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𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 | 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟑

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐱 𝐎𝐅𝐂

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 “𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢” 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐂 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠(𝐬): 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞

𝐖𝐂: ~𝟐.𝟓𝐤

Just as promised, Angel picked up Santi and Destiny with a Romero Brothers tow truck. Riding in a pick up style truck, whether it was the Romero Brothers or his grandfather’s, was the norm for Santi. Still, he was excited that it was his father picking him up and that Ms. Maduro was coming along for the ride. The six year old held her hand and practically dragged her towards the truck when Angel pulled up. 

His mouth ran a mile a minute and Angel felt warm and flustered that his son had made continued effort in including Angel into the conversation. Initially, Angel was perturbed with how he was going to be able to pick up Santi two or three times a week with his MC duties. But now, with the vibrant welcome response he’d received, he figured his brothers would just have to make do without him for an hour out of the day. 

Because Santi had homework, he wanted to go ahead and drop him at the clubhouse before dropping off Destiny. The school psychologist gave no element of resistance when Angel apologetically expressed his desire to get his son settled first. 

“Hey, you offered to tow my car for free. The least I can do is be patient while you tend to this cutie pie,” she ruffled Santi’s hair and giggled with the young boy as they continued discussing their day.

Angel chuckled himself as his eyes briefly looked over at them. Her braids were again up in a bun wrapped with a brown headband that matched her earth-toned maxi dress. She had a radiant smile as she listened to Santi talk about the math question he got correct when called on during class. The image warmed his heart. He was thankful there was such a beautiful soul watching over his son at school. 

“Here,” he announced once he parked the tow truck not far from the line of bikes that were covered under a shady port. 

When Destiny looked up, she was met with a surprisingly bustling lot. There was the loud noise of a car currently being scrapped somewhere in the distance. There was a motorist outside who was tending to his bike. A man on the steps of a small office building that was no bigger than a trailer. An actual, abandoned trailer that was nestled between tall piles of scrap metal and directly behind what looked like a fighting cage. Destiny was careful getting down the truck and held her hands out for Santi to jump into as he got out himself. The minute she released him, he was off speeding towards the building that Destiny guessed was the Santo Padre MC’s headquarters, if the surrounding memorabilia was any indication.

“Huh,” she hummed. “All this time, I’ve passed by here, I never knew all of this was behind the gate.”

Angel was so embedded into the club life that there was something refreshing about being acquainted with someone who had no clue about it. He wasn’t even sure if she was originally from California. She definitely wasn’t from Santo Padre. The town was small enough that he’d figured he’d at least know of her before they met to talk about Santi. However, he had noticed her surprise and the quick glance she took of his kutte when he first told her he worked at a scrapyard, so she knew enough to be at least somewhat wary of the MC. 

“Yep,” Angel responded, “My second home, if you will.”

Destiny handed him the title to her car along with her license as they began to walk closer to the small office. “You’ll just have to fill out some paperwork so we can get you the cash for the scrap.”

“Awesome,” she assented. She looked up at him with a smile and there was no denying the sparks flowing within her frame as their eyes met. Her smile grew wider as she looked away as he continued to lead her towards the office. The man had obviously gone through a lot, but there was something indescribable about those small nanoseconds where she could see who he was underneath all of that stress and agony. She saw it yesterday in the light jokes he made to clear the air. She saw it today as he reveled in hearing all about Santi’s day from the young bundle of energy. Her job entailed taking care of the young kids at Santo Padre Elementary. She just hoped that parents like Angel found the time to take care of themselves. To allow more of those moments of humanity to shine through, for their kids and for themselves.

“Hey, bro!” A voice from behind interrupted their walk. A young man was jogging up towards him. When he got closer, Destiny took notice of the word “Vice-President” stitched onto the front of the man’s kutte. “Pop texted, said his appointment would be over soon. He’ll pick up Santi when he leaves.” The man pointed back to the clubhouse where Santi had just run into, a minute before.

Angel nodded in acknowledgment, “Cool.”

And then both men looked at Destiny. EZ smiled at her and then at Angel, silently waiting for an introduction. Angel rolled his eyes before doing just that.

“EZ, this is Santi’s school counselor, Destiny Maduro. This is my brother.” 

Destiny smiled, “Hi, nice to meet you.” The words “family affair” were under her tongue at the fact that the two brothers were both in the same MC. EZ took her hand and gave another smile to Destiny and Angel. The one towards Angel was more cheeky and included a wink. Angel reminded himself that he would need to throttle his little brother at a later time. For right now though, he simply explained why she was here.

“I’m scrapping her old car. Went and got it while I picked up Santi.” Angel pointed backwards towards Creeper who was currently maneuvering the truck so that the Pinto could be let off and sent to the machinery that would destroy the vehicle. 

“Ohhh.” EZ said with a little more exaggeration than was necessary. Angel cut him with a glare before he looked back at the office and yelled for Chucky. 

“Chuck, do me a favor and handle this paperwork for Ms. Maduro.”

Chuckie excitedly gestured for Destiny to join him in the office to fill out the necessary documents, “Right this way, Ms. Maduro.”

“Call me Destiny,” Angel heard her say as their voices decreased in volume in the closed off office. 

“Tryna’ get your ass whooped, I see,” Angel grumbled at EZ once the two were alone.

EZ chuckled with his hands up in defense, “Was trying to get the details, that’s all.”

“There are no details. She’s Santi’s counselor.” Maybe his words were more firm than needed to be, but it was the truth. Especially since he wasn’t even sure of his own feelings towards the woman. They hadn’t had much discussion beyond a professional scope. In fact, he didn’t know a single thing about her, other than her name and profession. He just knew that whatever feelings he had towards her were unable to be described at the moment. 

“Mmmm, and I guess that’s why you two were staring at each other all googly eyed,” EZ pressed on. “You like her, ask her out or something.” The younger Reyes brother was open and welcome to any opportunity that brought a little brightness to Angel’s life after Nails’ death. 

“Mind your business,” Angel threw at him. Still though, they laughed and gave each other a brotherly shove. 

There was laughter and conversation that could be heard from the office, “You better get in there before Chuckie steals your girl.”

Angel, indeed, made his way over there, but not before throwing up a middle finger at his brother. When he got inside, Coco was also there, seeking cool refuge from the unforgiving sun outside. He, too, was enjoined in conversation with Destiny.

“She’s not gonna try your pound cake, Chuck, it’s been sitting in the fucking heat since this morning.”

Destiny smiled brightly at the kind offer of cake that Chuckie had extended, but she couldn’t disagree with Coco about eating a treat that had been agonizing in the emblazoned heat within the trailer office.

Chuckie winced only a little before his smile emerged once more, “Perhaps, maybe next time, you all will listen to me about keeping sweets refrigerated.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Coco gave a brotherly shove to Chuckie before moving to grab a water bottle from the nearby cooler.

Destiny couldn’t help but find the interaction endearing and she smiled at it while completing the necessary paperwork. 

“Hopefully, these shit heads ain’t giving you too much trouble,” Angel commented. He stood with his arms swinging, not really knowing what to do, but wanting to make sure no one was bothering her.

“No, they’ve been lovely!”

He grabbed the papers once she was finished signing and nodded his head towards the door.

“I’ll just get these squared away and you should be good to go!” Chuckie hollered after them. Destiny looked back with a bubbly smile and thanked him for the help.

Because she was selling the scrapped car, she’d get a couple of thousand dollars back in cash. Angel and Destiny waited outside for Chuckie to come back with the money. 

“Do you mind if we drop Santi to my dad’s place first? I’ve got a couple of more hours on my shift so I was gonna leave them there until I finished.”

Usually, if nothing was going on, he’d just leave Santi in with Chuckie or one of the girls that tended the bar as he worked. Today, though, consisted of job responsibilities that were in his less than legal role as El Secretario. He’d be going over the border this evening and wanted Santi nowhere near the club during that time.

“No problem at all, I just appreciate the ride.”

Once Chuckie gave her the money for the scrap, Angel went and got Santi out of the clubhouse. The young boy ran out with his book bag strapped onto his back and jumped into the pick up truck with a little help from Destiny. 

“Little speed racer,” Destiny joked as the trio got settled into the truck.

“Yeah, dude moves a mile a minute,” Angel noted. With a twinge of his usual boldness, he asked, “You got any kids?”

“No, unless you count the hundred kids I look after everyday,” she sniggered.

No kids could mean no boyfriend, but Angel felt like he’d probably be crossing a boundary by outright asking if she was single. He bit his tongue because the question was almost out of his mouth before he could help it.

Santi peered up at her with his curious eyes, “Do you want kids, Ms. Maduro?”

Destiny merely shrugged with a smile, “I don’t not want kids, I guess. But you and all your classmates are my babies for now, so I’m not in a rush!”

She tickled his shoulder as she leaned closer to him, which elicited a loud laugh that made even Angel chuckle.

Angel took a right turn away from the citified area of the small town and ventured further into the isolated, residential areas of Santo Padre. When Destiny had told him her address, he took note of the fact that her house was in a small quiet nook of the city that bordered the town’s limits. The sun had yet to set and instead blared into their eyes as the trees grew thinner and thinner. The rays were hitting Destiny directly in the eyes and Angel silently slid his sunglasses her way. 

“Thanks,” she said in response, adjusting the black shades over her eyes. 

“So, where you from?” Angel questioned, his eyes still focused on the road. “It’s subtle, but I hear an accent.”

“Wow, you’re good,” she noted before answering, “I grew up like an hour away in Ventura but a lot of my family’s from Venezuela, so I visit a lot.”

Angel nodded. Santo Padre was overwhelmingly Mexican in ethnicity, but there were also some El Savadorians and Guatemalan enclaves as well. Never any Venezuelan. Perhaps, the various dialects and inflections present within the Hispanic Diaspora made it all the more obvious when he realized that he couldn’t quite place certain characters of her intonations.

“How long you been in Santo Padre?”

“About a year. Ventura’s a great city with one of the better school systems, but I got into counseling because I wanted to go where I’m needed.”

“Makes sense,” Angel hummed.

He tended not to believe the best in people, but Destiny had been genuine from their very first meeting. And truth be told, there wasn’t much of anything in this town worth moving for. He supposed wanting to make it a better place could be one of the only valid reasons for moving here, especially coming from a rich tourist town like Ventura.

Destiny reminisced about growing up in Ventura, missing the view of the ocean and the resort-like atmosphere. If it weren’t for her aspirations, she could’ve lived there her whole life. But what she desired to put into the world was more than about where she sought comfort. If she gave it time and a chance, maybe she could find a unique comfort of its own in this small desert town.

“My parents thought I was kinda crazy to move here, so I’m sure you’re thinking the same, but…” Her eyes veered out onto the passing road as the trees grew thicker yet again the closer they got to her home. “But, sometimes an opportunity falls into your lap and your guts knows something that you don’t.”

She looked down at Santi, who was switching through the staticky radio stations without a care in the world.

“I still don’t know what my gut was telling me. But it hasn’t done me wrong yet.”

She shrugged her shoulders weakly, unsure of how else to explain her choices. Maybe things weren’t supposed to make sense to her right now either.

Angel pulled into the quaint, run-down cottage style home that housed Destiny Maduro. 

She let out a farewell sigh, “Well, I thank you gentlemen for your services. Santi, I’ll see you around at school tomorrow.” They bumped fists before she looked up and beamed at Angel, “And I guess I’ll see you at the next PTA meeting?”

Angel widened his eyes and Destiny burst out into laughter at the reaction.

He joined in with a chuckle, “Querida, what about me is spelling out PTA meetings and fuckin’ bakesale fundraisers?”

Destiny giggled even more, “It was worth a shot, right?”

“Yeah, well, baby steps,” he muttered, even though he had no intention of showing up to the school with some damn cupcakes and a smile.

“I have one on one sessions with Santi throughout the semester, so I’m sure I’ll have you in at some point to discuss his progress.”

Angel nodded, “Good. I look forward to hearing from you, then.”

“Likewise,” she said while hopping out the truck, “Buenas noches.”

A/N: Next chapter, we get to meet Dro, Destiny's cousin! Club politics comes to play a role in this fic, so you can also look out for your other Mayans faves in the story too 🥰 Hope y'all enjoye. Please reblog and leave comments if you liked 💗

Taglist: @mijagif @drabbles-mc @kmhappybunny240 @babaohhhriley @nunya7394 @darqchilddaydreamz

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Hey y'all. First chapter of More Than a Woman is dropping tomorrow afternoon so look out for it! I decided to put together a playlist of all of the songs that've inspired me as I've been writing so hope you enjoy getting little hints about the contents of the fic from some of the songs 😉

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More Than A Woman | Chapter 02

Pairing: Angel Reyes x OFC

Destiny "Desi" Maduro helps Angel and his son pick up the pieces after a recent death rocks their world. In the midst of doing so, the school psychologist navigates a rocky family life and adjusts to being thrown into the MC world.

Warning(s): language

WC: 1.4k

Angel entered the clubhouse a little lighter than he did when he left. He was immediately greeted with the smell of good food and wandered over to the kitchen area where there was slow-cooked barbacoa that Hank had put on the grill. There was no special occasion, the man just loved to whip out some grilled food every now and then. 

EZ was the first face he rounded upon once he reached the table that held the roasted meat. 

“Hey, man,” the younger Reyes brother greeted.

Angel nodded his head and replied with a distracted “hey.”

EZ stopped him from going towards the table by blocking him. “Pops picked up Santi?”

“Yeah,” Angel looked at him, “But I’m gonna try and start picking him up more. At least on some days.”

Small steps. Of course with the demands of the club, he wouldn’t always be able to pick his first grader up, but he was going to try and be more intentional about doing so. 

EZ smiled, “That’s good,” he ventured out on a limb by asking next, “How’re you doing?”

