Take Me to Church
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The next morning, I found myself standing out on the reservation with the rest of the guys. Jax ordered Happy to walk the perimeter to make sure that no one else was around, while the rest of us were waiting in the barn. The cartel had long since arrived, but the Irish seemed to be running late.
I was wearing ripped up jeans, a pair of boots, a red tank top, and my cut. I had also been wearing a red flannel between my cut and tank top; but the heat of the day had began getting to me. I could feel the beads of sweat rolling down my forehead, I was so hot my stomach was starting to turn against me. "You alright, darling?" Jax questioned upon seeing my obvious discomfort. My stomach continued to churn, more violently this time. "I'll, uh, be right back." I was quick to excuse myself.
Walking out the doors, I quickly ran around the side of the building, before emptying the contents of my stomach into a bush.
Groaning, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand before walking back into the barn. The Irish had finally made their appearance, and Jax was making introductions between the Irish and the Cartel. "This is Romeo Parada." Jax introduced. "Mr. O'Shay, it's a pleasure to meet you, this is my associate, Luis Torres." Romeo was shockingly polite. "Heard a lot about you sir." Luis was polite as well, a smile on his face.
"When will Clay be back on his feet?" Gaalan, however, ignored the two men standing in front of him and spoke only to Jax. I guess he had told them about what happened last night. "It's hard to say right now. We're up to speed on schedules and routes. I'll be able to talk you through everything." Jax tried to reassure the man; but Gaalan still didn't seem to be having it. "No, you won't. I made it very clear to Clay, the only way this deal happens is if he's running it." The Irishman sounded very irritated with Jax.
"Gaalan, we run things as a club. We can make things work." Once more, Jax tried to be reassuring. Only to once more be shot down. "It's not just about making it work, it's about trust. I have little in you, and less in them. When Clay is back at the table, we can discuss the deal- until then, there is none." With that, the Irish walked away- leaving us alone with the cartel.
The rest of us went to leave, when Romeo approached us. "We've got to talk." He informed Jax. "Alright. You all head back to the club, I'll catch up in a bit." Jax told us, heading back into the barn with Romeo.
I could sense that Chibs was hesitant to leave Jax alone, so I quickly reached down and took his hand in mine reassuringly. He smiled down at me before we walked over to his bike together. From there, we did as Jax had told us and we all headed back to the club.
"We've got church at eight, and it's only about three now. So what should we do to pass the time?" I sighed as we walked into the guard together. We had been the first to get back, so everything looked pretty much abandoned. It was strange not seeing the building over flowing with people. "We could go check on Clay?" Chubs suggested as I walked behind the bar, looking for something specific.
"No, they probably still won't let us see him. I honestly don't feel like sitting in the waiting room for hours and hours after spending so much time out in the heat." I said with a sigh, grabbing one of the bottles of wine from Gemma's secret stash. Pouring myself a large glass, I was quick to begin sipping on the liquid. "You feeling alright?" He questioned, looking me over from where he was sat on the other side of the bar. I shrugged my shoulders as I placed my glass back down on the counter. "Just stressed I guess." I confessed with a sigh.
He narrowed his eyes at me ever so slightly before, standing up. He came around the bar and offered me his hand. I almost hesitated before taking his hand. Grabbing my glass of wine with my free hand, I allowed him to lead me down the hallway and into our apartment. "Lay down." Was all he said, closing and locking the door behind us.
I was a bit confused, not sure what the expect to happen next. Setting my glass down on the night stand, I crawled onto the bed, and laid down on my side. I pulled one of the pillows up under my head and stuffed my arm up under the pillow. Moments later, I felt the mattress dip under Chibs weight before his arms wrapped around me. My body instantly relaxed, and I leaned back into him. I could feel his breath against my ear as he rested his chin on my shoulder.
Because of the club, Chibs and I didn't get a lot of little moments like this, so no chance in hell was I about to pass this up. Moments like this are far too precious.
We stayed like that for a few hours. Talking, laughing, joking with one another, and just enjoying our time with one another. It was one of the best days I've had in a long time. Though, any day that we weren't almost killed is a good one.
When eight o'clock finally rolled around, we found ourselves climbing out of bed and making our way out into the bar.
Jax had just walked into the door, and the rest of us were gathered around- waiting to see what was going to happen next. Without saying a word, he walked past all of us and went into the chapel before sitting down at the head of the table. When the rest of us tried taking our normal seats around the table, he was quick to stop us. Jax moved Chibs to sit next to him, and Tig sat where Chibs used to be. Next came Happy, who sat in Opie's old chair. Juice was sat across from Happy. The two empty chairs were for Bobby and Opie.
"Is Ope coming?" Chibs asked Jax, pulling me down into his lap as he always did. "What time is it?" Jax growled out. "8:03." Happy was quick to inform us all. Instead of saying anything, Jax simply dropped the gavel.
It was then that Tara walked in, crouched down in front of Jax and placed her hands on either side of his face. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here, baby, I'm here." She whispered. When they looked away from one another, they spotted Gemma standing in the doorway, watching events unfold. Tara stood up, moved to stand behind Jax's chair and put her arm around him protectively.
