Chapter 20
JAX
He wasn’t surprised to find Saylor in the infirmary with Wren and Win, but he was surprised to find her and Rogue standing outside the room as raised voices filtered out the open door. Saylor looked amused, while Rogue appeared to be a combination of queasy, frustrated, and proud. Jax moved to stand behind Saylor, who looked up at him, her lips pulled up into a mirthful grin.
Peeking inside, his eyes widened as he watched Tom and Wren square off in the middle of the room, while Win sat on the edge of her bed, looking both concerned and amused herself. Doc sat against the back wall wearing an intrigued expression, while Scarlett stood sentry in front of Rogue, almost like she was trying to keep him from busting in. Jax could see the concern on her face, but also something else he couldn’t quite understand.
He turned back, and his jaw dropped when Tom yelled, “What the hell did you think you were doing? You could have been killed. Fuck, you almost were. Saylor told you to run, and what did you do? You turned right around and tried to take down an armed man.” This was the first time that Jax had ever seen the Prospect lose his temper. He was normally quiet, stoic, and intense. Never raised his voice, never got offended, or even outwardly irritated. Clearly, this pushed him over the edge.
Jax glanced at Rogue, whose eyes had narrowed to slits; his fists were clenched at his side, but he didn’t move forward. Had he entered the Twilight Zone? Because he was sure that, any other time, Rogue would have been pounding the Prospect into the ground for speaking to either of his girls that way.
“I thought I was helping save your ungrateful life!” Wren yelled back as she stepped into his space. Her face was still pale, but her eyes flared as she put her hands on her hips. “And instead of thanking me, you come in here and yell at me. What? You don’t like that a girl saved you? Well, you better get used to it. The women around here seem to save the men’s asses far more than the men save ours.”
Tom’s face flushed with anger, and he stepped forward, not quite crowding into her, but close. “I don’t give a crap about you being a girl,” he shot back. “What I do care about is you putting yourself in danger when you damn well know better. You might spend time with Karissa and Glitch, but you are not them. You are not a Special Ops badass that can disarm and disable an opponent with your eyes closed and one hand tied behind your back. You’re a kid, so act like it. When someone tells you to run, you run – away from the danger, not towards it. And you never, ever, put yourself in a position where you would take a bullet for me.”
“Fuck you, Tom,” she hissed. “If it meant someone didn’t have to die, then I would fucking do it again. But maybe next time, knowing this will be your reaction, I’ll take a bit longer to think about it, huh?”
“There won’t be a next time,” he said tightly. “Because after this, I’d be surprised if Rogue ever lets your ass out of your damn room for more than a couple minutes. And even if you do manage to get past him, I’ll be putting your ass right back in it.”
“You won’t do shit,” she taunted. “Wouldn’t want to mess me up further, right? After that little session in the gym, you’ve avoided both of us like the damn plague. Like we blame you. What ever happened to you treating us normal and not like we’re broken? Huh? Not even you believe it. Besides, if you touched me, not only would I put you down, Win would have her turn, and then Rogue would finish you off.”
“I have a fucking job to do here,” he snapped. “You think because I don’t talk to you every second of the day, or because I’m not constantly giving you attention, that I’m treating you like you’re broken? You can’t be that stupid, Wren. I’m here to work my way into the club. That’s my goal. Not spending all my time looking after a couple of kids.”
“Dude, you’re an idiot,” Win sighed. She shifted back on the bed, getting comfortable for the fireworks.
Jax glanced at Scarlett and Rogue. Scarlett looked sympathetic, while Rogue still looked like he was contemplating tearing Tom apart. Saylor, she watched with a smirk on her face. If he was smart, he’d stop this now, but he also wanted to see what the hell was going to happen, so he kept his mouth shut.