For the first time, he could somewhat answer truthfully. His previous discussion with Santo Padre’s elementary school psychologist, Ms. Maduro, wouldn't solve all of his problems, but he felt off to a great start. He walked out of their meeting feeling more motivated and clear-headed. So when he replied to his brother’s question with “Yeah, I’m actually feeling really better. You don’t have to worry about me, little brother,” he actually meant it.

Just then, Creeper popped his head into the clubhouse and yelled inside, “Yo, Angel, ya pops is here. He’s got Santi.”

Like always, Felipe never felt the need to venture inside. He always waited outside, not ever moving much further than beyond his truck. As Angel walked down the stairs and towards his father, he saw Santi holding his abuelo’s hand and shading his face with the other hand. 

Santi wasn’t exactly thrilled to see his father, but he wasn’t shying away from him either. Angel decided against reaching his arms out for a hug, but settled for dapping the young boy up. Santi returned the gesture and walked closer to him now that Felipe was backing away. Angel looked back up at his father, “I’ve got another doctor’s appointment on Tuesday, won’t be able to get him.”

Angel shook his head, “No problem, I’ll get him.”

And with that, Felipe got into his truck and turned the ignition. Ever since Dita, the man wouldn’t speak to his sons unless absolutely necessary. If it weren’t for Santi, the man would probably not lose any sleep over never speaking to his sons again. 

***********

Felipe mentioned not being able to pick up his grandson on Tuesday, but he had no problem getting him on Monday. In fact, he came to the clubhouse much earlier than usual. As in before Santo Padre’s Elementary classes were dismissed. Felipe’s demeanor was still calm, but there was a slight sharpness to his tone as he spoke to Angel.

“He got into a fight at school. Something over a toy at recess,” Felipe walked away again to get into his truck, but not before uttering a “Pick up your fucking phone,” to Angel.

Angel inspected his son’s face and was relieved to see no major marks or scratches on it. That didn’t mean he still wasn’t pissed that some “snot-nosed little fucker” picked a fight with his son. Of course, he didn’t know whether the other kid was the instigator or not, but that didn’t matter when it came to his kid.

He got his phone out of his pocket and realized that he did, in fact, have two missed calls on his phone. He was too busy across the border beating a rival’s ass. Oh, the parallels. 

One of the calls was from the school’s principal and the other was from Ms. Maduro. 

Just then, his screen flashed again with an incoming call. Recognizing the principal’s number, he roughly spoke into the phone, “Yeah, I know, I’ll be there in a few.” 

He was guiding Santi into the clubhouse as he spoke into the phone before bending down at eye level with his son. 

“Santi, stay here. I gotta go to the school and deal with this.”

Chucky was nearby at the bar and he walked around to greet Santi with promises of activities they could get into while Angel was away. Besides EZ, Chucky was the only one who was equipped to somewhat entertain the six year old. 

“Go ahead, Angel Reyes. We’ll be here until you get back.” Chucky shooed Angel off without so much as another glance as him and Santi went over to a table discussing the 64 pack crayon box that Chucky had gotten for him. 

**********

Angel looked at the school harshly for a minute before finally taking his helmet off and dismounting his bike. No matter what actually transpired, he was still pissed that his son had gotten into a fight. Logically, he knew that fights were a part of growing up, especially as a boy. Hell, he and EZ still sometimes tussled over meaningless things. Being reminded of his brother, he pulled out his phone to send a text EZ’s way just in case the Mayans VP was curious as to where he was at. 

He walked down the long school hallway and approached the open door to Destiny Maduro’s office. She obviously heard his nearing steps as she looked up expectantly just before he knocked the door.

“Mr. Reyes, come in,” she said while standing from her office chair. He motioned for him to take the seat across from the desk before sitting back down herself. There was a sympathetic smile painted on her face as she moved her laptop away. 

Angel didn’t waste any time trying to get to the bottom of today’s mayhem, “What happened?”

“Santi brought a toy of his to school. A LEGO Iron-Man? One of the boys wanted to play with it, but Santi wouldn’t let him. They got into a fight over it in the sandbox.”

Angel gave a sad smile, “His mom used to play legos with him. They made all kinds of superheroes together.”

Destiny mirrored his expression, “I’m sorry. I figured the toy had sentimental value. I know he’s probably attached to them, but I’m gonna recommend he doesn’t bring them to school. Not when they mean so much to him and can possibly get broken or stolen.”

Angel nodded his assent.

With the pause came Angel’s attempt to disrupt the somber energy, “Would it be bad if I tell him that I’m proud he whooped some ass?”

“Maybe tell him you’re proud he stood up for himself,” Destiny suggested with a laugh. “The fight was over before it really began so Santi’s not in any trouble other than the time-out his teacher gave him.”

“Thank you.”

“You should be aware,” Destiny started carefully, “that I’m keeping this in my notes for Santi. It’s not gonna go on his permanent record or anything, but it’s just something for me, so that I’m keeping up with every part of Santi’s development and well-being.” She never wanted her student’s parents to feel like their kids were being targeted or in danger of being expelled. 

Angel gave no resistance. He was convinced that Santi would be given detention or at risk for suspension. He was thankful that grace was given instead and made no fight or pushback. He thanked her once again and stood up.

“Hell of a Monday, huh?”

“Ha! Yeah, it has. Now, I’ve got to find some place to scrap my car.” Destiny had stood up, too. She was gathering her things and Angel probed the statement she just made.

“Your car?”

Destiny smiled, “Yeah. I got a new one a couple of weeks ago now that my Pinto finally gave up on me. It’s been sitting in my front yard ever since and my HOA won’t shut up about it.”

“You know I work at a scrap yard, right?”

“Oh!” Destiny gave a noise of surprise, not entirely sure of the man’s job, only that he was a part of the Santo Padre Mayans MC charter based on his kutte. She had the slightest inkling that all of their dealings weren’t entirely legal, which is why news of his legitimate job momentarily stupefied her. 

“Yeah,” Angel replied, “Will it drive a short trip?”

“Barely, but I might be able to get one final use out of it,” she chuckled. 

“Well, tell you what, I’m picking up Santi tomorrow. Why don’t you drive the Pinto here tomorrow and bring the title? I’ll tow it to get it scrapped, free of charge.” 

A/N: First off, thank y'all sooo much for the great response back to the first chapter! Glad you're enjoying the ride so far and I hope you continue to. Don't forget to reblog and lmk how you feel! Always love hearing y'all thoughts and predictions 😍

Taglist: @mijagif @drabbles-mc @kmhappybunny240 @babaohhhriley @nunya7394 @darqchilddaydreamz

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More Than A Woman | Chapter 01

A/N: Chapter one, here we go! Lmk if you wanna be added to the taglist...

WC: 1.5K

“Hi, Mr. Reyes. We spoke on the phone.” Her statement came out more like a question because Desi wasn’t so sure he’d even remember. He sounded like a ghost when they’d first talked and even as he walked into her office, his mind seemed elsewhere. His handshake was robotic and his eyes were vacant.

They both sat down across from each other.

Desi looked at him for a moment, taking in the anguish and darkness that emanated from him. 

“So how’s this go?”, he gestured between himself and the school’s psychologist, “He ain’t in trouble, is he?”

Desi shook her head immediately, “Oh, no no. This is more so a check-in, if anything. I was alerted of recent circumstances, Santi’s mother passing away… That’s a tough thing for anyone to go through, much less a six year old.” 

To acknowledge her comment, he absentmindedly nodded his head. Tough thing to go through. That was the fucking understatement of the year, he thought to himself. A moment passed and Angel realized he should speak.

“Yeah, we split, but kinda got good with the co-parenting thing. He mostly lived with her, though. I’m sure it’s been a lot for him.”

And because he hasn’t really been the most observant father, Angel kept his mouth shut about whether he saw any signs to worry about when it came to his son. That was okay, though, because Desi Maduro, Ed.S. had been attentive enough for the both of them. She had already had several conversations with the young boy and found he was surprisingly talkative for a kid who mostly stuck to himself in the classroom and playground.

“Yeah, he mentioned he would spend his weekends with you,” Desi spoke with a comforting smile. She let a pause hit the air before continuing, “Mr. Reyes, you have a resilient, intelligent, and sweet young boy. And like I said, while I’m not necessarily worried for him, I’d really like to encourage you to engage yourself more with him. Maybe start an open dialogue at home, so that he feels comfortable whenever he wants to share something-”

“My son is fine,” he interrupted sharply. His face was a mix of confusion and defensiveness as he looked at her.

Not wanting this conversation derailed sideways, she immediately conceded, “Of course! I have no doubt. I just figured I could give you a few things to look out for in the case should they arise. Grief is not as linear as one might think it is, so even if Santi seems fine, we still want to keep a close eye on him-”

“Explain that.” He interrupted again. At the look of uncertainty on her face, he prompted, “What you said before, that shit about an open dialogue and shit.. What did you mean?”

His tone was less aggressive this time and he even seemed a bit embarrassed, shy. The outburst was probably a reactionary thing, more than likely something culminating from his own grief from losing his child’s mother. But now, he seemed actually intent on listening and comprehending the foreign concept.

Desi smiled again, hoping she conveyed softness and understanding. “This is a whirlwind of a time for a young child. Kids thrive on stability and structure. A big part of that is gone now that Stephanie is no longer here. Even though he may still be too young to grasp the concept of death, it can still be traumatizing for a child to have someone in their life for as long as they can remember and then one day that person is no longer there. And you’d be surprised at the way kids can act out, even at his age. Now, again, Santiago hasn’t gotten into any trouble or displayed any behavior of concern, but we want to be proactive. He needs people that he can express his emotions to. Emotions that can be super big for such a small body. Being that you’re now his primary caretaker, it makes sense that that person should be you. Along with making sure you’re establishing a routine for him, you should also talk with him, be affectionate with him… I know you’re probably dealing with this loss yourself. It’s okay for him to know that you’re sad, too.”

Angel scoffed to himself. He focused hard to take in every word that she said and he couldn’t help but get more and more overwhelmed as she continued to go on. He didn’t know anything about putting together a daily routine; school was Santi’s fill of that while everyday at home could be unpredictable based on what the MC demanded of Angel at the moment. And affectionate? He shook his head to himself knowing he hadn’t been much of that lately. Disappointment filled his veins. If anything, Santi needed more affection now than ever, but Angel hadn’t been paying close enough attention to that. 

Desi watched the various emotions flash over his face and felt for him. He didn’t seem to be the kind who purposefully distanced himself from his son. He’d probably been wrapped up in his own grief while also carrying on with life. Of course, his child should come first, but she could see the remorse on his face as he came to some realizations.

After a moment, she allayed, “You don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just listen.”

Angel nodded again, this time trying to put forth more effort into actually listening.

“What does he say? You’ve talked to him, right? So, what does he say? What does he talk about?” Angel inquired curiously. He winced as he prepared to hear her reply, not ready to know of some of the pain his son’s been feeling. 

“Well, it was obviously a very shocking thing to him, at first. He talked about how scary the funeral was,” Angel shook his head in suffering, knowing that he hadn’t even picked up on Santi’s fear. He wouldn’t have ever forced him to go if he knew the whole thing scared him. He harshly cursed himself, knowing that he potentially traumatized his son even further. Desi continued, politely ignoring his agony, “I think he’s only just now coming to terms that his mom is gone for good. Of course, I can see he still has moments where a particular emotion may spring up, but he’s not more or less withdrawn in class according to his teacher.” 

Again, Angel took the time to try and absorb the counselor’s words and what this all meant. He was, for sure, out of his depth and didn’t know where to start in attempting to be a more active parent. 

“I know that this is hard for both of you, but I think that establishing a routine and adding some structure to Santi’s will be beneficial for the both of you. Soon enough, you’re gonna have to learn how to help Santi have a life without his mother. Not so that he forgets her, but so that he knows how to move on and keep the memory of his mom alive.” 

But how? Angel thought to himself. 

And then he vocalized it.

“How do I do that?”

“Try. Obviously, it’s more to it than that, but don’t stop making an effort no matter how hard it is. Santi might not feel 100% comfortable sharing his feelings with you all the time, but the best thing you can do is to never stop trying. Mr. Reyes, this isn’t going to be a cake walk. But he’s young and I see a loving father sitting in front of me. That’s the most important thing.”

Angel smiled a little at that.

“And you’re sure he’s doing fine considering?”

“Yes. There may be little outbursts or behavioral changes as time passes, but there’s nothing that’s cause for concern right now,” she comforted. And then she added, “Try to put together a daily schedule for him to follow. Something fun to do when he gets home. And then homework time. Dinner and a bath. Simple things just to give him a little more normalcy.”

“Thank you,” He stood from his seat and nodded appreciatively at her. Turning towards the door, he adjusted his kutte and stretched out his long legs. Before he turned completely away, she handed him a post-it with her contact information on it and gestured to walk him out the door.

“You’re welcome. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me, Mr. Reyes. Please, I’d really love for us to keep in contact so we can manage Santi’s progress together.”

Angel nodded again, completely serious about trying to maintain contact with her. 

He wouldn’t keep this up anymore, it was time for him to step up and be the parent that Santi needed.

“It was nice to meet you, Mr. Reyes. Have a good day!”

Angel took a final glance back at her as he walked out the school’s main exit. Her braids were wrapped up into a messy bun and a few of them fell around the frame of her face. She bid him off with a final, friendly smile and turned back towards her office. 

Tagging: @drabbles-mc @mijagif

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More Than A Woman | Masterlist

Pairing: Angel Reyes x OFC

Destiny "Desi" Maduro helps Angel and his son pick up the pieces after a recent death rocks their world. In the midst of doing so, the school psychologist navigates a rocky family life and adjusts to being thrown into the MC world.

A/N: Not me popping back up with yet another WIP lol. This is a fic that's been in the works for ages, but I've recently circled back to it and figured it's been quietly roasting long enough for me to release it out into the world haha. I'm playing fast and loose with canon (some things happened and some things didn't), so just enjoy the ride and see what happens? Hmu if you want to be added to the tag list!

