CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

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Everyone is finished eating by 1030 and the Redwood Sons have disappeared into Chapel with the Fresno charter members, Donna, Al and I are waiting outside, the morning has warmed up and because I've got the next stretch in the car I've stripped off my hoodie and thrown it in the backseat.

Dani comes over, several full water bottles in her hands and passes them to me "Thought you guys might get thirsty between here and wherever the next stop is."

I smile at her say thanks and tuck them under my hoodie on the backseat; the tinted windows should keep them cool. "Next stops Bakersfield then on to LA."

Dani shudders "God I hate that place."

"What Bakersfield?" I chuckle.

"No, LA. I was born there. Fucken uptight snobby wankers who will tell you their shit doesn't stink right after they drop it in your hands."

We all burst out laughing "Gee, tell us how you really feel." Al remarks from where she's reclined back on Juice's bike.

Dani shrugs "I grew up in one of the snottiest areas, Holmby Hills. It's worse than New York."

I smile "I lived in New York for four years."

Dani smiles "I liked New York. But we moved and ended up in this gated community stuck on some hill where everyone had their heads tilted so far back that you could see straight up their noses into their brains."

"Hang on, Holmby Hills. That's where we're going tomorrow. Gated? Fuck. Patrick didn't say anything about that." I rant, pulling my phone out and quickly dialling my lawyer. "Hey Patrick. This place we're picking up the booze from, did they mention it's a gated community?"

After spending a couple of minutes on the phone to Patrick he tells me he'll ring the person we're meeting and arrange somewhere else to meet, I don't do gates, fences with gates are fine. Gated communities generally mean armed security guards, pin codes and being locked in.

Dani watches curiously while I panic, Al jumps up and comes over just as I start hyperventilating "Do you need us to get Jax?"

"No." I shake my head "I'm fine." I'm trying to suck in some deep breaths but the thought of possibly being locked somewhere without an escape is making it a little hard. I crouch beside my car, my back against the door and my arms wrapped around my legs, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead and my breaths coming in panting gasps.

"Bullshit S. You're not fine. Go get Jax. Don't care what you have to tell them but get him here now." Al snaps towards Dani who is running towards the clubhouse while Al's still talking.

I'm not sure how much time passes before I hear footsteps running back towards us, Al's been trying to get my breathing to slow down but it's not working. Her hand is rubbing circles on my back slowly and she's muttering random things that I'm not quiet hearing.

"Fuck Sarah. You okay Darlin'?" Jax's voice is right in front of me and before I can even attempt to move he's pulled me to my feet and into his arms.

I inhale, the leather, oil, gas; grease smell is joined this morning by bacon, maple syrup and the smell of the open road. I nod into his kutte as his hands rub up and down my back. "Just had a moment."

Jax leans back so I can angle my head and look at him "What happened?"

"This place we're going to in LA. It's a gated community. I can't do restrained." My eyes are darting all over the place checking the gates are still open. Even though I am fully aware that I'm safe and nothing's going to happen to me the wide gap showing the street outside is a welcome sight.

Jax's eyes widen, the realisation of exactly why I have an issue being locked somewhere an instant connection. "It's okay Sarah. We'll work it out."

"Patrick's already talking to the sellers to get them to meet somewhere else." Al fills in from where she's still standing beside me.

Jax nods "Well if they can't then you and Juice go. I'll stay behind."

"NO!" I shout.

"Okay Darlin'. It's okay." Jax says, pulling me against his chest again and running his hands over my back again. "It's okay."

I can hear a bunch of very confused murmurings behind me and Donna's voice. I listen to what she's saying as I try and shove away the panic that's gripped me. "She was held captive for a couple of months a while ago."

I'm grateful that Donna hasn't said any more than that, Happy snorts but doesn't move a muscle. The club enforcer is standing between me and everyone else, Al the only one within arm's reach, his backs to me and I can see how rigid his spine is.

My phone sings in my hand and I silently pass it to Al who answers it.

"Hello." She makes a very slight pause "Patrick, please tell me you have good news. Sarah's in the middle of a panic attack here."

She listens, her eyes locked on mine and a smile slowly spreading across her face. "Thanks, that's great. I'll tell her."

She hangs the phone up and passes it back to me "He talked to the people and they're going to come to the hotel instead, okay?"

I nod and slowly the panic starts to leave, I'm not aware of how tensely I was holding myself till my muscles start to relax. It slowly dawns on me what an idiot I've made of myself, and how much I've probably embarrassed the guys.

"Sorry." I mumble into Jax's kutte, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Don't you worry about it Cupcake." Happy growls "No one here is."

I turn my head and see that Happy's now looking straight at me. "Do you want me to come to LA with ya?"

I shake my head "No. Spend some time with your Mom. See if you can finally convince her to move to Charming."

Happy chuckles "Won't happen but I'll try."

Vince and Blade are looking confused between Happy, Jax and me, the relaxed way Jax is standing and holding me while one of the other Sons calls me Cupcake is obviously hard to fathom. "Cupcake?"

I step back from Jax, my breathing finally under control again. "I'm okay Jax. Really."

He searches my eyes for several long seconds before nodding and releasing me. "I'm Happy's cupcake supplier. It's hard to tell looking at him but he really does have an unhealthy obsession for cupcakes."

Blade laughs and shakes his head "Would not have picked that."

Happy scowls at me for sharing what he probably believes is his darkest secret then looks back to Blade "You haven't tried her cupcakes."

Vince's expression is still wary like he's waiting for me to freak out again "Well you're back Friday. Bring some then."

I nod, after the odd situation they've just had to deal with it's the least I could do. I sigh and lean against Jax "Are you guys done?" Blaze and Vince look at each other for a minute before they both nod. "Well I think you deserve a little more than the understated reasoning Donna just gave you."

Jax leans down "You don't have to Darlin'."

"I know, but I'm not going to hide it. What happened wasn't my fault." I look back to Blaze and Vince, meeting their eyes. Both of them look very curious. "In July I was abducted by my ex-boyfriend. I was held captive for over 2 months before I eventually escaped. I think it's fairly logical, well it is to me, and that I don't do gates where I don't have some control over them."

Blaze's eyes harden and he looks between Jax and Happy with a bloodthirsty look. Jax chuckles which seems to break some of the tension that's snuck in. "Bastards been dealt with. He had club justice in the form of a very fucked off Old Man, Uncle and Happy."

Happy grins and for a second I'm truly scared of the man and what he is but the arm around my shoulders and the quasi-familial connection mean that I'm safe amongst anyone wearing a reaper.

"Right, time to hit the road folks. You okay to drive Darlin'?" Jax asks.

I nod "I think I'll be better in the car then on the bike at the moment."

Jax helps me up into the seat and leans in "Pull over if you need anything. I mean that, anything at all."

Nodding silently I lean into his side, my nose nestling between his ear and his shoulder. Taking several more deep inhalations through my nose I try and keep the smell of leather and oil in my brain as Jax pulls away and jabs the button for the window before closing the door.

Resting his forearms on the door he watches me while I adjust the seat and turn the car on, the music floating through the stereo making his nose wrinkle "You still listen to country?"

I nod again "Of course, like that was going to change. But right now, no." Jabbing a few of the buttons on the stereo I wave him towards his bike "I'm all good now, let's get going."

Jax saunters his way across the lot, oblivious to the looks of the women still watching him he swings his leg over his bike and starts it before looking over at me and saying again "Stop if you need to babe."