Chapter 28: Balm

Bella POV

"What do you mean that you're going Nomad?" I asked Jax while we were waiting for Chibs.

"I mean I'm tired of dealing with Clay." He said. He pulled me to the side. "Heard you talked to your pops." He whispered. I nodded. "You tell Ope?" I shook my head.

"All that would do would piss him off. And right now we need everyone together. I thought you understood that. If you go Nomad, what happens to Abel?" I asked.

I guess something I said had sunk in. "It's out of my hands now." He said. I nodded.

When I got back to the clubhouse I walked into the office and slammed the door behind me. "What's your problem?" Gem asked me.

"When does it stop?" I asked her, lighting a cigarette.

She leaned back in her chair. "I don't know baby. What happened?" She said.

"Jax said that he's going nomad." I told her. "Says he needs to get away from Clay." I told her. Then I remembered what Dad said. I walked over to the couch and sat down. I took a hit from my cigarette. "Shit that's been going on around here…maybe it's a good idea." I said, before I looked at her.

"No, it's not. Nomad is MC purgatory. No family, no roots." Gem said.

"He seems convinced it's the best thing." I added.

"He's so deep in his hate for Clay, he don't know what's best." She said.

"But isn't that hatred a good reason to step away? I mean, after all Clay was planning to have me killed." I said, calling her bluff. She looked shocked that I knew about it. "Yeah I know."

"How?" She asked.

"Dad. After Luann was murdered."

"I'm sorry sweetheart. But that's beside the point right now. With everything else that's going on we don't want Jax in a charter scattered across four states." She lit a joint and passed it to me. "On the road alone. The list of enemies we have. You want Tara to get that phone call telling her where to pick up the body?"

"Maybe your right. Maybe its time for secrets to come out too." I said before I handed her the joint back.

Gemma POV

After Bells left, I thought about what she'd said. Clay was still breathing so she clearly hadn't told Opie about what Clay had planned to do. I knew that Tig had been pissed and so had Jax. Rightfully so. I mean Bells was a member of this family. A blood member. But maybe she was onto something…maybe it was time for secrets to come out. I was pulled from my thoughts by Jax standing in the doorway. "Were you gonna tell me?" I asked him.

"Of course I was gonna tell you. I just didn't want to say anything till things were certain." Jax said.

"Are things certain?" I asked.

"Vote's tonight."

"Sit." I said. He sat in the chair next to my desk. "The other day, you asked me what was in that box…it wasn't just old t-shirts."

"I know." He said.

"Why'd you burn it?"

"I didn't know what to do with it." He said, shaking his head.

"And now?" He shook his head again. "It was after Thomas died. Your Dad was lost. Darkest part of his life. You want it back?" I asked.

"I think it's good you have it." He said.

"If I know your father, there's more than one copy." I said and he nodded. "I loved your Dad. More than I've loved any man. Great lay…smart, big heart…and very complicated. Sound familiar? His complications killed him." I said, remembering the pain.

"What do you mean?" Jax asked.

"I don't think your father's death was an accident. I think he hated his life, and he let the road take it. I don't want that same fate for you, Jackson. Things I do, I do to keep you safe. Less complicated."

"I know, Mom."

"Nomad…is a bad idea." I said as he stood up and headed for the door. "Page 449."

Bella POV

Tara, Gemma and I were waiting outside the clubhouse while the guys were inside handling the vote on Jax's transfer. I watched as they all came out. Ope was walking with Dad talking about something. Gem got Jax's attention. "I need to talk to you." She said as they walked over to where we were standing.

"It's done Ma." He said.

"Meet me at my house. Both of you." She said. I turned to walk over to where Dad and Ope were. "Bells…" I turned to face her. "You and Ope too." I nodded.

Tara and I got there the same time as Gemma and we made some coffee thinking that everyone was gonna need it. When Clay, Jax and Ope arrived I just knew things were gonna get bad. "What is this?" Clay asked.

"Sit down. All of you." She said. We all did as she said. Clay sat at the head of the table with Jax and Tara on his right; Gem, Me and Ope on his left. "There's a lot of secrets being kept lately and I think that it's time that they came out." She said taking a drink of her coffee. "The night of Bobby's party…I didn't get into an accident driving home. I was attacked." This got the guys' attention. "A minivan pulls up behind me. A girl jumps out in a panic…says her baby's choking…The girl was very convincing. A goddamn doll in the car seat. She hit me over the back of the head with, a blackjack, something."

Tara and I both reached over and touched her hand. "I came to handcuffed to the chain-link fence of a utility house out by the access road. They wore masks. There were three of them. The one who spoke…I knew his voice. The tat on his throat." She said. "Zobelle's right hand."

"Weston." Ope said. Gem nodded.

"Told me to deliver a message to you." Clay nodded. "Stop selling guns to color. Said if I…If I didn't tell you, that he'd find me and do it again. They raped me. All three of them. More than once." She finished.

Jax stood up from his seat and walked around the table and kneeled next to Gem. "I'm sorry. I'm just so sorry." He kept saying over and over.

"My turn." I said, looking down at my hands. I took a deep breath before I looked over at Ope while Jax went back to his seat. "I've been keeping a secret from you and I need you to promise to stay calm." I said. He nodded, slowly. I turned to Clay. "I know what you tried to do." He looked surprised. "I know that you didn't trust me when I first came to Charming. I know how hard that must have been for you. This tiny little teenager that your wife hadn't heard from in years shows up with proof that she's the daughter of one of your members and your niece. But I couldn't believe it when I heard that you had planned to have me killed." I said, letting a few tears fall.

"What?" I heard Opie say.

"But I want you to know that I forgive you. I get that you thought that you were doing what you had to do to protect the club but I hope that by now you realize that I'm no threat to the club. That I'd never betray the club." I said.

When I finished saying what I had to say, I stood up and grabbed Ope's hand. I led him out of the house and we headed home. Thankfully Lyla had the kids cause I knew Ope was mad. As soon as the front door shut he started. "How long have you known?" He asked.

"Just a couple of days. Found out the day after Luann." I said walking to the kitchen to grab us each a beer.

He nodded. "Jax knew didn't he?" I nodded. "That's why he and Clay have been butting heads, right?" I nodded. He ran a hand over his face. "I wish you would have told me."

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to his chest. "I'm sorry I didn't."