CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN
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I'm incredibly grateful for the forethought I had of stashing a few of the meals I made for Wayne in Jax's freezer, even though I was going to do some cooking and freezing I haven't gotten around to it yet. Throwing a package of each meal into the microwave I leave them on the bench when they're all hot and let the guys know to come and collect something to eat.
I end up with the chilli, I'm pretty sure Jax avoided it knowing how hot I used to make it, but this one isn't anywhere near the spice level I'm used to, having made it for someone else I didn't use much of the hot spices.
Once we're done with dinner I put the containers in the sink to soak, hoping that soaking them will remove the orangey stains that have already started to form on the thick plastic.
While I'm running the hot water Jax's phone rings, which startles me because it's not his cell, but the phone in his house.
Jax answers the phone where it hangs just inside the front door and has a short conversation, the whole time his eyes are darting over the room. When he hangs up the phone his shoulders droop and he almost collapses onto the chair behind him.
"What's up?" I ask from where I'm standing in the doorway, the curiosity of his phone ringing bringing me into the living room.
"That was the hospital; Abel's having a rough night." He says looking over his shoulder at me.
"Well then go. Hap's here."
Jax nods and pulls out his phone to make a call. As he hangs up he looks over at Happy. "Aaron's on his way to have an extra body here."
I sigh and shake my head "I don't need 2 babysitters. All I have planned is to have a shower and go to bed."
"Don't care Sarah. He was at the clubhouse so he'll be here in 5." Jax states, walking down the hall to his room and coming out a few minutes later in clean clothes, just as the sound of another bike pulling into the driveway is heard.
I shove Jax's keys at him, Happy helps by opening the door and manhandling Jax to his bike, as he settles himself on the seat I see him have a quick conversation with Happy before he takes off at a great speed, waving to Aaron as he goes.
Aaron gets off his bike and comes towards the front door, watching the street intently. As he passes Happy I hear a couple of sentences being muttered and he heads towards the back yard, going through the gate.
Happy hops on his bike and pulls it into the garage before closing the door and coming back in through the front.
I don't seen Aaron again for a while and I'm just setting the dishes in the dishwasher as the back door opens and he sticks his head in.
"All good out here." He calls; the acknowledgement from Happy is enough to make him move to go back outside again.
"You want coffee?" I ask, pulling down a couple of coffee cups, my hand hovering over a third.
"Sure thing." I put the cup by the other 2 and set the coffee machine running; while I wait I add the sugar and milk to the guy's cups and a healthy dose of liqueur to mine.
The second the ancient machine clicks that it's finished I pull the pot out and pour the strong black liquid into the waiting cups, handing Aaron his he disappears outside with it. Picking up the other 2 I put Happy's on the table in front of him and take mine down the hall.
Locking the door to the bathroom after I enter I set my own cup on the bench and look sadly at the state of Jax's bathroom, the lack of bathtub is really depressing as I'd love to be able to sink into a bath and soak away the stress from the last few weeks, opting for a shower instead I turn the water on and wait for the hot water to flow through.
As the room starts to fill with steam I step under the spray and attempt to wash away the strain I've been carrying as I rinse the assorted dusts off my skin.
By the time I'm out of the shower I feel a lot more relaxed, drinking some of my slightly cooled coffee I stay in the bathroom while I dry and plait my hair. Crossing the hallway into Jax's room I throw on Jax's huge dark blue SAMCRO shirt, drain my cup and head back to the kitchen for a refill.
Passing Happy on the couch I can't help by giggle, he's fallen asleep with the TV on and whatever program he was watching is finished, Keeping up with the Kardashians is now filling the living room with far too much noise of annoyingly loud women screeching about goodness only knows what.
Collecting his cup I step into the kitchen and promptly drop them as my eyes take in Craig sitting casually at the kitchen table, a beer in his hand and knife at Aaron's throat.
The crashing sound of the cups hitting the floor and shattering must startle Happy away because his sleepy voice calls out asking if I'm okay.
"I'm fine, just dropped the cups, my hand must have still been a bit wet." I call watching the tip of the knife dig a little further into the skin of Aaron's neck and the wince he tries to hide.
"K." Happy calls back and a second later all I hear is the TV changing to something full of the sounds of engines revving and tires screaming.
Craig gestures his head towards the back door. Aaron is forced to his feet and I follow, my brain shutting down and making my feet work on auto-pilot, even though the prospect and I don't get along I don't think anything should happen to him because of me.
Closing the door quietly behind me Craig thumps Aaron hard on the back of the neck and he falls to the ground in a lump.
Craig shoves me towards the chairs at the bottom of the garden where it's almost completely black, when we get there the pressure of his hand on my head forces me to sit down.
He pulls the chair opposite me and sits down, smiling brightly like we're friends. "How have you been?"
"What do you want?" I snap at him, now that it's just him and I together I don't have to worry about anyone else's safety. The numbness of my brain is completely blocking out the fingers of fear that are creeping through my body.
"Well, that's not very nice." Craig snaps at me. "What I want is for you to come home." He says, trying to keep his temper, but the clenched fists and scowl give away how much he's failing.
"I am home." I lean back in the chair, tugging the bottom of Jax's shirt over my knee, that movement of the material seems to draw Craig's attention to the clothing I'm wearing and his face screws up.
"Going to turn into a biker slut, or should that be back into a biker slut?"
I shake my head, "You know that was never the case. I left Charming because of Jax; you got that whole story out of me, but don't try and fool yourself into thinking you had nothing to do with me leaving New York."
