Three Months Later
The past three months had been good for Harlie. Things had finally started going the way she wanted them. Everything between her and Kozik was going great; the house was beginning to get fixed. Much to Kozik's dismay, the white concrete plaster walls had been painted to a cream color which Aimee helped her pick out. The house still wasn't finished yet. Kozik wasn't very keen on giving up his furniture, so Harlie just left it alone for the time being.
It was Monday morning and Harlie felt like a zombie. She'd stayed up late last night working on a paper for English and had to wake up early this morning to help Aimee with some work in the office. As she pulled into her parking spot at school, her phone began to go off in her purse. She pulled her purse into her lap, flipping her phone open. "Hello?"
"Well, it's been a long time.." Harlie recognized the voice immediately, Jimmy O'Phelan. She felt her stomach drop. "How ya been, lovey?"
"What do you want?" Harlie asked harshly.
"Now, now.. Who said I wanted anything?" He chuckled in her ear. "How's Tacoma treatin' a girl like yerself?"
"How the hell do you know where I am?" She snapped.
"Yer not too hard to find, girlie." There was a prominent smirk in his voice.
"Goddamnit, tell me what you want.." Harlie snapped.
"Not too harsh now, love." He replied. "We remember what happened last time, don't we?"
"Fuck you." Harlie spat, starting her car again. She slowly started to back out when a black SUV blocked her way. She stopped, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Her heart beat began to accelerate when she saw Jimmy O emerge from the vehicle. She put her car in park, her hands starting to shake, but they stayed glued to the steering wheel.
She jumped when she heard him knock on her window. She rolled it down slowly, not meeting his gaze.
"Ah, there she is." Jimmy smirked. "Ya not gonna get out and talk with me? Seems a little rude to me." Out of the corner of her eye she saw him reach into his coat and pull out a glock. "Maybe this'll change yer mind."
Harlie got out of the car cautiously, wondering why the fuck no one noticed what was going on. "Well, hello." She gave him a tight smirk.
Jimmy closed her door behind her. "Don't worry, girl. I just wanna talk business."
"With me?" She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a Son, remember?"
"I'd watch that pretty little mouth o' yers." He nudged the gun against her ribs.
Harlie held her arms up in defeat. "Why are you even in Tacoma?"
"Meetin' with a few friends. Though I'd make a stop in to see ya and let ya know I'm gonna be stayin' here a while. I got my eye on ya." Jimmy placed the gun back in his coat, patting his side.
Harlie narrowed her eyes, watching him closely. She watched him get in the back of the SUV. The driver pulled off a shirt moment later, but stopped up near the main in the building. She took a few steps forward when she saw her principal step out of the building and walk down to Jimmy. She gasped when Jimmy placed a stack of bills in his hands. They shook hands. Jimmy got back into the SUV and it pulled out of the parking lot. Her principal looked around for anyone who might be watching and walked back inside the building.
She rushed back to her car, grabbing her phone out of her seat. She flipped it open, instantly calling Kozik.
"Hello?" He answered after a few rings, yawning.
"Uh, we gotta problem." Harlie said, looking out her rearview mirror before she started to back out.
"What is it? Are you alright?" He asked. The flick of a cigarette lighter could be heard in the background.
"I'll tell you when I get home.." She flipped her phone closed, dropping into her passenger seat. Her heart was still racing as she tore out of the parking lot, keeping her eyes open for the black SUV.
Harlie pulled up at home about fifteen minutes later, trying to process all that had happened that morning. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. It was like she could never catch a break. Being the daughter of Clay Morrow had its downside and this was definitely it. She grabbed her stuff out of the passenger seat, walking inside.
"Morning." Kozik said from the couch. He was still dressed in his black and grey flannel pajama pants, a cup of coffee in his hand.
"Hey." Harlie said, tossing her stuff down in the corner. "So, uh.. What's going on with the Irish?" She asked bluntly.
