Right next to my head is an etching of my name in the jail holding cell. I used the zipper on one of my leather jackets to make it a long time ago. Ergo, why I am not allowed to wear anything with zippers into the holding cell anymore.
My current outfit is a black tank top, a pair of basketball shorts Unser keeps in his desk just for me, and socks. It looks like Unser arrested me while I was playing basketball.
The scuffling of feet echoes in the hallway. No doubt it's Unser. Am I getting a cell mate or are they letting me out for the night?
"You awake in there Casey," Unser asks me, holding in a yawn.
I am laying down on the hard, cold concrete bench at the back of my holding cell. Since I got here, I have just been staring at the ceiling, taking bets in my mind on who would be bailing me out.
"Do I ever sleep when I am in a holding cell," I laugh. I have never been in a holding cell more than twenty-four hours. The Sons would never let that happen, making there no reason to nap in here.
Unser chuckles lightly at my comment. "The charges against you have been dropped, and I am sure as hell not pressing any, so you are free to go."
Quickly, I sit up wrapping my hands around my knees. No way Wendy just dropped the charges. If she could, I am sure she would have put me six feet under the ground already.
"You better not be messing with me old man." I give him a small grin, waving my finger at him.
Unser pulls keys from his pockets and opens the door. "No jokes here, you are ready to go."
"Who came to get my trouble causing ass this time?" Hopping off the bench, I drag myself over to Unser.
It's about time someone set me free. I am exhausted. A good night's sleep is in my future.
"Who didn't come to get you, is what you should be asking."
We round the corner for me to spot JJ, Juice, Gemma, and Jax outside in the waiting room. They can't see me yet, because of the door in between the waiting room and the back offices. None of them can see me, but I can see all of their faces; JJ and Juice both look anxious, Gemma looks pleased with a hint of worriment, and Jax looks pissed.
I stop in my tracks, causing Unser to bump into me. Why is Jax here? He should be with his big mouth wife.
"Don't even think about it. You are not staying here tonight," Unser whispers to me putting his hand on my shoulder.
"Can't we say I punched the officer who tried to put me in the holding cell, and then you can sneak me through the back door," I negotiate.
"Is Crazy Casey afraid?"
"Ha! I am not scared, but I also don't feel like being lectured or yelled at tonight."
"Then maybe you shouldn't punch people."
"I regret nothing; she deserved it." I cross my arms and walk towards the door. Maybe if I pretend to be exhausted, they will let me be.
"There's my girl!" Gemma is sitting in the chair right where the door is. She gives me a wink. I knew Gemma wouldn't be mad at me. Gemma has told me of her disdain for Wendy. She thought Wendy would be right for Jax at first, but apparently, Wendy has been nothing but a bitch since she married Jax.
"How did it feel to be back in jail, my little criminal," JJ smiles. He jumps up, giving me a bear hug, lifting me off my feet. He hugs me as if it's a miracle I made it out of jail unscathed. "Jax says he needs to talk to you. You better prepare yourself," he whispers in my ear.
"Can't you get me out of it?" I reply. Why can't I just go home and sleep?
JJ laughs at me, setting me down. Avoiding eye contact with Jax, I strut to the counter where Unser is waiting for me to sign my stuff out. I can't have Jax thinking I feel any remorse for hitting his wife because I truly don't.
"If I strip right here, to give you back your basketball shorts, would you arrest me for public indecency," I ask quiet enough for only Unser to hear.
He passes me my stuff in a large clear plastic bag. Unser looks tired of my ridiculous questions, but that won't stop me from asking.
"No, but I am sure that won't prevent you from doing it if your mind is set on doing it."
"Nah, if you aren't going to put me back in the cell, it's not worth it." I press the bag against my chest. "I know the drill: I must wash and return these pants in twenty-four hours.
Someone puts their hands firmly on my waist. The smell of cigarettes, oil, and sexy man cologne lets me know it's Jax touching me. A shiver runs from my waist to my toes.
"C'mon darlin, I am driving you back." Jax's voice is husky and stern. In any other occasion it would be a turn on, but not tonight. It appears like I won't be escaping this conversation.
"There isn't any need. My two roommates are here, and so is Gemma. She probably wants to give me some parental speech." I try and keep my voice steady, but it's no use. I melt under Jax's touch.
"No need sweetheart, I just came to make sure you got out alright. JJ just drove Juice here to get your keys so he can go get your jeep from the clubhouse and drive it back to your place." Gemma smirks my way. She knows how to get me alone with her son.
Unwillingly, I let Juice pry the large bag of my belongings from my arms. My eyes narrow into a death glare as he does so. Jax leads me out, and I feel everyone watch me go. I can never win when it comes to Jax Teller.
