Give me a reason to stay...

Chapter One

I was sixteen when dad and I came to the states and he patched into samcro, when we left, mom and Kerrianne were supposed to come with us but they were taken by Jimmy fucking O'Phelan but that wasn't the only thing that happened. He also scarred my dads face, which earned him the nickname Chibs. I hated Jimmy with everything I had. He destroyed my father for a long time, the last couple of years, he seems to get back to himself.

It had been 6 years since we left and we've never been back. Dad still had the connections the IRA but they travel here to Cali for business, which has helped the club. For me, I talk to mom and Kerrianne monthly sometimes every two weeks it depends on if they can get away from Jimmy long enough to make a call. When I chose to go with my dad, Jimmy turned on me looking at me as a traitor.

Dad and I were eating breakfast before heading to the lot. I may be twenty-two, but I choose to live with my dad for my safety and to keep him sane. Half the time he wasn't home until late or just stayed at the clubhouse but I didn't mind staying with him I prefer it actually I don't like being alone and that's probably why I'm never single for long.

After breakfast, I went to go brush my teeth while dad cleaned up. I grabbed my coffee mug and filled it while he went to finish getting ready. We walked out to the garage and he put his helmet on why I pulled myself up and into my Tahoe, putting my seatbelt on. I followed him to the lot so we could get to work.

I worked in the shop as a mechanic but most of the time ended up doing paperwork and talking to customers because Gemma hadn't been showing up lately. I didn't mind doing the office work but it wasn't what I wanted to be doing.

"Morning sweetheart." Tig said to me as I walked into the kitchen of the clubhouse to refill my coffee mug. I looked up and nodded towards him still needing coffee before I could have an actual conversation with him. I took a sip before asking what was on the schedule today.

"Sorry, princess but you're gonna have to work out of the office. Gemma and Clay still aren't here. Once they get here and she plans on staying, I'm going to have you with me for repos today." I just shrugged, walking towards the door of the clubhouse and went to the office to start on some paperwork.

Gemma hasn't been showing up the last couple of weeks, Jax nor Clay will give a reason. I just go with the flow. My phone beeps in my purse, so I dig in it for my phone before seeing a text from Manny.

"Babe gonna have to skip church this morning cover for me. Thank you." Is all his text says. Manny has been really inconsistent and missing a lot around the club lately.

"Why, what could be more important than showing up here? You know they are going to want answers. What do you want me to say? This type of shit is why it took so long for you to patch. You can't keep missing church." I reply when Jax comes walking into the office.

"Darlin, do you by chance know where Manny is? I tried calling him but it went to voicemail and then tried the prepaid same thing. He left here last night saying he was going to yours and chibs place." I shrug and showed him my phone with the text from Manny. Manny might be my man but he isn't my old man, we're still pretty new and just having fun plus club will come first until he officially becomes my old man and then in some things the club will still come first. Jax just nodded at me before looking at a couple stacks of paperwork that I pointed too.

They finally patched Manny in a couple weeks ago, he was a prospect for almost two years, they couldn't get the vote to patch him. I'm not suppose to know who wasn't on board, but it was my dad, Jax, Ope, Tig, and Happy. They wouldn't tell me why, so I just dropped it and play dumb whenever Manny asked. Jax, Ope, and Happy are my best friends and we'll my dad's my dad and Tigs just Tig so I just play dumb.

"Look who is finally pulling in. Hey Ashy these are good to go in the system." Jax says while nodding to the gate, he sets the stack he was looking at down walking over to me and kisses the top of my head before walking out to where Clay will park. Gemma pulls in right after Clay parks. I get up walking towards her so I can give her the run down so I can get the truck ready for Tig and I.

"Hey Gem, so the two stacks on the desk I put in the computer and Jax looked at the three on the back table giving the okay to put them in the system. I'm on repos with Tig so I'm going to get the truck ready. Annnnd I think thats it." Gemma just walks pass me with not even so much as a nod.

Clay and Gemma both have been a mess for weeks. Jax's son Abel was born with some health issues and I walked in on Gemma giving Wendy a loaded needle and because Jax is my best friend I told him and it created a shitshow to say the least. Wendy ended up going to a sober living in a different state and signed her rights to Abel to Jax. Saying she wasn't meant to be a mother. Which now mean Tara's stupid ass was in the picture again. Since all that it's been crazy around the clubhouse and then noone has really been able to count on Gemma. Jax has vented to me about wanting to vote Clay out but he won't have the votes, so he hasn't said anything to the other guys.