CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
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Jax and Tig come out of the ring after about 20 minutes, both of them are sweaty and a little bloody but Jax looks a lot lighter, and Tig's split lip keeps trying unsuccessfully to pull up in a smile. Jax keeps asking me if I'm okay, and I know after the morning I've had I shouldn't be but I am. While the things that happened to me will haunt me for the rest of my life the months of counselling I went through helped me truly accept that what went on was not my fault and that nothing I had done made me deserve it.
Apart from the daily trip to get lunch, which I'm banned from going on since this morning the day seems to drag on forever, by the time 2 pm comes around I'm bored out of my brain, I decide I better answer all the e-mails that have been building up, or being avoided, including one to both my therapist and the DA letting them know that I'm alive, and where in the country I am.
A reply quickly hits my in box from Charlotte letting me know that Craig has skipped the state and they have no idea where he is. It's on the tips of my fingers to tell her I know where he is, but that will make it infinitely more difficult for outlaw justice to be served, and I know I won't relax till he's completely out of my life, and unable to hurt anyone else.
The quick e-mail exchange lets me know that the case is still in progress and they are expecting the final decision on my firearms licence shortly.
3 pm comes with me staring at the walls again, and my hands itching to get cooking something, flicking through the files I have of recipes on my laptop I decide that I'll spend the following day in the clubhouse kitchen making bread, it's something that I can easily make take all day.
Jotting a note of the things I'll need to collect from the market I close my laptop down again and just leave it in the corner. I'm bound to want it the following day when I'm back on house arrest again.
Heading over to the office again I'm only in there for an hour or so before Gemma and Donna pack up for the day which I'm grateful for. As much as I am happy to be back in Charming I've only seen the inside of the clubhouse for the past few days and it's starting to drive me crazy.
When Gemma tells me that they're ready to go shortly after I just about want to dance, but refrain. I've been wearing track pants all day and they've started to rub painfully on my leg, all I want to do at this stage is take them off and have a shower.
Jax and Happy are ready to go within a few minutes of Gemma locking the office door arriving back at Jax's house I hand Gemma the list I made and ask her if she could please collect the stuff on it, trying to hand her some cash to pay for it she just looks at me so I pull my hand back, tucking the money back in my bag.
Waiting for Jax to open the door I'm half way to the bathroom, fresh towels in one hand while the other is tugging the drawstring loose while they are still standing in the doorframe.
"Hold up." Happy's voice behind me stops me in my position, hand poised on the bathroom door. Turning to face him I raise an eyebrow and wait, "that's gonna hurt like a bitch when you pull it off."
I nod, "I know, it hurts already, but it's gotta come off, even if I have to cut the fucken material. Wanna help?" I grin at him, hearing Jax's muttered curse from behind him Happy returns the smile, his holds a distinct evil twist, as he takes a couple of steps towards me nodding his head once.
Jax growls and shoves Happy into the wall as he stalks towards me, pulling his KA-bar as he gets close, a foot from me he drops to his knee and slides the tip of the knife blade through the material gathered around my ankle then stands again, shoving the knife back into it's sheath that's attached to his belt.
Leaning close to me his face inches from mine he snarls, "There, you can do it yourself."
I take a startled step backwards but with nowhere to go I just end up sandwiched between the door and him, nodding slowly my hand is scrabbling over the door surface trying desperately to find the door handle. My fingers have just grazed it when Happy's hand lands on Jax's shoulder, yanking him backwards Happy manhandles Jax down the hall, his own voice incredibly rough when he starts talking, "Jax you're scaring the shit out of her."
Jax jerks his head in my direction but I've already started to turn, pushing the door open as I go, his rapid movement in my peripheral vision. "Sarah?"
Jax's voice carries a tone of concern that I do appreciate but can't find it in myself to want to acknowledge, Happy was right the second Jax's knife left the sheath I was ready to bolt for any door I could find, if not for the fact I was pinned against the door I would probably be half way to Gemma's by now.
Shaking my head I push the door closed behind me and flick the lock before sitting down on the floor, my back hitting the wood with a thump I don't hear anything from the other side of the door so after a few minutes collecting my thoughts, and regaining my composure I stand up and turn on the shower.
