by Paula Cox
“How the hell am I supposed to know anything! You just took off. What kind of mother does that?”
Aggie started to speak again when the door smashed open and Brutus appeared with a look to kill over his scarred visage.
“Problem, Aggie?” he asked. “Need me to work him over some more.”
“Oh have fucking at it!” Jax challenged as he stepped to the bigger man’s side and offered his bare chest, ready to endure a series of fresh blows if only to elicit some kind of a reaction from his mother, anything that wasn’t drenched in disappointment or indifference.
“Aggie?”
He was stunned to see Brutus deferring to whatever she might want, and his heart raced up his throat as he wheeled around to face her again.
“And she holds court!” he said. “Why not have your big burly bastard here come back for your son? Or maybe you didn’t want me cramping your style.”
“Grow up, little man,” she whispered. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to go down.”
“How’s it supposed to go down then, Mom? What would Dad think if he saw---?”
“Your father understands.”
“Understands what? That you’re just a fickle whore who cut and ran when she got bored?”
Brutus started to charge forward when Aggie’s voice fixed both men in place where they stood.
“For Christ’s sake, Jax, just fucking lay off!” Flicking her cigarette to the floor, she raised her hand as if to strike his battered face when she finally revealed a hint of tenderness and ran her trembling fingers across her brow. “You think you’re father just made a mistake?” she started. “Not Nathan. Not my husband.”
“What the hell does Dad have to do with this?”
“It was Eric,” she admitted. “Always Eric.”
Jax watched without a word as she slumped back to the chair and hid her face in her hands.
“Eric set your father up to die. So he could have me. Make his way to the head of the table.”
The sound of her confession shook him to core, but knowing what he knew now about Eric, there was no reason why if didn’t make perfect sense.
“Tell me you didn’t know,” Jax said. “At least tell me that.”
Brutus started to wrench Jax’s arm behind his back, and just when he felt that his limb might snap away from his body, Aggie stomped her foot to the floor.
“Of course I didn’t know, little man!” she cried. “What do you take me for?”
“Don’t know what,” Jax said. “How the fuck am I even supposed to recognize you after what you did?”
“Like I was going to let you go out the same way!”
“What did you just say?” he demanded.
“I think you heard me,” Aggie said. “It was either leave you behind or see your body on a slab. Maybe I ain’t no fucking mother of the year, but no way in hell I was going to let that happen.”
As Jax’s mind swirled around her worlds, he sensed the truth in her tone, and it slightly softened his heart. So maybe taking off hadn’t been her choice. But then… “Then why not take me so he couldn’t hurt me?”
She moved towards the window and pressed her fingers to the glass, her back heaving as soft cries filled the room. A part of him wanted to move to her side and fold her close, feel her warm embrace bringing him back to a better place. But something still didn’t add up.
“How could you leave me, Mom?”
Her head hung heavily as she turned her around to face him, and Jax ignored the sound of Brutus’ low grunts as he tilted his mother’s face up to his.
“Come on, Jax,” she muttered. “Please tell me you’re smarter than this.”
Aggie lit a fresh smoke and offered him a drag. Jax took the stick and puffed hard as he waited for the rest of the story, even though a part of him already seemed certain of the answer.
“Eric’s no fool,” she said. “There are still men, men like Artie who remain loyal to your dad. Both of us gone would mean rebellion. But if he had Nathan Monroe’s son to look after…”
Like Jax was a prized pig meant to use until the perfect moment. Had Jax suddenly given him that chance?
“But how did he make you---?”
“He said you would be next if I didn’t back off,” she said. “And I had to make you believe it. It was the only thing I could do for you, Jax.”
Her gaze softened, and Jax felt his heart melt as she took his hand and peered into his eyes.
“I’m sorry I was rough with you,” she whispered. “Probably shouldn’t have even told you now.”
“No, Mom,” Jax insisted. “Better that I know. Just wish I’d been able to help you back then.”
As soon as she smiled sadly, traces of his mother without any fear in her bones poked through her eyes, and he waited for her embrace when she pushed back and did nothing but shake his hand.
“Maybe I can help you now, little man,” she said. “Why the duck and cover? What made you look for me?”
“Aggie!” Brutus pushed his body between them and sneered at Jax before turning his gaze back to her. “Could still be a plant,” he reminded her. “If the son of a bitch is as cunning and clever as you say, what if this is just a play to find us out and get a taste of our turf.”
Aggie started to protest when Jax stood toe-to-toe with the scarred man and stared him down. “I’m here because someone I love more than anything on this earth is in danger,” he said. “And I thought some helping hands might be in order to solve all of our problems.”
Brutus took a few steps back when Aggie made her son face her again and touched her fingers to his bruised face.