Characters

Playlist

Chapter 01 | Chapter 02 | Chapter 03

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Depth Over Distance

Prompt: Day 1 Of Narcoctober - Create a fanwork about a canon character you’ve never written about/used before

Characters: Mika Camarena x Brother!OC (Michael Luna)

CW: language, discussions of grief/death

WC: ~2.2K

A/N: Hiiii friends, my first Mika fic! Credit to @nocturnal-milk-dud for the pic above. Also, if you've read my IWBSS series, you're probably already familiar with my OC Michael Luna, who's actually Mika's older brother. Had so much fun writing their sibling dynamic and a little insight into how Michael winds up in Colombia. Hope you enjoy 💖

“Just the person I wanted to see.” 

“Michael!” Mika exclaimed in both surprise and excitement. It’d been a while since she’d seen her older brother, a steady presence in her life for as long as she could remember. His position as an agent for the Mexico Interpol field office kept him busy, but that wasn’t why he’d been keeping his distance. 

The two of them basked in their hug before taking a seat next to one another and looking out at the baseball practice field. The park may as well have been a second home for her with how often she was here for her oldest son’s practices and games. 

“How’ve you been? Work must be keeping you busy, mano.” 

Michael shrugged, “It’s never not, unfortunately.” 

She hummed in response. They were no strangers to sitting in silence, savoring how the quiet was an easier kind of forgiveness. Their relationship didn’t allow for conflict or discord. It was effortless even at its inception. Maybe it was the decade length of age difference, but Mika and Michael had never been the type of siblings to fight. 

“How’s he doing?” Michael asks, nudging his chin towards his oldest nephew.

“Better. He’s been putting a lot more power behind those swings,” Mika sighs, “I’m glad he has the outlet. He needs it.”

She had planned on taking him out for the season after Kiki’s passing, but he begged for her to keep him in. Now, as she watched him pour every ounce of grief into his swings, she wanted to kick herself for ever thinking of the idea. Somehow, the conscience inside his little body craved for something he hadn’t realized he would need. An outlet. 

Mika chuckles to herself, wishing she had one of those. Some kind of avenue to channel every emotion bouncing in the recesses of her heart and mind. But every second of every day was dedicated to making sure her boys would and could grow up without such a vital figure in their lives. Anything less than 100% was unacceptable to her. 

Michael coming to these games might’ve been the only adult interaction she got these days. Her life had become a precise routine, down to the hour, and she never veered from it, too afraid that the facade of togetherness would shatter with any detour. She clinged to the sense of normalcy and warmth she got from their bleacher seat conversations, even if they were of the most mundane topics. And mundane they were. 

Michael’s way of helping his little sister grieve was to simply not bring it up. She had more than enough people asking if she was alright, he figured. So he didn’t ask. He was patient with her and comforting during those moments when it all felt like too much and she needed a good cry. Otherwise, he carried on as usual. The first practice after Kiki’s funeral, Michael sat down next to her and started talking about some new television show he started watching called Murder, She Wrote and how he confused Angela Lansbury with Agatha Christie. 

It’s the first time she bursts into laughter since she became a widow. She calls him an idiot and explains that they are indeed two different people, though Angela had starred in a film based on Agatha’s novel. Later that week, she watches an episode of Murder, She Wrote so she can discuss the episode with him. 

Another week, he brings polvorones. He notices she’s losing weight and this is his silent way of getting her to recuperate her appetite. She’s never been able to resist the crumbly shortbread sweets and smiles to himself when she takes the bag from him and hogs them all to herself. 

Ever perceptive, she knows the intentions behind the gesture, but doesn’t acknowledge it beyond obnoxiously licking her fingers after finishing them all.

“What if I wanted more?” He jokes.

“Too bad.”

He holds his youngest nephew in his arms as Mika rounds up her oldest, adrenaline-drunk son. He should be dead tired after the lively game under this scorching sun, but his team won and he’s still amped up as they walk back to their cars.

Her youngest babbles in baby talk and Michael indulges by nodding his head, as if actually following along with whatever the infant is trying to convey. 

Mika catches it and remarks, “He could be telling you that he thinks your goatee looks like a ferret on your chin and there you are, nodding and smiling like a doofus.” 

He looks at his nephew, seemingly ignoring his little sister’s comical dig, “What do you think, sobrino? No más polvorones para tu madre, ¿bien?”  

Mika’s eyes widened, “Wait, nevermind. He said that’s a nice shirt you’re wearing today.”

All in all, she’s not sure she’d be keeping it together if not for her big brother. It’s only once a week that she usually sees him, but the other six days are filled with longing. It’s like she crawls desperately every day so that she can get to the day where she finally sees him. 

He’s been less present this past month. Skipping practices and games, leaving vague voicemails on her machine in the aftermath. When she does get to see him, he’s more withdrawn which is saying a lot coming from a man of so few words already. She doesn’t breach the topic. Namely, it’s because she’s got a lot going on as a young widow and mother, but also because Michael’s not the kind of person you cajole or nag on. He’ll come to you when he’s ready but will blow away like a leaf if you push him too hard.

It’s annoying, but again, they’re the kind of siblings who roll their eyes at each other, rather than fully air their grievances and argue. 

“I’ve got a job offer in Medellin, Colombia.” 

When she learns of Kiki’s death, it’s like the noxious feeling that takes over you when you jump out of a plane with no parachute. Your stomach doesn’t drop, but your senses are swiped from you. You can’t see because grief is like the air that blasts into your eyes. You can’t hear because your ears have just been violently assaulted with the worst news of your life. If you touch anything, it’s like you’re grasping nothingness because how else are your hands supposed to act when they know they’ll never touch their lover again? 

When Michael tells Mika he’s leaving, it’s more like a rollercoaster. There is a drop in her stomach. She feels nauseous. Her stomach roils in spirals.

With her husband’s death, it was a long, unidirectional descent that left her fractured in pieces when the news landed on her.

With her brother leaving, it’s like the sudden drops, the highs and lows, and loops of a rollercoaster.

She’s proud because she knows how hard he works at his job.

Loop.

She’s angry because he’s leaving for an entirely different country and that solid mass of reliance that she’s had for the past four months is leaving with him.

Loop.

She’s scared out of her mind because how is she supposed to function now that she’s realized he’s become a crux?

Another fucking loop.

She only nods when she finally digests the news enough to form a response.

But when he follows her home, something he hasn’t done before, she slaps him two steps into stepping into the house.

And then she goes to grab him an ice pack in short order, because shit she didn’t mean to do that even though it kinda felt good. He takes it and they sit on the couch together once the boys are in bed for the night. Michael hasn’t taken the ice pack to his face at all in the couple of hours since she slapped him. Finally, she takes it from his grasp and holds it in the hand that she striked across his face. All this time, it’s been sore and she presses the mostly water but still somewhat chilly pack onto it.

“That shit hurt, didn’t it?”

Mika laughs and laughs until the queasy feeling in her stomach is replaced by aches from the overuse of her accessory muscles in snickering loudly at his comment. She cackles even more as she notes the red hand print forming on his cheek, knowing that it probably hurt as much for him as it did for her. He’s just too fucking prideful and that’ll never change. 

Once her laughter finally leaves the room, Michael heaves a heavy sigh.

“I don’t have to leave for another month. And Christmas isn’t that far away when you think about so… I’ll be home, then.”

Christmas is six months away and she already struggles through the other six days of the week that she doesn't see him.

She could tell him not to go, but to her, that would be admitting weakness and he’s already the one person that doesn’t pity her or treats her with kid gloves. And she is feeling pretty weak right about now, and she knows that he knows it, but it’s different when you have to verbally admit that. 

She also tells him not to go because she knows that he’ll stay. 

When she was six, she watched a horror movie called El Monstruo resucitado even after the warnings from her parents not to. They were out having dinner with friends and only her and Michael were home. He comes out into the living room to see her cowering in the corner at the image of the disfigured creature who possessed the eponymous character. Sure, like any other sixteen year old brother would do, he laughed and teased her for being afraid of some dumb movie, but later that night, his face veers into resolute seriousness when she finally breaks and tearily begs for him to sleep at the foot of her bed so that the monster man doesn’t come to hurt her. 

His back feels like shit the next morning and he still continues teasing her when she gets in trouble from her parents for watching the movie, but she knows then that he would do anything he asked of her. 

She had a will right now, in the present day, not to break no matter how much the rope of her composure bent. And damn, did she want to break. 

But if there was anything else that kept her glued into one piece these days, it was rage. 

Rage at the ones responsible for her husband’s death. Rage at the existence of drug cartels. Rage that they wielded such strong enough power to rot out the heart of entire families. Leaving them in shades of gray and blue from the lack of oxygen and the rush of anguish and despair that came in to replace it from the air. 

The drug trade was as interconnected and intricate as the labyrinth webs that spiders spun. And their touch was just as covert and venomous. There were ties between the Guadalajara cartel and Medellin cartel that necessitated relationships between the law enforcement agencies trying to sever them. A man with Michael’s accomplishment and knowledge was the perfect person needed in Colombia as the cobwebs grew. 

If that led to the takedown of not only the men who murdered her beloved but also all the other scum just like him, then she opined that he absolutely needed to go. 

Michael knows that his little sister will stand on her own two feet and continue carrying herself, carrying her boys forward into this new, harrowing chapter of their lives. He doesn’t doubt for a second that they’ll be okay and he acknowledges as much when he says, “Do me a favor and make an individual tres leche just for me on Christmas. Don’t tell her I said that, but I hate when mamá puts all those mangos in it.”

And because that’s their “thing”, she jokes, “I’ll tell her and put extra mangos when I make it for you.” 

She’s not sure where she goes from here, but she’s got two young boys relying on her and a husband whose demise deserves retribution.

She leans on her brother as they watch an episode of Murder, She Wrote together while night blankets the sky outside. If there’s any source of strength that she can gain from what’s probably their last night of one-on-one bonding, she’s quick to cipher it for all of its worth. 

They’ve said “I love you” to each other maybe a handful of times in their lifetime. They don’t say it now. It doesn’t need to be said. 

She can’t see what the other end of the tunnel looks like. 

The light’s too dim and she’s all alone. But if she closes her eyes and listens closely enough, she can hear him, hear Michael’s voice. 

Where life takes her next, she’s gotta do it alone. But she knows he’ll always be the one to catch her before she falls. The one who protects her from monsters and demons, even the ones taking hold in her head.

Two thousand miles of space between them could never change that.

It was always depth over distance for them.

Click here if you want to be added to my taglist! Taglist: @asirensrage @narcosfandomdiscord

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I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | Chapter 09

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC Series Masterlist

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language, smut (oral sex; female receiving, PiV sex, shower sex, a lil degradation kink? 👀 a lil brat taming? 👀), BRANDON, violence (mention of blood, guns, gunshot wound, some medicine)

WC: ~10.2k (i went awf lol)

Jax combed over the papers sat in front of him, trying his hardest to focus. SAMCRO and the Street Wolves now officially owned their first piece of joint property together and the next phase was to get the necessary building inspection in order. He lazily gleaned over the various checklists that outlined all of the building codes that needed to be satisfied. He’d been in the Garden lounge for hours making sure everything was in check after Sairah gracefully went over what to expect that might need to be done. His desire for the inspection to go smoothly was only one of the thoughts that was cartwheeling through his mind all day. The other was McKenzie. 

It had been about two weeks since they started their arrangement, and in that time, they had managed to christen the entirety of Jax’s house along with the back of McKenzie’s Camry and against a tree on their impromptu hiking date last weekend. 

Besides that first sneaky link in a dorm room at the Garden, they had been careful not to mess around or even interact much under the nose of others. And even though he was very much enthralled by McKenzie’s suggestion to swing by her firehouse while she was on shift so that they could have a rendezvous in the back of an ambulance, he wasn’t even willing to risk the possibility of her coworkers finding out about them. 

They had quickly eased into the exhilarating dynamic and it had been the most enlivening experience Jax had had in years. Thrilling in the sense that their deception was caught on by none. But simple in the sense that there were no expectations. Uncomplicated. Caveat free.

Jax let out a sigh and forced himself to focus yet again on the papers he was supposed to be studying. It was like he couldn’t get enough of her. Every idle moment he had, his mind veered off to thoughts of her. She was everywhere even when she wasn’t there physically. From the moment they would part, he would wonder when the next time he’d get to see her again. 

“Yeah, I just need to go shower, Lise.” 

McKenzie’s voice flowed in from the hallway and he could just barely register movement through the cracked door. Jax pushed himself out of the chair and walked towards the lounge door. When he opened it further, McKenzie was walking towards a dorm room where she’d presumably go to take a shower in one of the adjointed bathrooms. A second set of footsteps could be heard from the opposite end of the hall and Lisa appeared from the stairs.

“Hey, Lisa,” Jax greeted her for the first time today, “Everything alright?”

“Oh, yeah, looks like McKenzie had a shitty shift if the dried up blood on her clothes is any indication,” Lisa supplied, “You would think working a morning half-shift would be slow in this neck of the woods…”

Jax rubbed his chin, “Yeah, you could say the same thing for Charming, but the ER was always busy at St. Thomas.”

Lisa hummed in acknowledgement, “So what are you up to? Still going over those notes Sairah outlined for you?”

“Yeah, she’s very… thorough,” Jax laughed and Lisa joined in, but not in surprise.

“The perks of having an architect in your pocket!” Building codes and city ordinances were already in Sairah’s wheelhouse given her line of work, so Gil looping her in for advice on how best to pass all these inspections wasn’t much of a large feat. As much as she playfully complained about being “on-call” for people who weren’t her clients, she never not anticipated being of assistance once the Street Wolves and SAMCRO went into legit business.

From down the stairs, the two heard one of the bartenders calling for Lisa to sign an incoming delivery of imported tequila. Lisa left with a pat on his back to go tend to business and Jax watched her until she was completely down the stairs. 