Kozik shrugged. "Dunno. Last time we checked, Jimmy was up in Oregon. Why you askin'?"
"He's not in Oregon anymore." She laughed bitterly, grabbing a coke from the fridge.
"What?" Kozik blinked, sitting up.
"He's here in Tacoma." She said, opening up the can.
"How the hell do you know that?" Kozik asked, placing his cigarette in the ashtray.
Harlie started to explain what happened to Kozik, even the part about her principal, staring down at her feet. To be honest, she wasn't surprised that Jimmy found her. It was just a matter of time.
"Goddamnit.." Kozik took a sip of his coffee. "So, we got Jimmy paying off your principal? Didn't anyone see him?" He remembered hearing that Jimmy had taken refuge down in northern California with the Russians because the IRA found out he'd been taking half their profit for himself. They hadn't seen any of the gun money the Sons had been paying them. He should know better than to come into SoA territory.
"Besides me, I dunno." Harlie shrugged. "I'm afraid, Koz.." She frowned. "After what happened last time."
"He won't touch you, I promise. I gotta go get ready for work. You're coming with me today; I don't want you by yourself." Kozik rose up off the couch, walking down the hall to his bedroom.
Harlie sat down on the couch, propping her feet up on the table. It was starting to feel like every time she overcame something, it always came back with ten times the force than it did before. Silently, she wondered if she should call Clay. She didn't know what to do or how she was going to go anywhere while she had one of the leaders of the IRA tailing her. She looked up when she heard the sound of Kozik's boots coming through the kitchen.
"You ready?" Kozik asked, grabbing his sunglasses off the bar.
Harlie nodded, grabbing her keys. "I'll follow behind you."
"Alright.." Kozik kissed her lips quickly, pulling his cut over his shoulders.
She couldn't figure out what it was about Kozik that made her feel at ease. Whatever it was they had was still growing, slow and steady. They took it a day at a time.
"Be careful, aight?" Kozik said, following her out the front door.
"You got it." She gave him a two finger salute before climbing into the black Camaro. She watched him pull out of the driveway, following close behind him.
When they pulled up at the garage, it was still just opening and was fairly empty. Harlie climbed out of the car, her lips pressed into a straight line. She felt like she had to be looking over her shoulder every ten minutes for something to happen. She walked over to Kozik. "Should I call my dad?"
"Probably a good idea but let me talk with Glenn first. This is some bad shit." Kozik sighed, sliding his arm around her waist. "Go help Aimee, alright?"
Harlie nodded, heading in the direction of the office.
Kozik walked into the garage, seeing Glenn working under an old grey Toyota Camry. "Yo, we got problems." He leaned back against the table.
"What? Your girlfriend getting her diploma and you getting an orange jumpsuit?" Glenn asked, sliding out from under the car.
"Jimmy O'Phelan." Kozik said, handing Glenn a greasy rag.
"Come again?" Glenn frowned.
"You heard me." Kozik sighed, crossing his arms. "He's trying to get back at SAMCRO for informing the IRA about his little scam."
"Shit. Just what we need." Glenn sighed.
"Worse, he's after Harlie. It's not the first time it's happened either. He came after her in Charming too." Kozik glanced over towards the office, seeing Harlie standing in the doorway with Aimee. They were laughing about something. From across the lot, he caught her gaze and smirked.
"How'd he find out where she was?" Glenn asked.
"Paying off the principal of the high school." Kozik sighed. "Jimmy cornered Harlie in the parking lot at school this morning. Told her he had his eye on her."
"We gotta take care of this. I'll make a call to Clay, see if he'll head up for a few days so we can figure it out." Glenn sighed. "I want everyone in the chapel tonight at six."
Kozik nodded. "For the next few days, I don't want Harlie going anywhere alone. Think we can spare a few guys in the mornings?"
Glenn nodded. "I'll talk to Darren and J-Bird. Quinn and a few of the Nomads are gonna coming through within the next few days. So we'll have Donut and Hap too."