“Kids?” Wren hissed, her voice low and lethal. Tom took a step back as he looked down at her, his face a mask of cold indifference, but Jax could see in his eyes he was far from unaffected. Especially not when Wren continued, “I haven’t been a kid since the day I was abducted, drugged, and locked in a cage with my sister. I haven’t been a kid since the day I was raped by a dirty old man that liked to fuck eight-year-old girls. I haven’t been a kid since the day we escaped with Scarlett. I haven’t been a fucking kid the entire time you’ve known me. You want to make yourself feel better by pushing me away, acting like I’m nothing more than an annoying brat, you go ahead, but we both know that this kid was the one that saved your ass. You’re only pissed because you didn’t get to play hero, and neither did the rest of the guys you’re so desperate to call brothers. You know what? Fuck you, fuck every man in this club, and fuck all your hero complexes.” Then, she turned and stalked toward the door. She didn’t look at anyone, so focused on the exit. Jax and Saylor quickly moved out of the way; her parents didn’t so much as budge, but they didn’t stop her either.
Win sighed and looked at Tom, who was staring after the departing Wren like he was trying to make up his mind about going after her. “Tom,” she said calmly, quietly. He turned to look at her. “Win and I might be identical twins, but when it comes to her sense of what she needs to do to save herself or those around her, we’re worlds apart. I’ll fight with everything I have, but Wren takes all of that to heart in a way I don’t. You calling her a kid was a slap in the face to how hard she’s been working to better herself, to make herself stronger. She’s not chasing after you like a girl with a crush. You saved her, and you helped her find her strength and her sense of purpose after the incident in the gym a few months ago. Her saving you was her way of trying to repay you, and showing you it wasn’t in vain. You’ve just taken her gratitude and thrown it back in her face. You’re lucky she walked out instead of gutting you.”
Tom’s face warred with shock, pain, and guilt. “Fuck,” he hissed, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean?—”
“No, I know,” Win interrupted. “But I’m the more level-headed of the two of us. It scared you, and it scared her. But you’ve taken a huge step back. If you want to regain that ground with her again, you’re going to have to work damn hard. Well, if you want to. After all, we’re just a couple of kids, right? You’re a man who wants to be a part of the big, bad Dragons MC. You have to prove yourself, not spend your precious time catering to the feelings of two girls that just want to belong somewhere, right? Because it’s not like we could ever Prospect for the Dragons, or be part of something like the Predators, right?” Her eyes went icy and lethal as she climbed off the bed and looked up at him. “Wren was right. We are not kids. We have survived unfathomable things. Things that people can’t ever understand. If you ever belittle either of us, but especially Wren, ever again, it won’t be her gutting you. It will be me. And I will do it so slowly and so painfully that not even Doc would be able to save you when I’m done.” Then she walked around him and out the door, just like Wren: unseeing and uncaring of anyone around her.
She met Wren at the door to the common room and they walked out, shoulders squared and heads held high. The room was silent as they left. As the clubhouse door swung closed, Taz followed a few steps later, with Karissa and Glitch not far behind.
Jax looked back at Tom. His face schooled into an expressionless mask, but his eyes, they held a wealth of emotions. Pain, guilt, remorse, and uncertainty. It was a long moment before he finally walked stiffly toward the door. Personally, Jax thought he was being stupid, considering his path put him directly in front of Rogue, who was seething with fury. Jax nudged Saylor back behind him, out of striking range, just in case Rogue went... well, rogue. He was surprised when he merely hissed at Tom, “You will fix it, Prospect, or I will ensure you never get your patch.”
Tom gave a curt nod and then stalked toward the door. But when he got outside, he didn’t follow the girls; he went the opposite way, toward the gate. “Don’t,” Scarlett snapped at Rogue when he gave a low growl of disapproval. Rogue’s gaze whipped down to hers. “Don’t you even think about interfering any further,” she told him firmly. “It’s been an emotional day, and everyone’s feeling it, including them. Shit was said, and they were both wrong and right. So you will let them figure it out on their own, and you will stay the hell out of Tom’s way when it comes to getting his patch. That was unfair. If you decide to meddle anyway, I guarantee both girls will hate you for it.” With that, Scarlett headed for the stairs, her entire being drawn with exhaustion.
Rogue stared after her but didn’t move to follow. When she was out of sight, he unleashed another growl and slammed his fist into the wall, then stormed off toward the basement. A few people exchanged wary glances, and Fury, Savage, Simba, and Jag all headed for the steps behind him.
“I was wondering what happened to Wren and Win, but I never imagined it was anything like that. The poor girls. But is it always like this?” Saylor asked curiously once they were out of earshot.