“Someone you love?” she asked. “Jax?”
There was no hint of jealously in her stare. Only a curious question loaded with hope, and Jax sighed as he brought her back to the bed and peered into his mother’s eyes. “It’s my girl, Mom,” he said. “Eric hurt her. And I’m just trying to find any way to keep her safe.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lena was ready to lay waste to the intruder when she stopped sort at the sight of a familiar figure stepping from his bike. Artie’s bald head came into view, and Lena lowered the gun as she fell into his arms. “Oh God!” she moaned. “I’m so sorry, Artie!”
The bald man shrugged as he took her into his arms and brought her close to his barrel chest. Lena kept the gun in her hands as her ear rested against the sound of his pounding heart. At the right time and in the best place, she would ask the question without fear. But right now, something was still wrong. Because as good as it was to see Artie again, there was no Jax.
“Where is the kid?” Artie asked.
“He’s heading for his mom’s camp,” she said. “Thinks we’ll find some help there.”
Lena hoped Artie would get on board with the plan. And it was something – a way for them to find help when they were nearly adrift. But Jax had to be there now, pleading his case and aiding their cause.
“Lena?”
The sound of her name passing through his lips perked her ears, and she clutched his arm as she peered into his eyes.
“Eric’s wise to the idea,” he said. “He’s coming after you. Both of you.”
She shuddered as she took his hand. “Will he hurt Jax?” she asked.
“I’m afraid so,” Artie confessed. “But he had plans for you, too.”
Lena trembled and started to sink to the ground when Artie pushed her body to his chest and pressed his brow to hers. “Artie, what…?”
“I heard him say he wants you spread and shred,” he started. “So Jax can see he’s the man in charge.”
Lena had no desire to give him that chance, but she still pressed Artie for Eric’s intentions when it came to Jax.
“Don’t make me---”
“You started to say it,” she said. “Now finish it, Artie.”
The bald man was slow to speak, and Lena could not contain herself. As she hit him hard, Lena watched him hold his cheek, and at the sound of his groan, she
reached for his arms and peered into his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she insisted. “But I have to know.”
Artie sighed heavily as he summoned the strength to continue. “And according to the Big Boss, that’ll be the last thing he sees. Lena, Jax is a marked man. Eric says there’s no way that he’s leaving him breathing. Not gonna take a chance that he might come back to settle old scores.”
The thought of Jax dead when she had only just found him again forced an anguished sigh from her lips, and she fell to the porch as she held her head in his hands.
“Lena? Hey, Lena.” Artie was at her side, and he awkwardly placed an attempt at a comforting arm around her shoulders as he tried to lift her head from her palms. “Eric’s ready to infiltrate the Silver Horses’ hideaway,” he said. “And if what you say is true… I mean, if Jax is already in bed with the enemy.”
“Enemy?” Lena demanded as she met his gaze with flashing eyes. “The only enemy is your fucking Big Boss.”
“I get that,” Artie said. “But I’m like a lone wolf in this, Lena. I can’t fight all his firepower all on my own.”
There was some sense to that, and she slowly asked Artie what was his idea of Plan B when he averted his eyes and looked down at his hands.
“Not that I don’t wish I could,” he continued. “If not for the kid, then at least for his old man.”
“You were his friend, right?” Lena asked, and Artie nodded his head.
“Now Nathan Monroe was a stand-up guy,” Artie said. “He would have led the charge.”
“Okay. So then that’s what we’re going to do.”
She was on her feet, the gun nearly back in her hand when Artie was at her side, shaking his head. “But it ain’t me, Lena. And the odds are not stacked in our favor. Only thing to do now is---”
“Is what?” she asked. “Run?”
Artie struggled to force the words out, and Lena kept her stare fixed on his eyes. “It’s the only thing I can do for the kid now,” he said. “For both of you. I promise I’ll get you somewhere even safer.”
“Because you did such a bang up job the first time,” Lena hissed.
“We were working on the fly,” he said. “But now that the crew’s got their head turned in the other direction, I’ll make it right. Hell, I’ll even get old Sully out of Deerfield once the dust has cleared.”
“And then what?” Lena asked. “What happens then?”
“You try to get on with the rest of your life,” Artie said. “Maybe even go back to school or whatever.”
School? How could she even think about finals and parties when she had seen the lengths to which Jax would go and the consequences of her secret shame? How could she even breathe if there was no chance he would make his way back to her side?
“Not happening,” she said as she pushed away from him and snatched the gun from the porch. Charging into the safe house, Artie’s arms flailed behind her, but she returned to the bedroom and rested Jax’s pistol against the rumpled sheets. Feeling bold, she stripped Jax’s tee from her body, and Artie hid his face in his hands as she dressed quickly. “Problem, Artie?” she asked as she tugged her skirt over her thighs. “Like you’ve never seen a naked lady before.”