Kozik nodded, looking down at his worn boots.
"When Clay comes up, you might wanna watch grabbing her ass and all that shit. I don't need any more fights, got it?" Glenn said firmly, walking over to the toolbox.
Kozik nodded again silently, walking back to his locker. He slid of his cut and jerked on his work shirt. He felt better knowing Harlie was only across the parking lot, meaning no one had to die today.
Church that night was pretty short. It was clear that something had to be done about Jimmy, but Glenn decided it would be better if they waited for Clay since Harlie was involved. He told the guys from SAMCRO to make their ride up as low key as possible because Jimmy would be expecting them.
Glenn walked out of the chapel, looking around the clubhouse for Harlie. "Hey, Princess.. Come over for a second." He shouted, motioning for her to come over there.
"What is it?" Harlie asked, walking over to him. She placed a beer in his hand, leaning back against the table.
"Koz said something about your principal being paid by Jimmy?" Glenn popped the top off the beer, taking a long sip.
"Yeah.. I dunno how much. But, it had to be more than a grand." Harlie said, looking around the clubhouse for Kozik.
"All I need is his name." Glenn said, motioning for Darren to come over to them.
"Whatcha need?" He asked, taking a sip of the drink in his hand.
"His name is Grigory Vans, I'm pretty sure." Harlie glanced between the two of them.
"I need as much information as you can get on this guy." Glenn said to Darren. "As soon as you can."
"You got it." Darren grinned. "How you doin', kid?"
"Pretty good." She laughed, smiling.
"Good, good.." Darren squeezed her shoulder gently before heading into the backroom of the clubhouse.
"Your dad's heading up with some of the guys in in the morning. He should be here by six or seven tomorrow night. You and Koz mind to put a few guys up with you?" Glenn asked.
"No problem." Harlie said, waving her hand in dismissal.
"And in the morning it's gonna be Koz, Darren, and J-Bird." Glenn took another long sip of his beer.
"Won't that look suspicious?" Harlie asked. "What about just Koz?"
Glenn held his hands up. "You gotta talk to him about that, doll."
Harlie blinked at the nickname. Only one person usually called her that. She shook her head. "Yeah, I will.."
"Just be careful." Glenn kissed his cheek gently. "And if you need us.. We're just a phone call away. Oh and Aimee really appreciates you helping her out today."
"No problem." She smiled, seeing Kozik walk in. "Tell her to call me anytime she needs me, alright?"
"Alright." Glenn chuckled deeply. "See you tomorrow, sweetheart."
"See ya." Harlie waved at him before walking over to Kozik.
"Well, hello." Kozik grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Hi." She blushed lightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Ready to go home?"
Kozik nodded, kissing her forehead. "What about dinner?"
"I've stepped up. We have some microwave dinner in the freezer." She smirked.
"Oh, wow. Hungry Man. What a great Old Lady you are." Kozik rolled his eyes playfully.
"Oh, fuck you." Harlie shoved his chest, laughing.
"Is that a threat or a promise?" Kozik gave her a smug smirk.
"You're a douche, you know that?" She asked, hands on her hips.
"I've been told a few times." He pulled her to him, kissing the side of her neck. "I'll follow you out, alright?"
Harlie realized there was no use arguing with him about the escort issue. "Okay." She smiled lightly. She took his hand, walking out to his bike.
"Keep an eye out." Kozik said firmly before straddling the Harley.
Harlie nodded, handing him his helmet. "Be careful."
"I'll be fine. See you in a bit." He said as she made her way over to her car.
Harlie dug her key out of her jacket pocket, sliding inside. She flipped open her phone, noticing a missed call and a new voicemail. The call had come from Restricted. She instantly knew who'd called her. She shook her head, throwing her phone into her purse.
She backed out of the parking spot, taking comfort in seeing Kozik pulling up behind her. She took a deep breath before pulling out of the parking lot. She knew in her head this was just the beginning of worse things to come.