CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT

Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile. HGHRfan: There's always a chance…However I like Babykittys idea

I redress again, this time opting for one of Jax's SAMCRO shirts over a pair of plain black jeans. Coming back into the kitchen I find Jax leaning over the bench staring at the answer machine as my words from several minutes ago echo into the room. His eyes find mine and the smile that crosses his face is heartbreakingly beautiful.

"You never doubted me for a single second did you?"

I shake my head "Of course not. I trust you and I know you would never do anything to hurt me, and I know 100% for sure that you would rather run Tara over with a steam roller than speak to her about anything."

"You would be right about that." Jax wraps his arms around my shoulders and kisses me on the lips, his tongue soft against mine when it slides into my mouth. "Thank you for not believing her."

I shake my head "You don't have to thank me Jax. I will believe you over every single person on the planet who can speak."

"Good." Jax kisses me once more softly before standing up and yanking the answering machine from the wall with one violent movement. "I really am sick of her trying to destroy my happiness though."

I run my hands around his sides, pressing my chest to his back and rub my hands over his front "Baby, you can't let her get away with it. Just forget about her, she's not coming back to Charming and if she does she won't be leaving again other than in a pine box cause I will put her there myself. It's because of her that we lost so many years and I will not have her come back and try and pull her 'I'm so sweet I shit chocolate' routine."

Jax lifts his hands and laces his fingers through mine "Shit chocolate? I have not heard that before, but if you want me to calm down you have to too. She's done, she's over, she's history. Unfortunate history, but history all the same." He lifts my hands to his face and kisses my knuckles lightly. "Shoes on, come on. The King awaits."

I laugh as I go back to his room and pull my black shoes with the chains around the heel off the floor and shove my feet into them jumping to my feet I follow Jax out the front door laughing as he dumps the answer machine in the bin with a disgusted look. I lace my fingers through his as he steps towards the bike and tug him to a stop "Baby, I think we need to keep the tape of her."

Jax laughs once and wraps his arms around me "I know; that's why it's inside in the draw in the kitchen."

I giggle and lean up to press a kiss to his lips "If she comes back I will use that, and the other two copies of her vehicular assault on my poor Challenger to file a restraining order. Patrick can dump her under 10 tonnes of paperwork worded in such a way she won't be able to come back to California, let alone Charming."

Jax slides his hands up my arms and laces his fingers through my hair "I don't give two flying fucks if she comes back, she will never be more than an annoying blip in my history. Are you sure you're going to be okay on the bike?"

I nod and zip my jacket over my loose shirt "I'll be fine." Four days after the initial inking it's itchy to the point it's going to drive me insane but it's fine for me to cover properly, and it's not like the trip to the garage is long.

Jax collects both our helmets from the table I'd moved recently from the spare room to by the front door having gotten sick of him dumping his keys, helmet, wallet and everything else in his pockets on the side table in the living room. Holding the door open for me I jump a little when Jax taps me on the behind as I step past him "Love you babe."

I shake my head as I hop down the stairs and onto the footpath "I know."

I pretty much bounce towards Jax bike and stand beside it while he locks the door "You're in a good mood for someone who's just had a conversation with a person you can't stand."

I shrug one shoulder as he hands me my helmet "It's a nice day, you've got no work for at least another week, our house is coming along great, we just brought two businesses and two cars. Of course I'm in a good mood. There's all these little check boxes beside my to-do list."

Settling onto the bike behind Jax I slide my arms around his waist and tuck one hand into the front of his kutte my fingers tightening on the front of his shirt. Jax starts the engine and pulls out of the drive heading towards the garage. He turns onto Main street and instead of taking the corner that would lead to TM he keeps going straight and stops across the road from Shermans where Mandy's standing in front of it pressing a long sheet of paper to the window, the words 'Under New Ownership' in bright purple lettering on a black background.

I press my fingers into Jax's front "You knew?"

Jax nods "Mandy rang the house while you were walking Doj to let me know she'd be putting up the signs today, she's got the keys for the building as well if you want to get them, but I did tell her that you'd be getting the locks changed."

I lean my head against Jax's back "She already knows to get the locks changed doesn't she?"

Jax nods and his voice sounds faintly guilty "I told her to get them done and let us know when the keys were ready, I've already got one of Gary's crew splitting off to come here and check the alarm system and wiring, I knew before we talked at Ma's that you'd seen him. He was on the phone to me when you walked in."

I snort into his back "Did you think I was going to be worried?"

Jax looks over his shoulder at me "I thought you might be a little."

Mandy finishes sticking the sign to the front windows and turns to see us watching her. Crossing the street she stops by the front wheel and looks at Jax with a raised eyebrow. "You okay?"

Jax nods "Yeah, I got busted with the whole locks change thing."

Mandy laughs "I told you not to try and hide anything; she's far too smart for that. But that does explain why you look guilty."

I laugh and poke Jax's stomach again, my finger barely moving against his abs "Yeah, don't try and hide shit from me, I always find out."

Jax laces his fingers through mine and kisses my knuckles once before setting my hand back on his kutte "I won't. Promise babe."

I shake my head "I'll believe that when I see it."

Mandy tells us that the locksmith will be in the following morning and keys will be ready to collect in the afternoon before she waves and crosses the road back to her car where it was parked right in front of the storefront.

Jax pulls away from the curb again and turns towards TM this time, pulling into the lot a short ride later I'm surprised at the amount of cars in the lot. Turning my head to Jax I feel my forehead crease "Did you know they were going to be this busy?"

Jax shakes his head "Nope."

I sigh and shove him towards the bays "Go help. I'll be with Uncle Clay for a while."

Jax nods and hands me his kutte pulling me through the office and grabbing a long sleeved shirt before joining Opie where he was swearing at a car on a hoist above his head pushing me towards where Clay was working with one of the other mechanics.

I smile and wave at Gemma where she's bent over her desk, the distracted wave I get tells me that they really are busy and I feel guilty for a second taking Clay away from work while we sort the trip but having given them back Jax who was meant to be on holiday makes up for it.

I stop behind Clay and clear my throat, the muffled curse as the other mechanic hits his thumb makes me start apologising but his head lifts and he shakes it once "Not your fault, someone didn't realise that if you superglue the fucken radiator cap on it's not going to come back off, ever!"

Clay chuckles and pats the poor guy on the back "Go see Gem, get her to ring the owner and tell them we have to replace the radiator and probably the hoses as well."

Clay steps back from the car, wiping his hands on an old rag before looking over at me "What's up, and why the fuck is Jax under that hoist?"

I slide my arm through his "I'm doing a trade. He's gonna work for a while cause I need to talk to you."

Clay's eyes widen and the narrow "You're not pregnant are you?"