When I pull in the driveway, Jaxson's bike roars in behind me.
"What's going on?" He asks as he and Tara jump off the bike.
"I don't know, your mother calls, we all jump." I say; my voice laced with acid.
We walk in and sit at the table, waiting for Gemma. My irritation grows the longer it takes. When she walks in; Jaxson stands up. His face turns angry at the sight of Clay.
"Sit down, both of you." She says to the men who do as they're told. Tara and I turn to leave.
"No, you stay. You're both a part of this." She says. Tara and I sigh, knowing that she's going to spill the truth surrounding our injuries.
Gemma details what happened the night of Bobby's party, everything after. She explains what happened to me. Their eyes flicker between us with pained, angry expressions. Tears flow as she continues and she reaches out to touch my shaking hand. Jaxson's face twists into pure fury as she goes on. Clay stares at both of us.
When she tells them my story, I stand and Tara helps me lift my shirt, showing them the large swastika on my back. Even Jax hadn't seen that. When she is finished, he is livid. He stands up and moves to his mother's side, pulling her hands in his own. Tara helps me up so I can go home. Clay wraps me in a tight hug that I force myself to return. My stomach turns with the secrets I know. On the way out the door, Jaxson picks up his VP patch from the counter.
Filip doesn't come home until late. I stay up, waiting for him. When I hear his bike come to stop outside, I open the door and wait in the entryway. His disappearing act has me on edge. He stumbles in the door, drunk and angry.
"Feel better?" I ask without a hint of sympathy. He stares up at me from the couch that he fell into.
"Nah, everyone's got secrets." He slurs. "Jaxson, Clay, Tig, Fiona and ya."
"And you're the king of honesty?" I ask, my irritation seeping through.
"Ya hid shit from me. Didn't tell me Jax was goin NOMAD, Caracara going down." He spits out at me.
"You left for an entire day and didn't call, didn't text. You rushed off to be with your wife. The one you see daily. You don't tell me anything." I yell back. My breaking point finally reached. The words flow out of me. "It's been non-stop chaos and drama; Injury and near-death experiences. Even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't."
"No but ya could tell Unser, Gemma and Tara. Why don't ya try telling me the truth? Ya really think I'm dumb enough ta believe two punk kids were stupid enough ta rob TM but smart enough ta get away with it?" His eyes are scary dark.
"You want to know what happened to me." I scream; undressing before he can even answer. I peel my shirt off carefully. There are several symbols still visible in my skin, the worst on my back and abdomen. He stares, blinking his eyes.
"This is what happened to me. Those Nazi assholes used me as a cutting board." My sobs choke off any added words. He stands up, suddenly sober. I wait for him to comfort me, to pull me into his arms but instead he walks past me, leaving me there. Outside I hear his bike roar to life and disappear down the street.
I stay holed up in my house the entire next day. Opie and dad call all morning after finding out what happened from Clay. When I don't answer the phone they finally stop by. I roll my eyes when my brother bursts through my door like some super cop.
"What do you want Opie?" I stand in the kitchen, leaning against the counter.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He demands; dad watches from the living room, the tell-tale signs of a hangover on his face.
"I didn't want you going off all half-cocked and starting a war on Main St. This isn't some pissing contest; these guys are willing to kill. I couldn't stand the thought of losing anyone else." I keep my voice smooth and calm. "These guys are ballsy and smart."
"They're dead." His eyes are full of hate; pure rage. He slams his hand on the counter and I flinch away from him. He notices and his demeanor changes instantly, stepping over to give me a hug. "I'm sorry Bree."
Dad watches us dumbfounded.
"Let me see." He finally breaks his silence.
I turn around, pulling my hair up so they can see the damage. I feel Opie's finger trace over one of the lingering bruises on my shoulder. Dad growls through a sharp intake of air and walks over to us. I pull up the lower part of my tank top, revealing a few more injured areas.
"Weston?" My brother asks. I only nod in response.
They stick around only until they're convinced I'm ok. When I'm alone again, I lock the door and throw my phone on my dresser. For the rest of the day I lay in bed and shut out the world.
After the sun goes down, Tara stops by; using the extra key I gave her for emergencies. I pretend to sleep while she checks me over, waiting for her to leave.
When I'm alone again, I shift in bed, reaching out to the spot where Filip usually sleeps. His anger and frustration last night are justified. I never should have kept that from him. He was one to talk. I still had no clue what was going on with that bitch wife of his. I understood the need to protect his daughter or take care of her but why not tell me about it.