“Not the kid’s lady,” he said.
“That’s right,” she said. “I’m with Jax. And there is no way in hell that I’m just leaving him now.”
Hoisting her bag over her shoulders, she grabbed the gun again and moved back to the door when Artie caught her wrist in his hands and turned her back to his side.
“What do you think that you’re going to do here?” he asked. “Gonna go all gun’s blazing and race to his rescue?”
“I’m going to try,” she said as she pushed him away and carefully stuffed the gun in her waistband. “Because I couldn’t live with myself if I just left him dangling in the wind.”
Backing away from Artie’s protests, she spied his bike and started to mount when she realized that she needed one more thing from Artie. “Hand over the keys,” she said.
“Lena, no! No way I’m letting you ride off without me.”
“Then come with. Make yourself useful.”
Artie’s eyes sparkled around the possibility, and Lena impatiently tapped her toes to the ground. When his hesitation was more than she could stand, Lena spied his keys poking out of his pocket and took hold.
“Too long,” she said.
But before she could get back on his bike, Artie easily wrestled the keys from her grasp. “I’m not letting you do this!” he said. “Not on my bike at least.”
Could she take him? Pound her small fists to his chrome dome and literally take off like a thief in the night? She could always use the gun, but that wasn’t her, not some coldblooded killer. Lena pressed the keys back into his palm and grumbled her frustration. “Then I’ll walk,” she said. “Thanks so much for all the help, Artie.”
His voice and nothing else hit her back as she stomped her way down the path of Jax’s departure. It would take longer this way. Maybe too long. And there was the sudden fear that she might run into Eric and his boys before they found Jax. What move would she make then? Duck and cover, or pass her body into their clutches. Even if Artie were strong enough to lay his life on the line for his so-called friend, Lena could do more. She would submit and throw Eric Stiles off the scent for as long as she could stand it. And when she saw Jax again…
Would she be damaged beyond repair? Would he even want her anymore? But it was still a chance, one she had to take, and she started to hit the road when her head turned at the sound of a bike roaring towards her back? Eric? Already. Jesus…
Lena pulled the gun from her waist and took aim again when she spied Artie speeding into view. Her jaw dropped open, and she held her breath as he lingered by her side and sadly shook his head.
“I hope I live to regret this,” he muttered.
“You will, Artie.” Lifting her body to the bike, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Not as taut and smooth as the lines of Jax’s body, but he felt brave even as she reached up and felt his pounding heart.
“So we’re really doing this?” he asked, the crack in his voice suggesting he would still take a way out of the one that she had to offer.
“I’d do anything for him,” she said. “Now ride.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Aggie listened with unblinking eyes and a few moans here and there. Jax didn’t skimp on the details. Lena’s violation always stayed at the forefront of his mind, and even though he could sense Lena didn’t want to talk about it any more times than once, Jax allowed his mind to fill in the gory blanks. He had seen what Eric could do if he wanted a girl against her will, and even now he shuddered to think of Lena being subjected to such treatment when he had no hope of helping her. Now would be different. It just had to be.
“So… Stiles took advantage of your woman?” Brutus asked, his fists as his sides and seemingly reserved for Eric if the man ever had the misfortune to cross his path.
“She wasn’t exactly mine then,” Jax confessed. “Kind of just my best friend.”
“Friend?” Aggie asked.
“Lena… you would like her, Mom,” Jax said. “Never judged me. Always made me feel like I was worth something.”
“Because I didn’t.”
Jax’s anger was still ripe, but he bit it back and kept it at bay as he saw firsthand how she had suffered. First her husband. Then her son. What else would Eric Stiles take away from her if the demon were given half the chance? “No more of that now,” he said. “And I’m not so pure. She ran, too, and I didn’t get it. Like I didn’t get it with you, Mom.” Aggie started to apologize when Jax took his mother into his arms and pressed his lips to her ear. “But I understand it all now,” he said. “And there’s no way this asshole is hurting any of my women ever again.”
Tears finally left Aggie’s eyes as she rested her chin to her son’s chest. Jax stroked her back and sighed into her shorn hair.
“Not such a little man anymore, Mom,” he assured her. “Time to put the bastard in his place.”
Aggie’s relieved tears trailed down his chest, and he spied Brutus moving out of the corner of his eye. He retrieved the fallen ice, already melting from the ground, and nursed the wounds he had inflicted as he grunted.
“Always heard that he was a sick fuck,” Brutus said. “And not just from Aggie either.”
Suddenly sensing a strange camaraderie with the man who had tried to do him in, Jax kept talking when Brutus pressed his hand into the air and cocked his head to the side.