Hey everyone! Just a shortie on this rainy Wednesday night. I wanted to thank you all so much for reading this super long story, for the follows, votes and comments as well. It means so much you all have no idea! Thank you, thank you, thank you and keep it coming! Xoxo
--
"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." - Oliver Goldsmith
*A few weeks later*
"Hey Ma," Jax beamed as he and Opie waltzed into the kitchen without so much as a warning.
She looked at them, surprised for a few reasons, and accepted each of their kisses and hugs. "Hello boys," she watched as they sat at the table. "I'm surprised to see you two acting so amicably."
The looked at each other and shrugged. "We're working through Jax's shitty judgement." Opie grumbled with a tiny smile. "That's not why we're here though."
"And why are you here?" She asked, leaning against the stove with a cigarette hanging between her fingers
"Cause Piney wasn't giving us shit," Jax sighed. "Clay either and we know something is going on."
***
The Day Before
"Pop, it's more than them just screwing with our heads," Opie spoke fervently, exasperated by his father's refusal to cooperate. "What the fuck do they know about Meels?"
"There's nothing to know about your sister." He hollered. "If those Irish pricks mention her again, I'll take care of it myself."
Opie looked at Piney, unsure of who he was actually talking to, and shook his head. "Is she in danger?"
"No," he growled, "Because you and Jax are going to keep her away from those Micks. Hear me boy? You protect your sister and that baby girl."
***
At the mention of Piney, Gemma became concerned, but that wasn't completely unusual. She had such a soft spot for him and everyone knew it. "Ask away."
"Why are the Irish so interested in her?" Jax came out with it quickly. He had his suspicions, as did Opie, but neither wanted to admit them even to themselves for vastly different reasons. "In Amelia, I mean. Why are the Irish so into Amelia? Whenever they're here they ask about her or make some kind of comments about her or Ally."
"At first we thought it was to fuck with us," Opie shrugged.
"And now?" Gemma asked, her eyebrows raised high.
"What's the big secret, Ma?"
Gemma exhaled and stubbed her cigarette out in the sink before joining them at the table. "Your dads spent a good amount of time over there in the late 80s," she began. "They were helping build up SAMBEL and negotiating with the IRA. I don't know anything more than that about their visits but I know, the last time them went over there, they came back with a bald, fat baby girl who grew up to be the mother of my granddaughter."
Hanging his head, Opie knew deep down that was the truth of it, the comments all seemed to point directly to her not being his blood but he had a hard time understanding how he didn't know before.
"Piney knock someone up over there?" Jax asked, less concerned with who she wasn't and much more interested in who she really was. "It makes no difference but, with Alice, this could be dangerous. Couldn't it?"
Gemma sat back, crossed her legs, and looked suddenly uncomfortable and putout. "I don't know whose she is, Piney's or not. We didn't talk about it, no one did. I tried, trust me, there's secrets around all that. A lot of shit happened during those months."
"She's got no idea," Opie groaned. "This is gonna kill her."
"Brother," Jax shifted his chair to face Opie. "I don't think we should tell her till we know everything."
"I think you boys need to leave the past in the past," Gemma scolded. "Nothing good is going to happen from digging up the shit around her biological parents. Meels is your sister, Ope, she's Piney's little girl, blood don't change that."
"It doesn't change anything," Opie said with conviction. "I think your mom is right besides all its gonna do is upset her. She's upset enough."
Jax chewed his lip. "Ever?" He questioned. "Yeah, it doesn't change shit, not about her, but ain't it risky? The way they keep fucking mentioning her, I feel like she should know."
"No," Gemma said forcefully. "Leave it. You're going to dig yourself into something you'll regret."
In agreement, for the time being, Jax nodded and said goodbye to his mother. They both had a weight on them now, another at least, and it would take some time to adjust to it.
"Thanks," Opie pouted as he stood and hugged Gemma.
"Jackson," Gemma stopped him in his tracks. "Can I have a minute?"
"Sure," Jax gave Opie a solid smack to his leather. "I'll catch up with you at the clubhouse."
Mother and son sat back at the table. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," he shrugged. "Just wanna get my shit handled up here and get home."
Gemma smiled at that. "You don't usually race home. What changed?"
"Me and Meely," he smiled sweetly. "You know, we're working through some stuff. We've been having fun, hanging out and shit."
With a disapproving look, Gemma lit a cigarette. "It's more than sex, Jax. You two can't break up and make up every few months."
"My sex life has nothing to do with you," he snapped, somewhat protective of he and Amelia's new relationship. "And even if it did, you're wrong anyway. We're not, but don't ask, or assume, again."
