"Yo, a new girl," Jax chuckled to Opie as they, with Chibs close behind, strolled into Lumpy's. "She's about 150 pounds too light and fifty years too young to be here."
Opie glanced at the far end of the gym to see the mystery brunette making a fresh pot of coffee and refilling the towel racks. He had to agree with Jax, she very new and very young.
"You complaining?" He scoffed. "Cause I ain't."
Jax's bright, swoon worthy smile spread across his face as he shook his head. "Not me." He winked at her as they made their way toward the back office.
Taking a spot by the door, Chibs flashed her a charming smirk when she glided over to him. His eyes never left the meeting, though, intent on doing his job as Jax's Sargent-at-arms even if it was only Lumpy.
"Can I get you guys anything?" She asked, peeking into the office as Jax and Opie sat across from the desk. The older man shook his head but Jax turned and smiled at her.
"We're good, darlin', thanks."
She nodded and scurried away quietly to let them attend to whatever business they had. "My granddaughter Kaitlin, she's back from DC," Lumpy explained. "I just wanted to tell you myself that I'm going to have to sell."
"Sell?" Opie pulled a face. "You said you weren't."
"You were pretty adamant about it," Jax added.
"I don't have it in me," he sighed. "They're riding me hard and money ain't what it used to be. The gym is hurtin'." It pained him, they could see that, but Lumpy seemed sure of his decision. "I'd rather have something to give her than have to close down with nothing."
"I get that," Jax nodded slowly.
"I know you're fighting Hale, I'm sorry boys."
"You don't have to apologize," Opie said sadly. "We get it."
"Hale was Clay's war," Jax said darkly. "We aren't throwing in with him but it ain't personal for me."
Lumpy smiled and offered each of the Sons a handshake before slowly walking them to the door.
"Ah shit," he hissed as he saw Salazar giving Kaitlin a hard time.
Jax smiled smugly as he moved toward the entrance to the gym. Staying behind, Opie looked at Lumpy questioningly. "This part of why you're selling?"
"I can protect myself," Lumpy said somewhat stubbornly. "Salazar is a damn pussy anyway." Opie laughed at that and watched as Jax approached them.
"There a problem?" Jax asked confidently
"I'm fine," Kaitlin said quickly. "Thank you."
"I have to talk to Lumpy," Salazar said. He moved to grab her arm, as if to push her to the side, but Kaitlin quickly slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch me," she said sharply. "Get out. If he wants to talk to you, he'll call you."
"You heard the lady," Jax smirked. "Get out."
Salazar hesitated, but no one doubted he'd run quickly. He stared Jax down before slowly backing toward the door only turning his back and slipping out at the last possible moment.
"Pussy," she uttered quietly. "Thanks," she said to Jax with a half smile. "Could we talk...privately?"
Jax nodded, taking her hand and guiding her out the front door. "What's going on, darlin'?"
"You can keep the darlin' and call me Katie. The girls must love you," she said jokingly as she rolled her eyes.
There was a strange kinship they felt, both seeing the same charisma and allure in each other.
"I do alright," he admitted with a shrug as a Cheshire grin spread over his face. "I'm Jax," they shook hands.
"Kaitlin," Lumpy stuck his head out the door.
"I'm just talking about the gym," she said innocently.
"Leave the business to me," he said disapprovingly.
She looked at Jax for a long moment before nodding and quietly following her grandfather back into the gym.
"What was that?" Opie asked with keen interest.
"I don't think Lumpy approves," Chibs chuckled to Jax.
"She knows where to find us."
--
Kaitlin did know where to find them and she proved it when she showed up on the lot well after nightfall. Happy and Tig were in the ring lazily sparring while the others joked and drank.
"Hey," Jax swaggered over toward her. "You alright?"
She smirked and nodded, "I'm fine. I was just hoping to start, and finish, our conversation from earlier."
"Sure," he gestured toward the tables. "Want a beer or anything?"
"I'm good," she said politely.
"So what can I do for you, Kate?"
Kaitlin sat across from Jax at the last picnic table furthest from the clubhouse door. "My grandpop doesn't have to sell," she explained. "But he can't know the money came from me."
"Why?" Jax's eyebrows furrowed.
"He just wouldn't understand," she shook her head.
"I probably would," he said looking down his nose at her.
She laughed, "No.
"Alright," Jax laughed. "What can we do then?"
"Look, he's not himself," she sighed, "He's not well and he hasn't been in a while. Selling the gym to those assholes would ruin what time he has left. I can't see him so miserable. I just need you to give him my money so he doesn't feel so strangled by bills and forced to sell."
Jax nodded slowly, taking a long drag of his cigarette before leaning in closer. "You know when he goes you're going to be out that money."
"Oh yeah," she laughed. "I'll sell as soon as I can. This is literally just so he can spend the last years of his life in that gym. He loves that gym."