And then his gaze flicked back to the opposite end of the hall in the direction McKenzie went. He stood still for another second or so, making sure no one else was coming up into the Street Wolf territory that was separate from the bar. And even though his mind reminded him that maybe he should keep his distance while under a roof shared with the very people they were attempting to mask their arrangement from, his legs carried him towards wherever she was. Aside from simply wanting to be near her, he couldn’t fight the urge to check on her after what sounded like a tense shift. He was sure she was fine, but still, he wanted to confirm for himself. 

Any potential messing around that might arise from them being in a quiet space away from prying eyes was simply an added bonus.

Slipping into the dorm room, he followed the noise of the running water in the ensuite bathroom. The door was unlocked and she was already under the steaming hot water as he began to undress himself. Without warning, he ripped the shower curtain back and clamped a hand around her mouth. A small squeak was still able to peek through, but it was masked by Jax’s own chuckle when he saw her eyes slit from alarm to relief and annoyance. 

When he moved his hand, she whisper-yelled, “Jesus, Jax!” 

He could feel her rapid heart beat slowing down as they stood chest to chest in the shower. Within the small space, she maneuvered them so that he wasn’t directly under the showerhead. She didn’t know how he’d explain why his hair was wet otherwise. 

He wore a lopsided grin instead of apologizing before adding, “Thought you’d might want some company…” The glint in his eyes became more hedonic as they swept down her body.

“Feeling reckless, are we?” 

His hands moved to her hips in response and she shivered irresistibly against his touch. 

“A little,” he whispered against the skin of her jaw. A contented sigh flowed from her lips and her hands reached towards the back of his neck. Soon enough, their lips met and tangled in a tug of war that gradually heated. McKenzie could feel his desire for her grow against her thigh as he deepened the kiss.

Jax was the first one to pull back, his kisses leaving her lips but returning to her jaw. His hands continued exploring the contours of her hips. They were wrapped as if he were holding handlebars and his thumbs danced along closer to the interior of her thighs. Her breath hitched as one of his thumbs lightly brushed against a sensitive spot of skin.

He kissed her lips once more before asking, “You okay?”

“Yeah, that feels good,” she licked her lips. 

“No, I meant about earlier… Lisa said you had a rough shift?”

McKenzie’s eyes softened in understanding and maybe appreciation. There were a million things she could say about the shifts that dragged the life out of her, but she found nothing to say in that moment in this small space with minimal distance between them. 

“I’m okay,” she simply said.

“You sure?” His eyes traced over her. He found curiosity in her eyes before she opened her mouth to reply.

“Yeah. I’m sure.”

“Good.”

And then, he placed a delicate kiss on her lips as he grabbed under her thigh and held her between himself and the shower wall. His other hand rested on the wall itself and he deepened the kiss to swallow out her moans as he sank into her. They were on borrowed time, and even though he could’ve stayed in there with her forever, he made use of the several minutes he was given.

He sped up as soon as she became acclimated to the sensation of him in her depths. His thrusts became gradually harsher and rougher, with the feeling of McKenzie’s nails digging into his back encouraging his unrelenting pace. The feeling of her legs shaking gave him indication that she was as close as he was. Instead of slowing down, he kept his furious pace until he could feel teeth marks around his shoulder. They reached their muzzled peaks together.

The sound of the water running and them catching their breaths were the only things heard within the small space. 

Seconds passed as their bodies disconnected. Their eyes, however, remained glued on each other. Soon, a shy smile coveted McKenzie’s lips. 

Jax began to wash himself in the shower and her smile only grew.

“Wowwww, so not only do you come and interrupt my shower, you steal it too?”

She could see the lazy smirk on his face from the side as he swiped the bottle of Irish Spring from the rack. 

“To be fair, it was needed after that workout.”

He winked at her as she shook her head while pushing him so that she was closer up under the water. He chuckled and they finished cleansing their bodies together. Jax left the shower before her and was out of the bathroom by the time McKenzie turned the water off. She opened the door to the adjoining dorm room and saw him peeking out to check if the coast was clear. Without looking, he heard her traipse behind him.

“I’m getting ready to go back out there. We’re heading into the town today.” 

She nodded and gave him a wet hug, “Thanks for stopping by.” 

Jax grinned, “Any time, darlin’.”

************

Jax took off his helmet before strapping it in its place on his bike and dismounting the Dyna. He blew out a heavy, yet excited sigh as he looked all around the slowly familiar town. It was still as empty as it was the last several times he’d been here, but that was where the excitement came in. With time and if they played their cards right, SAMCRO and the Street Wolves could be the defining factor that took this place from a ghost town into a profitable, thriving urbane.

All of the members from both crews were here, the first time everyone would be visiting their first joint property together. Remarkably, it was the biggest property on the lengthy, deserted street. And it would hopefully one day come to be their very own casino. 

There were dozens of ideas that were flipped around in their various meetings and starting a casino was one that they kept coming back around to. Through all of their ideas, one of the topics of debate was what would be the most sensible avenue for them to go into their first foray of business. Sure, they had the far-seeing plans to open stores, maybe a restaurant, a strip club, an arcade or bowling alley, but with their current contacts and connections, with the experience that they already had as former outlaws, starting a casino seemed to be the most advantageous. It had the most promise of being a success.

“Here’s our future, boys!” Gil exclaimed with his arms held wide. Cheers and raucous excitement filled the air as they all took in the visual tangibility of their dreams.

One by one, they filed into the large, desolate space and envisioned their future. 

“The place is yours to look around, boys! Get the lay of the land,” Jax proclaimed, “Take note. Hell, take pictures. By our next meeting, we want everyone’s input about how we can build the best damn casino this shithole has ever seen!”

Jax, Gil, Flu, and Bobby had all seen the property a few times by now, having visited the premises with the real estate agent. Still, that didn’t stop Bobby from going up the steps to marvel at the detailing of the balcony railings or Flu from showing Sweets the broken, dusty jukebox in the corner near the front windows. 

Jax and Gil stood to the side and mainly enjoyed everyone else’s explorations. They looked at each other briefly and shared a joyous laugh at just how exciting this all was. It was no longer just talk for them. The wheels were in motion. 

Not unlike the wheels that screeched to a halt right outside. 

The sound was jarring, except no one really got the chance to register what the noise was until the ringing sound of gunshots filled the air. Like butter, they drilled through the glass windows and punctured the door and walls. Jax stumbled backwards from the sheer surprise with a “holy shit” pulled from the back of his throat. Gil fell forwards right next to him and they both leapt to reach for their own guns.

Bobby, Rev, and Chibs had better visuals from the second level and shot through the upstairs, loft-like windows. A couple of others were able to get a few shots off from below but most avoided pulling their triggers for fear of bullet ricocheting and hitting their close-by brothers-in-arms. With limited sight to the outside without peeking up and getting their heads blown off, most of them were unable to get an idea of who was popping off the shots.

Less than a minute after the shots first rang out, they could hear the tires squelch as their assailants fled the scene. Opie, who was closest to the front entrance, kicked the bullet-ridden door open and stalked outside. With Jax and Gil on his heels, he fired off a few shots that only bounced off the retreating black SUV. The vehicle had sped off so fast they weren’t even able to get a look at how many people were inside. There was a silent second of contemplation over whether to hop on their bikes and chase after whoever just opened a demented can of worms. Before they could make the decision however, there were pain-filled groans emanating from inside. 

Marching back inside, they were met with the image of Sweets lying on the floor, clutching his blood-soaked shoulder. Flu leaned over him and held pressure to the wound as Chibs jogged over to help.

“What the fuck just happened?” Rev exclaimed. 

All around, the members of SAMCRO and Street Wolves caught their breath while warily asking themselves the same question.

Jax spoke up trying to restore order, “We don’t have time to figure that out right now. We gotta get the hell out of here!” They had zero indication of who these people were, what they were after, and whether they were circling the block.

“Let’s get back to the Garden and regroup!” Gil was dialing the keys on his phone as he gave his order and Jax heard him giving Lisa a heads up about what had just happened and whether McKenzie was still at the Garden. 

Flu and Chibs helped Sweets up and guided him outside with alert and cautious eyes for any impending danger. Jax took a look out of the window himself and saw that while there was extensive damage done to the SAMCRO van that Half-Sack had driven, the tires seemed intact and would be okay for the drive back into Highwater; there’d be no way for Sweets to drive his own bike with the damage done to his shoulder.

Rev and Jax cast wary glances at each other in between surveying the damage inside and attempting to process what the fuck just happened. Their new property was mostly barren, so they didn’t care enough to closely examine each morsel of damage since the place was going to need considerable renovations, anyway. They simply made note of what they could see from their vantage point near the front of the building and began to slowly walk out. 

As they all rode back to the Garden, Jax tried to reason through who could’ve been responsible for them nearly getting their heads blown off today. They were supposed to be on their way to a brand new paved road of legitimateness. And this major hitch in the road needed to be answered for. He let his mind roll through all of SAMCRO’s former enemies, but found none that would fit the bill. They were good with the IRA, as neutral as they could be after their clubhouse was blown up. Marcus Alvarez was practically bounding with glee when Jax brokered a deal that gave the Mayans some good arms dealing contacts that SAMCRO was no longer doing business with. Jimmy O was dead. Pope was dead. Zobelle was somewhere living it up on an island. Clay only sees sunlight one hour of the day. There was no one they left the game having active beef with.

He shook his head, still confused and anxious, as he dismounted his bike near the side entrance of the Garden. The Street Wolves had even less enemies than SAMCRO and Gil had already been upfront about their adversaries when the two clubs were first in talks to start this journey together. None of those names set off any alarms in Jax’s head, either. 

He held the door open for Chibs and Flu who each held one of Sweets’ arms as they guided him inside. Lisa and McKenzie were already waiting by the side door and McKenzie immediately jumped into action by leading them upstairs. The closest dorm room nearby had already been set up something close to a hospital room, with all kinds of gauze, medical equipment, and medications prepped and ready to go. 

McKenzie pried off the part of Sweets’ shirt that was now caked with congealing blood. 

Chibs stood there waiting to assist, “It slowed down, but he’s still bleeding, lass. He’s been in and out of it.” 

“Yeah, it’s only a through and through, but he drinks like a fucking sailor which thins the blood,” McKenzie noted as she silently gestured for him to help lift his upper half. There were some pressors in her med kit that would help and she silently gestured for them as she continued examining the wounds. She wanted to make sure there were no small pellets or projectile still lodged inside his shoulder. 

“I was a sailor,” Sweets responds with garbled, half-conscious awareness, “Non sibi sed patriae.” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, semper fi and all that shit,” McKenzie muttered, which earned her a glazed over glower from the man she considered an uncle. A glower she happily welcomed because that meant he was in his right mind to be annoyed with her dismissal. 

Meanwhile, across the hall, Gil had gathered everyone else into the lounge room to allow McKenzie and Chibs to work. The room was filled with buzzed up nerves and lots of questions. Gil paced around, his mood shot from how quickly this day had changed from celebratory into damn near deadly. 

“Okay, but seriously, what the fuck happened? Did anyone get a look at the shooters?” Rev asked as he leaned against the side table in front of the TV.

Bobby responded, “They were wearing all black and wore bandanas over their face. At least, one was White. There were three, maybe four, but it was hard to see with the bullets flying every which way.”

“One of those bandanas was the American flag but it had some green and orange in it…” Opie chimed in.

“IRA?” Ace questioned.

“No, the IRA have their own flag.” Gil answered.

“Wait, was it like the stripes that were orange and green?” Cam piped up. He, along with X, were the newest prospects of the Street Wolves. X stayed glued to the wall with his mouth shut, like a prospect was expected to. And Cam was usually inclined to follow suit, but his mind was flashing him back to an odd moment that happened several weeks ago. His eyes flashed over to Brandon, who had been uncharacteristically silent since the shooting took place.

Gil caught Cam’s eyes and noticed the way Brandon had averted his gaze.

“What?” His voice was clipped, impatience on his tongue, “What is it?”

“It’s just that-” Cam only paused in hesitation for a minute but quickly let his words spill past his teeth as he took in how every face in the room was focusing on him. “When me and B made that run to Nevada, I just remembered… Brandon talking to a guy. And that guy had guys with him. And one of them had that same kind of bandana.”

Gil whizzed around to Brandon, nothing but ice in his voice, “What the fuck is he talking about?”

Brandon sighed and rubbed the back of his head with a hand, “Look, before this thing with the property went through, I had doubts that we were gonna be able to cough up the money…” 

Rev could already tell where this was going and he groaned out a “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me..”

Gil slit his eyes at him impatiently, irritated that there was something he was obviously not in the loop about, before facing Brandon again. 

Jax, too, knew exactly where this was heading and the source of how this trouble may have started. He remembers the tense conversation he had to have with the reckless Street Wolf weeks ago for trying to pull in someone from the outside without even consulting Gil.

“There was a guy I knew from another guy and he was willing to put some skin in the game and maybe partner up with us.” Brandon put his hands up in defense at the sounds of indignation and disbelief that encircled the room, “I thought it’d be a good back up plan to have someone who could front us some cash, just in case.”

“Who?” 

By now, Gil’s hands were itching to be wrapped around his once almost son-in-law. His ears were ringing with fury. “Who?” was his simple inquiry, but the lethality in his tone was nothing Brandon wanted to undermine.

He sighed, “It was just some Irish guy,” he rushed out his next words to clear the air, “But he wasn’t fucking IRA, I swear. He told me to my face that he wasn’t affiliated anymore. He got pushed out by some Kings.”

Jax’s blood ran cold.

“Jesus Christ,” It suddenly became all too clear who the gunmen were hired by, “Galen fucking O’Shay?!”

“I swear to God this wasn’t part of the plan. Okay, he was pissed, but he never said anything about killing anybody.”

“Obviously, shit head, otherwise, we’d all be dead! This was a warning more than anything.” Rev supplied.

