Thanks to Robin.D and Angel 897 for the reviews. Enjoy.
The rest of the afternoon is spent passing notes and while Chibs doesn't manage to get anything from River that the club would find useful he does learn that she's 32, likes the color purple, prefers shooting whiskey but sipping cold vodka, loves Italian food, enjoys classic literature but reads trashy fiction for fun, and loves to listen to very loud music. The last fact had confused him until she'd scribbled a note explaining that the bass comes through even without hearing.
He'd shared his own set of facts with her and although they'd both carefully avoided discussing family (possible weak spots), the past (too touchy), and the current prisoner/guard situation (obvious) he still feels like he's managed to get to know the girl. He's not sure why he's trying except that the last few days have been dead boring and she's a unique kind of puzzle.
Then the last question she asked before heading off to get ready to leave had left him a little thrown. He really hadn't known how to explain to her why he was so tense. The reasons were too numerous and complicated to get into and most of them would touch on one of the topics that were off-limits. Clearly she was trying to figure him out too.
Now, sitting on the couch waiting for her to come back he considers all the reasons for the knot between his shoulders. There was the ever-present concern for Kerrianne far away in Belfast. There was the clear conflict brewing between Jax and Clay, not to mention the divide slowly emerging between the men of the club as they subconsciously take sides over the Cartel deal.
Then there was River herself. Her situation didn't sit right with him for a number of reasons not the least of which was that the more he got to know her the more she seemed out of place in the narrative spun by Clay and the Galindo Cartel. Nothing about that girl reads Cartel shot caller. The chopped hair alone should indicate that if anything she's a woman scorned by the Mexicans not a valuable player. Then there's the fingernails which by his count are ahead of schedule, healing faster than they should, given Luis was supposed to have pulled them out the same night she arrived at the clubhouse. Finally, the weight. The girl has clearly been starved for more than a few days. He can't get it all to add up and when he piles his slowly growing affection for her on top of it all he feels ready to topple over with the weight.
He turns at the sound of booted feet and finds her standing in the door to the master bedroom watching him carefully, arms crossed over her chest. She's wearing jeans, a long sleeved black henley shirt, and a leather jacket Chibs recognizes as one Gemma used to wear. She doesn't have any makeup so he's not surprised at her clean face but it looks like she's tried to get the short hair to behave and a few shaggy locks frame her face. The bruise on her cheek is fading fast but even with it her eyes stand out against her pale skin almost too big set in sable lashes. She makes a noise of impatience and he realizes he's staring. Rising from the couch he figures he should take the time now while the light is good to lay a few ground rules.
"So when we get there I'll have to leave yeh for church. After that I'll be around though." She nods and makes the sign for eat again, eyebrows raised. "Aye, then we'll eat and the boys will hang out."
She presses her folded hands together at the fingertips in the motion she'd taught him meant more and he nods.
"There'll be a poker game, pool, drinks a'course…" He trails off trying to figure out how to explain croweaters. "There will be women about." She raises and eyebrow and he shrugs before continue, "Just ignore them and if anyone bothers yeh tell a brother. Yeh'll stick with me or Bobby most I imagine. Gemma will be there." He uses the sign she'd given him for Gemma as he speaks, a hand with index finger extended held parallel to the ground slid down his chest from sternum to breast. He'd chosen to pretend this one was a reference to MC mother's excellent rack rather than her surgery scar. River clearly has a trend when it comes to name signs.
"All that good then lass?" She nods and moves towards the garage. He follows, hoping he's not making a mistake bringing her along.
Tig lets the sound of his brothers arriving for church bubble around him and thinks deeply. Thinking deeply wasn't really something he did often. It isn't that he is incapable of deep thought it is just that he didn't often find the need. Most of his life centered around things that could be completed instinctively, fucking for example was best with very little thought. Killing only required enough thought to not get caught. Riding required no thought, never had.
Things were changing though and it was leaving Tig in an odd space where a lot of thinking was becoming necessary. He wanted to say that it had all started with Donna but if he was honest it had been coming on for awhile before that and he's still trying to catch up. Being on the inside had felt like a short respite. Sure, he had missed several of his favorite pastimes while in lock up but being in jail didn't require much thought. It was a lot like the military and Tig had been great at being in the military.
He watches as Chibs comes through the clubhouse door, the deaf girl from the other night trailing behind him. Tig has never fucked a deaf girl and he spares a thought for how it might be different but then he pushes back to the real problem with the girl. She feels like physical proof of Clay's recent distance. He loves Clay, not in a gay way, but as a comrade in arms, like a brother. He's risked his life to save Clay on multiple occasions in the past and he takes his role as Sergeant at Arms very seriously. As far as Tig is concerned Clay's life is his responsibility and he doesn't like when it's threatened. It feels threatened now and the problem is Tig can't figure out where the threat is coming from or what is going to happen next.