I move to the couch and turn on the TV, settling on some stupid sales pitch. My phone rings from the bedroom and I slowly walk in to answer it.
"Jaxson, just leave me alone. I don't have anything to say to anyone. I don't care that y'all told my dad and brother. Just leave me alone." I almost hang up on him until I hear his voice.
"Op knows. Tig confessed about Donna." He tells me, his voice haunting and scary.
"Where is he?" I ask; my imagination on overdrive.
"I don't know, I think he's goin after Stahl." I sigh, biting back tears.
"You know what Jaxson, there's nothing I can do about that."
"What are you talking about? Something going on?" He is worried.
"Ask Filip." I hang up without another word. This time, I turn my phone off. I slip out the battery for good measure. After making sure the doors locked and lights are off, I return to the couch with no intention of dealing with an interruption.
I barely move from my spot for the rest of the night and into the next day. Sleep never comes. Sometime during my self-inflicted solitary confinement; Gemma and Tara show up at my doorstep. This time, there's no getting rid of them. Tara lets herself in and Gemma barrels in behind her.
"What is going on?" She demands, turning off the power on the TV.
"Jesus Christ. What the fuck do you guys want from me?" I sigh.
"Miss Mary fucking sunshine." Gemma crosses the room and sits down on the couch next to me. "You need to get dressed, come with us. There's shit going down."
"Of course it is. I really just don't care." I dismiss her with a grunt. "I am sick of shit going down."
"What is going on with you?" She slaps my leg lightly.
"I'm sick of the lies, the secrets. It's all everyone does now. Fuck this shit. Filip wants to run back to his gash of a wife, let him. My brother wants to check out on the world, his kids, let him. I want to sit here and learn all about this amazing new kitchen device; then get the fuck out of my house and let me. If we all just minded our own fucking business, maybe we wouldn't wanna kill each other." I scream.
"Are you drunk?" She asks.
"What do you mean if Filip wants to run back to his wife? Did something happen?" Tara picks up on what Gemma missed. I look down at my hands.
"Something's always happening Tara. Where the hell you been?" I snap.
Both women watch me, their mouths hanging open.
"Baby, he's at the garage, broken up about somethin. I just left him there in tears." Gemma rubs my arm.
"Then call his wife." I turn my attention back to the TV.
Gemma realizes the conversation is over and watches me carefully. Tara's phone rings and she steps into the kitchen to take it. I don't hear what she's saying but after a while she comes back, handing me the phone.
"Bree, why aren't you answering your phone?" Jaxson's voice is crazed.
"I'm sick of talking." I reply curtly.
"Listen, I'm on my way into church. I'm stopping by with Tara after." He explains.
"No, don't." I tell him.
"No arguments, I'll kick the fucking door in if I have to." He promises.
I hang up on him and toss the phone back to Tara. Without a word to either of them, I stand up from the couch and march into my bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind me.
I fall asleep for a little bit, my dreams laced with Donna's motionless body, my attack and my brother's expression from the night she died. Jaxson's hushed voice stirs me from my restless sleep.
"We need to talk." He is perched on the edge of my bed alone. I have no clue how he got through the door and I really don't care.
"I can't stand anymore secrets Jaxson." Tears automatically well in my eyes. "I just can't do it."
"Come on, I'll tell you one, you tell me one." He turns, bringing his knee up on my bed. I play along, filling him in on Filip and Fiona. He tells me about my dad shooting up the clubhouse and Opie forgiving the betrayal.
"He left me there, on the ground. He's disgusted. How can he not be?" I admit for the first time out loud.
"Filip almost turned on Jimmy O' to save his wife and kid." He whispers.
"I'm done Jaxson. I can't do this anymore." I break down; sobbing loudly. My breath comes out in hitches and breaks. He rubs his hand up and down my arm. He doesn't try to reassure me. He doesn't offer any comforting words. He just allows me to fall apart.
"You and Chibs will work it out." He tries to reassure me when my crying subsides. He gets me a cool rag and I wipe it over my face, relieving the heat from the tears.
"No, I can't date someone in the club; I can't date someone with a wife and family. I'm too caught up in the bullshit as it is. I don't deserve him. I lied to him. I became something I hated, holding on to information until it served my needs. I should have been honest in the beginning."
"You just need some sleep. I'm leaving. I'll lock you in but I'll be back in the morning." He kisses me on the forehead and leaves. I notice my reassembled phone on the night stand. I pick it up and see there are no missed calls or texts from Filip; just my brother, dad and even Mary. I toss it back to the table and lay down. Sleep doesn't come again, leaving me to toss and turn