“Warning for what, though?” Juice implored, “What’s his fucking endgame? He’s mad he didn't get in on the deal, so now he’s just gonna what? Fuck up our shit??”

Opie jumped in, “Odds are he’s still pissy that we got him kicked out of the good graces of the Kings.” Out of the Street Wolves, Gil and Rev were the only ones who knew exactly what he was talking about, about how Jax told the Kings that Galen had been doing outside deals without their knowledge for decades and forthwith got him ex-communicated from the syndicate, “Which means he doesn’t have their backing anymore. Not saying we shouldn’t see him as a threat, considering today, but he doesn’t have the backing he used to.”

“Yeah, he’s probably been waiting for any chance to shoot us in the face after everything that went down,” Bobby contributed and then specifically addressed the Street Wolves, “Shitty that you gents got inadvertently kicked into the crossfire.”

Rev placated, “Nah, don’t worry about that. We all knew this was a possibility when we went into business together.”

“Exactly,” Gil echoed, though not all of the violent chill had left his voice as his eyes never left Brandon, “We’re not here to play the blame game. We just need to come up with a game plan on how to nip this shit in the bud immediately.”

Going legit and staying legit had always been the overarching goal. But even if they decided to let this go unanswered, they had no way of knowing whether Galen would try some shit like this again. For the sake of their livelihood, for the sake of their very lives, this wasn’t something that could just go ignored. Everyone in the room knew it. 

Much like they knew Brandon’s transgressions would have to be answered for. 

Gil locked eyes with Jax and a look of understanding passed between them.

Jax was still fuming himself, but he took the resigned, yet still agitated change in the air to steer this talk to a pause.

“Shit could’ve gotten real dicey. They got the element of surprise on us and it nearly led to losing one of our own. A few inches to the middle and that bullet could’ve easily sliced open Sweets’ heart,” Jax let that sit in the air for a few seconds before continuing, “We’re all hopped up on adrenaline right now, so we’ll leave this until tomorrow. But we will end this shit that Galen started. Nobody’s taking away all that we’ve been working towards.”

He swiped a dirty glare at Brandon while retreating and allowing everyone to take their leave. Several of them slumped over across the hall to check in on Sweets while others either chilled out in the lounge room or left the Garden entirely to take a ride for some fresh air. Jax caught a final glance at Gil and Brandon, the former silently signaling for the latter to follow him.

******

Before he could even react, Brandon felt the pain of his back and side being violently pushed up against the wall of the downstairs Wolves’ Den. He felt dread fill his entire frame as he followed Gil down the steps, past the patrons of the bar, and into the exclusive Wolves-only sanctuary. His trepidation was replaced by pangs of angry throbbing as Gil slammed him yet again against the cold, unforgiving wall.

Not that he would’ve dared fight back to begin with, but he wasn’t even given the chance to before Gil grabbed him by the shirt and thrusted him forward towards the now closed door. This time, the force elicited an agonized yelp from him.

“Ah, fuck!” He looked down and saw that his torso had connected with the knob of the door. There would surely be a bruised indentation of the pointy portion of the lock enclosed into his skin by morning.

He opened his mouth to at least explain himself, “Look, I just thought he would help-” 

“SHUT UP!” Gil’s voice boomed against the four walls of the room, his harsh glare focused on Brandon, “I don’t care what the fuck you thought, you’re not the fucking president of this club. You don’t make decisions and you sure as shit don’t go around trying to make deals without asking for my say so.”

“If we didn’t get the money-”

Gil’s fist connected with the apple of Brandon’s cheek with enough force that the man’s head bounced off the door he’d been holding onto. 

“Shit!” He exclaimed as he knelt down to the floor, clutching onto his cheek and the part of his face that had collided with the door.

“If we didn’t get the money from the bank, we would’ve figured something out. The right fucking way, even if it took longer than we planned. That’s just how the shit goes!” Gil began pacing around the table, attempting to calm his ire, “It wasn’t your fucking concern whether we got the money or not, that’s what Flu and Bobby had been appointed to focus on. Just like I, as the president of this club, has been appointed to make decisions on who does what and whether they have my say so. Did you get my fucking say so?!”

“Prez, if I could just-” Brandon coughed out.

Gil grabbed him by the shirt again and tossed him towards the lengthy table he’d been pacing around.

“Jesus fucking Christ, can you shut the fuck up and actually listen?!” Gil pushed him again, lightly, into one of the chairs. “I don’t wanna hear your goddamn excuses. The beginning and end of your actions ended up leading to Sweets getting a fucking hole in his shoulder.”

Gil sighed and leaned up against one of the chairs, “I know you had good intentions. I know you’re always doing what’s best for the club. The point is, you went over my head and tried to pull some shit that either you knew I wouldn’t approve of or you just wanted it to be some sort of surprise to show off. You thought you knew better, but you didn’t. Pulling a cowboy move like this doesn’t impress me, it pisses me off.” He shook his head at the young, cocky man sitting in front of him, “You want more responsibility, I can see it. But that shit takes trust, and I don't know whether I should put my trust in you after what’s happened.”

“You can trust me,” Brandon interjected, his voice ardent, “I made a mistake. I was just trying to pull my weight. I’ve been in the club almost ten years, Gil, I was just doing what I thought was best to help my brothers. You can’t blame me for that!” 

Gil’s eyes narrowed. There was sympathy in his look, sure, but there was still a whole lot of animosity in his orbs and Brandon wasn’t sure if he was about to wind up with some broken bones or not. 

But still, that small measure of sympathy.

A killer grip landed on Brandon’s shoulder as Gil leaned down and invaded his personal space.

“I’ve got just enough self-control right now not to throw you off the fucking roof. I’m gonna go upstairs. I’m gonna go check on Sweets. I’m gonna go kiss my wife. I’m gonna go take a fucking nap. When I wake back up, the entirety of this goddamn bar better be fucking spotless. If you’re gonna act like a hotshot, like you’re the fucking president of this MC, you’re gonna get treated like a useless ass prospect.” 

Brandon opened up his mouth to protest before Gil halted his words with a sneer, “Close your fucking mouth before I put a gun in it. Consider this a warning. You’re on probation until I say otherwise. You don’t like it? There’s the fucking door.” 

Gil backed away and his anger switched off like a light. It was replaced with dead fatigue now that the adrenaline from earlier had faded. He wandered out of the room and lugged up the stairs to check on his Sergeant-at-arms. Brandon stayed in his seat, rooted with anger in his veins.

*******

Jax sat at the bar, quietly nursing the whiskey Lisa had placed in front of him. She’d left him the entire bottle and he knocked back another shot as he waited for McKenzie to come downstairs. 

Over an hour had passed since she and Chibs had been holed up in the dorm room, taking care of Sweets. He was stable, they knew that much, but he still waited until she finally reappeared. There were several things he had intended on accomplishing today, but the abrupt chaos of earlier had seen to his productivity being squandered for the day.

The traffic of the bar had started to pick up some now that the afternoon was in full swing, and he had barely registered Gil emerging from the dark, secluded hallway that led to the Wolves’ Den. It wasn’t until the Street Wolves president had made his way over to Lisa and sought comfort in her arms that Jax noticed him. The man was still pretty young, about the same age as his mom, but he looked like he had aged ten years since the events of earlier. The presidents exchanged a tight nod before Gil retreated upstairs. 

Only several minutes later, McKenzie had finally appeared. Her eyes immediately met him and she gave him a tired smile as she walked over to where he was. 

“How is he?” 

“Knocked out,” she leaned against the bar and Jax noticed there were still remnants of dried blood under her fingernails. He grabbed a wet wipe from across the bar and handed it to her as she continued giving her assessment, “The bullet was a through and through, so no major damage. Gave him some pressors to stop the bleeding. As long as he stays off the bottle and keeps on his antibiotics, he should be good.” 

“Good,” he blew out a heavy sigh, putting a hand at the back of his head. 

Her eyebrows furrowed at the unease on his face, “He’s actually been shot before. And trust me, this was a miracle compared to that time he took a shiv to the neck when he was in prison… Shit, I was in high school and I still remember it like yesterday, one of the few times I’ve seen my dad cry.”

McKenzie could see he was in his own world as she tried to ease his comforts. She took a side glance and saw that Lisa was in the kitchen. Then, she grabbed his hand. 

“Hey, seriously, he’s okay. And this wasn’t your fault…” When some of the guys came in to check on Sweets, they filled Chibs in on what they had surmised had gone down, not minding that she was in the room, too. McKenzie wasn’t familiar with the name Galen O’Shay, but she heard the bristle in Juice’s voice as he gave an off-hand mention to some of SAMCRO’s dealings with the man. “Whatever history you got with that fucker aside, Brandon was out of his fucking mind to go behind my dad’s back like that,” she said. 

“Yeah, but, darlin’, you don’t know the half of it. This shit with Galen…”

“Is whatever it is,” McKenzie finished for him, “And you don’t have to tell me or explain. This still could have been avoided if that idiot hadn’t been trying to cowboy his way into some brownie points.” 

She didn’t have to have the full context of what played out. She knew that Brandon was always trying to assert himself or showboat his way into getting some shine. During their relationship, it was a common complaint he confided in her; constant harping on what he could do to elevate the club and persistent conviction that he deserved an officer position someday. 

She wasn’t fully aware of SAMCRO’s dealings with the IRA, but she knew enough to surmise that there was a loaded history there. Jax so much as said it just now. And it looked like that rendered itself into blame. Blame that he was obviously shouldering. But there was always something that could go wrong, always the possibility that some former ally or enemy of SAMCRO or the Street Wolves could pop back up. The possibility was always silently hanging in the air, even with as smooth a transition as both clubs had had so far into the world of legitimacy.

Jax planted a forced smile on his face, “Thanks, darlin’.” 

She could see straight through him, but she accepted the squeeze of her arm that he gave. 

He muttered that he was going to go see Sweets before he left and walked to the upper level of the Garden. 

**********

Rev was the last one remaining in the room where Sweets rested after everyone else left to give him time to rest. He sat there quietly for a while, allowing silence to permeate the air, giving the sergeant-at-arms the quiet he needed to recuperate peacefully. He was getting ready to leave from his vigil when the door slid open and Jax made himself known.

Rev nodded his head encouragingly, allowing the SAMCRO president to enter. He gestured towards the chair next to him, the seats far away enough for them to talk quietly and not disturb Sweets’ sleep. 

“Shitty day..” Jax remarked as he sat down.

“Could’ve been a lot shittier,” Rev supplied, turning his gaze back to the wounded man. It would’ve only taken the bullet being off by some inches for this to be an entirely different conversation right now.

Jax nodded in agreement. 

There were a few moments of comfortable silence before Jax spoke again. 

“Listen… About Galen-”

He felt responsible. After everything that happened with Clay and Tig, he took his mind off of taking down Galen O’ Shay. He figured things would be settled after he handed off his arms dealing to the Mayans. The rest of the Kings seemed satisfied that they still had their reach on the West Coast, and last he heard, they were even expanding to south of the border, as well. It was O’Shay who was still holding a vendetta against SAMCRO to the point that he bombed their T.M. clubhouse and got himself banished from the Kings syndicate. Instead of anticipating more revenge coming from the begrudged man, he allowed the situation to be a loose end in order to focus on going legit. Now, depending on what lies ahead, this could jeopardize everything they were working towards.

Almost sensing the burden of blame and responsibility Jax had lied on his shoulders, Rev interrupted him.

“You told us straight up, everything that transpired between SAMCRO and O’ Shay. And we still went into this business together. You came to a deal with the Kings that they agreed on. And that motherfucker was supposed to be persona non grata after he got kicked to the curb. We had no indication that he was just gonna come up out of the blue and try to stir shit up. Or that Brandon’s clown ass would be the in that Galen needed.”

Rev put a comforting hand on his shoulder before continuing, “I don’t need you blaming yourself, man. If anything, there’s enough to place on both clubs. Right now, though? We need all of us to be putting our heads together to figure out what this motherfucker’s deal is, and how to take him down before he ruins everything before we even get started.”

The Street Wolves VP stood from his chair and went to bend down on one knee at the bed, saying a short prayer for Sweets.

He got up and swiped a final glance at Jax before leaving the room, “A bend in the road isn’t the end of the road.” 

Out in the hall, Rev heard an insistent scrubbing noise coming from one of the other dorm rooms. He followed the sound until he reached one of the ensuite bathrooms where he found Brandon on his hands and knees, cleaning the tiles. He only stood there for a second before his presence was noted.

Brandon looked up, contempt in his eyes, “Gil send you to check up on me?”

Rev said nothing, only taking in the new-forming bruises and gashes on Brandon’s face as the man huffed and focused back on the tiles. The young man’s patience was wearing thin, though, so he looked back up and snapped, “Did you need something?!” 

His VP took a measured breath because he didn’t come in here with the intention of adding more physical trauma to the man’s battered form.

“I came here to speak with you, brother to brother, because I need you to understand what happened today,” Rev started. Brandon huffed again, but he dropped the toothbrush and stood so that he was level with him.

“Going off on your own, trying to make shit happen without the knowledge of your brothers… That’s what nearly got Sweets killed today. I get it, you’re trying to get back in Gil’s good graces, you’re trying to earn your keep-”

“If you get it, then why am I still getting my ass handed to me right now?” Brandon interrupted, unable to stop himself. 

“Because anybody would have!” Rev’s voice boomed uncharacteristically. “You think you didn’t deserve this shit?!” He mushed at Brandon’s face and pushed it towards the mirror so that he could see the damage patterning across his features. “Sweets could’ve died!”

“But he didn’t!” Brandon implanted. 

“And what if he did?! You’re acting like today couldn’t have gone any worse, what if Gil got shot? What if I got shot? Any of us?! Do you even fucking care?! We were sitting ducks and that shit could’ve easily been a blood bath, but all you fucking care about is that you’re rightfully suffering the consequences! It’s like that apology meant fucking nothing!”

