Other Side of the Tracks

Chapter 26

Peeling down the street, Julia sped toward the clubhouse trying to see through the tears in her eyes and keep her breathing under control. It was usually about an hour drive from the ports to Charming but Julia was rolling down the block in about a half hour. A few yards from the gate she saw one of Baroksy's cops, no doubt coming for her and the large bounty on her head, so instead she made a U-turn at the corner and decided to try her mother's old studio.

Walking in was strange, she hadn't been there since her mother had died, but the room hadn't changed. Julia spent her high school years in that room, practicing her music while her mother taught ballet and just the moment she stepped inside her began to cry. She went through into the office and sat at her mother's desk and used the landline to call Jax, she knew better than to use her cell, she'd be found far too easily that way.

"Yo," Rat answered the bar phone.

"It's Julia," she sounded much stronger than she felt. "I need to talk to Jax now."

"Uhh, he's in chapel," Rat explained.

"I don't care," she snapped. "Put him on the goddamn phone."

--

Jax explained it all to his brothers. Everything Clay had done, the lies and the danger he put the club, Gemma, Julia and their businesses in. Opie and Juice were far from surprised as they had been part of the investigation but once it all came out the others stared at him blankly with shock painted on their faces.

"Jesus," Tig hissed. "All to get at you," he mumbled quietly.

"And probably Nero," Jax added. "Didn't like me at the gavel or Nero with his woman."

"So, what do we do?" Juice asked, never having been in such a situation before.

Jax rolled his jaw, "We bring him in, lay it out, and vote."

"To strip his patch?" Juice asked again.

"We can't kill em'," Jax sneered. "As much as I want to, I do, we can't." When in inhaled, ready to have Gemma usher Clay in as was planned, there was a knock at the door. "What?" Jax snapped.

"Call for you on the bar line, it's Julia, I think she's in trouble."

Up like a shot, Jax was out the door and grabbing the phone in seconds. "Babe, you okay?"

"No," she finally began to cry. "Ryan went to Charlie and he tried to kill me, baby."

"Where are you?"

Julia rattled off the address quickly. "It's a ballet studio not far from my apartment, it's the only place I could go. All Charlie's guys are looking for me, Jax."

He nodded and waved for Opie to join him at the bar. "I'll be there soon. Does Charlie know where it is?"

"He does but I sliced through the back of his knee, there's no patching that, he's probably at the hospital."

Jax chuckled darkly. "That's my girl."

"I need you."

"Alright, just calm down, I'm on my way, Jules." Slamming the phone down, Jax turned to the others. "Charlie knows, we gotta move now. Juice, head over to Gemma's, keep an eye and make sure they don't go anywhere. Ope and Hap, I want you with me. Everyone else, head to Diosa I don't want Charlie taking shit out on those girls or our business."

--

Jax didn't know exactly where the studio was but he was able to find it rather quickly considering the stress he was under. They parked, checked the perimeter, before breaking down the back door and hurrying in.

"Jules?" Jax called out as Happy and Ope cleared the studio.

She stepped out from the office in tears, her arms stretched out toward him and began to cry again. "Jax, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I trusted him."

"Shh," he held her tight, "It's alright. Not your fault. Let's get you out of here."

Refusing to leave, she pulled back from Jax and shook her head. "There was a cop outside the gates at TM, I don't have anywhere to go. I guarantee their staking out your place and my apartment, everywhere."

Opie had an idea. Leaning over he mumbled quietly to Jax who quickly nodded in agreement. "Good call," he looked back to Julia. "I'll take you to Wendy's, you can stay there while I clean this up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the exit. "We gotta move now, though."

"This is my mess," she whimpered. "I gotta do this."

Jax huffed, annoyed, and shrugged. "We'll talk at Wendy's."

The four of them hurried out into the back alley, heading toward the short line of bikes. The distinct sound of gunshots hit their ears, echoing off the brick walls on either side of them, from the far end of the alley. Jax pushed Julia down, pulling his gun at the same time, and the three Sons returned fire. One of the shooters took a bullet to the shoulder while Opie and Jax were grazed by return fire before everyone ran out of bullets.

"Go!" Jax shouted as they jumped of their bikes, Julia holding on tight behind him, and roared out of the alley.