"Call Jarry." Jax's voice was a quick jut up his back as he headed for the door, catching the wondering way the other men were casting back glances between the two of them in questioning. "Get her over here."
"And why exactly would we be doing that?" there was a flinch of cautious wariness tingling his spine straight as he waved the other men away, nodding into the confused glance Tig gave him before turning his palm back flat onto the table. "Huh, Jackie?"
Teller gave him a broad smile as the door shut them into privacy, both hands lifting in open defense, "Open lines of communication. She wants more on Lin, right? Wants to know why they're trying to flip him?"
Chibs thinned him a knowing glance as both hands palmed the table and his shoulders bent forward, "Firstly, you're a lousy bullshitter, boy."
"I give her a couple possible hits, she makes her moves. It looks good to the Feds, the politicians. Keeps her clear." Jax leaned comfortably back into the table, "Straight up, Chibs. I'm working with and not against, here."
"This is not an issue that's worth takin' the time right now, Jax." The Scot laid the words over the table, his sincerity softening as he dropped his glance away from the younger man's bright blue eyes. "I appreciate - "
"It's worth the connection." Jax leaned his elbow into the head of the table, "And it's worth the trade off. And I don't mean gettin' your dick wet. She gets information, we get information."
"Lousy," Chibs blinked him up a shied smile. "bullshitter."
"Call her up." Jax grinned at him as he shrugged. "I feel the need to get right with the law, Chibby. Really turn over a new leaf."
"Aye." Chibs banked back off the table. "She's gonna be pissed you call her in here like whistlin' a feckin' dog. You better have something to appease that crazy."
Jax chuckled into a wider smile, "I got you, brother."
Rage looked awfully pretty on her and he watched it writhe on her bare shoulders and the shift of her hips as she stalked at him from her car. He bit down on the smile that cropped up on his lips as he looked over the way the white tank she was wearing laid like a glove. A jolt of something blindingly hot jammed from his stomach to his groin as he let his eyes rove her hair, reminding him of how it smelled to wake up with his nose buried in the dark heat of it. .
Awfully pretty when pissed.
Add that to the list.
"This is not acceptable, Chibs." Her badge was pinned to her pelvis and he angled his eyes away from the subtle warning of it, knowing her firearm was hanging just as guardingly on her body.
"Not my call, sweetheart." Chibs shrugged his shoulders lightly, keeping his voice amiable and quiet with apology as he reached to open the door for her.
"Shove it, Scotty." She rolled her eyes at the guilted endearment. "You are not adorable."
"Yes, I am." He couldn't save himself from smiling into the way she glared at him, her hands perching the way her jeans slung low on her hips, the mixed up mingle of coloring in her eyes lending dark.
He swung the door wide, a half bow ushering her forward.
"Do I look like one of your whores?" she hissed the words quietly by him as he pressed the door farther open, letting his shoulders bank back into it as he leaned on the handle and studied the surety of her steps. "Am I wearing the cut?"
"Wish you would." He taunted after her, voice low and lackadaisical to keep some semblance of peace as she moved past him, shunting his hand away and turning as he reached for her lower back, "Be sexier on you."
"Not acceptable." She murmured again, shoulders angling back as he drove into her space, his fingers catching on her belt, angling beside the badge so that he could tug her closer.
"Would'ya be kind, Althea?" he dipped his jaw lower, keeping his voice warmed up as he angled tighter into her. "You don't often get invited to the table with a badge on your belt. Understood?"
The sudden slide of composure over her features was a wave worth watching and he sighed into it, grinning thanks as she relaxed into the way he was pressing his hips into hers. Ally inhaled slowly, letting the ride of his hands catch her hips for a moment, knowing that he was making a public visual that was more than just a message. It was a claim. And for him to do it so boldly before the scatter of men and women throughout the studio - it'd been sanctioned.
"Unser was in my office this morning." She admitted in a caged quietness.
She watched the sudden graceless anger that shattered his humor, his tongue running against his teeth before he blinked, "And?"
"Told me to walk away." She tested the way he was still holding against her by tracing the Vice President patch that was bold on his chest.
He let her make the movement, unflinching in the way he watched her. "And?"
Her palm flattened into his chest, pushing him back and off her with a slow stroke of her forearm as she stepped backwards farther into the room. "I know the way. I don't need an escort."
"Ally?" his head cocked hard as his hands dropped to his side, face suddenly slack with stalled concern as he watched her back step toward the offices. "What're y'doin'?"
"I'm not in the habit of blowing up the bridges I'm standing on, Filip." She told him softly as she shrugged, passing the way Trager was standing by and watching the interaction with unfettered humor, "Some of us need to keep shit straight while you boys light fires."
"Amen, Lieutenant." Tig offered up after her, grinning into the sardonic glance she passed between them before turning away, his eyes catching back to the way Chibs was still and slack a few steps away. "Filip?"
"Christ," Chibs rolled his eyes and wiped his hand over his face. "You gonna start too?"
"That uniform is not flattering." Tig told him jauntily. "I like this version. It's curvier. And saucier."
"Shut yer' mouth." The Scot clipped the back of his hand into the other man's ribs as he started to follow after her, leaning into the way Trager was already chuckling. "I need a very large drink."
"I got this."
He narrowed a blade sharp glance over the younger man, confusion hackling the skin on the back of his neck as he cast a glance past the President to the way she was standing hip cocked on the opposite side of the room. "Jackie - "
"It's all good, Chibs." Teller nodded with a slowly building smile, "Seriously."
Filip lifted a glance past the other man's shoulder, catching the interested and faintly scrutinizing way she was watching their interaction. Her shoulders rose in a suddenly cautious anticipation and he just held the look she shot him. He nodded to her just once, eyes softening as he lifted a hand in agreement, stepping back from the entry way. He met the blonde's eyes again, catching the way Jax just nodded softened support before grabbing at the door handle.
"Seriously." Teller leaned the words whisperingly into him. "Take a breath. Take a walk. We're good here."
"You shuttin' me out of this?" Chibs dropped his tone to a hush. "It doesn't look good."
"Take a walk, Chibs." Jax repeated solidly, his face suddenly unreadable in its pale stillness. "We're good."
He lifted his hand again defensively, catching the interested lift of her jaw as he turned away, aiming his steps from the door, the tension in his shoulders a sudden cage wrapping his frame.