Chapter 48: Una Venta

A/N: Hey guys. Not gonna be a lot of Club action in this chapter. It's more about the people close to them coming to terms with the Coke deal.

Jax POV

"Morning." Tara said when she walked into Thomas' room.

I looked up from my notebook. "Morning." I said.

"What are you writing?"

"Just jotting some things down." I said, closing my notebook.

"What kinds of things?" She asked. When I didn't answer she continued. "My badass biker is journaling?"

I stood up and crossed the room. I kissed her cheek. "I got to get ready." I said.

"When are you back?" She asked.

"Couple days." I said.

"You really going down there for a bike show?" She asked.

I knew that this was coming. She'd slowly been wanting to know more. "You want to know more?" I asked.

"Hmm. It's too early." She said.

"Mhmm." I said before heading to get ready.

Gemma POV

After they boys headed out, I left Bells at the garage while I ran a few errands. My first stop was to the local flower shop. I walked in and heard the bell jingle above the door. "Be right there." I heard from the back.

A minute or two later a woman came up front. "Can I help you?"

"You sell Mariposa lily bulbs?" I asked.

"I don't have any in stock but I can get some." She said.

"Mine just keep dying. Think it might be too much sun." I said.

"What's their exposure?" She asked me.

"Southern. Greenhouse. Still potted." I told her.

"Bring one in. I'll take a look at it. Lilies are tricky. Half of mine never make it from seed."

"All right, I'll do that. Gemma." I said shaking her hand.

"Rita."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Rita said.

Bella POV

I was sitting in the office waiting for Gemma to get back when Tara walked in. I looked up when I saw her. "Hey you okay?" I asked.

She walked in and sat in the chair next to me. "How much do you know?" She asked.

"This about the NEW deal that the boys have going on?" I asked. She nodded. "What about it?"

"How do you feel about it?" She asked.

I shrugged. I leaned back in my chair. "Not really sure. Opie isn't too sure about it. But I think that has more to do with what Jax went through with Wendy and the time that I was drugged. Haven't had a chance to talk to Dad about it yet." I told her.

She nodded. "Jax says that this deal is going to be the easiest way for us to make money before we get out." Tara said.

Jax wanted out? What the hell was going on? I needed to talk to Jax when they were back. "Well, I guess that makes sense."

She nodded. "I should get to work." Tara said, before standing up.

Tara POV

I walked into my office and saw Piney sitting on my couch. I walked over and gently tapped him. "Piney." I said as he opened his eyes. "You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I just - sorry, I, I just let myself in." Piney said.

"It's okay. What's uh what's going on?" I asked.

"Uh, you remember those questions you were asking me a few months back about John?" Piney asked. "Then you said you read something."

"Yeah." I said.

"What was it?"

"Well, you shut me down when I tried to tell you. Why do you want to know now?" I said.

"Because the Club is headed into troubled waters and maybe there's something in whatever you read, helps me to keep the boat from, you know, rocking too much." Piney said.

I chuckled. "Those are some really vague metaphors for a guy direct as you." I said.

Piney sighed. "I want to read whatever it is. John was my friend. I have a right." Piney said.

"Bullshit." I said crossing my arms. "What do you need it for?"

"I can't tell you." He said. He was up to something.

"Hmm, then neither can I."

"Hey. I need some goddamn leverage. And that pointed history you read may be…" Piney trailed off as the door opened and Gemma walked in.

"Oh sorry." Gemma said.

I groaned. "You know, most civil people would knock before entering." I said.

"I'm not most people." She said.

"And she's definitely not civil." Chucky said from behind her.

She looked back at him. "What are we, George and Gracie now?" She asked him. She turned back to me. "Sorry to interrupt."

"That's okay, we're done." Piney said as he started to get up from the couch.

"No, no, no, no. We should finish. I'll be right back." I said. I led Gemma out into the hallway. "What do you need?" I asked her.

"I wanna sign you up for a committee - Charming Central Gardens. Need to raise money to save it." Gemma said.

"I can't. I'm already on three committees here." I told her. I couldn't believe this.

"I just need your name. It means a lot to get a doctor involved. Attracts donors." She said.

"Gemma, I can't." I tried to tell her.

"It's a chance to help this town." She said.

"What's your angle on this?" I asked. "Why do you give a shit about an overgrown park?"

"Nate taught me how to plant seed in that overgrown park. I am not gonna let 'em gut it and put up a goddamn Starbucks." She said. I could see in her face how much this meant to her.

"Tara, it's Piney. Something's wrong." Chucky came and said before I could respond to Gemma.

I ran back to my office to find Piney's breathing labored. I immediately called for a stretcher so I could get him admitted while Gemma called Bells.

A little while later, Piney came to. "Can I get out of here now?" He asked, getting my attention.

"Dr. Geller wants to keep you for 24 hours." Piney groaned when I said this. "Just observation."

"It's my oxygen levels. It happens once in a while." He said.

"The alcohol isn't helping."

"Yeah, I know. I'm - I'm sorry I was so hard on you before." He said.

"Mm, it's okay. Tell me about John Teller. What was he like?" I asked.

"He was a complicated guy. Angry, impulsive…" He chuckled. "Just righteous as hell. Hated being wrong. Not much of an education. Book smart, though. He used to, um…devour three and four of 'em at a time. He was loyal. Too loyal." Piney said.

"That sounds familiar." I said.

"Yeah, they're cut from the same cloth. You know what I want to know? Why my best friend was afraid when he died." He said.

"I found some of JT's old letters. He was trying to get the Club out of the gun business. He knew it was a risk. Clay and the others were invested." I told him.

"Trying to get them out how?" He asked.

"From what I read, he had set up a meeting in Belfast with some IRA members and a priest."

"Kellan Ashby." Piney said.

"Yes. John wanted to end the relationship with the Irish, stop the Club from selling guns. He was killed before that meeting happened." I told him.

Before Piney could say anything else, the door opened and Gemma and Bells walked in. "Hey, how you doing Pops?" Bells asked.

"Okay. We're gonna run some more tests. Make sure he's stable."

"Just give him some more tequila, that'll do it." Gemma said and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll check in on you later." I said before leaving.

Bella POV

I was sitting on the couch drinking a glass of wine while Ope was in the kitchen cooking dinner. I started thinking about everything that was going on. Things were definitely changing around here. Not only was the Club selling guns but now they were muling Coke for the Cartel. That carried a lot of risks but it also carried rewards…lots of money. But that aside, apparently Jax wanted out of the Club. I couldn't help but wonder if Ope knew about it. Things were definitely changing. I couldn't help but wonder if we were all gonna make it out of this alive.