"You have been on that thing all day Cas. You need a break darlin." Jax kisses my cheek. A tingling sensation takes over my body, which makes me feel like some dumb love-struck girl. Jax is my best friend, nothing else, unfortunately.
"College takes up way too much time." I close my laptop, spinning around in the barstool. Jax leans against me, his legs pressed against my knees, and his arms on the two sides of the bar around me. His scent is intoxicating.
Deciding to do school online has been an unpleasing thing for my mother to accept. My first semester was almost over, and she still wouldn't talk to me. Well, that is if you counted sixteen hours spread across the summer as a semester. My mom being mad at me over something so simple is petty shit if you ask me.
Jax has a grin on his face that tells me he knows just what I need to forget school, and just have fun.
"You look like you have an idea, spill it." A smile widens on my face. Some time with Jax would be just what I need to stop stressing over finals.
"Put your stuff up and let's go!" Jax backs away, reaching his hand out for me to take. I am a little disappointed he isn't close to me anymore, but I am up for an adventure.
My grip around Jax's waist lessens as we come to a stop. I pull the helmet Jax gave me off and looks around to see we are at Gemma's.
"Your plan was for us to hang out with your mom and Clay. Don't we do that every day?" I tease, poking him in the shoulder.
When I slide off of Jax's Harley, I notice the smell of barbecue in the air. Saliva gathers in my mouth; barbecue and beer, or liquor, would be fantastic right now.
Since I had started school, I hadn't had more than a couple of drinks here and there. To be honest, I had become more of a dull person, which is dreadful.
"You are taking back those words right now, aren't ya?" Jax's laughs, putting his arm around my shoulder.
Food is the best way to get me anywhere. If I didn't love running, I would be a big ball of fat.
I lean my head against him taking in everything. My life was perfect lately, except for my mother hating me. Things were good, and I feel like Charming is a place I can never leave.
I walk into the backyard to see JJ grilling with Clay. Gemma is talking to Chibs and my father. Tiggs is sitting by the pool watching the girl he is currently sleeping with and her friend swim. Bobby is in the kitchen grabbing beers for everyone. This is the family I know and love.
"Baby girl, you made it. I knew Jax would be able to get you away from that computer!" JJ shouts as he flips something on the grill.
"Casey doesn't need you guys distracting her. She is doing great in college without you messing with her. My dad brags. I don't know what I would do without that amazing man in my life. He is happy I stayed, but he is a little biased seeing as I am his little girl.
"You should put a swimsuit on and get in the pool. The water looks great. It'll look even better with you in it," Tiggs suggests. I roll my eyes at him. Gemma throws a plastic fork at him, hitting him in the head.
"That's my daughter," my father growls.
"What? I was just saying she looks hot, temperature wise," he insists.
We all share a laugh at that one. You have to love Tiggs just the way he is because he isn't going to change.
I leave Jax's side to talk to JJ. There is something about him that seems different. JJ is alway smiling, and seemingly happy. But right now, he's more than that. I haven't seen him like this since before the love of his life left him.
She had just moved out of their house one day, not even leaving a note. I hate what she did to him. Truthfully, I hadn't seen it coming. She and I were great friends.
Clay gives me a nod and walks away. "That girl, the one with Tiggs new fuck buddy, is cute. Thinking about getting with that?"
JJ scrunches up his face in disgust at me. "Cas, I don't talk about this stuff with you. I prefer to think you are my innocent little sister."
"Well we aren't related, and I am not a virgin."
"Stop stop stop! We aren't having this discussion. Tara was the one, and I don't need to sleep with sluts like Tiggs does."
I freeze as he speaks the girl's name that broke his heart. He hadn't said her name since she left. JJ sets down the tongs he is using to flip what's on the grill, realizing what he had just said.
"You want a beer?" Bobby holds two beers out for us. I grab them both.
"Yeah, I need both of these right now."
Normally Gemma and I would be on clean up duty since the men did all the cooking, but Jax offered to help. Gemma quickly took to the idea and left us alone outside.
I throw the last beer bottle into the garbage can a couple of feet away. "Look at that three pointer. Wow, I am amazing at everything."
"Oh really, you think so?" Jax laughs at me as he comes towards me with the last of the plastic plates.
"Don't question me, Teller!" I grab the plates from him and go toward the garbage can to discard them.
"Darlin, you have something on your face," Jax informs me as I turn back towards him.
"Get it off?" I ask, walking up to him.
"I could, or I could do this." There was no time to react because in mere seconds Jax scooped me up bridal style and jumped in the pool with me.
The water was freezing, and goosebumps invade every inch of my skin. I gasp for air as I emerge for underneath the water. Jax is already above the water laughing at me.
"You son of a bitch! There wasn't anything on my face, was there?"
