Money Can't Buy Happiness

Chapter 13

"Make what right?" Katie asked quietly.

"She doesn't know?" Jax asked, speaking as if Katie wasn't there.

"Know what?" She asked more forcefully now.

"That chase," Pope said calmly, "They were involved in, that was with me and my guys. That was after your psycho boyfriend shot up my office when he saw a video of me nailin' you." Those last two words were dark and pushed through gritted teeth. "I don't share and I don't let biker assholes shoot up my office, hurt my men, and bring that kind of heat on me without hittin' back even harder."

Katie's breathing quickened, fearing for her safety, and she looked at Jax helplessly. "I didn't know."

"I know," he said, still disgusted and annoyed by her part in their current situation. "So what is this?"

"One second," Pope smiled. "I'll get back to you on that one."

"I don't love you," she hissed at Pope as if it made a difference at that point. "You're a fuckin' monster."

"I know," he was clearly proud of himself. "I don't want more blood but I want something."

"Yeah?" Jax said, feeling guilty as Pope kept getting in Katie's face. "What is it?"

"I don't want her," he said with disgust, "Not anymore. I do have her for an entire contract though."

"No," she snapped. "I won't be your whore."

"You already are," he snapped in her face. "And for the next year you're my whore, as per our contract."

"How do we get her out of the contract?" Jax asked forcefully. "Clear her and Hap of this shit?"

"You can buy her out, you got one million?"

"No," Jax huffed.

"What do you have?"

Juice leaned forward and whispered in Jax's ear. "I got five I can hand you right now."

"Five grand?" Pope laughed. "I'll take it and in return, you get an hour with Miss Cassandra."

"No," she inhaled sharply. "Never."

"I can kill Happy instead," he suggested. "That will get you out of your contract."

"No," she whimpered.

"Do you two need a moment?" Pope asked. "Would you like to strategize?"

"I'll do it," she sighed heavily. "Just don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him."

Pope smiled, slimey and smug, and looked at Jax. "Teller, you in?"

"No," he said quickly. "I'm not playing into your sick fucking game."

"Okay then," with one swift movement he pulled his gun and pressed the barrel to her cheek. "I'll just kill her then. Blow a hole in her pretty little face and you can tell Happy why."

"Alright," Jax shouted. "Take the gun off her."

"Now are you in?" Pope asked, the gun still aimed at Katie.

Jax nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'm in."

"You're gonna be in," he said excitedly. "I want the money, I want you to buy Happy's whore for your pleasure."

Katie refused to watch as money changed hands. She looked up as Pope plopped down onto the leather couch. "Juice, join me," he pointed to the far end of the couch. "She's a real talent, it'll be a fun watch."

Juice didn't watch, his eyes were on the floor, but as hard as he tried to block out the sounds he couldn't. It wasn't until he heard Katie's tiny sobs that he looked up again. Jax was buckling his belt again and Katie covered herself with her dress and scurried to the bathroom.

"You're a sick fuck," Jax hissed. "This is done and I want Hap out first thing tomorrow."

"Can't tell me she wasn't good," Pope smirked. "You're gonna wanna give Happy some time to calm down."

"What?"

Pope pointed to the laptop. "What's the point of you buying your brother's girl if he can't watch?"

"Jesus Christ," Jax bellowed.

"Don't worry, your old lady won't know. I don't want you to suffer needlessly. You're almost innocent in this."

"I'm taking Katie and we're going."

Pope raised his hands and shrugged. "She's your whore now. Do whatever you want with her." He stood and walked passed them out the door.

"Kate," Jax knocked on the door. "We should go."

She opened the door a crack and refused to look him in the eyes. "He gone?"

"Yeah," Jax said softly. "Let me take you home."

"No, I'm good," she stammered.

"Want to ride with Juice?" He offered, understanding why she'd decline his previous offer.

"No," she was beyond mortified and hurt. "I'll find a cab."

"Kate," he tried to reason with her.

"Just stop," she shook her head.

"There's something else," Jax said quietly. "Pope rigged up a feed and made sure Happy was able to see what happened."

She gagged, slapping her hand over her mouth, and slammed the door before vomiting into the toilet.

"What's this gonna do?" Juice asked as Jax turned away from the door.

"To her? To Hap?" Jax asked.

"Everyone," Juice was distraught and showing it much more than Jax. "Katie, Hap, you, the club," he shrugged.

"I don't know, brother," Jax sighed. "I don't know."

Moments later, Katie exited the bathroom and agreed to let them escort her out of the building. As they passed the desk they could see Happy on the screen, crying and raging violently, still cuffed to the infirmary bed. The guard played the video for him again, for his own sick satisfaction, and Katie sobbed as she caught a glimpse of his pain.

They stepped out into the hallway and saw Pope, speaking in hushed whispers with one of his men, who quickly turned his attention to Katie.

"I'm sure Jax told you about the little show," he winked. "I should have been clearer before, the dinner and the show weren't both for you."

Katie spit in his face and Pope reacted promptly, slapping her hard across the face, and disappeared while his men forced them down the hall and into the elevator. No one spoke. No one looked up from the floor. When the doors opened again, Katie hurried out and refused to look as she hailed a cab and the boys got back to their bikes.