I smirked at Recker's text message as I read it and responded, never stopping my sit-ups. I wished I could see her face as she read my message. "I'd fuck you in the driveway if that's what you wanted."
It was obvious that if things kept on with Recker, I'd end up breaking my rule about not having an old lady. There was something about the way Recker relaxed me and made me happy that would be worth it. I looked over at the clock and realized it was getting close to rec and chow. I couldn't risk taking the phone with me, so I went ahead and dialed Recker's number, nodding for Tig to watch the door.
"Hey, Hap!" Her voice was light and happy as the music lowered in the background. I smirked and sat down on my bunk, holding the phone on the right side so it wasn't facing the door.
"Katerina. I'm not taking this out to chow or rec." I said as I leaned my head against the concrete wall.
"Probably a good idea. I'm a couple hours outside of Bakersfield. I already talked to your Ma, so she's expecting me." I could hear a hint of fear in her voice. I smirked, knowing she was worrying for no reason.
"Good. So you like the hot tub?" I growled, trying to ignore the fact that Tig was wearing a shit eating grin. I heard an unfamiliar giggle on the phone.
"Happy, you're on speaker." Recker said with a laugh. I nodded and smiled openly.
"Yeah, well Tig can hear me too. So I shouldn't say how good you taste or how I want to bend you over my bike?" Tig laughed as I tried to hold back my own laughter. I was serious about what I said, but knowing I was embarrassing her was fun. I heard a gasp and laughter.
"Yeah, you probably shouldn't have. I'm hanging up before you make Lauren's eyes pop out of her head." She said with a smile to her voice. I nodded and sighed involuntarily.
"Bye, Katerina." I closed the phone and tucked it inside my pillow. Tig shook his head and laughed again as I jumped down from my bunk.
"You're a real romantic, killer. You think she'll come around when we get out?" Tig asked as we headed out towards the rec yard. Our brothers were a few yards ahead of us, so he kept his voice low. I shrugged, trying to play off my interest in her.
"Maybe." I growled before catching a basketball Juice had thrown at me. Tig and I quit talking about Recker and headed out to the basketball court where several Mayans were waiting for us.
SOASOASOASOASOASOASOA SOASOASOASOASOASOASOASOA
I pulled my car into the driveway I'd been looking for and grimaced at the sound of my bumper scraping on the concrete. Lauren twisted her mouth and looked at me with a pained expression. The sound was the worst part of it. I was used to scraping after lowering the suspension a year ago, but it still killed me to hear my car going through torture.
"Are you planning on going up to the door or just chilling in the car?" Lauren asked as she checked her hair in the visor mirror. I looked at the white door that stood out from the green clapboard siding and gnawed on the inside of my cheek.
"Do you think I should have dressed up a little?" I looked down at my black t-shirt and jeans. The only part of my outfit that was slightly dressy was my black leather boots. Lauren rolled her eyes and shoved my shoulder towards my door.
"Let's go, K. She'll think you're weird if you sit here any longer." Lauren smiled and unbuckled as I opened my door. The light by the front door turned on and I felt my chest tighten. I hid behind my open hatch as I reached in for the box of medicine. After taking a couple of deep breaths, I stood up and closed the hatch.
Lauren and I didn't make it to the front step before the door opened to reveal a short, aging Hispanic woman. She smiled brightly and opened her arms for a hug. Despite her wrinkling and lightening hair, I could tell she had been a beautiful woman.
"Katerina?" She rolled the 'r' in my name more than Happy did, but I liked the sound all the same. I nodded and leaned into her arms for a hug. She squeezed me tightly before holding my shoulders and pushing me back a little. Her eyes lingered on my face for a moment before looking me up and down. I failed to refrain from blushing.
"Goodness, please come in! You've come such a long way!" She said sweetly before stepping aside and ushering Lauren and I in. I relaxed as I stepped inside and took in the warmth and charm of her modest home. The furniture was obviously antique, but it was well taken care of and squeaky clean.
"Ms. Lowman, this is my friend Lauren. I'm sorry we're a little later than I planned. I'm not the best with directions." I said with a sheepish smile. Lauren snorted and shook her head.
"Understatement of the year. Nice to meet you, Ms. Lowman." She reached her hand out but was pulled in for a hug.
"Girls, please call me Maria. I'll get you all some tea. Take a seat." She said, with a wave to the seating in the living room. I hesitated, but figured it would be rude to refuse. If she was anything like Happy, I wasn't about to argue with her.
"I really appreciate you bringing that medicine, Katerina. I definitely needed it and it takes so much stress off my son's mind." She said with a hint of tears forming in her eyes. I swallowed down the tea and smiled behind the little cup.
"It's my pleasure, Maria. I'd like to think he'd do the same for me if he had the chance." Happy's Ma nodded and smiled as she reached across the table and patted my knee.
"For you, niña, I think he would do anything." My eyes widened and I shook my head with flushed cheeks. Lauren looked between us and smiled.
The three of us spoke about life and Happy well into the night. Laruen and I had to promise we would let her know that we made it home safely before she let us leave. She gave us both hugs and pecks on the cheek before we headed out to my car.
"Now, that is a mother-in-law. I approve." Lauren said with a smile as she leaned back in the passenger seat. I laughed and nodded as I backed the car out of the driveway carefully. We didn't even make it to the interstate before Lauren was curled up and sleeping by my side.
During the long drive back to Oakland, I thought about Happy. He was sexy, that I had no question about. After today, I also realized that he'd do anything for his family. The way Maria said his name spoke volumes about how proud she was of the man he'd become. I wasn't blind to the fact that he was a criminal. With all things considered though, I knew he was a good man.