Grabbing the cut edges of the cuff I rip the material apart, pausing in places, the material has stuck to whatever reminisce of cream was on my thigh and the little spots that are still oozing slightly have pulled the material tight to my skin, getting the material away from my leg from thigh to knee I have to stop and sit on the closed lid of the toilet for a few seconds, before removing them completely. Stripping off the rest of my clothes I step under the warm water gratefully.
By the time I'm done washing my hair, and my leg the water is starting to cool so I hurriedly wash the rest of my self and get out. Wrapping a towel round my hair and a giant fluffy towel around my body I move to the door to go get dressed.
The door handle seems a little tight and the moment the latch is free from the indentation of the frame the door flies open, I barely have time to step backwards as the force behind it moves it so fast. The reason behind the pressure becomes clear when Jax falls through the door way, ending up on his back on the floor looking up at me.
His expression is remorseful, until he realises that the angle he's on has put him with a clear view up the towel and his signature grin appears on his face. Even looking at him upside down I can tell the second his mouth opens that something crude is going to come out of it, so I decide to beat him to it.
Looking down at him I force the unwarranted fear I felt to the back of my brain and smile at him, "Enjoying the view?"
Jax's grin turns into a leer as he completely foregoes moving his eyesight and just nods, "It could be a bit less covered, that'd be good."
A small giggle escapes me as I step around him, "You know Jax, I always knew you'd look good at my feet, this just confirms it."
Crossing the hall while he's still lying on the floor I'm in his bedroom with the door closed before he can even sit up. It doesn't take me long to dress, picking the cupcake shorts and red singlet that have just been washed, I'm just picking up my hairbrush when there's a knock at the door, calling out that it's open I watch Jax step into the room and sit on the edge of his bed.
"I didn't mean to scare ya darlin', hope you know that." He says, he sounds like he's been scolded.
"I know that Jax, it was just a bit too much after this morning." I reply, pulling the brush through my hair before braiding it. Picking up the cream I cover my leg before walking over to him. Tugging on his hair I force him to look up at me. "It'll be okay, just give me a minute?"
He nods and wanders out of the room again, heading towards the living room and a while later I hear the TV switch on and some random background noise floats down the hall.
Wandering round the house for a while I fill some time in by checking on Happy, putting clothes in the washer and some in the dryer and folding a pile that Gemma had brought in for me that I'd ignored. Spending some time in the kitchen reminds me that the new oven is due for delivery tomorrow and I'm still waiting the confirmation of time.
Finding my bag in the living room I rummage around in it before pulling out my cell phone and checking the messages. The only voice mail is one to let me know the delivery will be there at 10am. I pull the phone away from my ear and delete the message before looking at Jax, who had been watching me since I stepped into the room.
"Your new oven will arrive at 10. And can I borrow half your garage?" I ask having forgotten to make sure it was okay.
"Sure, why?" Curiousness is evident in Jax's voice, but not much.
"My kitchen appliances are being brought in at the same time. They'll take your old ones away too, and attempt to salvage what they can." I can't help laughing with the thought of them salvaging anything from Jax's 40 year old oven and equally as old fridge.
Jax picks up his phone and makes a quick call to Clay to let him know that all 3 of us will be in late the following day. I feel like sighing, I hate being babysat and now I'm costing the guys work time, and the garage two of their mechanics for at least 2 hours.
Jax finishes his call and hangs up the phone, turning to me he must be able to read the guilt in my face cause he says brightly, "Sleep in tomorrow. There's nothing at the garage anyway."
I attempt a smile but I know it looks fake. Jax stands up and pulls me down the hall, "Bed time for you, you look like you could fall asleep standing up."
I poke my tongue out at him, but don't argue and a few minutes after Jax helps me into the bed I'm on the verge of sleep, having heard him return to the living room and lower the volume on the TV, the random thought that I didn't feed either of them crosses my mind, but the rumble of a bike pulling up reassures me that one of the prospects has been sent for food, with that relief I allow myself to go to sleep.