Gemma drew her head back in surprise and nodded. "Well, I'm sorry," she uttered under her breath. "Are you visiting with Tara while you're here?"
"No," he barked. "And I don't want you visiting either, not until the baby is born. She doesn't need to think anything is about her, it isn't, it's about the baby."
"Have you and Amelia talked about that?" Gemma didn't care how sensitive the topic was she didn't hesitate once.
"Not really," he knew they should have by now. "Honestly, I wish I didn't want shit to do with him. With Alice I wasn't ready, I did it for Meely and when she was born," he smiled dreamily. "After feeling that, I can't ignore this kid even if his mother is a raging bitch."
"I raised a good man," Gemma said with a smile. "Did you ever think of taking him for yourself? You can file for sole custody, you know."
Jax's crystal blues met with her dark eyes and he shook his head. "That wasn't one of my options," he shrugged. "Doubt Meely would want to raise him like that, she'd feel bad."
"We'll figure something out, sweetheart." She laid her hand over his and gave him a supportive squeeze. "Just as long as you're happy."
"I am," he smiled. "Ya know, even with this Tara shit."
Her grip on his hand became stronger, less supportive and more desperate. "Jax you know everything I do is to protect you right? You and Alice are the most important things in my life."
"I know, Ma," he smiled and kissed her cheek. "Thanks but I got it this time. I promise."
--
"I'm so sorry I missed the funeral." Kylee threw her arms around Mae. "I haven't seen you in so long. How are you?"
Mae hugged Kylee back, tight, and shrugged. "Frustrated."
"Kip told me about your dad, that's insane."
Hand in hand they strolled up the lot into the clubhouse as both women were meeting their significant others. Mae avoided TM as best she could, not interested in seeing Charlie, and hurried in for a drink with Kylee.
"I don't want to talk about it," she rolled her eyes. "Why do we drink here?"
"It's free," the prospect said, winking, as he served them each a beer.
The girls nodded and chuckled, catching up on what they'd missed over the last few months, and in no time it was as if they had never been apart.
"How's CPF?" Mae asked starting her second beer.
Kylie rolled her eyes. "Fucking lame, we got someone new and he sucks. Whatever. I'm trying to leave anyway."
"And where are you going to go?" Mae asked with surprise. "I mean I got stuck working at a porn studio so if you get a job tell em' to hire me next."
Opie lumbered into the clubhouse, surprised to see Mae there early, and finally felt able to smile. Sneaking up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed, kissing the back of her neck. "God, I'm happy you're here."
"Hey," she craned her neck to look at him. "You alright?"
He swallowed and shrugged, his eyes darting to Kylie for a second and Mae nodded. "Why don't you come home with me?"
"I can't," she sighed. "I have some work to catch up on and I still have to call the insurance company. They said hey cut the check for her life insurance policy but I haven't seen it and between my dad and my bills and Luanne's shitty pay I-"
"Alright," he silenced her as she grew more upset. "Let me talk to your dad, he's been at TM a few weeks, think it's time he got his own place or even stayed in the apartment for now."
"No," she didn't trust Charlie there. "A few weeks isn't long enough for a deposit and to save for moving. It's fine." Kylie rolled her eyes but kept her gaze focused on her beer.
"When can you come down?" He was eager and it killed Mae.
"I don't know," she slipped out of his arms and off the bar stool. "But I have a few hours before work. Kylie you don't mind do you?"
"Nope," she smiled a little although she was disappointed.
Mae took Opie's hand and led him back down the hall and into the apartment. "I think we both need a recharge." She sighed, throwing herself back on the bed, and gesturing for him to join her. Opie clicked the lock and, hanging his cut on the back of the desk chair, crawled into bed with her.
"God I fucking missed you." He grumbled, wrapping her up in his arms and holding her tiny body right against him.
"Me too." Mae inhaled deeply, breathing his scent in and basking in his warmth. She hated her side job, she hated it intensely, but she couldn't get on top of anything. It was a necessary evil and she was trying to ignore how filthy it made her feel especially when she was with Opie. "When everything gets settled we should take a trip."
"A trip?" He chuckled, the vibrations moving through his body to hers, thankful for Mae and her conversation dragging him out of his own head.
"Yeah, like a vacation." She smiled and daydreamed of something she knew deep down wouldn't happen. "Some all inclusive, an island somewhere. It would be nice to just get away."
"I've never been on vacation." He admitted. "We can go to the cabin for a week."
Mae laughed, expecting something like that, and pulled away to look at him. "I can't wear a bikini at the cabin, there's gotta be sand and an ocean for me to strut my stuff."
