On the Devil's Path {a SOA sequel}

chapter twenty-eight

"Jesus Jackie, you look like shit!" Chibs shouted as he walked in.

"But I still look better than you, Chibby." Jax shot back.

They laughed and Chibs pulled Jax by the back of the neck into a tight hug. Clay and Tig walked in and took their turn hugging Jax as well. Clay broke away from the group and came over to Gemma and I. He gave her a small kiss on her temple and made a funny face to Abel.

"How'd it go with the cops last night?" He asked me.

"Fine. I told them that I was alone in the apartment when the building was hit and that I didn't see or hear anything." I told him.

It wasn't hard to convince the cops of my story and they had no reason to doubt me since technically, I wasn't really with the club. Clay nodded and took a cigar out of his vest.

"They went for it?" He asked with it between his teeth.

I nodded again and shrugged.

"Yeah, they checked the perimeter and then they left." I said.

Clay gave me a smile and bent down to kiss the top of my head.

"Thank you sweetheart. You really came through for us." He said.

My heart swelled and I couldn't help but smile. We may have had a rocky start, but I think I was starting to get on his good side. Clay whispered something to Gemma then he called for the guys to come to the Chapel. As he passed by, Jax gave my shoulder a squeeze and shot me a wink. Gemma grinned and stood up from her chair.

"Come on baby, we've got shit to do." She told me.

Gemma and I spent the rest of the morning tackling paperwork for the garage. Jax came by to let us know he was going to see Opie and then he would go to St. Thomas. Mother Gemma insisted I go with him to make sure he actually went. Reluctantly, Jax agreed and we watched him and Chibs ride away. When we were alone, Gemma let out a deep sigh.

"Did he tell you what happened last night?" She asked wearily.

I shook my head. She took her glasses off and I noticed a tremble in her hands.

"It was a set-up. The guys they met with pulled guns and tried to kill them." She said.

I heard myself gasp and she went on.

"Jax took off after them and they beat the hell out of him."

I closed my eyes and gripped the chair. I realized for the first time that I was a hairs breath from never seeing the man I loved ever again.

"Holy shit." I said finally.

"Yeah." Gemma agreed.

When I looked at her, I could see she was feeling the same way I was, if not worse. She could've lost her husband and her son in the same night. I reached over and took her hand in mine.

"This is the life, isn't it." I said. It wasn't a question. It was me coming to terms with what I was signing up for.

Gemma looked at me with such sadness in her eyes that she didn't need to say anything else. Instead, she cleared her throat and raised her eyebrow at me.

"So, did you and my son kiss and make up?" The Queen of deflecting asked.

I let out a small giggle and smiled.

"I told him I wanted to come home."

Gemma just smirked.

"I knew you would."

A few hours later, Jax came back and we went to the hospital. As we walked through the doors, I felt Jax tense up. He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. I looked up and noticed his jaw was clenched tightly.