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CHAPTER EIGHT: Throwing a punch.

Jesse finally left Lacey's side, needing to go to the bathroom. He'd been up her ass since their arrival in Charming this morning. It was starting to get on her last nerve. As soon as he walked away from her, she left her spot at the bar and made her way back towards the dorm rooms. She was getting pissed off with his possessive behavior. She regretted giving into his demands about coming with her out of fear that he'd lash out at her again.

She pulled out a cigarette before lighting it, not caring if he smelt it on her later. He'd been trying to get her to quit smoking. He thought she had but she sneaked the occasional one or two every now and then.

"Hey, you okay?" She looked at Jax who was looking back at her with the same look in his eyes as earlier.

"I'm okay." She lied.

"You're still a terrible liar." he unlocked the door to his room and walked in.

She sighed following him in when he left the door open. She closed it behind her and leaned back against it. "Why are you talking to me? I thought you still hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"I would hate me. I still do."

"Why?" He said looking at her as he sat down on his bed.

"I did want to be with you, I real-"

"I get it." He cut her off. Even after six months he still felt a little hurt after her rejection. "How's LA?"

"I would say great but you know when I'm lying."

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Is it Jesse? I saw the way he treated you before." He didn't hide the bitterness when he said her boyfriends name.

He couldn't spend more than five minutes in the same room without wanting to knock Jesse's head off his shoulders. He saw the way Lacey flinched when he touched her or the look he gave her when he wanted her to shut up. It wasn't like Lacey to back down from someone like she did with Jesse. He also noticed the poorly covered bruises on her neck and arm. He was sure he wasn't the only one who'd noticed them. He'd seen his mom and 'brothers' watching the douche-bag like a hawk. He was annoyed she was with someone who treated her like dirt and jealous the loser actually managed to get with her when he couldn't.

"I shouldn't have said what I did and got in his face." She shrugged. "He's the reason I'm staying in LA. He's all I've got there."

"Why are you letting him hurt you?"

"I'm not. I should go find him before he offends the wrong person." She walked out of his room and back into the bar area to see if Jesse was back at the bar. She frowned when she couldn't see him. She leaned over the bar to one of the prospects so she didn't have to yell over the music. "You seen Jesse?" He shook his head no. She gave him a small smile before walking away.

It took her ten minutes to find Jesse, who was sitting on a couch with Charlene, a crow-eater who didn't go for just patched members, sitting on his lap facing him. Lacey wanted to feel angry and shove the whore off his lap but right now she couldn't bring herself to care.

She found Bobby close by getting cozy with his Sweetbutt, Abby. She liked Abby. The blonde seemed sweet and was the only one that was nice to Lacey. "Hey Abby, can I just ask Uncle Bobby something real quick?"

"Sure thing, Doll. I was going to get us another drink anyway."

"What's going on?" Bobby asked when Abby walked towards the bar.

"Can you tell Jesse once he's finished getting off to that whore on his lap, that I've gone back to the hotel and he's sleeping on the couch?"

"I'd love to."

"But you can't hurt him."

Bobby frowned but nodded. He was the only one she could trust to listen to her. The others would just kill him, not caring what she said. "I'll try my best not to touch him."

"Just let me deal with him."

"Whatever you say, Sweetheart."

"I'll see you tomorrow." She leaned in and kissed his cheek before leaving the clubhouse without saying goodbye to anyone else.

Lacey woke up the next morning to the other side of the bed empty. She didn't hear the shower going or any indication that Jesse was back at their hotel room. She sighed frowning as she got out of bed. She went into the bathroom having a quick shower before getting dressed into a pair of blue jeans that hung off her hips, a deep red lace tank top and her light blue denim jacket. She covered her healing bruises the best she could and put a little make-up on. She never needed much make-up. Her mom always called her a natural beautiful but she never believed she was. She walked out of the bathroom and grabbed her keys and handbag, leaving the hotel room and driving the short distance to the clubhouse.

When she pulled into the Teller-Morrow lot, she got out of her car slamming the door loudly behind her. She stormed up to the clubhouse but stopped when she heard yelling. She walked inside to find Jax had Jesse by the scruff of his neck, pinned to a wall.

"What the hell is going on?!" She spoke loudly getting both mens attention. Jesse's face broke out into a smirk. Jax didn't let go or loosen the grip he had around Jesse's neck. "Let him go, Jax."

"Not until this fuckin' asshole tells me why he was cheating on you and thought he could lie his way out of it."

"Jackson please, just let me deal with him."

"Yeah Jackson, let her deal with me. I'm sure I'll enjoy it." Jesse teased. Lacey could tell he was trying to get Jax to throw the first punch.

"Shut up, Jesse!" She yelled at him. "You're not making this any fuckin' better."

"Yeah well so far your buddy's been all talk."

Before Lacey could say or do anything, Jax's fist went plummeting into Jesse's face. She watched in horror as she heard something snap and blood begin to pour out from Jesse's nose. Jax pulled his fast back to punch Jesse again only to have Lacey stand between them and push him back. "What the hell was that?!"

"I can't believe you're fuckin' sticking up for him!"

"I'm not."

"Then let me finish what I started."

Lacey shook her head. "Have you never heard of being the better man, Jax? Just walk away, please."

"He doesn't deserve you." he said to her then looked at Jesse. "You'll never fuckin' deserve her."

"And what?" Jesse asked as he got back onto his feet. "You do?"

"I thought I did once." he said then turned to walk back to his dorm room.

Lacey closed her eyes pinching the bridge of her nose feeling a headache come on. She had a feeling the rest of the day was only going to go downhill.

"What did he mean by that?" she heard Jesse ask in a harsh whisper as he held his nose, blood still gushing out.

She sighed. She didn't want to talk about what Jax meant. She knew what she'd be in for if she did. "If you want to get your nose checked out, get in the car. I'll take you to the hospital."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Make your own way to the hospital then." She stormed out of the clubhouse and got into her car. She pulled out of the lot before Jesse could even reach the car.