Chapter Three
Jaycee
I'm vibing out to Tourniquet by Marilyn Manson ( teehee ) when Jax rudely pulls the bud out of my left ear. " Oww, what the fuck, Jax? "
" Sorry, but I've been calling you for ten minutes. You know you can't have both in any way. You trying to get docked? " He asks like the asshole he is.
Glaring at him I say, " I've gotten the majority of the work we fell behind on all caught up. You could let it slide. " I sass while rummaging around in the fridge.
Finding a prickly pear soda I grin and pop the top off. I love this stuff. There's honestly no soda that tastes anything like it.
" I was calling because I need a favor. " He says leaning against the counter.
I laugh. " Good luck with that. "
" Come on Jayce. " He says sounding desperate.
I shake my head begrudgingly. " I specifically remember telling you, no more favors. Not after the way things went down after the last one. "
" I know you've felt the brunt of my wrath the last year... " He says slowly. " But everything I've done, it's because I care. "
Riigghhtt. " YOU care? Give me a break, Jax. Your " wrath " was unjustified and I don't give a damn what your reasons were. I promised you, that if I'm not happy, you're not happy. No favors. "
I then turn on my heels and head out of the kitchen area.
" It's, Tully... " He says making me stop in my tracks.
Of course, it is. The one subject that can make me listen to him at this point. After meeting the shot caller I can't help but admit that I think of him from time to time. I think intrigued is the right word for what I feel about the skinhead.
" What does he have to do with anything? " I ask not turning to look at him.
" I need you to meet with him. "
Meet with him? Why on earth would that even be an option?
" And why would he want that? " I ask in confusion. " You meet with him every week. "
He shrugs. " He's asking specifically for you. That's all I know. "
" Let me guess, he told you we talked? He's using you and the deal you're trying to make, to get to me. " I say knowing damned well I'm right.
He doesn't say anything but the look on his face is enough of an answer.
Wow. " You'd really sell me out like that? "
" You know I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't important. It's for Tara. " He whispers sadly.
I don't know how much longer I'm going to allow him to put me in this position by guilting me. " Fine. But after this, you're going to leave me the fuck alone. Your wrath where I'm concerned is finished. "
He doesn't need to know that I'm going up there willingly either way. If it gets him off of my back, the lie is worth it.
" Deal. " He says before pulling me into a hug. " I've missed you Jayce. "
I roll my eyes. He isn't out of the dog house with me by a long shot. At least I don't have to worry about any sneak attacks now. He's the king of those.
After dinner with the guys, I feel super exhausted. The guys were all appreciative that I got the workload down so they bbq'ed to give us women a break. Going into the bunk area I lay down on my bed and try to get some solid hours of sleep in for the work already piled up for tomorrow. I almost drift off when my phone blares making me jump up.
" Hello? " I answer.
Hi, this is Shirley here at Stockton Correctional Facility. I'm calling to confirm a visitation with inmate 20192 Ronald Tully on Tuesday the fourteenth.
When Jax said he wanted to meet with me I didn't know how soon. Tomorrow soon apparently. " Uh, yeah. Thank you. "
Visiting hours start at ten a.m. and end at five p.m. Make sure to leave any and all contraband behind.
I hate this old song and dance. " Sure thing. Thanks for calling. "
Laying back down I put the pillow over my head and heave a big sigh. So much for sleeping in.
To: Jax
555-5555
12:35 A.M.
Meeting w/ T in the morning.
I wait a few minutes and get a text back.
From: Jax
555-5555
12:37 A.M.
Good. I'll cover for you at the garage. Thanx again Jayce.
Plugging my charger in I lay back down and sigh.
What am I doing?
...
I wake up at six a.m. and take a long shower to wake up fully. After getting dressed I put a few layers of mascara and eyeliner on. I'm always super pale so I blend some bubble gum pink blush into my cheeks.
Heading into the kitchen I put a pot off coffee on and a bagel in the toaster. I need to leave in the next forty five minutes if I want to get gas and beat traffic. I take my time with my first cup of coffee and bagel. No one is ever up at this hour and it's nice to have some silence.