"We do too," Jax smiled. "We love all those shops."
"He doesn't tell me much but I've pieced somethings together," she said sadly. "It's fucked up. I spent some time here, it's really cute, it's a damn shame."
Nodding, his smile falling, Jax got right back down to business. "How do you want to do this."
"Cash," she chuckled. "I doubt you guys have a bank account to write him a check."
"You really trust us?" Jax asked, suddenly suspicious.
She shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know. I know Grandad does and that's good enough for me."
"And what's Salazar gonna have to say about this?"
"Please," she scoffed. "That piece of shit isn't a problem."
"He looked like one earlier," Jax reminded her. "And just cause Lumpy has money won't make Hale back off, it'll probably piss him off."
Kaitlin stood up and smiled, winking at him as Tara pulled into the parking lot. "Trust me, I'm well aware of what a man with money and a small dick can do."
At that, Jax laughed heartily. "I like you."
"A lot of guys do," she shrugged. "It's good for business to be funny and charming, you know that."
"Hey," Tara said as she approached the table.
Jax stood and kissed her, "Hey. Everything okay?"
"Oh yeah," she laughed a little. "Your mom offered to stay with the boys so I figured I'd come by and hang out."
"You guys have fun," Kaitlin said quickly. "I'll bring that money by tonight, I'm afraid he'll stumble on it in the safe."
"Uhh yeah," Jax glanced behind him. "Let one of my guys go with you, just in case Hale pinned a tail on ya."
Kaitlin rolled her eyes, "Fine."
"Hap," Jax called out as Kaitlin headed toward her car. "I need you for a minute, brother."
Chibs recognized the brunette and booed at Jax loudly, everyone knew why and laughed uproariously.
"I don't need Chibs getting pussy drunk," he said to the others. "Follow her back to Lumpy's, keep an eye on her."
"Will do," he said.
"Who was that?" Tara asked as Happy stomped away.
Jax scoffed, "Trouble probably. Lumpy's granddaughter and she's working to screw Hale over."
"She does sound like trouble," Tara plopped into his lap. "No trouble tonight though."
--
"Do you talk?" Katie asked as she unlocked the gym door. "You're the exact opposite of Jax."
Happy shrugged but, as usual, remained silent.
"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked casually as they strolled through the dark gym.
"Guess ya don't," he said matter-of-factly.
Katie looked back at him with a curious expression. "I'm Katie," she said.
"Happy," he nodded as a greeting.
"Ironic," she laughed. Crouching down, she looked at the save to see scratches and the keypad alert light blinking red. "Someone's been screwing with this."
Happy bent over and she pointed out her observations. He nodded. "Stay here, I'll check the gym."
Katie nodded and sat at the desk as Happy stalked around the gym, gun in hand. She wasn't watching or even wildly impressed, all Katie wanted was to give him the money and get to bed. Hearing a scuffle, she popped up and glanced out the window to see Happy racing after a man out into the street.
"Jesus," she huffed.
Scamming the desk for some type of phone book she caught sight of a tiny notepad with a phone scribbled and the words 'TM Automotive'. From her cell she called the shop, annoyed by how long it was ringing, until Happy returned out of breath and sweaty. Katie hurried out of the office.
"You okay?" He asked before she could speak.
"Me? I'm fine," she moved closer. "You?"
"Yeah," he was very angry and it came through clearly in his voice. "Fucker got away."
"Sucks, sorry," she grimaced. "Here," Katie grabbed him a bottle of cold water. "Thanks."
"Don't, I didn't do shit," he huffed. "I gotta call the club."
Happy sat an old metal folding chair and called Jax while Katie waited, impatiently, and played on her phone. She listened to one half of the conversation but it was far from interesting.
"I don't want this to be a thing," she said as he ended the call. "At least noting that Lumpy has to know about."
"Gotta know who was here," he said simply.
"Well yeah," she rolled her eyes. "I just want to keep Lumpy out of it. It'll upset him and push him even more to sell."
"Alright," Happy shrugged.
Katie was surprised by his level of apathy. "You always this miserable?" She moved behind him and began massaging his shoulders. "Jesus, fuck, you're tense."
"Goddamn," he groaned. "You do this for a living?"
"I do," she smirked. "I hate uptight miserable people so relax. Besides, I owe you one."
He didn't say anything and she smiled, feeling him relax. Happy leaned back, enjoying Katie's hands kneading his perpetually tense muscles.
"You must make a killin'," he said.
"I do alright," she laughed. "This isn't my most marketable skill."
"What else you do?" He looked back at her over his shoulder.
Katie smirked and leaned closer, whispering in his ear, "I could suck your dick and make you cry tears of fuckin joy." As the others pulled up outside the gym she laughed at his surprised expression and obvious bulge. "Don't you wish! Come on, we got work to do."