Chapter 4- House Of The Rising Sun

There is a house in Charming town, they call the rising sun.
And it's been the ruin of many a poor girl. And me, Oh God, I'm one.

If I'd listened to my momma, Lord I'd be home today
But I was young n foolish. Handsome rider led me astray.

Go tell my baby sister. Never do what I have done.
To shun of the house in charming town, they call the rising sun.

My mother she's a tailor, she sewed my new blue jeans
My sweetheart he's a rambler, Lord he rides and old machine.

Now the only thing a rambler needs is a suitcase and a gun.
The only time he's satisfied is when he's on the run.

He fills his chamber up with lead Takes his pride to town.
Only blood shows he gets out alive is bringin another man down.

House Of The Rising Sun by The White Buffalo

Roxy and I had been hanging around the clubhouse, catching up on each other's lives. She had been working as a teacher, living in L.A., no boyfriend. We were sitting at the bar when we heard the roar of a motorbike pulling into the lot. We walked outside to see who it was. It was a man, he looked about my age, he had blonde hair and light blue eyes. He was tall and muscular. He walked up to us with a certain swagger that made him seem almost charming.

"Who are you?" he asked me

"I'm Layla, Oliver's sister." I said putting my hand out to shake.

"Jax" he said as he took my hand in his firm grip

Those eyes could melt a woman's heart, probably had. I quickly looked away so it wouldn't seem like I was staring. Roxy, who had been watching the exchange walked over. Jax nodded to her and then turned his focus back on me.

"Where'd the others go?" he asked

"I'm not sure, they didn't say where they were going." I said

"Oh well, I guess I'll have to hang out with you two lovely ladies until they get back" he said

He was obviously a charmer; I rolled my eyes at his obvious flirting.

"I've got to go pick up a few things from the house, I'll be back soon," she said

"Okay" I said unsure of he motives

Jax and I walked into the clubhouse while Roxy drove off to the house.

"So how come I've never heard of you before" he asked as we sat down at the bar

"Well apparently Oliver doesn't tell many people about me, I guess living on opposite sides of the country and not having any contact with each other for years really drives a wedge between siblings" I said sarcastically, I knew exactly why Oliver never talked about me

"What happened?" he asked

"Excuse Me," I asked shocked by his questions

"What happened between you, you don't just stop talking to your siblings?" he said

"After our mother died, it was just us, our dad had died years before, Oliver took it hard. I tried to be there but then he just fell off the rails. After a while I stopped trying, I just gave up" I said honestly

"I'm sorry about you're parents. My dad died when I was a kid, after my little brother died" he said

"I'm sorry"

"It's okay it was a long time ago. So what do you do when your not looking after your brother?"

"I'm a Doctor," I said, a sour look spreading over his face

"What don't like Doctors?" I asked

"No, my high school girlfriend left me to study to become a Doctor" he said

"Oh, well I promise you were not all that bad. So where were you before, you weren't with the other guys" I asked

"I was visiting my son," he said

Of course he had a son, I couldn't meet a good guy with no baggage could I.

"Visit?" I asked curiously

"Yeah he's in hospital. He was born 10 weeks premature, with a tear in his stomach and a heart condition" he said

"Oh my God, how did that happen?"

"Well the heart condition is genetics, it's what killed my little brother. The other stuff was from his mother, my ex-wife. She's a junkie, using while pregnant," he said causing me to get a familiar taste of disgust in my mouth.

"Sounds like my mother, she was a junkie too. She was using a bit too while she was pregnant but my dad stopped her as soon as he found out. She left when I was a few days old and my dad and step-mum raised me," I said, not sure why I was telling him all of this

"It's hard, he's so little, what if something happens"

"Don't worry, things will get better, I'm sure he'll pull through" I said as I got off the stool

Maybe I had some reason to stay in Charming after all.

Roxy and I were sitting on the table; Jax had just left after being called by Clay.

"So, what was going on with you and Jax?" she asked

"Nothing, we were just talking" I lied, there was definitely something there but I wasn't going to tell her that

"Please, he couldn't take his eyes off of you, the entire time" she said

"It doesn't matter, I need to sort out my shit with Happy first" I said

"Well, it's good to know that there's someone waiting for you if you change you mind" she said nudging my elbow

I didn't get the chance to answer before the guys drove into the lot. We got up off the table and walked over to them. Among them was my brother. He hadn't changed much over the years, grown taller, lost his boyish looks, filled out, he became a man. His inky black hair looked darker, his once white as parchment skin was tanner, but his violet eyes hadn't changed, they still held such a mischievous look in them, he was no longer my kid brother that caused trouble, he was a member of the Sons Of Anarchy.

"Layla, what are you doing here?" he asked after hugging Roxy

"Roxy called me, I just arrived today," I said, there was so much tension you could cut it with a knife.

He looked at Roxy angrily, there was much more behind this than just Happy being here, he was hiding something from me and I was going to find out what it was. They all walked inside past me, I was about to turn around when a hand wrapped around my elbow. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was; I had his touch memorized in my mind. He led me away from the clubhouse and into the garage.

"What is it Happy?" I said with more annoyance than intended

"Layla, we need to talk about this," he said

"Talk about what, about what I said before you left, I don't care about that right now, I just want to go in there and see my brother who I haven't seen in years, so please can we just talk about this later" I said

He nodded and I turned to walk away. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into a kiss, it was passionate but hurried, like he was trying to make a point. He was showing me that I still belonged to him. When he let go of me I walked away without looking at him. I walked into the clubhouse and sat down at the bar, Jax came and sat down next to me.