Rev thought back to that heart to heart he and Brandon had just the other day and wondered whether it was all bullshit.

“Rev-”

This time, Brandon was the one interrupted, “You’re so full of shit. Your first response when Jax confronted you about this shit was making fucking excuses. And now you don’t care that you went behind the club’s back, you care that you got caught and called out. Your ego is gonna be the fucking death of someone, whether it’s you or someone else. You got lucky today and you’re still only focused on yourself, and not your own fucking brother.” Rev looked at him with disgust, “I don’t know how we’re even supposed to trust you, B.” 

“I make one bad move and that’s it?? All your trust is gone? What, you’re gonna tell Gil to bench me?”

Rev looked on at him, registering none of the friendship and brotherhood that was supposed to exist between them, “I’m telling him that I’m keeping a closer eye on you and that you don’t move until I say otherwise.” He shook his head at himself, knowing that some of the blame lied on him too, for not looping Gil in on the fact that Brandon was seeking outside partnership for the club, “Get your fucking act together, Brandon. I can’t be more worried about making sure you’re not fucking up than I am about making sure we’re all safe and our plans don’t get derailed. That’s dangerous for all of us…”

Brandon’s face was hard, but he nodded, knowing that there was nothing he could say that wouldn’t bite him back on the ass. With another disappointed shake of his head yet not another word, Rev left the room. Brandon waited until he could hear the VP’s receding footsteps no more before he released all of his anger, knocking over the bucket of mop water and punching the mirror.

**************

“Kinda light crowd in here tonight.” McKenzie remarked. She and Sairah were on one of their regular milkshake dates at the diner in town. 

Sairah looked around, “Just how I like it.”

McKenzie chuckled and then smiled in thanks at the waitress who brought them their blueberry cheesecake shakes. 

“So, I’ve been kind of slacking on the apartment search, I know. I’ll probably start looking online this weekend, it’s not like there’s a lot of rentals here in Highwater.”

Sairah waved her off, “Stay as long as you need. It’s home for as long as you want it to be.” 

The older Gilbert sister smiled again in appreciation. She expected the response, but she still didn’t want to get complacent in not finding a place for herself and moving out. Being one of the lucky ones who enjoyed her career, Sairah often took her work home with her. The small house was filled with small projects of architectural design that the young woman had worked on all by herself. She had bought the property about a year ago and was taking her time, enjoying making the fixer-upper her own. 

McKenzie didn’t want to intrude on her space and so made it a goal of hers to eventually look around Highwater for somewhere of her own. 

It also wouldn’t hurt that it’d be easier to sneak around with Jax at her own place, but that was more of an afterthought than anything. Though, it had come to the forefront of her mind more than once this past week. She looked down at her phone and shook her head to herself. She could at least have some restraint while on her sisterly outing.

She looked up to see that Sairah was on her own phone, texting out a message longer than her usual short responses.

“Rev?” 

An educated guess, but a correct one.

Sairah looked up, “Yeah, just wanted to check on him. Make sure he hasn’t rammed Brandon’s head into a wall, though I would buy him a brand new bike of his choosing if he, in fact, did so.”

McKenzie leaned over in laughter, knowing her sister would never miss an opportunity to take a jibe at her ex-fiancé. 

“I’m sure dad has reamed his ass out good enough for the both of them.”

Sairah hummed, “It’ll never be enough when it comes to his bitch ass,” she took a pause though and looked more thoughtful, “Rev seems to be taking it hard though, so they probably exchanged words.”

“Not surprised.”

If there was anyone that Brandon was closest to in the club, it would, of course, be to the man that sponsored him. Whether the responsibility lied on him or not, Rev couldn’t help but feel hurt and betrayed from Brandon’s actions.

“Maybe he’ll finally learn to stop doing stupid shit, considering someone could’ve been killed today.”

“Knowing him, he probably thought he was doing the right thing.”

Sairah paused her milkshake slurping to give McKenzie a pointed stare.

“What?” Confusion filled her words. “You agree with him going behind dad’s back?”

McKenzie shook her head and frowned, “No, I hope he got his head chewed off. But I think, in his own misdirected way, he was just trying to do the right thing.” There were moments, maybe when no one else could, she could see his convoluted way of trying to help. Maybe this was one of those times or maybe another misconception of the good she thought she first saw when they began their relationship. She recalled these kinds of moments from the past five years and wonders how many times she was right about his intentions and how many times he had only put up a facade that she had no ability to see through.

“You okay, Kenz?”

She flashed a weak smile and replied, “Yeah. Today’s just been a long day.” 

Sairah nodded in understanding and stood up with her purse, “I’ll go settle up.” 

McKenzie glanced at her phone and sighed. Shit. She had zero self-restraint. Without even allowing her mind to convince her out of the thought, she picked up the phone and opened the text thread she shared with Jax. 

To Jax: “Home yet?” -Sent at 8:55 p.m.

Less than thirty seconds pass.

From Jax: “ 🥺 Is princess missing me?” -Sent at 8:55 p.m.

She giggled loudly, not expecting to see the SAMCRO president ever use an emoji. Sairah looked up from the register with a bewildered look that McKenzie waved off with a mouthed “Tik tok video.”

To Jax: “I’m princess now?” -Sent at 8:56 p.m.

To Jax: “Btw didn’t even know you knew what emojis were 😭” -Sent at 8:56 p.m.

From Jax: Sure I do! There’s even a 😡 next to your name in my contacts” -Sent at 8:56 p.m.

To Jax:“Why the 😡?!” -Sent at 8:57 p.m.

From Jax: “You’re very mean to me 😂. I’m thinking brat might be a better name than princess…” -Sent at 8:57 p.m.

To Jax:“I can dig it 😏” -Sent at 8:57 p.m.

From Jax: “Get to my place in 20, let’s see how reckless that mouth gets in person”  -Sent at 8:58 p.m.

Sairah was back from the register and had been standing impatiently for about two minutes before she finally drew McKenzie’s attention with a dramatic sigh. 

“Ok, either you and Evie are talking shit about someone or you’re about to go get slutted out. Which is it?” 

Slutted out.

**********

Jax had opened the front door before McKenzie even made it up the two steps up onto his porch. 

“Eager much?” She shot at him with a smirk, much like the way he did during their New Year’s night. 

His eyes darkened at the jab, but also at the fact that she was wearing a dress. He had only seen her for the first time in a dress at the New Year’s party and on this second occasion, he had only just now come to the conclusion that he really liked her in dresses. He watched the material sway against her legs as she walked past him and ambled into the living room.

When he followed her in, he saw that she was sitting on the couch and her eyes had softened. She didn’t say anything, she hadn’t wanted to bring up how Jax was obviously blaming himself for Sweets getting shot. But she also didn’t want this to go further without knowing he was in somewhat of a better mood. 

Jax seemed to pick up on all of that, her internal dilemma, without words needing to be exchanged. 

He shook his head in a mellow dismissal.

It is what it is. 

Another set of words that didn’t need to be said because they were understood completely. 

Instead of letting unease circle the air, he roamed his eyes over her frame again, admiring everything he saw.

“You look pretty tonight.”

She had also taken out her twists and he pulled back a curly lock as she smiled bashfully at the compliment. 

“Just felt like switching it up. Me and Lisa went for a little retail therapy the other day and I decided to freshen up my wardrobe. Though, remind me to never buy a strappy heel ever again because I feel like my feet are gonna fall off from the cut off circulation.”

Jax chuckled and lifted her feet into his lap. He slowly unwound the high heels from her feet and massaged them firmly once free. She watched him through it all in amusement, but also a bit of wonderment.

At his curious simper, she remarked, “Oh, I just love how you told me to come over for an explicit booty call, but now we’re relaxing, fully clothed, on your couch with you rubbing my feet.” 

Laughter filled the living room as they enjoyed the joke, but his hands began to slowly creep up her leg.

“Trust me, princess, I definitely meant what I said about that mouth getting you into trouble one of these days.”

His lips chased after his hands, pebbling sweet and light kisses from her ankles all the way up to her thighs. A heated path that eventually had her lying down flat on the couch and his hands grasping her hips. His lips were everywhere, but still not exactly where she wanted him. Feather light pecks in the crease of her hip. His tongue trailing slightly along her skin. His teeth nipping at her black lace panties. 

“Jax, hurry the fuck up.” She finally let out in a rough whisper, not able to bear his silent taunting for much longer.

His eyes darkened, “What did I tell you, darlin’?” 

Still though, he obliged by finally sliding down her panties. Even opted to send zaps of pleasure her way by licking at her sensitive bundle of nerves. Played nice to lull her into the false security that she would be in charge tonight.

He lapped and lapped and lapped. Alternated in a frenzied rhythm between sucking on her clit and entering her with his tongue. Purposely avoiding any kind of pattern and working hard to elicit louder moans and mewls from her.

He honed in on the way that her hips were writhing, riding his face. Her hands didn’t know where to go, oscillating between grabbing onto his hair and holding onto the couch. Her pussy throbbed desperately, searching for its peak, and an instant right before he felt like she had found it…

He removed his mouth entirely from her and sat up.

The  desperate yelp was met with an unforgiving smirk.

“Something you need, babe?”

“Fuck you.” 

“Wrong answer,” he shot back without missing a beat. His hands slipped up her thighs and hips again, but yet again, detoured away from where she wanted him. His fingers danced along her landing strip and she watched him watch her clench around nothing.

“Jax.” She whimpered his name.

“Aww, poor baby..” He mocked her and placed a light kiss on her lips. And then said, “We’re gonna start that all over again and this time, you’re gonna mind your fucking manners.”

Fire rose behind her eyes and her desperation flipped into a frown. She nearly growled at him until…

She inhaled a loud gasp at the sudden sensation of stinging pleasure. She closed her eyes in ecstasy at the feeling of him rubbing where he had just slapped. The shock of him slapping her pussy coupled with the surprise of just how much she liked it sent unadulterated delectation through her veins. 

“Look at me.”

She obeyed.

The fire hadn’t necessarily left her eyes, it had just transformed from indignation to passion and anticipation. He nipped at her neck and she mewled for more. 

He began to repeat himself, “We’re gonna start this all over again.” His hands pulled for the hem of her dress and pulled it off of her. “You’re gonna mind your manners and watch your fuckin’ mouth, aren’t ya, darlin’?”

He had already begun to nod for her, but she nodded with him in dire agreement. Tears from pleasure began to gather in her eyes as he swirled his tongue around one of her nipples and rolled the other in between his fingers. 

“Because you wanna cum, don’t ya?”

She hummed, barely able to muster the control to do even that.

“Say it.” 

McKenzie looked at him in earnest.

“I want to cum.” 

His eyebrow lifted.

“Please. I want to cum please.” 

He continued his kisses lower and lower. 

And she continued her begging, “Please. Please. Please.”

************

McKenzie slid her floral a-line dress back on and moved to find where Jax had tossed her heels. 

“You heading home?” He asked as he reappeared from the hallway, wearing only a pair of sweats. A triumphant smile remained painted on his face at the fully sated woman in his living room. After leaving her a shaking mess with only his tongue and fingers, he had asked her what position she wanted. And then, turned right around and forced her to ask for him to put her in said position. There’d be hand-shaped bruises flowering her hips pretty soon from the way he gripped her as she bounced in his lap until they hit their peaks together. 

McKenzie nodded in answer to his question, with a lazy smile, as she sat down on the couch to don the white strappy shoes.

There was a thick silence in the air and she peeked over into the kitchen to see that it was past midnight. She wasn’t sure what caused the sudden shift in the room, but she figured she needed to go ahead and get home. If she could even walk to get to her car. 

Jax sat opposite to her on the coffee table and looked up with sincerity in his eyes.

“I- uh… I wanted to thank you for earlier today.,” McKenzie’s eyes dipped in confusion, “When you were trying to comfort me about Sweets.”

She merely smiled and reached for his hand.

“I’ve been the guy who takes on all the blame before. And this wasn’t all on me. I accept that. I gotta get comfortable with the idea that not everything bad that happens around me lies solely on me. But no matter what two ways you cut it, this still could’ve been avoided had I done a better job tying up Galen as a loose end,” she squeezed his hand in comfort and he returned her smile, “but moping about it isn’t gonna turn back time…”

“No,” she agreed, “But don’t feel like you have to hole it all up either. Go figure out how to get things back on track and where to go from here. …But if you ever need someone to confide in- or someone to take your frustrations out on in bed…” she cracked with a grin, “I’m your girl.”

He mirrored her with his own grin and held onto her hand as she stood, “You’re my girl,” he muttered.

“I’m gonna go,” she placed a goodbye kiss on his lips. 

He returned in fervor and placed a final kiss on the back of her hand as he walked her to the door.

Without another word, she walked out and got into her car. He watched at the door until she was backing out of the driveway and driving away from Charming and back into Highwater.

***************

Brandon sat, still steaming, in a random pub in Charming. After leaving the Garden, he needed to be somewhere far away from everything and everyone that infuriated him. He couldn’t go too far to find an open bar when it was already past 1 a.m. when he had finally finished cleaning the entire facility. Thus, he settled for the small municipality only a couple of towns over. Highwater was only ever filled with people he’d known his entire life. He supposed the same was probably true for the people who lived here in Charming, but it was as foreign as Paris or Rio to him. 

It didn’t matter that he was out of Highwater or that he was five, going on six drinks into the tank. 

He was still pissed and the distance and alcohol had only dampened his anger. He had a feeling it wasn’t going to be fully extinguished anytime soon. It infuriated him to no end that he had taken initiative for the betterment of this club, for his brothers, and it landed him on bad terms with his president and VP. He didn’t fucking shoot Sweets and he was in just as much danger of getting hit. Like everyone was. And no matter what Gil or Rev said, they would’ve never laid into any of the other Street Wolves like that if they were in his predicament. Brandon was sure of it.