Groaning, Opie rolled Mae onto her back and leaned over her, his weight on one arm. "No ones gotta see that stuff but me," he kissed her eagerly. "You're my girl, no one else's."
He was being adorably possessive, sweeter than usual and Mae felt awfully guilty. Yes, she was his, but she was moaning and saying filthy things to random men that she could never imagine saying to Opie. In truth she hated it, she despised herself for it, but she was trying to save for them to have the best go together in Vegas.
"Of course I'm yours," she reached up and kissed him. "Let's have sex," Mae wriggled her eyebrows. "Come on, Ope," reaching up she whispered, "Fuck me."
His eyes went wide, shocked by her request, but he didn't hesitate. "Bet that's the first time you ever asked for that."
She forced a laugh and although she didn't agree she didn't tell him exactly how wrong he was. "No talking," she requested as he left tiny red marks down her neck and along her clavicle.
Pushing her shirt up his lips lingered along her ribs as he blindly unbuttoned her jeans. As he slid down the bed, Mae wriggled her jeans off and then pulled his shirt up over his head.
He looked up at her from his spot on the edge of the bed, between her knees, and smiled dreamily. "You're gorgeous."
"Stop," she blushed and looked away. "I said no talking."
Opie chuckled and kissed her thighs as his fingers toyed with the lace of her panties. The foreplay reminded her too much of work, it was the most descriptive part of the conversations, and she felt her body slowly switching off. Grabbing a fist full of his hair she pulled him on top of her again. "I want you now."
Guiding one leg up along his chest, Opie kissed her ankle, his beard tickling her skin, as he positioned himself and entered her with a satisfied grunt. She closed her eyes and lifted her hips to take as much of him in as possible.
"I fucking hate this long distance shit," he grumbled. His fingers kneaded her flesh as he guided her left leg up along his chest like the other.
"You want to try something different?" It was sudden but Mae felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
Taken aback, Opie's expression read as a mix of confusion, intrigue and amusement. "Sure, I guess."
Mae sat up and kissed him. "Nothing crazy, we just kind of alternate who's on top on usually so why not something less romantic? Like more fun?"
"You're adorable when you're trying to be naughty." Opie chucked. "This all that porn your forced to watch at work?"
"Maybe," she sighed. Rolling on to her belly she looked back at him over her shoulder and moved back toward him. "You can pull my hair and stuff."
Lifting her hips he entered her again and grinned as she gasped. Opie ran his hand up and down her back, focusing on her breathy, and somewhat new, moans. He chalked it up to the new position, his rhythm never faltering, and reacquainted his body with hers.
"Harder," she begged and Opie hesitated. "Ope?"
He stopped and pulled out, flipping her over again, and they finished as they started, in missionary position. "Sorry," he ran his palm over his face as laid beside her.
"I just wanted to switch it up, it's okay, it's not a big deal."
"I love you," he pulled her to rest on his chest. "That just was kind of weird. You're acting different."
She knew she was and the more she thought about it the stranger she was behaving. "I'm so distracted. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize," his fingers dawdled up and down her back. "Maybe you do need a beach vacation."
"Don't get my hopes up," her voice cracked a little.
"Maybe our honeymoon," he said casually.
Mae sat up and rolled her eyes. "I won't be the second wife," she winked. "I gotta go though."
"Oh, alright." He leaned up on his elbows and watched her get dressed. "I'll see you in a few weeks."
"Yup," she kissed him. "Call me when you're home so I know you got there safe."
"Will do," he sighed as she hurried out the door.
It wasn't long after Mae left that Jax barged in apartment as Opie left the bathroom in just his boxers. "You in here alone?" He joked.
"Looks like it," he huffed. "Mae was here."
"Aren't you romantic, quickies in the apartment. Mae is a lucky chick."
"What are we gonna do about my sister?" Ignoring the comments he began to redress as Jax sat by the desk smoking a cigarette.
"Chibs?" Jax suggested.
"Nah, I looked into that, he wasn't around Belfast when she was born. He was still strictly IRA. Doubt he'd know shit."
"Maybe Fiona does?"
Opie stopped and thought about it. "I don't know maybe we should keep this between us for now."
"Till everyone gets settled," he asked with a raised eyebrow.
He nodded. "Yeah or until we have the full story."
"Let's get the fuck outta here," he rolled his eyes. "I'm sick of Charming already."
"I hear ya," Opie grabbed his cut. "You can meet Mae's dad on the way out, he's working at TM, guy is a fucking trip."