Just as I'm finishing up aunt Gemma walks in looking like she got more sleep than me. " Hey, baby where you off too this early? "
" Running an errand for Jax. I'll see you later. " I tell her before eating the last of the bagel and grabbing my keys.
" Don't forget. " She says holding the thermos of coffee I just prepared out.
Taking it from her I smile and say, " thanks ", before rushing out to my bike.
Stockton State Prison
After the usual walk through and pat down, I'm escorted into a small interrogation-looking room and left alone. When I say this is WEIRD. I've never had visitation anywhere besides the visitation area. I wonder how he pulled this off? There's two cameras so I'm not quite sure how to feel about this.
A few minutes go by and the door opens again. A guard uncuffs Tully's wrists and then closes the door leaving us completely alone. The look in his eyes tells me that this visit is going to be more interesting than I thought.
" Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Peaches? " He asks before sitting across from me.
Giving him a small smile, I say, " hello, Ronald ".
His dark eye light up in mischief. Damn I'm such a sucker for dark brown eyes. Say what you want about baby blues, but brown eyes are deeply expressive. It's endlessly attractive.
" Ooh, my first name. " He says like it's the first time he has heard it spoken. " Getting comfortable with me already. "
Smiling lightly I say. " Jax said you wanted to meet. I figure the least I can do is call you Ronald. "
" My name has never sounded sexier than it does coming out of your mouth. " He says letting his eyes travel from the top of my head to the bottom of my torso and back again.
Damn. Thank God I put blush on this morning or he'd be able to see how he's affecting me.
" So... You wanted to meet with me? " I say teasingly ignoring his flirtations.
He frowns a little and nods. " Did Jax talk to you about it? "
" He said he specifically wanted to meet with me. He didn't exactly tell me why. " I say while crossing my arms. " Is there a reason you wanted to meet here and not in the visitation area? The cameras are a little... "
He shakes his head. " Oh, they ain't on. I bought the room for this little meeting. "
And now it makes more sense. When he said alone he meant that shit. I'm not sure how to feel about this.
Finding my voice again I say, " and the reason for that is "?
" Well, I thought it was obvious, Peaches... I want you. " He says cutting to the chase. " I don't think I've ever wanted a woman the way I want you. "
My face is free of emotion but I'm hella surprised that he came right out with it like that. " And you think you can just have me? "
" I'm hoping... " He says with a genuine smile. " That you will allow me to convince you that it's in your best interest. "
I chuckle in disbelief. " In my best interest to let you have me? "
" To let me show you what you've been missing out on. " He says with a pervy smile.
This guy has some serious balls. " And how would you know what I'm missing out on? "
Jax
Pulling up to TM, I head inside and kiss my mom on the cheek as she catches up on some paperwork.
" Hey, baby. " She says giving me a suspicious look. " Jaycee left pretty early this morning... She said she had some errand to run for you. "
Nodding I say, " yeah, don't worry it's nothing dangerous. Just a little visit to a friend. She'll be back in time for dinner, I promise. "
I head out to the garage set up and as usual nothing is getting done. Jaycee is the only one that can keep these clowns in line. Said clowns ar currently playing cards for money on the hood of a Jaguar.
" Is this a garage or casino? " I ask and every prospect jumps at least five feet in the air.
Looking up from his cards Chib's asks, " where's Jaycee? She's our all-star at getting shit done around here. "
" You're all grown men. You shouldn't need a woman around telling you what you should be doing. " I say heading back outside with him on my tail.
Catching up he asks, " ye didn't answer the question. Where's Jaycee? "
" She's up at Stockton meeting with Tully. " I tell him while looking out in the distance.
I shouldn't be speaking on it... What's going on up there isn't my business. I just set the meeting up. It's just... Something in my gut has been telling me that my VP has been regretting the decision he made to stay away from my cousin. I want to see see how he reacts.
