Up In Flames

Chapter 37

"She was fucking terrified." Rory said as she and the guys tore into boxes and boxes of Chinese takeout. She went through the play by play but she emphasized how clearly Evelyn was petrified. "I mean twitchy and weird and just scared. She pretty much told me that we shouldn't even be talking and, not in so many words, to be careful of Benny."

Sloppily, Jax slurped up a long noodle and thought over Rory's story. "She said his name?"

"No, I did but she didn't deny or cover it. I said his name a few times and she kept on talking about keeping clear of him. She told me if I wanted my family safe to go back to Charming."

Those words did send a chill down her back when Evelyn said them and when she had to repeat them. Happy put a strong, supportive arm around her shoulders seeing how shaken she was by Evelyn's fears.

"That's it?" Bobby said swallowing a bite of chicken.

"No. I told her she could trust me and that me and Hap could help her. She said to me the last person she went to for help was murdered."

"Little Paul." Tig's fist pounded on the table. "Fucking Benny, man."

"At least we know what." Rory said, wiping her mouth. "You just need the why and the how and solid proof it was him. Shit, I mean I could be that proof, couldn't I?"

Jax's eyebrow went up and he placed his beer back down on the table. "Was there an exchange of cash for drugs?"

"No, I just did the lines, under duress, and left."

Tig shook his head. "Ain't enough. If we were stripping patches for having coke me and Happy would have been out a long time ago. Am I right, brother?" They both erupted into raspy exhbruant laughs.

"A couple lines here and there ain't a big deal," Bobby explained. "We've all been there."

"I haven't." She said embarrasedly.

"Ya have now," Jax joked. "We'll figure it out."

"Maybe I should go back?" She suggested. "I mean that foundation has been laid, if I don't go back it looks shady as shit."

"I don't know if I like that." Happy gurmbled and Jax agreed. "Last time you went you ended up fucked up."

"That wasn't my fault!"

"Hey," Happy looked at her with his face twisted in confusion. "Calm down. I know whose fault that was, doesn't make me like the idea."

"I should go check on Emma." She said pushing her chair out and leaving the kitchen.

"She alright?" Tig asked. Out of all the guys he spent the most time with her, aside from Happy, and the little snap seemed completely out of character.

Happy shrugged and continued eating.

"Alright, well, Hap, it's a good idea. We get proof he's running this we can take it to Reggie and go from there. Evelyn isn't going to say anything but if we press Reggie, with proof of Benny's little side job, we could probably get him to crack."

Nodding at his VP, Happy followed the same path as Rory and found her lingering in Emma's doorway.

"You alright?"

"I"m fine."

"Ror, talk to me."

She quietly shut Emma's door and walked the few feet down to the bedroom. "I feel, out of sorts, I guess. I feel really shitty about what happened and that I put myself in that position because I was angry. That's not me, that's not how I do shit you know?"

"Yeah, I know. What'd he do that made you so angry?"

"It's done," she shook her head. "It doesn't matter now."

"I get like that. I got like that when Emma was taken." He kept his eyes on her alarm clock knowing that if he looked at her he'd clam up. Happy was pushing through his own nature to open up to Rory. "I'm just lucky I had the guys to take over, you know?"

"You're very lucky." Closing the gap between them she hugged Happy tight. "Am I an idiot? Should I not be doing this shit becasue of Emma? I love it, I love the shit we do but I feel like I'm a bad mom."

"You're a fucking awesome mom." He said with excitement. "Shit, you can kill a guy and come home and play fucking peek-a-boo with her. That's great."

"That's like sociopathic behavior, actually."

Pushing her back Happy looked her dead in the eye. "Whatever the fuck that asshole said to make you question this, fucking forget it. He doesn't know us or our lives."

"Can we get married?"

"What?"

"Maybe I'm still high." Rory forced a laugh. "Forget it. Thank you, I feel much better now."

Happy watched her with intrigue as she began to undress and put on a more comfortable pair of pants. "I hate eating such late dinners." She mumbled. "I'm full but I can't sleep on a full stomach."

"Do you want to get married?"

"What?" Rory spun around and pulled a face. "No, no, I don't. It's all good."

"Alright." He said distractedly. "I'm gonna finish up with the guys."

She nodded and kissed him. "Don't make a mess." Rory joked as he left, closing the door behind him, and then got into bed.