I just hoped that when he got out, he was the same person towards me. Watching Declan change over time made me worry about how Happy might change and how I may be in too deep already.
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THREE MONTHS LATER (MONTH 7 OF 14)
I was sitting on the rec yard thinking about the letter I'd gotten from Ma. She told me about how she and "my friend" talked on the phone every Sunday and how I needed to bring her around when I got out. Recker hadn't told me anything about keeping in touch with her. I couldn't help but smile as I reread the letter.
It was almost Christmas and I knew the holidays were hard for her when I was inside. The fact that she'd invited Katerina down for Christmas made me feel a little less guilty about being locked up. Ma even seemed to be feeling better since she insisted on helping me set up getting Recker's present to her.
"How's the second son?" I asked as Jax walked up to our group sitting at a picnic table. He smiled brightly and nodded.
"He's perfect, brother. I'm so ready to be home with them." He said wishfully. I nodded and silently agreed with his wish to be home. He and Tara had finally started communicating again and he'd met his new baby for the first time today. It was a relief to have him closer to normal.
"Hap, you mind if I ask you something?" He nodded over towards the empty weight bench. I looked at him curiously but got up and followed him over there, out of earshot from everyone else.
"What's up, brother?" I studied his face as he looked at me cautiously.
"You and Recker. There anything between y'all?" He asked quietly. I ran my hand over the short hair growing on my scalp and rolled my toothpick between my teeth.
"Why are you asking?" I spoke carefully to avoid disrespecting him or lying. He pulled on the edges of his black beanie and shrugged.
"Recker escorted me down to visitation today and Tara recognized her from showing up at the garage. She said she left with Chibs. You're the only one that's talked to Chibs besides Clay." He filled me in on the information he had. I took in what he said and nodded slowly with a glance over at our other brothers.
"She ain't an asset, Jax. She's mine." I said protectively. I had a bad feeling of what Clay would request if he knew I had an in with a guard. Jax nodded with a smile and clapped my shoulder.
"I told Tara not to mention seeing Recker to anybody. I got you, brother." I nodded a silent thank you to Jax. In that moment, my respect for Jax doubled. I respected Clay as our president, but I looked forward to the time when Jax would sit at the head of the table.
When we returned to the unit after rec and chow, I noticed a new guard sitting in Recker's chair. Recker was standing behind him, pointing at something on the computer and talking quietly. She glanced up and met my eyes for a second as we headed over towards our table.
"Blondie getting replaced already?" Bobby pondered as he looked at the new guy next to her. Juice turned to look at them and laughed a little.
"He probably can't hear a word through staring at her ass." Juice said with a laugh. I looked past Bobby and realized the new guard was in fact staring at my girl's ass as she was bent forward pointing stuff out on the computer. Jax tensed a little next to me as Tig tapped his thumb nervously on the table.
"I'm going to bed." I said as I stood up. Tig looked up at me and stood as well.
"I gotta write Fawn back." He said awkwardly. I knew he hadn't gotten any letters from either of his daughters. We headed up the stairs and waited for Recker to come open the cell door. I started growing impatient and pissed off as the new guard kept looking Katerina over and flirting with her.
I could have gotten her attention but I was too focused on wanting to bash the rookie's head in. I leaned up against the door and folded my arms across my chest as I stared down at her. A few minutes into the development of my plan to murder the prick, he looked up and met my eyes.
"Inmates! You can't hang out up there!" He yelled across the unit. I smirked a little and took a step towards the stairs to head down and kick his ass. Recker's head shot up and looked at me. She put a hand up towards the guy and shook her head before hurrying up the stairs.
"Damnit, Happy. You could have told me you wanted inside." She narrowed her eyes at me slightly as she turned the key in the door and pulled it open. I nodded in towards the cell. Her eyes widened, but she stepped inside. Tig stood in the doorway to block the cameras and the other guard's vision.
"What's he doing in here?" I asked, lowering my mouth to her neck. She moved her head to the side reflexively before trying to push me off.
"I'm training him. He's going to be running George 2 and their guard doesn't have enough hours to train. Babe, we can't do this right now." She moaned as I grabbed her by the front of her belt and pulled her to me.
"I know." I kissed her possessively and held her to me by pressing my hands onto her ass. She returned my kiss for a couple seconds before turning her head and cutting her eyes over at me.
"Babe, not now." She said with a sigh. I nodded and let her go. She hesitated a minute before turning to leave.
"Kat, he stares at you again or thinks about touching you and I'll kill him." I growled as she reached the door. She paused and turned back to look at me. She smirked a little and nodded before slipping by Tig.
"She think you're kidding?" Tig questioned as he sat down on his bunk. I shook my head and laughed.
"Nah, she knows I'm not. She just gets turned on when I'm pissed off." I told him with a proud smile. Tig shook his head with a smile.
"Girl must be wet all the time then." He covered his face with his arms as I hurled a book at him. I had to admit, it was pretty funny and he had a point.
I pulled off my shirt and started doing pushups to work out my anger. I had a feeling I wouldn't get to be with her tonight, thanks to the asshole downstairs. The more I thought about it, the more pissed I got. Tig looked over his book at me and shook his head.
"Killer, if you wanna fuck your girl outside of this damn unit, you'll calm down. Killing that kid in here will just catch you more charges." He said, having a voice of reason I wasn't accustomed to hearing from him.
"I know that." I said with a frustrated sigh. I'd just have to trust Recker and try to ignore the rookie.