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Chapter 449 World War Gemma

"

Jax had hit the tipping point with Gemma. It wasn't just opening the envelope marked "confidential"; it was everything that led to that point. He had excused a lot of her bad behavior over the years because she was his mother, but he wasn't cutting her any breaks anymore. It was time to put Gemma in her place.

"I opened the envelope because I thought it might be important and I would have to call you about it," Gemma said as she opened her diet Coke.

Jax looked at his mother scornfully. Her excuse did nothing to calm him. Instead, it made him angrier.

"You really think I'm stupid enough to believe that? You opened the envelope because you wanted to know what was inside. It's that simple."

"OK," Gemma said shrugging her shoulders and taking a sip of her diet Coke. "I wanted to know what was inside. I thought she might be dumping you and you would need me."

Jax stared at his mother.

"You think I'm such a pussy that I'm going to need my mommy if my old lady dumps me?" Jax raised his voice.

Gemma wiped the condensation off her diet Coke avoiding eye contact with her son.

"So I wanted to know what was inside. That's not a big deal," Gemma said nonchalantly. "What kind of girl puts that kind of stuff in an envelope anyway?"

"It's none of your fucking business," Jax shouted. "I have had it with you and your constant need to control my life."

"I am your mother. I know what's best for you. Don't you ever forget that."

"You are out of your fucking mind," Jax said still shouting. "I am so damned sick of you."

Gemma's eyes narrowed.

"You are just blinded by that blonde whore's pussy. Once you quit thinking with your dick, you'll see that."

It took every ounce of Jax's self-control to keep from grabbing Gemma by the front of her top and pulling her across the desk.

"Don't you ever talk that way about her again or you will be out of my life," Jax warned.

"Don't be ridiculous," Gemma said shrugging off Jax's warning. "I'm your mother. I'm going to always be in your life. She's the one who won't be around long. Really Jax, you need to save yourself some time and heartbreak by ending things with her."

Jax's hands were clenched into fists. He wanted to punch something or someone, but he was fighting to control his temper. It was difficult because Gemma knew what to say to fan the flames of his anger.

"You just can't stand to see me with an old lady. When Tara and I were together you dripped poison into my ears every damned day about her."

"I was right too. That relationship didn't last. If you had listened to me you would have saved yourself a lot of heartbreak."

"There was also a lot of pleasure and happiness. You can't stand it that there's another woman in my life. You want to be the center of my universe. You aren't. Get used to it and get over it."

He saw Gemma as being monstrously selfish. She didn't want to share him and she wanted to control his life like he was a toddler. He didn't know how it had taken him so long to see the true Gemma.

"Old ladies come and go," Gemma said defiantly.

"I can't believe you. While I was near death in the clubhouse, even then you tried to stir up shit with Scarlett."

"It was my place to take care of you when you got shot," Gemma said hotly.

"I was the one who got shot. It was my choice. You can't stand that I picked her."

Gemma's pettiness shouldn't have come as a surprise to him, but it did. To Jax, loving someone was tied to wanting the best for that person. All Gemma seemed to care about was being the dominant woman in his life.

"It was my place," Gemma said jumping up from behind the desk and walking up to Jax so she could poke him in the chest.

"You are my mother and not my dictator."

Gemma brought up her hand to slap Jax. He caught her hand before she could make contact with his face. There was something degrading about being a grown man and being slapped around by his mother. He'd had enough of that too.

"Don't you ever raise your hand to me again," Jax said in a low, cold voice, "or I will hurt you."

"I don't know what the hell has gotten into you," Gemma said tugging her hand free. "This isn't like you."

"I've put up with enough of your bad behavior."

"Bad behavior?" Gemma hissed. "You tell the MC that they are supposed to respect that . . . person like they do me. She hasn't even . . ."

Jax's cell rang. He pulled it out and saw that it was Scarlett. She had never called him at work. He answered the call.

"Hey," he said changing his voice from the angry voice he was using to speak to Gemma.

"Did you get the pictures I texted you?"

"Let me check," Jax said. He looked at the pictures of Esai. "Is he still there?"

"I can see his car."

"Are you safe? Is Sack with you?"

"I am locked in my store with my gun," Scarlett said calmly. "Perfectly safe. Sack is out on errands."

"OK. See you soon."

"I'll call you if I get anymore info."

"Stay safe locked in your store."

"I will," Scarlett promised.

They ended the call.

"What's going on?" Gemma demanded.

"I've got some outlawing to do," Jax said with an edge of sarcasm in his voice.

"This conversation isn't over," Gemma said. "She hasn't earned the respect of the . . ."

Jax left Gemma still speaking. This wasn't the time for family drama. It was time to deal with that little bitch Esai Alvarez.