It ripped him up that they couldn’t even see that he was trying to be a leader. Trying to make moves. It should’ve been obvious that he didn’t want anything like the shootout to have transpired. 

“Well, if it isn’t Deputy Unser!”

Brandon looked up and immediately tensed at the sound of a cop being in his presence. 

The older man shook hands with the bartender and took a seat only halfway down the bar from Brandon. He wasn’t wearing his sheriff’s uniform and he looked down, looking disappointed with himself as he accepted the bourbon from the tender.

“Rough day, chief?”

“Yeah, that drive down to the women’s prison is even worse than to Stockton,” he groaned, his bones already weary in age, even without his routine, round trip visits to the Central California Women's Facility. 

The bartender chuckled, “Well, then stop making the drive. Make one of your deputies haul the prisoners back and forth, you should be on a fast ticket to retirement any day now, anyway.”

Unser winced and knocked his drink back, “Actually, the drives are more of a personal errand than for work..” he hesitated but continued on with another pour from the tender. He had no reason to assume that anyone would want to eavesdrop on an old man drinking what little was left of his cancer-riddled liver. “Gemma Teller’s down there now, you know. After everything that happened..”

Brandon was just about to lower his own senses and go back to minding his own mess when he heard the name “Teller.” 

The bartender had shuddered, “Gemma was always nice to me. A firecracker, sure, but she always asked about my sons and invited my wife into her book club. Can’t believe she gets to spend the rest of her life behind bars and that rotten son of hers prances in and out of town like he’s not as much of a monster as his stepdaddy.”

Unser looked on in bitterness but shook his head at the bartender.

But the tender didn’t back down from his indignance, “No, he’s been lettin’ his mama rot for damn near a year and you mean to tell me you or not even the goddamn ATF could hook the Sons on some charges?” The man poured Unser some more brown liquor and wiped the counters, still shaking his head in disgust, “And then he goes and leaves his pregnant wife… Abandons his unborn child, sticks his stepdaddy in prison, sticks his mother, his blood, into Chowchilla. It’s a wonder his bike brothers still trust him, son of a bitch ain’t loyal to fuckin’ nothin!”

The bartender’s droning rant faded into the recesses of Brandon’s mind as he absorbed the information that had just been divulged to him. All that shit he had to hear about loyalty, basically being told to put up or shut up. And then Rev had had the nerve to bring up Jax during their earlier confrontation, about how Jax was right, that all Brandon had done was make excuses.

Well shit, what kind of excuses did the SAMCRO president have for what he had just learned? Did his own brothers know how cold-blooded he was?

Jax had come into the Garden acting all high and mighty, like he was doing the Street Wolves a favor by partnering up with them. And everyone had just gone along with it. Maybe Gil had no idea the kind of man he had gotten the Street Wolves mixed up with.

But he was about to.

A/N: There’s always two sides to every story? 👀 I know it’s been a minute since I updated, but I’m sooo happy to put this chapter out. I’m hoping the 10k+ word count somewhat makes up for the hiatus lol. Pleaseee let me know what you think. As always, reblog if you enjoyed and share the love 

Taglist: @drabbles-mc@ocfairygodmother@youlovetkay@est1887@rebelwrites@hey-taylor-hey@brownsugarcoffy @kmhappybunny240@readsalot73 @nunya7394 @mijagif @asirensrage @bimbims-posts

[proceduralpremium]

I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | Chapter 08

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language, Brandon, smutttt (oral sex; both male and female receiving, PiV sex)

WC: ~6.3k

McKenzie slid out of her car, not seeing but knowing that Jax was watching her. He was still standing by his bike parked directly in front of his garage. Once she had traipsed over towards him, she planted a soft kiss on his lips before teasing, “Eager, aren’t we?”

Jax raised his eyebrows in challenge and led the way towards the front door. He moved to allow her in first and she playfully pushed his shoulder as she entered. When he looked back from locking the door, he only saw the swing of a few of her twists as she disappeared down the hall. Releasing a soft chuckle, he followed the path that she had just sultrily glided along. When he turned the corner to his room, he found her sitting on the bed, unclasping the strap in her heels. 

“And I’m the eager one?,” he joked. McKenzie chuckled as Jax ran his eyes up and down her frame. She was barefoot now and unzipping the back of her dress. 

He walked closer to her and softly asked, “You sure about this?”

She paused her unzipping and stood. Her brown eyes pierced his own and she slowly nodded her head. And then, she turned around to allow him to finish unzipping her dress. The lime green silk material hit the floor with a faint thud and she turned back around to him. Their lips met in an eager and greedy kiss. They languidly moved together, Jax leading her backwards towards the bed. Before he could lay her down flat against the bed, she lifted up and flipped them. The swift momentum took him by enough surprise that his eyes blinked as he adjusted to their change in position. She pressed her hands into his shoulders, gripping him and bracing him against the mattress. He looked up at her with a grin, enjoying the feeling of her nails lightly digging into his skin. He slipped his own shoes and socks off while their lips met again.

Soon enough, McKenzie’s kisses trailed down to his neck. In the morning, there’d be dark blemishes resembling bruises across his skin. His hands moved to her waist while hers found the belt and zipper of his jeans. Throughout their lips exploring each other, the rest of Jax’s clothes disappeared and now they were both in just their underwear. McKenzie grasped onto Jax’s chest, caressing the random stab scar here, bullet wound there. Jax’s hands traversed the hills and valleys of her frame, enjoying when his light touch caused her to flinch a bit.

Gradually, her kisses moved lower and lower until her teeth grazed the carved, defined muscles of his Adonis belt. He hissed between his hitches of breaths at the sensitivity. At the sensation of her pulling his boxers, he lifted some and allowed her to remove them. 

In their previous two encounters, she hadn’t had the chance to truly admire his body. Maybe if she had, she would’ve recognized the various SOA tattoos he sported earlier. But, can’t take back the past…

So she decided to enjoy the present and really absorb just how sexy he was. The slicked back hair. The blonde goatee with hair traveling the sides of his jaw. The chiseled abs. The sinewy muscles. 

His hand pressed upon the top of hers, almost in a silent, desperate signal for her to continue. In appeasing him, she glided her tongue across where her teeth had just grazed.

“Kenz,” he breathed out roughly. She looked back up at him for the first time since their lips had met and her blood ran warm with the dark desire swimming in his eyes.

She stood and found his eyes moved with her as she ascended from her bent position. Her hands found his shoulders again and he was pushed back into the mattress with her following after him. Her body was firmly pressed up against him, but only until she found herself able to wriggle out his strong embrace. She slid back down and without a second glance, took him in her mouth. His eyes immediately flew open and he lifted his head some, in order to see her. Her motions were slow and intentional, and he knew by the look in her eye through her eyelashes that she knew exactly what she was already doing to him.

He felt like he was struggling to breathe. Unable to tell up from down or what dimension he was in right now. 

He placed his hand along the top of her head, guiding her, not that she needed it. If anything, his touching her was for his own benefit. So that he was grounded on earth. Because her lips and tongue were absolutely throwing him into another galaxy right about now. She picked up her pace and it took everything in him to sit still. He could just barely resist the urge to either collapse back into the pillows or lift his hips up into her mouth. Focusing on what she was doing to him right now was both disjointing him and stitching him back together. 

Her free hand scratched the expanse of his abs while the other assisted in her ministrations. Everything about her was lighting his body on fire right now and he was searching and chasing for the water to salve him. She had complete control of the situation right now, something he wasn’t used to but wasn’t complaining about in the slightest.

Her movements began slowing down but her passion was still on a high. She closed her mouth tightly around his member, sucking the tension out of his body. A low groan left his lips as his hand returned to gripping her twists. She spared yet another quick glance at him through her eyelashes. If her mouth wasn’t busy, she’d probably giggle at the way his hips involuntarily rose in response to her. 

When she removed her lips from him, he sighed in relief. As much as he wanted that release and for her to finish what she started, he didn’t want things to be over for them already. 

McKenzie’s kisses began soaring back up his chest until they were finally eye level once again. She ground herself into him and they shared a moan at the feeling. Together, they worked on removing the final articles of her clothing; her unclasping her bra and him pulling down her panties. 

Jax brought her face back up to his and kissed her again. She could feel his desire for her against her thigh, along with the desperation with which his hands roamed her. He clenched his hands under her leg and used the leverage to flip them over once again.

She yelped out in surprise and giggled in between their kisses. He began to leave his own marks across her skin as his lips traveled further down her neck, shoulders, and then her breasts. When his teeth lightly grazed over one of her nipples, her hips bucked in response, the response that Jax had been looking for.

For a moment, their eyes met in the darkness and connected. Silently, Jax asked if she was alright, if she was sure of going through with this. And without words, she spoke as if to say “we’re already here, aren’t we?”

And with that, he settled his face between her thighs and resumed his open-mouthed kissing along her skin. Soon enough, his tongue was going to work, eliciting the unholiest of moans from her. Her mind went blank from the sensation of him exploring her with his mouth. Her grip on his hair tightened as he added his fingers to bring forth more pleasure. Even, if not, for her loud moans, he could feel her appreciation for his ministrations as he felt her tighten around him.

Never halting his movements, he continued all the way through even after she found the brink of her release. McKenzie trembled underneath him as he slowly eased her back down to earth. Clouds of her euphoric haze began to finally dissipate and it was then that she could feel him right upon the brink of entering her. He looked at her for a final moment, silently asking for permission. She nods and he gives a slow, initial thrust into her.

Her legs wrapped around him as he gradually increased the speed of his movements. Just like the first two times, their movements were desperate and needy. McKenzie’s nails sunk into his skin while Jax gripped one of her legs as if it was the only thing keeping him from falling over a cliff. His head eventually fell to the side of hers as he thrust into her at a blinding pace. 

It was a familiar rhythm they found themselves falling into as their pants and moans were the only noise that filled the air. This had become their normal together, frantic and frenzied. Neither of them held back as they gave the other what they wanted.

*********

McKenzie’s body felt sated and achy as she started to re-dress. Glancing at the clock, it was still in the wee hours of the morning. A sly grin painted her face as she thought about all that her and Jax had done in the hours they’d been together. She hadn’t even intended to stay so long, but one thing happened after another and one round turned into four. Given the energy spent, there were snacks and a quick, power nap in between, but even then, they simply couldn’t resist going at it one more time for the road.

“You know…” She heard Jax clear his throat, “You don’t have to leave, if you don’t want.” He was still reclined back in the sheets with his hands behind his head. He’d been watching her as she started to get dressed.

She looked back at him with a smile as she picked up her dress.

“I should probably get back before my sister calls for a search party,” she noted as she zipped up the back of her bodycon. 

He nodded and McKenzie paused for a moment, attempting to decipher his unreadable expression. It wasn’t annoyance, but he also wasn’t jumping for joy. Deciding to do everything she could to make this arrangement not go left so early on, she asked him directly.

“What?” 

A soft sigh escaped his lips, “It’s nothing. It’s just- I know we’re keeping this on the DL for a very good reason, but I don’t want you feeling like my dirty little secret. Fuck, then go home, and then swing by again whenever we get that itch?” Jax shook his head, displaying his dismay for the tone of the situation.

“OK, but that’s kinda what we agreed to, no?” She cracked as a joke. Really, she didn’t feel used or at least in an unequal situation where she wasn’t using him the same way he was using her. It was transactional. Consensual. But obviously something that Jax still seemed to worry about. His frown was now apparent and McKenzie paused her dressing to walk closer to the bed.

“What is it, Jax?”

He looked at her for a moment, trying to gather and order his words the way he wanted them to come out. It wasn’t happening, though. They were still sloshing around any kind of way, so instead of taking any longer to reply and creating an awkward silence, he just blurted out the first sentence that legibly formed.

“What are we doing, Kenz?”

With confusion in her features, she replied, “We’re having fun.” 

“I know, but…” Suddenly, Jax was having post-sex clarity and he wondered if their arrangement was really smart, “We can’t keep this up, can we? These random hookups whenever… Surely, this doesn’t end well for either one of us?”

“And why not?” McKenzie crossed her arms, “I mean, we’re grown. We can do whatever we want. And there’s no reason why this has to end bad. All we have to do is stop when one of us says stop.” She paused for a moment, “Do you wanna stop, Jax?”

“What?”

She asked a second time, but this time more slowly, “I asked if you want to stop. You seem like you’re getting cold feet. …Or do you want this to be more than just hooking up? I don’t know where you’re going with this…”

Jax’s eyebrows rose up at the last half of her speech, “I thought you didn’t want to date.”

“I don’t. But I’m asking you,” she replied with a chuckle. She sat down at the edge of the bed and touched his leg. 

“Now, I’m confused,” He responded honestly.

McKenzie sniggered again, “Jax, I meant what I said earlier. I want us to work. Whatever this is. This is me doing that. We need to be on the same page. So I’m telling you right now, I have absolutely no problem with us just having fun. It’s what I want. For us to just keep things casual. Simply fun. That’s it.”

“So using each other for sex,” Jax surmised.

McKenzie rolled her eyes, “This is a mutually beneficial agreement, not something either of us are being forced into.” And then she looked at him pointedly, “Unless you say otherwise…”

“You’re serious?”

“Yes, Jax, I’m serious! I wasn’t bullshittin’ just to get into your pants. I meant what I said then and I still mean it now. You don’t have to be afraid I’m gonna renege on our deal.”

She sighed exasperatedly, but really she was glad that they were getting this out in the air. The less chance that feelings get unnecessarily hurt. 

Jax nodded in acknowledgement, some of his stress and apprehension rolling off him now. 

“Well then, it’s settled,” she said as she finished getting dressed. “I’ll see you later, thanks for tonight.”

With a kiss on the cheek as her parting goodbye, she was grabbing her heels and out the door. He collapsed back onto the bed when he heard the front door shut and blew out a breath. Maybe things had been made clear between them, but there was still the feeling of unease in his stomach at what they were doing. He wasn’t quite sure how to work out what he was feeling. 