"Are you Hap's old lady?" he asked gruffly

"Well you don't beat around the bush do you," I said

"Are you?" he asked again

"Yes, no, maybe. Had you asked me that four days ago it would have been a definite yes"

"But now"

"I'm not sure what I am, why don't you want me being Happy's Old Lady" I asked

"I would prefer it if you weren't, it just makes you harder to get, but I like a challenge" he said before walking off.

I stared at him in utter shock, Roxy walked over to me.

"You okay, you look like you just saw a ghost?" she asked

"I'm fine, it's nothing," I said, quickly wiping the shocked look off my face when Happy walked in. We shared a look before he kept walking.

"I'm going to go back to Oliver's house now," I said

"Yeah, I think I'll come too, this isn't really my thing" she said

We walked out of the clubhouse and headed to our car.

"Hey Layla" I heard a voice yell; I turned around leaning against my open door.

Jax came running up to me.

"I'll be seeing you again, right?" he asked

"We'll have to see," I said

He then kissed me on the cheek before walking back into the clubhouse. Roxy walked up to me as I watched him leave.

"I told you he liked you," she said before walking back to her own car.

I got home before Roxy did, walking into the kitchen to make something for dinner but Oliver didn't have much food in the house. I decided to order pizza, calling the number Oliver must have frequently used as it was stuck to the fridge, ordering a Hawaiian pizza. The pizza had arrived before Roxy did; I had set out two plates when she arrived home.

"What did you get lost? It took you long enough to get home" I asked her

She just shrugged and sat down at the table, I sat across from her. That's when I noticed something I hadn't earlier, a hickey on her neck. She had a scarf on the whole day, to cover that up.

"You took off you scarf, forget about that huge hickey on your neck," I said

She immediately blushed, turning bright red with embarrassment.

"Don't worry, I won't ask if you don't want to tell" I said

I spent the rest of the night wondering just what guy had given my innocent younger sister a hickey but coming up empty. I'll find out soon enough, she never could hide stuff from me.

I was woken up by a knocking at my door. I grumpily got out of bed to answer it. Roxy stood on the other side with a cup of tea ready for me to drink.

"I made toast, here's your cup of tea, you better hurry up and get dressed we have tons of catching up to do" she said before walking away

I drank my tea while getting dressed, deciding on jeans and a simple t-shirt. I walked out into the kitchen, Roxy was sitting down waiting for me. I sat down across from her and took a slice of toast, buttering it before taking a bight.

"Are you planning on talking to Happy today?" She asked

"I probably should, I just don't know how to deal with all of this" I said "So how are the hickeys, still there?" I asked, enjoying the fact I got tease my sister about a guy for once

"Don't worry you can be seen in public with me, they've gone away now" she said jokingly.

"So, do I get any hint as to who the mysterious guy giving you hickeys is?" I ask, leaning forward to look her in the eye.

She didn't say anything, just laughed and blushed, looking away from me.

"He's got you blushing at the thought of him. I'm going to assume that this guy is a Son, judging by the fact you haven't been here very long" I stated, not even bothering to ask

"I always forget" she said looking down at her food

"Forget what?" I asked, curious as to what she meant.

"How smart you are, in fact I'm sure if you weren't to busy with this Happy and Jax shit you probably would have figured it out already"

"Well aren't you glad Olivers not as observant, I love him but he never could really imagine you getting it on with someone" I said, getting up and putting my empty plate in the dishwasher.

"We're not getting it on" she said with a layer of hurt in her voice.

"Good, you're not some crow eater, so it's just stolen kisses and hickeys when you're alone"

"Yes, I would never be a crow eater" she said proudly

I smiled at her shock, I knew my sister wasn't easy, she never had been, but the thought of a Son being with her shocked me.

"Just be careful okay" I caution her

"When have I ever not been?" She asked truthfully

Roxy had always been the good one out of us. While both Oliver and I had gone off the rails at one point after our parents death Roxy had always had her head on straight. While I was smart, street and book smart, she was always the one making good life decisions. She was never the one to go out get drunk, have one night stands and such.

Of course I had seen her in person for 3 years, 3 years change people, I had changed but she hadn't seemed to. She was still so innocent, an innocence I didn't want destroyed by this life. By her falling in love with a guy that would just use her then dump her, she didn't need to have her innocence taken away.

"Tell you what, I'll make you a deal, if you talk your shit out with Happy, I won't tell you who he is but, I'll give you hints, see how smart you really are" she offered

"I will take you up on that challenge. But you know I won't be the the problem. Oliver will" I said

"Trust me I know" she said worryingly

"He's just being an older brother, but think about this, 'do not do what you would undo if caught'" I said

"Wow, that was really wise makes you sound old. Who said it?"

"First of all, I am not old, secondly Leah Ardent said it, and thirdly, I mean it Roxy. Don't leave it to late, figure out what it is, then tell Oliver before your in too deep" I said

"When did you become so wise?" She asked

"From being an old lady, this life, the shit that goes on. It ages you, maybe not physically, but I've definitely changed. I'm not that kid that used to run around getting drunk and partying" I said truthfully

I know I may have been laying it on a big thick but I was just trying to discourage her from choosing this life, being an old lady was hard. In fact most sane people would never choose this life. I had only chosen it because of my love for Happy. Maybe I wanted my sister to be able to get out before she gets tied to this life in definitely.

"Do I get any hints now?" I pleaded

"Not until you sort out your Happy shit and then we'll talk" she said bossily, loving the fact she could hold something over me.