CHAPTER THREE

"So you know I have an insane amount of money from my parents. You also know that I have investment funds." Jax nods. "Okay, so I never got much say in what happened with my money, I didn't want it. I just had a few businesses that I wanted an eye kept on. Businesses that would have had catastrophic ripples in this town if they failed. The Oswald's were three of them."

"What were the others?" Jax interrupts.

"I was getting to that. I also had my lawyer keep an eye on the gym, the restaurant and TM."

Jax's jaw drops, "You had someone keeping an eye on the garage?"

I nod, "I did. It was caused by several events that made me worry about you. The whole automotive industry took a bit of a knock and I worried you guys wouldn't survive; I should have known that Gemma would never let that happen. But I'm getting off track. The construction and lumber sides of Elliot's businesses took a hit when JJ decided to start renovating in Stockton; I don't think anyone in town had any idea thank god. My lawyer is worth every cent I pay him. He came to me about 3 years ago letting me know that a whole bunch of Oswald Lumber plant items had just come up for sale. I got him to start investigating what was going on. It didn't take long to find out that JJ was using Uncle Jacob's connections to try and squeeze Elliot out of town. I gave the approval for Patrick to get in touch with Elliot and find out if he was agreeable to a silent partner."

"You?" Jax fills in as I stop to have a drink.

Capping the bottle again I nod. "Me. Patrick and Elliot managed to work out a deal which kept the whole thing from becoming public knowledge. I brought 35% of Lumber and 30% of Construction at a time when it was really needed. I also own about 10% of Oswald Beef, but that was a side agreement as a way to funnel some more cash where it needed to go. It wasn't till the paperwork was all signed that Patrick even told Elliot who his new business partner was. Half of all my profits are put back into the business for upgrading equipment, training existing staff and hiring new staff. I have nothing to do with the day-to-day running but Elliot knows if he needs anything that's beyond the budget to come to me and we'll see what we can organise. That's only happened once so far."

"When?" Jax asks, slowly drinking his first beer as we're talking.

"About 2 years ago I guess. He needed to get a new one of the log stripper things. Did you know how expensive they are?" Jax shakes his head. "Neither did I till I had to write a 6 figure check."

Jax chuckles, "Well it's not like you couldn't afford it." He tickles my side and I wiggle on his lap.

"Stop that. I'm still talking." Jax holds his hands up in surrender before tightening them around me again. "Donna knows about the investment in Elliot's businesses, she has no idea of what sort of amounts we're talking. Well, she probably does have some sort of idea. I did tell her I could buy the whole town with just what's in my every day running around account."

Jax's phone rings as we're talking and he shuffles me around so he can dig it out of his pocket. Flicking it open he holds it to his ear. "Ope."

I can hear Opie through the phone asking about our trip to LA and Jax aims an 'I told you so' stare at me when Opie tells him that he's organised with Clay to have a couple of days off and come up to, using the time to stop in at the Charters along the way. Jax and Opie speak for another couple of minutes before they disconnect the call and Jax dials another number. An conversation of four sentences follows between Jax and Juice, Jax asking Juice 2 questions; if he is coming and has he talked to Clay, the first getting a yep and the second a nah has Jax letting Juice know that he (Jax) will get the okay from Clay for him (Juice) to come.

Jax sighs as he scrolls through his phone again, selecting Clay's number from the list. "Last call, I promise."

I nod and sit silently wrapped in Jax's arms, his smell permeating the area around me and making me relax into his embrace as I listen quietly. "Clay, the girls have to go to LA on Tuesday. Ope; Juice and I are going with them. We'll stop in and see Fresno on the way down. Then San Gabriel Tuesday night, if San Bernardino could be there too that'd be great. We'll come back Wednesday."

I hear Clay agree even though there was no question in Jax's voice and tell Jax that he'll let the charters know to expect us on the noted nights and get SAMBERN to put in an appearance at the San Gabriel charter on Tuesday.

Jax hangs up his phone and tosses it onto the table where it lands with a clink against his still full beer bottle, the other one resting between my thigh and his stomach, he picks up the bottle that was wedged between us and tips it to his lips, the last drops draining down the neck. Taking the empty bottle from his hand I lean over and swap the empty one for the full one and grin. "You are now officially on your last beer."

"Oh no! What will I do?" He exclaims over-dramatically. "Maybe we'll have to hit the market today."

I pick up my water bottle again and take a few mouthfuls, "True, we'd need my truck first though. And I still need a shower."

Jax relaxes his arms and drops one to the arm of the couch and the other to my thighs, "Well go shower, we'll go get your cage and go do domestic shit."

I lean over and kiss him softly before I get up. "Won't be long."

Jax grins, "No you won't. If you're not done in 10 minutes I'm coming to find you."

I raise an eyebrow "Is that a threat or a promise?" Jax chuckles and squeezes my side making me squeal as I run down the hall to his room, taking a few seconds to pull out some clothes before crossing the hall and turning the shower on.

9 minutes and 58 seconds later I hear the door open as I'm pulling my underwear up over my hips. "Almost done." I turn and smile as Jax leans against the door frame.

"I see that." He smirks at me, the black bra and panties decorated with pink hearts barely covering anything.

I drag my trousers up my legs, the laces that cross the front from my ankles to my hips being tugged gently before I tie them and let the excess droop down my legs, the black shirt printed with "Bad as I wanna be" draws another smirk from him as I pull it over my head and sweep my hair from under it, taking a few seconds to put on deodorant and perfume before lifting my head to look at him. "Just shoes and I'm good to go." I say, walking towards where he's still standing in the doorway.

Walking back across to his room I look around the floor, my shoes have all ended up paired beside the door. "Am I going to be okay with heels on the bike or are you going to panic?"

Jax cocks an eyebrow before glancing at my shoes, the handcuff boots sitting at the back make his eyes pause. "You'll be fine, if you wear them."

I grin at him as I pick them up off the floor. "Who knew you had a shoe fetish."

Jax chuckles, "Nope, but you have to say those shoes are as hot as fuck." I smile, pulling the zips up the side before I stand up again, the 2 inch heel giving me a slight boost but I still feel incredibly short next to Jax, even though the difference is now only about 4 inches.

Jax wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me close, my chin resting on his chest. "You okay now?"

I nod, "Yep, are you?"

He briefly let's go of me before leaning down and dropping a quick kiss on my lips. "Yeah, I'm good darlin'. Let's get this shit done."