture designed to let him know that she meant business.

"I am your mother. I will always be my mother. You need to listen to me."

Jax gave a short bark of bitter laughter.

"You know better so you should tell me how to live my life. I am going to say it again—those days are over. I'm not listening to you anymore."

"You would never talk to me like this before you met that girl. It's that old lady of yours that's causing all the problems. You need to see reality and end things with her. She's wrong for you and she's wrong for your club."

"Gemma I am seeing things clearly for the first time. You can't stand the idea that I'm in love with someone. You want to be the only woman I love. I've spent quite a bit of time with Scarlett's father. Do you want to know how he treats me?"

"Not really, but I'm sure you're dying to tell me," Gemma said sarcastically.

"He treats me like I'm a combination son and friend. He's been welcoming to me and he's glad Scarlett has me in her life. There's no jealousy. He doesn't try to control her life either."

"Jackson, she isn't the right girl for you. There's just something about her that's wrong. You need to trust me on this."

"I'm making my own decisions. I've had it with your interfering in my life. You have no respect for me. I told you to stay out of my relationship with Scarlett and you take the first opportunity you get minutes later to try to end my relationship with Scarlett. I've had enough. You need to start seeing me as a man and not a child you can order around. From now on, I will talk to you about work, but that's it."

Jax was taking some of Decker's advice about setting boundaries and until Gemma could respect him and his relationship with Scarlett, he was going to have minimal contact with her. He loved her, but reasoning with her hadn't worked. He hoped that she would change her behavior so she could be in his life again.

"Why don't you come by for dinner tomorrow night? Have a nice evening. Bring Chibs," Gemma said in a conciliatory tone.

"Do my words go in one ear and out the other?" Jax demanded incredulously. "I'm only going to see you during work hours until you show me the respect I deserve and stay out of my relationship with Scarlett."

"You can't do this to me," Gemma sputtered angrily. "I'm your mother."

"Watch me. You're out of my life until you change. If you need an escort to work, call Clay."

Jax left Gemma staring after him, her hands still on her hips.