9

Chapter 94 Gemma Bomb

TM had closed at noon to get ready for Jax's party. Party planners scurried around putting up banners and bringing in extra tables and chairs. Gemma was in her office keeping a watchful eye on the activities.

"I have some stuff I need to tell you," Jax said. His conversation with Gemma wasn't going to be as difficult as the MC meeting had been because he was telling her what he was doing and not seeking her permission. Gemma doesn't get a vote.

"OK," Gemma said putting aside her paperwork.

Jax came over to sit down in a chair near her desk. Standing for too long hurt his ribs.

"Ava and I aren't going to move into my old house. We gave it back to TB. We want a place together that isn't mine but ours. That house is such a dump neither of us wants any part of it."

"Not good enough for the princess?" Gemma asked scornfully.

"Not good enough for either of us," Jax retorted hotly. It suddenly occurred to him that Gemma getting TB to buy his dump of an old house might not be as thoughtful as she claimed. It might have been done to cause problems between him and Ava. Gemma wasn't above doing something underhanded. Gemma was a master of passive aggressive maneuvers.

Ava was the first woman in his life that had lasted longer than two weeks other than Gemma and he had this gut feeling that she wanted to be the only woman in his life. She was too controlling something he realized while he was in prison.

"I'm sure," Gemma said sniffing. "I think it's just ungrateful of you both. He was giving you money to fix up the place."

"Yeah and it's going to take months to get rid of all the roaches, rats, mice and God only knows what else. After I saw the two dead dogs, I got out of there. I will never forget the stench."

"So where are you and the princess going to live?"

"Quit calling her that," Jax snapped. He didn't like Gemma's attitude. Ava didn't look down on people or think she was better than anyone. "He's building us a house near his so his security can provide protection. This last attempt on my life has rattled him a little and he wants to make sure there's protection. Once the person trying to kill me is dealt with, he's going to get his own private security. He suggested hiring a couple of MC guys to work along with his guys. Opie and Chibs are leaving TM and going to work for TB. It's a good thing for them because they'll make more money and it's good for TM because we've got too many guys on the payroll for the amount of business. If business picks up, we can always hire or Chibs and Opie can pitch in during busy times."

"How does Clay feel about this?"

Jax shrugged. "I don't give a shit. This was the right decision for Opie, Chibs and TM."

Gemma frowned. She didn't like this. She liked all the guys working together and she didn't like change. She prided herself on never changing.

"You're changing, Jackson," Gemma said disapproval in her voice.

"Prison will do that to a man," he said evenly. "The MC is also making some major changes. Clay and Tig are in the clubhouse right now plotting against me," Jax said smiling thinly. He wasn't worried about Clay and Tig because he could out think them.

"What changes?" Gemma asked, her heart sinking a little. She didn't like conflict between Jax and Clay especially when it concerned the MC. It put her in a tough position.

"We're out of guns. We voted to quit selling guns effective immediately. If we keep selling, we're going to end up in prison."

Clay kept Gemma informed enough so that she knew that the club got its money from selling guns. Without that extra income, her lifestyle could be taking a big hit. The new cars, the housekeeper that cleaned weekly and the gardeners could all be history. Of course they were hoping to retire one day. Clay couldn't stay SAMCRO president much longer because his hands were giving out and he couldn't ride. Clay was counting on gun money to fund their golden years.

"I'm sure it's just difficult right now with all the attention on you and everything, but you're smart. You can find ways to keep selling guns without getting caught. It's just an extreme solution to a temporary problem."

That was the moment when Jax realized that Gemma's first priority in life was herself. She didn't give a damn about them getting arrested and jailed as long as she could maintain her lifestyle. She wasn't the one doing the time to fund her lifestyle. And he sure as hell wasn't about to do time so she could have a little nicer life.

"Clay can deal all the guns he wants to. It's no longer anything to do with the MC. You could even help him and risk prison alongside him."

"This isn't about me," Gemma said quickly. She wasn't about to risk her freedom. A man takes care of business and selling guns was a man's work. "This is about the club. What about the Irish?"

"Fuck the Irish," Jax said. "SAMCRO's role in life isn't to please the Irish. Tacoma or one of the other charters can take over for us."

"And what is the club supposed to do for money?" Gemma asked.

"I'm going to get a lot of money from all the lawsuits TB is filing. I'm going to use it to set up the club in another legal business. I'm thinking of a weed farm or buying rental property. The point is I'm going to help the club stay whole until we start earning in other ways."

"This got voted in?" Gemma was in disbelief that a major change in the MC could happen just like that. JT had talked about getting the MC out of guns for months.

"Seven to three. Clay's having a fit because he loves to sell guns and he loves the gun green."

"That isn't it. That's the identity of the MC. That's who SAMCRO is. SAMCRO sells guns," Gemma said parroting Clay.

"Well, not anymore. It's time for a rebrand before the entire MC ends up behind bars. You don't want to see Clay or me behind bars?"