"Nope," he chuckles, looking all to happy with himself.
I lunge at home, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. Gently he pushes me against the wall of the pool.
"Whatcha going to do now, darlin? It looks like you are trapped."
We are only inches apart, and suddenly the water doesn't seem so cold. His head leans against my forehead, and his breath hot against my face. I can smell the beer he had been drinking.
This isn't a good idea. We have both been drinking, but I am never one to consider actions until after they are done. What is Jax Teller doing to me!
Without another thought, my lips crash against his. The kiss is urgent and hungry. His body leans farther into me if that's even possible. Our wet bodies move against each other, his hands wandering up my thighs. His tongue slides across my bottom lip. A small moan escapes my lips, and I bite at his lower lip, pulling it with my teeth.
"Jackie boy do you need a towel," Chibs calls from the sliding glass door.
"Shit," Jax mumbles pulling away from me. My hand rises to my lips.
"Sorry, didn't see you there darling." Chibs chuckles, but I am sure that's a lie.
All of the guys always taunted me when it came to Jax. They always told me one day I would be his old lady. Those weirdos had probably seen the whole thing happen.
Realization washes over me; I had just kissed Jax Teller. I had just kissed the man I am deeply in love with.
Jax's Harley stops at the curb of my place, and I jump off it like the seat is burning my ass. It takes seconds to pull off the helmet on my head, and when I do, I see Jax giving me a scary look.
"You aren't going anywhere just yet." Jax puts down the kickstand and gets up, putting a cigarette in his mouth. He offers me one, but I shake my head.
Seconds pass, and a cloud of smoke comes towards me as he blows it out. "This Wendy thing has got to stop."
"What the hell do you want me to do about it?" I hiss. Is he seriously blaming me? I shake my head a weak laugh leaving my lips.
Wendy has instigated all of it, and I have been a bigger person nine out of ten times, but she had crossed a line this last time. No one speaks of my family matters.
"Do you know what it took for me to get her to drop those charges?" He walks to me, throwing his cigarette and stomping it out.
"You didn't have to make her drop them!" I push him slightly with one of my hands.
"Yes, I did! I didn't want to see you go through all of that bullshit with the cops." He grips my hand, pulling me closer to him.
"Why do you even give a SHIT?" When I try to wriggle out of his grip he only holds on tighter.
"Because I do!" Jax runs his other hand through his blonde hair. "I shouldn't after you left, but I do."
"What's that supposed to mean Jackson?" I say through clenched teeth. He shouldn't care about me? After all these years we have grown up together? I will always care about Jax in one way or another; no matter what happens.
"Nothing has changed since you left for Vegas, nothing. You would think I would feel different, but I don't." He lets me go and turns around.
I am frozen in place. The morning that I had left him had been the hardest I had ever cried. Leaving Jax Teller had been agonizing, pain unimaginable. And he had just admitted he cared the same for me now as he had before I left.
"She has a knack for leaving people behind. Don't you, love?" A voice speaks up with a thick British accent.
Jax turns towards the voice, just as I do. With shock spread across my face, I turn to see where the voice came from. In the shadows is a man wearing dress pants and a white dress shirt. Jason.
"You're the guy from the other night." Jax has his hand on his gun, ready to pull it out at any second. Jax had punched Jason? I would have loved to see that.
"You wouldn't let him shot me, would you my love?"
Jax looks at me, but I can't take my eyes off Jason. The man who I had left behind in Vegas. The first person, who without really trying, made a choice for me.
"Don't refer to me as yours." My jaw tenses and I feel a mix of emotions. Mixed feelings are the worst kind, they make me feel uncomfortable and not in control.
"You know this guy?" Jax sounds astounded like he can't believe his own words.
"Well, I bloody hope she remembers me. I know I remember her." Jason walks closer to us. He never knows when to keep his mouth shut; some things don't change.
"Go inside, Jax," I plead, looking into Jax's blue eyes.
I don't know what Jason is going to say, but I know he won't hurt me. Jason loves me, even though he knows my heart could never love another man like it does Jax. No one in Charming needs to know what happened in Vegas, it's a part of my past I don't want to share.
"Are you kidding me?" Jax's voice is laced with anger.
"Please, if you meant what you just said, you have to trust me here."
It pains him to do so, but he gives in to my pleas. Jax walks off towards the house. Jason chuckles as he goes.
"I take it he's the one." Jason walks towards me, a piece of paper in his hand.
"What do you want Jason? I meant what I said when I left."
"I know you did, and I never planned on coming here, but I need to know if what this paper says is true. I found it when clearing out your office."
Jason gently places a piece of paper in my hand. My eyes look over it, and my stomach drops at the sight of it. I thought I had thrown it away before I left.
"Yes Jason, it's true..."