Confusion is written all over his face. " Why would she be needin' to meet with him? "
" They met while I was in... " I say with a shrug. " It seems he has taken a liking to her. I set the meeting up and here we are. "
His eyes damn near pop out of his head. " Ye sent her into the arms of a bloody skinhead?! Yer own cousin? "
" As opposed to sending her into yours? " I shoot back at him. " You're old enough to be her father and have a whole family back in Belfast. Jayce deserves better than that... "
I don't like the way his face falls nor the hurt expression all over it. This man was my sponsor into the club. He was good friends with my dad and has loved me like his own. It's not personal, but it is my job to protect Jayce. Clay was only thinking of Chib's happiness when he lifted the rule so they could be together. He wasn't thinking of what falling in love with a married man would do to her. She can be as mad as she wants now, but she'll thank me in the long run.
" We've had this talk before, Chibs. " I remind him. " Tully, while I don't know exactly what he wants from her, can give her a life away from all of this. He's coming home a free man in retirement from gang life. "
Fuck a 401K when you have accumulated millions in untraceable money. " You can't deny it's a hell of a lot more than you have to offer. "
He shakes his head clearly feeling some type of way about this information. I can't help but feel a little bad for the guy. " I never deluded meself into thinking I could have her forever... "
" Good. That means that you won't have a hard time getting used to the thought of her belonging to someone else. It's for the best, you'll see. Besides, you have that Sherrif piece chasing after you. You should stick with that. " I say patting his shoulder and stubbing out my cigarette.
Jaycee
" Had a little conversation with Jax. " He says with a shrug. " He may have filled me in on your... Power lust. "
Power lust?! " I'm going to kill him. "
" Is that not true, Peaches? " He asks genuinely wanting to know. " Would you be sitting here with me right now if I wasn't a shot caller? "
Now that's a really good question. The truth? Probably not.
" That's what I thought. " He says when I don't answer.
Damn. Have I really been that blind that I didn't see when I became this huge power slut? " I haven't always been like that. " I say softly.
Reaching out, he grabs one of my hands and runs the pad of his thumb over the knuckles. " When you're ready, I'd love to hear how it happened... With that being said... " He says seriously while looking me deep in the eyes. " I don't mind being that for you. Use me to fulfill any and every desire you could ever have. "
He doesn't mind being used? That's a first from any man I've come across. " I don't understand. "
" Baby, I'm a lonely man. Surely you can understand that, right? " He says taking one of my hands in his.
I can definitely see how anyone in here could be lonely. Prison is not a place for companionship. " Yeah, I can. "
" See, when I get out of here... " He says still holding onto my hand. " I'm not coming back. "
I can't help but laugh in his face. " That's what they all say. "
" I want a normal life and from the looks of it, you're craving one. " He says reading me as if I'm an open book.
I can't believe he knows this much about what I desire. Jax doesn't even know all of this and I tell him damn near everything whether I want to or not.
" I've heard about what's been going on in the MC. " He says seriously. " Whispers mostly but if any of it's true I can only imagine what it does to you. I'm offering something a patch can't: peace. "
Well... He's not wrong. I have been longing for exactly what he's describing. " How exactly does an AB shot caller ensure peace? "
" Retirement, baby. " He says with a gleam in his eyes. " Believe it or not, it does happen in my line of work. Most don't make it to thirty-five, so I'm a rarity. When given the choice of retiring or coming back here after some time on the outs... I choose to enjoy my golden years. "
This man really had me come all the way up here to tell me he wants to spend his " golden " years with me? " So you're basically trying to buy yourself a wife? "
" We don't need to rush into anything, Peaches. " He promises. " All I'm asking for is a chance. "
My mind catches up to the conversation at hand. " You do know this is crazy right? Please tell me you at least acknowledge this. "
" Yes. " He says with a shrug. " I know it seems crazy and rushed but when I know what I want, I'm all in. I will give you whatever you want. "
The thing is... What do I want? " Can I think about it and get back to you? It's a big decision after all. "
He purses his lips and thinks on it for a moment.
" See normally, I would want an answer right away... " He says and I know he means it. " But for you? I'll give a week. "