Jax sighed. “No, not normally. But when it comes to those girls, Rogue is not rational. He may not say it, but he loves them more than he loves anyone else, and when they hurt, he hurts ten thousand times more, because he feels like he’s failed. And when he’s being an idiot and Scarlett points it out, it’s like a hammer to the gut for him.”
“And what’s going to happen to Tom?”
Jax shrugged. “I don’t know. Rogue can technically block him from getting his patch since he’s VP, but I think Savage would have the final decision if the table vote was split. I can honestly say Tom is one of the best Prospects we’ve had in a long time, and losing him would be a damn shame. He’s young and wants to prove himself; I don’t think he expected to have to handle something like this with the girls. Hell, none of us were expecting them. He’s going to have to talk to Rogue at some point once things calm down. If he does, he’ll get some major respect from me, because I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes. But what he really needs to do is make it up to Wren. Honestly though, I agree with some of the points that he made.”
“Like what?”
“Like she shouldn’t have gone back to the clearing after getting Win to the clubhouse. Whether they like it or not, Tom was right. It’s his job to protect them, not the other way around.”
Saylor narrowed her eyes. “So, what? Because she’s a girl, she can’t protect people? I mean, whether you want to admit it or not, if she hadn’t gone back, Tom would be dead right now.”
“Because she’s still a kid,” Jax replied calmly. “The whole point of Tom being a Prospect is to show the club he has what it takes to be one of us. Part of that is protecting those we love and care about. Our women, our children. He should be the one to face the danger, not sitting back and letting a sixteen year old girl do it for him.”
Saylor said nothing for a moment. “So, if she let him die today, you’d be happy with her for doing what the women are supposed to do, and he’d be a hero?” she finally asked. “But if Wren died because of her own choice, and because he couldn’t get to her quick enough, he would be seen as a traitor and not worthy of your club?” There was no change in her voice, but the words hit him like bullets. “Have I got that right, Jax?” She looked around the room at the rest of the men eavesdropping shamelessly. “And you would all go along with it, because that’s what MCs do, right? They stick together. They don’t let the women get involved in club business, and when they do, they’re in shit for it. When they stand up for something, or when they put themselves in danger to protect you and yours, they’re told they shouldn’t have done that. They should have let the men handle it, right? If he died, well, he was a hero. But if we as women step in front of you, to take that bullet or that pain, that’s us not trusting you or doubting your manhood in some way, right? When in reality, they are doing the exact same thing you would do for them.” Her fierce gaze came back to his and dread settled into his gut. “If that is what you’re saying, then I don’t know if I want to stay here.” Then she headed for the door.
Jax was moving instantly, but a hand landed on his shoulder, holding him back. He turned his head to snarl at the person who dared to stop him. Behind him was Warg, held his gaze and said calmly, “Ursa will follow her. You need to let her cool off before you go charging after her or you’re going to lose her. Trust me.”
“Why the fuck should I trust you?” Jax demanded, wrenching himself away.
Warg gave him a cool look and replied, “Because I’ve been in your shoes, and I didn’t do that, and I lost her. You want to keep her, you let her cool the hell down and you talk to her once she’s feeling less pissed.”
Jax eyed him angrily, and then he turned and headed for the door. He didn’t care what Warg had been through in the past. He wasn’t about to lose Saylor. However, just as he reached the doorway, his phone rang, making him stop when he saw Tom’s name on the screen. “What, Prospect?” he barked.
“There’s a man here demanding to speak to Saylor,” Tom told him calmly. “Says his name is Felix and that she’ll know why he’s here.”
Jax froze. Fuck. “Tell him I’ll be right down,” he told him briskly. Then he turned and called, “Someone get Savage. Tell him the final man in this equation is at the gate. I’m heading down there now.”
“Not alone you’re not,” Razor said firmly.
“I’m behind you,” Warg said. “Copper, you and Tiger go around and get behind this bastard in case he tries another drive-by like the other fuckers did.”
“Copy that,” Copper agreed as he and Tiger hurried away.
“Code, watch the gate,” Razor called out. “And make sure that Taz and Ursa know what the hell is going on.”
“On it,” Code echoed as he rushed to his office.
“I’m done with this shit,” Jax said angrily as he, Razor, and Warg headed for the gate.
“You and me both, brother,” Razor said grimly. “I’m already in the doghouse with Karissa, and none of this is helping me get out.”
