CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile.

My phone rings not long after I've sat down and I answer it with a groan. "Hello."

"Miss Hale?" The voice that comes through the phone is exactly what I'd expect for someone selling a 100 thousand dollar bottle of scotch.

"Yes." I answer.

"This is Mrs Charleston-Kane. I'm down in the lobby with your purchase. May I come up?"

"Certainly, we're in room 2519." We've been put on the 25th floor, there's only a single floor above us and I take a guess that it's the multi-roomed suites.

10 minutes later there's a subdued knock at the door and I shoot a grin at Jax. He hasn't moved from where he collapsed onto the couch when we arrived, his sneaker covered feet are propped up on the coffee table and he's still in his baggy jeans, t-shirt, hoodie and kutte, his KA-bar still strapped to his thigh and our helmets sitting right by his feet.

I open the door, mentally waiting for the assessment to start, and the dismissal. I'm still wearing my jeans and t-shirt but I discarded my boots the second I sat down.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I believe I have the wrong room." The woman in front of me is nothing like I expected. The tone in her voice made her sound like she'd be in her 50's when she actually appears to be not that much older than I am. The overly tailored white suit she's wearing not helping the impression of rich stuck up bitch at all, the pearls hanging from her ears and neck enough to make me want to gag.

"Mrs Charleston-Kane, you're in the right room. Come in." I hold the door open and wait while she carefully steps into the room; she's carrying what appears to be a wooden case about the size of a shoe box that oddly has a padlock on the front of it.

Sitting stiffly on the edge of the chair she looks at Jax then back to me quickly, I'm obviously the less 'offensive' to her tastes as she completely ignores him. "The bottles in here." She unlocks the padlock and sets it down, turning the dial so I can read the digits on it, before lifting the lid on the wooden case and lifting out a leather box, carefully undoing the tie on the side and opening it. Turning the box to me "You can see from there that the seal hasn't been broken."

I nod, "Give me a moment and I'll get the funds released." I pick up my phone and call Patrick. "Hey Patrick, you can release the money. I've got the scotch."

"Sure thing. You okay?"

"Yep just peachy." I hang up the phone after telling Patrick that I couldn't be happier with how fast he found the requested item, deliberately not telling him I've set a transfer to give him a bonus for the speed of the transaction.

Turning to the very tense woman in front of me I smile "Funds will be in your account immediately."

She nods and stands after setting the bottle back in the box and the box back in the case she puts the whole thing carefully onto the coffee table by Jax's feet. I walk her quickly to the door, knowing the question is coming before she asks it "Do you collect limited edition scotch?"

I shake my head "No, it's a gift actually."

"Well it's a lovely conversation piece."

I chuckle, "I'm sure it is. I'm sure as they drink it it'll be the start of many conversations as well."

Watching Mrs Charleston-Kane's eyebrows disappear into her hairline and the gobsmacked look on her face I shuffle her the last few steps out the door and close it behind her before she can protest. Jax is sitting on the couch looking at the box. "So that's what a 100K bottle of booze looks like?"

I nod "Seems so. Should we be really over the top and get some just for it shot glasses to go with it?"

"We?"

I move across the room and pick up the suitcase "It's your money too."

Jax rubs his hand over his face and looks up at me "No it's not."

I nod at him "It is. I'm not going to argue. But if you try I'll just have to be a sneaky bitch."

I walk through the living area of the room we're in and through the door to the bedroom, setting the suitcase on the bed and opening it. It doesn't take me long to unpack the things in there. I don't bother putting anything away, the clothes are set on the dressing table at the side of the room and the boots are lined up in front. I'm careful setting the clothes out though, I don't want Jax to see my outfit for tonight till it's time to go and he can't veto it.

Jax's phone ring while I'm unpacking and I hear him talking with Opie as I move around the bedroom. He hangs up after a few short sentences and comes through to the bathroom where I'm setting the toiletries on the bench. "Apparently Donna can't control the urge to shop anymore."

I smile "Okay, you guys coming or are you going to hit a bar somewhere instead?"

Jax laughs and shakes his head "Opie says he has to come or Donna will bankrupt him. We'll leave the booze till later with San Bernadino and Gabriel. They decided to get together tonight."

I nod "You know that we're funding this whole trip aye?" I carefully watch his expression and there's barely a twitch when I say 'we're' but it's still there.

"Nope, didn't know that you were paying for everything."

I growl and spin in place stomping my foot "Jax, listen please. I have money, I have you, I love you therefore you have money to. There is no mine and yours there is ours." I'm aware that I look furious and there's a scowl fixed on my face.

He raises his hands and nods "Okay Darlin'. I just think it shouldn't be mine."

"Tough shit! It shouldn't be mine either, but it is which makes it yours, get used to it." I snap, brushing past him and going back into the bedroom. I grab the boots I'd intended on wearing and glance back at Jax "Am I allowed to put these on now?"

Jax sighs "You could have worn them the trip here, I just didn't want you to get sore feet."

I take a couple of deep breaths and try and relax "I know I'm sorry I'm grumpy. The whole panic attack earlier has made me feel a little tense."

Jax shrugs as there's a knock at the door "No shit there. Grumpy or not I love you."

I smile the 3 simple words mean a lot given that Jax is a Son, and they're normally notoriously closed mouthed regarding their emotions. "I know, I love you too. Go answer the door, I'll put on my shoes and then we'll go shopping."

"Yay shopping." Jax doesn't try and hide the sarcasm in his tone as he heads towards the door and pulls it open.

Al and Donna practically bowl him over as they bounce into the room chattering excitedly.