Clay had gone quiet in Stockton carefully keeping everyone at arm's length while he made deals and negotiated. At the time it had made sense, they were all under constant threat and Jax was in the infirmary but now they're out and things should be getting back to normal. Except that it still feels like he's standing on one side of a wall with Clay on the other and he can't seem to get to the other side.
He watches Chibs settle the girl at the bar with a glass of water and Tig doesn't miss the way his Scottish brother's hand hovers near her lower back as he speaks carefully into her face. He wonders if Chibs is hitting that pussy. The Scot always did have a way with women but tapping Cartel property would be a bold move. Plus, the foreign bastard was technically still married. That dog. If he is getting some Tig hopes it's good.
"You okay Tiggy?" Clay slaps a hand on his back as he speaks and Tig turns to his president with a smile.
"Yea man, you?" He's hoping Clay will spill some detail to give him a read on where they're at but instead the president just smiles and nods.
"Looking forward to the after party. It's been a long week. Call in the boys." Clay turns into the chapel as he speaks and Tig whistles for the guys taking up his post by the door to collect their phones.
It had been a long week, between the surprise favor for the Cartel, the Sheriff's visit to the clubhouse, and the incident up on the reservation things were busy. The last few days had been calm and the latest run north had gone off without a hitch but it feels like the calm before the storm and everyone is on edge. Clay is right, a good party would do them good. Tig is looking forward to a few good hands of poker and a stiff drink.
Church kicks off with the usual announcements. Bobby reads through the financials which are robust to say the least these days. Weekly pay is addressed although for the first time in Tig's memory the cash isn't handed out afterward being deemed too much to carry home in one go. The Cartel did pay well. Plans for the upcoming week were reviewed quickly and then Clay got to the business with the deaf chick.
"Chibs, any news on our esteemed guest?" Clay's tone is sarcastic but he smiles.
"Not really. Know her name is River but mostly she's quiet. Literally." Chibs answers easily but Tig feels like there's more going on there.
"Nothing about this adds up." Jax jumps in and Tig isn't surprised. The young VP had spent the week making his discomfort with the entire protection situation very clear. "When was the last time we've heard of the Cartel keeping someone alive for information like this?" That part makes sense to Tig. The Cartel are generally very good information gatherers. "Does Romeo have anything new to say about it?" The last of Jax's questions is directed at Clay and the president shakes his head.
"He's had to go back to Mexico for business. Only been able to get a hold of Luis for the last few days." Clay's relaxed as he speaks and there's no concern there.
"There's her hair." Chibs speaks up. "Lass won't talk about it but Gemma pointed out it looks chopped with a blade. Cartel uses hair cutting to shame women, least they used'ta"
"So we're protecting a shamed Mexican from one Cartel for another?" Piney comes out of his tequilla long enough to lay out the blunt details.
"Sounds like bad news." Opie states the fact and Tig isn't surprised the giant man is aligned with his dad and best friend.
"I've actually been doing some research and I don't think she's Mexican. From what Bobby says she's using ASL not LSM." Juice makes his wild assertion like they're all supposed to nod along.
"What the fuck are you talking about." Clay puts weight behind every word and a few laughs rise from the table. Juice takes a deep breath and tries again.
"I looked it up and there's like 40 different sign language varieties based on the country of origin. She was using American Sign Language, ASL, the other night. If she was Mexican she would be using Mexican Sign Language, LSM. Means she was taught in a place that speaks English." The mowhawked man takes a deep breath and then adds, "she looks really familiar too. I can't place her but I feel like I've seen her before."
"Yea in a wet dream." Kozik's voice is teasing and Tig smiles while everyone else laughs along. He still doesn't feel right with the loud blond patching in while most of the club was in Stockton.
"So, a non-Mexican woman valuable to the Cartel. That's a mess we may not want a part of." Bobby's voice is even but Tig can hear the soft logic directed at Clay. The president for his part seems unconcerned.
"We've got $500k that says it's a worthwhile mess for now." Clay's tone is final and Tig doesn't miss the aggravated huff and lean from Jax. Clay ignores his VP before continuing, "Chibs, she seems to like you. Keep an eye on her, report back anything new?" The Scot nods and for a moment Tig hates that this job has put someone else closer to getting over the wall than him. "Last order of business, Tig I need you to run point on protection for another bullet run to the reservation." There it is, his job. He feels his shoulders relax. He knows how to follow an order.
"Got it." He waves his hand like it's nothing and Clay nods along.
The gavel slams down and church is over. Tig hands back burner phones to the brothers as they file out. The meeting has given him more to think about but he can see a blond croweater just waiting to scream his name and a poker table waiting to make him some extra cash. So, he pushes the thoughts away and goes with what feels right.
All reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated. Seriously, reviews brighten my day and help me become a better writer.
A/N: There are multiple types of sign language and signers from America would not naturally understand signers from Mexico.