"Of course not," Gemma snapped. "I just think you could sell guns and just do it carefully so you don't get caught."

"You really believe that's possible? It wouldn't surprise me if the ATF has the MC under 24/7 surveillance."

"It's a hasty decision. SAMCRO has been selling guns almost from the day it began."

"Gemma, why does SAMCRO exist? What's it for?"

It occurred to him that Gemma didn't see the MC as a place for guys to get together, ride bikes and enjoy being brothers. She saw it for what Clay had twisted it into—a criminal organization designed to make money illegally.

"It's about brotherhood, of course," she said sourly.

"I don't think it's been about brotherhood since JT died. I'll do my best to keep the guys whole until we start earning from new revenue sources."

Gemma knew that Clay had too much pride to take a hand out from Jax. Maybe Clay could work out a deal with the Irish to keep selling guns on his own. He was going to have to do something to figure out a way to keep bringing in money. They had some savings, but she wasn't sure how reliable some new revenue stream that Jax was going to bring to the club would be.

"I'm sure the club can always go back into guns in a month or two when things calm down," Gemma said.

Jax gave up trying to convince Gemma that getting the Sons out of guns was a good move. She only cared about the money.

"I'm also only going to be at TM on Fridays once I'm able to get back to work. I'm going to work for TB. I got interested in law when I was in prison and I'd like to help others that are getting screwed over by the government. Ava suggested I study law and become an attorney. Turns out you don't have to go to law school or get a degree. I just have to pass the tests."

"You're quitting TM?" Gemma wasn't able to fully comprehend what Jax was telling her.

"No. I won't get paid by TM and I'll come in on Fridays. I'll still be a partner of course, so I'm not quitting TM."

Gemma frowned. There were too many changes happening all at once and she didn't like it. Jax had changed. She wasn't sure if prison had changed him or if being married to that spoiled bitch Ava was causing this, but she didn't like it one single bit.

"She's changing you," Gemma said deciding it was that little rich bitch's fault. "It's a ridiculous idea you being an attorney without law school and a degree. She's putting crazy ideas into your head all because she doesn't want to be married to a mechanic."

"No, Ava is encouraging me to do something I want to do," Jax said anger spilling into his voice. "The only fucking thing you have ever encouraged me to do was join the MC so one day I could be president. It was my destiny. You never gave a damn about how well I did in school because it wasn't part of your plan for my life. Well, Gemma, plan's changed."

"I can't believe TB believes you can actually become an attorney."

"He's going to train me. I can use my legal knowledge to help other MCs. For now, I'll be helping review cases of people who say they were wrongfully convicted."

She wouldn't see her baby boy everyday and she wouldn't know what he was doing. It had been bad enough while he was in prison, but this was much worse.

And he'd made the decision about convincing the MC to get out of guns without discussing this with her or talking to her about studying law. She was his mother these were decisions that were hers to help him make not some rich bitch slut he'd known a few months.

"From the time you were five years old, all you wanted was a Harley and a cut," she reminded him.

"Yeah. That's all I wanted at five. Now, I want to turn what happened to me into an opportunity to make changes in my life. TB has offered his help and I'm going to take it. Worse case, I've learned law I can use to help the MC. Best case, I become a real attorney."

Gemma shook her head in disapproval. He was her son and he damned well better discuss big life decisions with her. It was about damned time to remind her precious baby boy of that fact.

"Jackson, I am your mother. You used to discuss things with me. I understand your decision to marry Ava to get out of prison, so I was fine with that, but these other decisions are not OK with me. You should have talked to Clay before you blindsided him about guns and you sure as hell should have talked to me before you decided you were going to be an attorney."

"Sorry Gemma, but I'm an adult now. I didn't discuss my decision to bring it to the table to end gun sales because there is nothing Clay can say that is going to change my mind," Jax said looking at her brown eyes that were so unlike his own piercing blue eyes. "As far as you're concerned, you're just an old lady. You don't have a say in club business."

Gemma brought up her hand to slap Jax across the face so furious she forgot he was injured. He caught her wrist before she could make contact groaning from the strain it put on his ribs. She angrily pulled her wrist free.

"Listen you little bastard, I gave birth to you. I will always have a say in your life. The club is your life and I should have a say in the major decisions. As for this foolishness of you becoming an attorney, it's never going to work. You'll make a fool of yourself and fail."

Jax got to his feet. He'd had enough of his mother.

"Thank you for your love and encouragement," Jax said sarcastically. "I knew I couldn't count on you to support my decision. I'm done being under your thumb. I'm done asking you for advice or sharing plans with you. I'll be keeping my life private from you now that you've mocked me for wanting to try to better my life for me and for the club."

Jax got up and headed out the door ignoring Gemma's pleas to come back and talk. He slammed the door behind him cursing at the pain that shot through his body from the strain on his ribs.

Gemma had a sinking feeling in her heart that she'd lost her son.

Author's Note: Thank you Amanda. Your words meant a lot to me.