“I think we’re all in the doghouse,” Warg corrected. “This whole situation is just showing us why.”
Neither Jax nor Razor replied, but Jax had to agree. But if Saylor thought that she was leaving, he would show her how very wrong she was. After today, after almost losing her, again, he wasn’t about to give up and let her act like everything between them was nothing more than a speed bump in the road of her life. She was his, and if he had to lock her in his room to keep her, he would.
When they finally reached the gate, he stared at the man on the other side, leaning casually against his black SUV, wearing a suit that looked like it cost a pretty penny, and a dark, foreboding expression. His eyes were shaded by aviator sunglasses, and when he saw them approaching, he straightened, a frown pulling at his mouth. “It’s been far too quick for a sex change, so I can assume none of you are Saylor,” he said levelly.
“Cut the shit, asshole,” Jax snapped at him. “What do you want with Saylor?”
The man merely lifted his sunglasses to the top of his head. “That is between her and I. Now, we have a couple of options. You can bring her here and let me speak with her, or we can settle this in a far less civilized manner.”
None of them hesitated, pulling their guns and pointing them straight at him. Felix didn’t even flinch. He held their gazes and waited. “I’m going to ask you one more time, before I kill you where you stand,” Jax told him coldly. “What do you want with Saylor?”
Felix remained silent for a long time, seemingly weighing his options. Finally, he said, “She has something that belongs to my boss, and we want it back. It seems that she got the jump on one of our men and took a book that doesn’t belong to her.”
“You mean the book that belonged to your former colleague,” Razor corrected stonily.
“Former?” Felix repeated. “Ah, so you killed him, I take it?” No one confirmed or denied anything. Felix shrugged. “Leon was a pain in the ass. I’d have killed him eventually, so you merely saved me the trouble. But that doesn’t change the fact that book contains something my boss wants, and he has instructed me to get it back by any means necessary. I don’t take pleasure in harming women, so once I have the book, Ms. Saylor will be free to continue on.”
“All this over a book,” Warg remarked with a shake of his head.
“All this over the power that book contains,” Felix corrected. “I looked into you when I realized this was where she was hiding, and I know you’re smart men. I imagine you found the list and the template, so let’s be straight. My boss wants the book, the template, and the list. For that, he’ll leave your lovely lady and your little club alone.”
“You have no power to bargain here,” Savage growled, coming up behind them.
Felix took him in, eyes pausing on his President patch before continuing, “I think you’ll find that I have all kinds of bargaining power. Because you see, unlike Leon with his idiotic short-sightedness, he wasn’t as quiet about what he was planning as he liked to think. He bragged to the wrong people, who told my boss. And now, unknown to Mr. Long, who I would also guess is either dead or being held here, his entire ring has been shut down. Not only will their clients be calling on them very soon, but they’re looking for a new supplier.”
“You want to be that supplier,” Jax finished, watching him.
He gave a cool smile. “A lucrative deal for all, but we can’t go forward without the book or the template.”
“And if we don’t give it to you?” Savage asked.
“Well, that would be a most unfortunate choice,” he continued calmly. “One call to our new connections, and this entire compound along with everything and everyone in it, would be nothing but rubble by the time they were finished.”
They all stiffened at the clear threat. “And Saylor?” Jax asked.
Felix looked at him. “All I want is the book. I don’t give a damn what she does.”
“Your boss won’t be going after her?” Jax pressed.
“My boss will be satisfied if I tell him I’ve handled the problem. He won’t question it,” he replied. “Oh, and I want Mr. Long, if he’s still alive. We’ll need him to ensure a smooth... transition of services.”
“Come back in two hours and we’ll have a decision,” Savage told him.
Felix’s eyes narrowed. “No,” he said firmly.
“You don’t have a choice,” Savage replied bluntly. “We’ll make our decision and let you know then. You can leave now and come back, or you can stay, and you’ll be joining Mr. Long until we decide what to do.”
Felix didn’t move, but finally said, “Fine. I’ll return in two hours, but if I don’t like your decision, the conclusion of our next meeting will not be nearly so comfortable. Remember that.” Then he slid into his SUV and drove away.
“Round everyone up for Church,” Savage ordered. “This isn’t over yet.”
That was what Jax was worried about.