Gemma looked like she had seen a ghost.
I was wearing ripped up jeans, a pair of boots, a red tank top, and my cut. I had also been wearing a red flannel between my cut and tank top; but the heat of the day had began getting to me. I could feel the beads of sweat rolling down my forehead, I was so hot my stomach was starting to turn against me. "You alright, darling?" Jax questioned upon seeing my obvious discomfort. My stomach continued to churn, more violently this time. "I'll, uh, be right back." I was quick to excuse myself.
Walking out the doors, I quickly ran around the side of the building, before emptying the contents of my stomach into a bush.
Groaning, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand before walking back into the barn. The Irish had finally made their appearance, and Jax was making introductions between the Irish and the Cartel. "This is Romeo Parada." Jax introduced. "Mr. O'Shay, it's a pleasure to meet you, this is my associate, Luis Torres." Romeo was shockingly polite. "Heard a lot about you sir." Luis was polite as well, a smile on his face.
"When will Clay be back on his feet?" Gaalan, however, ignored the two men standing in front of him and spoke only to Jax. I guess he had told them about what happened last night. "It's hard to say right now. We're up to speed on schedules and routes. I'll be able to talk you through everything." Jax tried to reassure the man; but Gaalan still didn't seem to be having it. "No, you won't. I made it very clear to Clay, the only way this deal happens is if he's running it." The Irishman sounded very irritated with Jax.
"Gaalan, we run things as a club. We can make things work." Once more, Jax tried to be reassuring. Only to once more be shot down. "It's not just about making it work, it's about trust. I have little in you, and less in them. When Clay is back at the table, we can discuss the deal- until then, there is none." With that, the Irish walked away- leaving us alone with the cartel.
The rest of us went to leave, when Romeo approached us. "We've got to talk." He informed Jax. "Alright. You all head back to the club, I'll catch up in a bit." Jax told us, heading back into the barn with Romeo.
I could sense that Chibs was hesitant to leave Jax alone, so I quickly reached down and took his hand in mine reassuringly. He smiled down at me before we walked over to his bike together. From there, we did as Jax had told us and we all headed back to the club.
"We've got church at eight, and it's only about three now. So what should we do to pass the time?" I sighed as we walked into the guard together. We had been the first to get back, so everything looked pretty much abandoned. It was strange not seeing the building over flowing with people. "We could go check on Clay?" Chubs suggested as I walked behind the bar, looking for something specific.
"No, they probably still won't let us see him. I honestly don't feel like sitting in the waiting room for hours and hours after spending so much time out in the heat." I said with a sigh, grabbing one of the bottles of wine from Gemma's secret stash. Pouring myself a large glass, I was quick to begin sipping on the liquid. "You feeling alright?" He questioned, looking me over from where he was sat on the other side of the bar. I shrugged my shoulders as I placed my glass back down on the counter. "Just stressed I guess." I confessed with a sigh.
He narrowed his eyes at me ever so slightly before, standing up. He came around the bar and offered me his hand. I almost hesitated before taking his hand. Grabbing my glass of wine with my free hand, I allowed him to lead me down the hallway and into our apartment. "Lay down." Was all he said, closing and locking the door behind us.
I was a bit confused, not sure what the expect to happen next. Setting my glass down on the night stand, I crawled onto the bed, and laid down on my side. I pulled one of the pillows up under my head and stuffed my arm up under the pillow. Moments later, I felt the mattress dip under Chibs weight before his arms wrapped around me. My body instantly relaxed, and I leaned back into him. I could feel his breath against my ear as he rested his chin on my shoulder.
Because of the club, Chibs and I didn't get a lot of little moments like this, so no chance in hell was I about to pass this up. Moments like this are far too precious.
We stayed like that for a few hours. Talking, laughing, joking with one another, and just enjoying our time with one another. It was one of the best days I've had in a long time. Though, any day that we weren't almost killed is a good one.
When eight o'clock finally rolled around, we found ourselves climbing out of bed and making our way out into the bar.
Jax had just walked into the door, and the rest of us were gathered around- waiting to see what was going to happen next. Without saying a word, he walked past all of us and went into the chapel before sitting down at the head of the table. When the rest of us tried taking our normal seats around the table, he was quick to stop us. Jax moved Chibs to sit next to him, and Tig sat where Chibs used to be. Next came Happy, who sat in Opie's old chair. Juice was sat across from Happy. The two empty chairs were for Bobby and Opie.
"Is Ope coming?" Chibs asked Jax, pulling me down into his lap as he always did. "What time is it?" Jax growled out. "8:03." Happy was quick to inform us all. Instead of saying anything, Jax simply dropped the gavel.
It was then that Tara walked in, crouched down in front of Jax and placed her hands on either side of his face. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here, baby, I'm here." She whispered. When they looked away from one another, they spotted Gemma standing in the doorway, watching events unfold. Tara stood up, moved to stand behind Jax's chair and put her arm around him protectively.
Gemma looked like she had seen a ghost.