"You ran away as soon as things got difficult, as soon as things became a bit tough for you to handle. Like you did here, as soon as things weren't going the way you wanted them to you were out of the picture." Craig jumps back to his feet pacing and waving the knife in his hand as he speaks. "You weren't happy for an easy relationship where I took care of you, where you didn't have to think about anything other than what was for dinner."
I snort and he spins and looks at me. "What?" he snaps, "What was that about?"
"You never made things easy. You never wanted to take care of me; you wanted to take care of my bank balance. And only having to worry about what was for dinner! Like that would have happened. You were a controlling, abusing, manipulative bastard while we were together. I'm better here with no job, no house but my friends around then I was when I was in New York with a job, an apartment, friends and you, the noose around my neck."
Craig stomps over to me and grabs hold of my arm pulling me up violently. "Move! The car is on the street, we're leaving NOW."
I try to rip my arm out of his grip but the second his fingers start slipping over my skin he shoves me forwards and wraps his arm round my neck, holding the knife blade a few inches from my throat he shoves me forwards, my bare feet sliding in the damp grass.
My foot lands in a hole in the grass and my leg goes out from underneath me, I land on my knee heavily but before I can scramble back to my feet Craig is right over me again, the knife inches from my face.
"Don't do that again or you'll find out right now what's going to happen to you." He snaps, the tip of the knife drifting closer to my eyeball till I'm almost cross-eyed and leaning back on my hands just to avoid the edge of the blade.
He reaches down and grabs a handful of my still wet hair, yanking me to my feet with it I struggle to keep up with him, we're almost at the gate to the road when it slams open and a figure fills it causing him to stagger backwards dragging me with him.
It's not till I'm on my ass again in the wet grass that I recognise the voice that's speaking quietly, the furiousness of the speaker is not hidden in the tone of voice.
"Did you really think you could come into MY house and take away someone my whole family cares about? Did you think that I would fall for that bogus call? You really are an idiot." Jax steps a little closer and Craig yanks me closer to him, he's barely standing but my position on the grass means I'm pulled backwards by my hair.
A muted gasp of pain comes from behind me and the hand in my hair relaxes instantly. Jax strides forwards as I scramble away from Craig, he wraps his arms round me the second I'm standing and when I go to turn around he shakes his head, resting his hand on the back of my neck and forcing me to look up at him.
"I don't think you wanna look back Darlin'. Someone's not very happy." Jax half smiles, the sound of Happy's growling vocal tones make me shake my head at his attempt at humour.
"Jax, I need to know he's not coming back again." I say, looking into his eyes. "I know it won't be nice but I need to know."
Jax searches my eyes for a while before nodding and looking up and over my shoulder. He must have some sort of visual conversation with Happy because after minutes of silence he eventually nods and lets me turn around.
It's obvious the second my gaze meets Craig's that he's furious and in agony. Happy is standing barely a foot behind him but Craig is on his knees, his arms have been laced through his belt and his hands tied to his feet which are forcing his body to almost form a circle. From my position in Jax's embrace I can see the gag that's been put over his mouth moving furiously as he tries to speak.
Wiggling out of Jax's arms I step a little closer, but I pause barely out of Jax's reach and look back at him. "He's tied up really well aye?"
Jax nods and I hear a metallic sound, turning back to Craig I see that Happy has pulled his gun from his holster and is quickly screwing a silencer to it.
Getting within earshot of Happy's low voice I finally hear what he's saying, "No matter what ya do it's gonna be slow, but if you try and get near her it'll be slower, and more painful, then you can imagine."
The closer I get to the pair on the grass the more my heartbeat speeds up till I'm almost sure it must be audible the next town over.
Standing beside where Happy is I rest a hand on his shoulder and squeeze gently before turning to Craig and speaking softly. "I want you to know that this is going to be the last time I waste any time on you, I'm going to move on and you're going to a shallow grave. You should have let me go, it certainly would be less painful then your very near future is going to be."
Leaning down I kiss Happy's cheek before resting my cheek on the top of his head. "I just have one request Hap?"
He nods, the single movement of his head making my head roll forwards and a little giggle emerge from me, probably more due to the emotional rollercoaster I've just been through in a very short amount of time.
"I want you to make sure he feels as much pain as I did, I want him to know what I went through every second of the months I was held captive, I want you to make sure he dies with my face in his brain and remembering that he brought this on himself." I know it would happen anyway, but I want Craig to know that the treatment he's about to get is with my full approval.
"I can do that." Hap says getting to his feet as we all hear the sound of a couple of vehicles pulling in the driveway.
Jax moves to the gate and peers over it before turning to us and nodding, "Time to move."
The gate opens and Opie walks through, passing me he wraps one massive arm round me and murmurs in my hair, "Don's outside in the car waiting for you."
I nod and head out the gate, but halfway through the opening Jax grabs my hand and turns me towards the house. "Darlin' ya may want to put on some pants before you give the guys a thrill."
Looking down at myself I realise that the dark blue shirt I'm wearing is soaked through from the chair I was in and the grass. Nodding I turn around and go to the back door instead, in the darkness beside the door I spot Aaron's slumped form and turn around just in time to see Jax pull his foot back and kick Craig so hard in the side that his entire body tries to fold to protect itself, but the way he's been bound makes it impossible. Chibs is just coming through the gate so I call out to him instead.
"Chibs, Aaron's over here unconscious."
Happy's eyes flick to me and then to Jax so I step around the prospect and go back inside, locking the door behind me I walk through to Jax's room and put on a pair of his old track pants and another of his shirts before using the front door to go to the waiting car.