...Chapter 2...
Jax pulled up to T - M and parked his bike with the other bikes. Stephanie carefully got off, followed by Jax, then he put his arm around her, and they walked into the clubhouse. "Come on, Sis."
"Aye, Jackie Boy!" Chibs yelled. "Who you got there?"
"Ooh, shit... Stephanie!" she froze and saw Kozik across the room, staring at her with a shocked and confused look on his face.
"Stephie!" Chibs gave her a hug. "Wow... welcome home, Love."
"Thanks." she said, letting go. "Hey, Juice."
"Hi." he gave her a hug. "Where have you been?"
"Um." she started, as he let her go. "Down in San Diego."
Juice raised his eyebrow. "What were you doing down there?"
"It's a long story, which you will hear from Jax and Clay." Juice nodded, then for the next ten minutes, Stephanie gave hugs, said her hellos to all the guys, except for Kozik, because she wasn't ready, and Happy or Tig, because they weren't even there.
As she was sitting at the bar, drinking a water, Kozik sat down next to her. "So, this is how it's gonna be? We get into a little fight and you take off for months at a time?"
"It wasn't a little fight and you fucking know it."
"No, if I recall, Steph... it was you kissing on that Prospect from Oregon."
Stephanie slowly turned her head to glare at him. "The only reason I did that, was because you had two goddamn crow-eaters on your lap." she got off the bar stool, crossing her arms over her chest, still glaring, as she continued. "One had her tongue down your throat and the other bitch was sucking your dick, so don't sit there and put this all on me, you fucking hypocrite." then she walked out of the clubhouse. When she sat down on top of the picnic table, she saw Happy and Tig pulling up on their bikes, then both of them walked up to her. "Hey, guys." she waved.
"Steph, is that really you?"
"Yes, Tig." she laughed, giving him a hug. "It's really me."
"Wow." he let go of her. "Where the hell you been?"
"San Diego."
"Why?" Happy asked, sitting next to her. He gave her a quick hug, then let go.
"It's a really long story and that's why Clay called you guys to church."
Happy put his arm around her. "Are you in trouble?"
"Yeah." she nodded.
Tig reached over and lightly touched Stephanie on her face. "Who hit you?"
"What!" Happy yelled, then saw the bruises on her cheek. "Who the fuck did that to you, Steph?"
She took a deep breath. "I'm sure you guys have heard of Tyler Vaughn, the drug dealer out of San Diego? Well, him and his crew wants me dead."
"Why?" she heard Kozik's voice behind her. "Why is he after you?"
Stephanie groaned, shaking her head. "Because I saw something I shouldn't have, along with the intel that I know and I ran, then came back here."
Minutes later, Clay was heading towards the clubhouse door, then he turned around. "Get into the chapel, now." he paused. "You too, Steph... so you can tell everyone what's going on."
"Okay." Happy jumped off the picnic table and helped Stephanie off of it too, then all of them walked inside.
"All right." Clay started. "Everyone is all here... and we have a situation on our hands." he paused to look at Stephanie. "Okay, Baby Girl, tell them."
She nodded and took a few deep breaths. "Tyler Vaughn, the huge drug cartel in San Diego to Tijuana... is after me. I didn't know about him, until after he took me down to Mexico." tears started spilling out of her eyes, but she continued. "He kept hitting me and kept me locked in a spare bedroom. The day I was gonna get away, I saw his right hand man and two other guys execute five people... three were men and two were women." she paused. "I think I was next, because I heard them talking about me in spanish, but I got out of there as fast as I could, and came back home.
I know... he'll find me, he has unlimited resources to get what he wants, no matter what or who it is." she paused to wipe her face. "Also, Tyler has connections with Alverez, which he's gonna have the Mayans sell the heroin here in Charming and Tyler will be going up the coast into Washington." Stephanie studied everyone's faces and she could tell that they were livid about it, especially Jax, Clay, Tig, Happy, and even Kozik.
"Well... we're gonna keep you safe and take care of this asshole."
"I know, Jax, and I'm sorry for getting all of you into my bullshit mess, but I just didn't know where else to go or what to do."
"No." Clay shook his head. "Don't be sorry... we'll take care of this."
"Okay." she nodded.
"Go ahead and get a drink from the bar, while we talk business."
Stephanie stood up from the chair. "Okay, Clay... thank you for listening." then she walked out of the chapel, and let the men talk.
All the guys walked out into the main part of the clubhouse, an hour later. "Where is she?" Kozik asked, looking around.
"On the couch, asleep." Bobby pointed.
As Kozik sat down next to her, Clay said "Take her into one of the rooms and let her sleep."
"Okay." he nodded, then carefully picked Stephanie up bridal style, and carried her into his dorm room, then laid her down in the middle of his bed. Kozik thought she looked beautiful, like she had some kind of glow to her, it made him smile. He kissed her on her forehead and walked out of his room. He grabbed a beer and went outside, then sat on the picnic table.
Happy walked outside a little bit later and sat down next to him. "Whatchu' doing out here?"
"Thinking."
"Well, I talked to Saul... he said we gotta get back to Tacoma for a minute."
"I can't." Kozik shook his head.
"Why not?"
"I can't be in Tacoma and keep Stephanie safe here."
"I told Saul about what's going on.. he just needs us, for a week or so."
"Well, I'm thinking about switching charters and be with SAMCRO, to be near Steph."
"A'ight, but the least you could do... is go to Tacoma and tell him to his face."
"I know, Hap." Kozik nodded. "When do we have to leave?"
"A few hours."
"Okay." Kozik drank the last of his beer, then got off the picnic table. "I'll be ready." then he walked into the clubhouse and went into his room. He sat down next to her on the bed and moved the hair out of her face.
A few seconds later, her eyes started to flutter, then she yawned. "Kozik?" she sat up and looked around. "Where the hell am I?"
"My room."
She scoffed. "You're from the Tacoma charter, I didn't think you'd be qualified to have a room here."
"Well, I do."
"So, what the hell am I doing in your room?"
"You were asleep and Clay told me to bring you into one of the rooms."
"So, out of all the rooms in this clubhouse, you pick yours?"
"Well..." he shrugged, making Stephanie groan. "I gotta leave back to Tacoma."
"And I should care... why?"
Kozik frowned. "Look, Steph, I'm sorry."
"It don't matter if you're sorry... I get that you didn't want anyone to find out about us, but did you really have to throw those two whores in my face?"
"I said I was sorry... fuck, what do you want from me?"
"Just leave and stay in Tacoma." she paused. "We. Don't. Need. You."
"We?" Kozik looked confused. "Who's we?"
"I mean, the club."
"No, you mean something else."
"Kozik, I was talking about the damn club, all right?" she said, then tears started rolling down her cheeks.
He gave her a funny look. "Steph, why are you crying?"
"Just... just leave me the hell alone and go back to Tacoma where you belong."
"Fine." Kozik stood up. "I was gonna talk to Saul to switch me charters, so I could keep you safe, but fuck it, you don't need me, right?" then he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
"Where you going?" Happy asked, looking confused.
"Meet you in Tacoma." Kozik snapped, before stomping out of the clubhouse.
Happy and Juice watched Kozik get on his bike and exit the parking lot, then Juice asked. "What's up his ass?"
Happy glared. "Don't know... but I'm sure I'll find out later."