“The hell did I just agree to?” He muttered with a chuckle.

*********

Jax walked into the Garden, rubbing his hands together. It was only a short distance from his bike to the entrance, but the morning air was chilly and left him seeking warmth. He nodded to Bobby and Flu who were looking through documents together over coffee. He was impressed with how early they were hitting the books. It’d been a couple of weeks since the new year was brought in and the clubs were working on securing financing with the bank for buying up the first of some commercial properties.

“Morning, Teller,” Lisa sang. She was at the bar, pouring herself a cup of joe before grabbing another mug for him. 

“Hey Lise,” he greeted with a smile.

He nodded his thanks once she passed the freshly brewed beverage to him and immediately took a gulp. The kitchen door opened up and McKenzie appeared in her paramedic polyester.

“Okay, I’m off to go crash for the day,” she said in passing to Lisa.

“Oh.” Jax spouted. It had just come out, mainly from surprise at seeing her.

She looked up at him and her eyes widened upon recognition, “Hi, Jax.” 

Lisa’s back was to McKenzie so McKenzie’s surprised expression formed into a flirty smirk when she noted that Bobby and Flu’s attention was elsewhere. A couple of weeks into this arrangement and Jax still found himself not knowing what to do at times. A grin escaped his face at her smirk, but other than that, he wasn’t entirely sure how to interact with her, much less around others. Should they never speak? Should they act like they just became BFFs? Should they just stick to hi’s and bye’s?

He choked out a greeting back once he realized he should probably respond to her. Nearing his lips back to his coffee cup, he hoped that saved him any awkwardness from the small pause. 

Despite McKenzie explicitly stating that he could break this off whenever he wanted, he didn’t want to. Bouts of discomfort, be damned. It didn’t matter enough for him to end things before they even started. Part of him wondered if this is what it’s like to see incoming trains about to collide but unable to look away. Or if this is like when you can feel what could be a good thing happening but hesitant to jump the cliff into the unknown.

Logically, he knew the cons might stack up against the pros. Sure, they were explosive together, but what happens if someone from the clubs were to find out?  What happens if Gil were to find out? What happens if Brandon were to find out? There’d definitely be questions as to when their relationship began. And Jax didn’t want McKenzie to have to go through that. She hadn’t done anything wrong, she hadn’t cheated. But Brandon surely wouldn’t see it that way and it’d only cause discord within the ranks. Was a casual fling worth that? They were adults and it was no one else’s business, but they’d both be naive to think at least some drama wouldn’t spill out from this. 

Maybe, this was something they needed to reconsider. He didn’t know if “cold feet” was an accurate term to describe anything relating to a meaningless fling, but maybe they should add a little more meat to their agreement before continuing. 

From the sounds of her and Lisa’s conversation, McKenzie was getting ready to leave and get some shut eye after a long, twenty four shift. It probably wasn’t the best space for them to be having this conversation, anyway. Not with potential prying ears. The only problem seemed to be that they were ripping each other’s clothes off whenever they were in an empty space alone.

Shaking those thoughts from his head, he said goodbye to them both before heading up the stairs in search of Gil. His steps came to a slow stop as he approached the lounge room. Brandon was on his phone, but gave a hesitant, greeting nod when he heard Jax. 

“Teller, can I uh- talk to you for a minute?” Jax shared the same hesitance that Brandon did, but he still nodded his head, silently gesturing for the Street Wolf to continue, “I just wanted to clear the air… Maybe start from a clean slate. I was doing too much and I’m not that kind of guy. So… fresh start?”

There was a pause where Jax wasn’t sure how he wanted to respond at what sounded like an apology, but he knew any continued discord needed to be avoided. And with that, he put forth his hand, signaling for a handshake.

Brandon immediately took it and spoke, “I know I may have to earn your trust. And respect, too. But everyone’s gotta pull their weight to make this partnership work, so I’mma do my part.” 

Jax’s face was unreadable, but he nodded yet again to acknowledge that he’d heard the man. His tongue clicked against his teeth as he thought over Brandon’s words in his head. He seemed sincere. There was earnestness in his face. But everything he knew about the man thus far hadn’t even put him in the realm of trustworthiness. No matter how much Jax wanted to take him for his word, he knew it was best to tread lightly. And what with the fact that he was also currently messing around with the man’s ex… Yeah, Jax needed to play it close to the vest. Someone like Brandon didn’t just lose all that ego overnight.

“Well, gotta see it to believe it, but don’t worry bro, we’re straight. There’s no reason you and I gotta have problems, y’know?”

“Exactly,” Brandon responded with a smile. He dropped his hand but before he could turn back to what he was doing, Jax grabbed his attention once more.

“But Brandon…”

He looked up.

“I’m probably not the only one or even the most important one who probably deserves an apology right about now.”

Realization set into Brandon’s features. Jax caught it before the man’s whole face hardened and then quickly reverted back to a more allaying disposition. Though reluctantly, he nodded.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” he conceded before heading out of the lounge room.

Instead of lingering around himself, he decided to chill in what had become his unofficial dorm room. Sure, it wasn’t technically his, but no one else used it out of respect and making sure the SAMCRO president had a place of his own to sleep until the Redwood charter could get their own official clubhouse again. Gil and himself were supposed to be meeting to put an offer in for a couple of the ghost town properties now that the bank had all but agreed in writing that they would provide a loan for the mortgages. Jax had gotten here earlier than they were supposed to meet, which would give him time just to relax a little in his dorm room.

As he neared the door to his room, he frowned at a puzzling slight. The door was somewhat ajar despite the fact that he was sure he kept it closed whenever it wasn’t in use. And Rev had explicitly said the room was his and his only to use while he was here. 

He walked closer and slowly pushed the door wider. His eyebrows rose at the sight in front of him. McKenzie lounging on his bed with the widest of smiles on her face. She smirked with a knowing look on her face as he quickly shut the door tight. And locked it for good measure.

“What’re you doing here? I thought you were going home,” he whispered.

She shrugged her shoulders, “I told Lisa I was too sleepy to drive and that I’d take a quick cat nap before hitting the road,” she chuckled, “Figured you’d come in here at some point.”

With his eyebrows still raised up to his forehead, he tread carefully over to her and declared, “You. Are. Trouble” in between soft kisses. 

“Damn good trouble,” he emphasized as the kiss grew deeper. 

Her hands moved to his waist and grazed over his SAMCRO belt. Desire and need pooled into their touches and the longer they went without stopping themselves, the deeper they were ready to fall over the edge together. 

It was risky, them doing this here. But also exhilarating and nearly irresistible. Instead of getting himself too stuck into his own head, he let her take the lead with where this went. 

Without saying a word, she finally undid his belt and pulled him towards her. Her hands unzipped his zipper and undid his button. With a silent pat, she gestured for him to rise a little so that she could slide his boxers and jeans down his legs. The silent rush of air from the momentum of being pushed elicited a chuckle from him. She didn’t completely remove his kutte and flannel, but she loosened the first few buttons to be able to explore his chest. Her eyes ran over his tattoos and along the way, she stopped to admire the purple splotches and half-moon marks that littered the terrain from their previous sessions over the past few weeks. A proud smirk rested on her face which evoked a warning glare from him. He could take off her shirt right now and find plenty of vengeful blemishes carved into her own skin. And if they had the time for something other than a quickie, he’d plant more just because he could.

Instead though, he moved some to allow her the space to undo her own clothing. His mouth ran dry as he watched her remove her panties and work pants in one fell swoop. She’d only removed them from one leg and quickly jumped back into the sack by plopping onto his lap. He watched in desire as his eyes wandered up to her thick thighs that straddled him. A soft groan escaped his lips as she impatiently ground against him, which she shut up by returning her lips to his. He roughly grabbed her hip to steady them both, but also because he was petty and expected to see a hand-shaped bruise on it later the next time they met up. 

Their kiss gradually slowed into an agonizing snail’s pace while McKenzie’s attention wandered between them. She grabbed him fully into her grasp and gave a few teasing strokes before aligning themselves and sinking onto him.

She gasped at the sensation, not stopping to give herself time to adjust. Their hips met where she could feel the base of him and Jax’s soft, sensual touch didn’t help matters as his other hand snaked its way up her shirt. She began moving, bouncing, thrusting and Jax kept his lips to her to keep them from exclaiming their lewd moans beyond these four walls.

His hand slid up to her breast, twisting at her bra to get a feel for the soft mounds of skin underneath. As roughly and quietly as he could, he also began to thrust up into her, matching her stride. They never liked to be outdone by the other and so each time they fucked, it was a fight and a marvel to see how well they could keep up with each other. He smirked into their kiss at the sensation of her legs already trembling. 

Their movements continued in a frantic and erotic rhythm as both his hands clenched onto her hips. He began to buck into her at an unrelenting pace that she was struggling to maintain on her own. Her thighs were on fire and she pulled out of their kiss, only to sink her teeth into his shoulder. His grunts were close to her ear, which only drove her farther into a frenzy.

She was closing in on her release and he knew it. It was becoming that much harder for her to quiet her moans even while biting him and he could feel her squeeze tighter and tighter against his dick. He was on a tightrope where he could fall into pain on one side or pleasure on the other. He freefalled into euphoria, dragging her along with him as she reached her own pulsing peak. 

Her body went slack against him and his chest heaved as though he was finished with a 400m race. They rested into each other’s arms as their highs gradually descended and brought them back down to California, in this room together. 

“That was…” He breathed out and chuckled at his inability to finish his own statement between breaths. McKenzie looked at him, experiencing heavy respirations herself and finished the sentence for him. 

“Fun.. That was very very fun.”

She planted a sweet kiss on his cheek before dismounting him. They slowly made the moves to make themselves look presentable once again, with the duo sneaking peeks at the other while doing so. 

She buttoned up his last flannel button with an almost bashful smile. Almost. Confidence was probably her middle name when it came to sex.

“Thanks for that,” she expressed while tucking her shirt back in. She could already feel the soreness of where the bruises would form on her hips from the rough clutch of his hands. 

“So, you’re still okay with this? Our arrangement?”

An amused simper formed on her face, “Did me riding the shit out of you just now not clear up that I very much like this situationship?” They shared a laugh together before her tone turned more serious. “I’m good with this, Jax. Are you?”

“Yeah,” he readjusted his belt, “Yeah, I am, actually.” Apprehension about anyone finding out about this, be damned, he definitely didn’t mind the fun times they shared together in the sack. Still though, he couldn’t help but ask just to make sure they were on the same page, “So we’re still making sure that absolutely no one will know of this, right?”

She looked up with widened eyes and a frown. Jax silently cursed himself and hoped it didn’t sound like he was ashamed of their “situationship” but that was actually the furthest thing from McKenzie’s mind.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page about people not finding out. Like, not even Lisa or Sairah-”

“Yeah, we’re definitely not telling anyone. It’s no one else’s business but ours.” 

Her mind didn’t even flit to whether he was ashamed of being with her or their arrangement, she just didn’t want to even think about the fallout of what might happen if anyone were to find out. Lisa and Sairah probably wouldn’t blab about it to anyone, but the less people that know, the better.

“Just us,” she muttered again for emphasis.

He nodded in agreement and put his hands in his pockets, “You realize this means we’ll have to be more careful, then?” His words were serious, but there was a melting, flirtatious smirk staring back at her. “Sex in the literal wolf’s den probably shouldn’t be a common occurrence.” 

“I didn’t hear any complaints,” she cracked back but acceded with a nod. 

“You definitely didn’t, but we’re literally up under everyone’s noses.”

“Yeah… It’s just that driving across town to Charming was getting tiresome and boring and I like a little spice in my life,” she winked.

“Well, who said anything about only fucking at my place?”

“I’m still living with Sairah until I can find a place of my own,” she defended.

Jax’s voice got dangerously low, “I didn’t say your place. There’s cars… Drive-in theaters… A hidden spot in the bushes if you’re into disorderly conduct.”

He took a few steps closer to her and she smoothly maneuvered herself out of his grasp, “Ohhh, you’re threatening me with a good time and you don’t want these problems,” she giggled.

“Problems?” He questioned as he watched her saunter towards the door.

“Yeah, you’ll unlock the beast and then fall in love with me. I’ll ruin you for all other women.”

She gave a little wave and a few purposeful eyelash bats before slinking out the door and going on her merry way. 

**********

“Hey Rev, can we talk?” Rev looked up after turning off his bike and removing his helmet. Brandon was in front of him, with his hands flush into his pockets. Rev didn’t actually say anything, but he wasn’t making any kind of aggressive or combative display so Brandon took a few steps closer so that they were eye to eye.

“I wanted to apologize,” Rev’s eyes narrowed in slight mistrust, “You’re my VP, but even more than that, you’re my brother. This whole time, you’ve only been trying to help and I’ve been a jackass.”

Rev hummed in agreement and folded his arms against his chest. 

Brandon continued, “I messed up, I know it. I’m just trying to put my best foot forward and make things right.”

The Street Wolf VP nodded, “And have you apologized to McKenzie yet?” 

And Rev didn’t need for Brandon to say anything with the way his defenses rose.

“You’ve been a shit head to her. She’s not a member of this club, no, but she’s a member of this family. Look, what’s done is done. You can’t take back all the bullshit you’ve been pulling with her all this time, but for everyone’s fucking sake, man, apologize and move on.” 

Brandon blew out a heavy breath and responded, “I’m trying to be better,” he confided, “I’m trying to change. This last year, I was a wreck. Stressed with everything we were doing to get out of guns and some other personal stuff… And it doesn’t excuse what I did, but you have to understand, I wasn’t myself.” 

“Then why didn’t you come talk to someone? I mean, take your pick, you’ve gotta bunch of fucking brothers who you could’ve came to. Instead, you fucked up your relationship and now you’re walking around mad at the world like you’re not the one directly responsible for the consequences to your actions!”

“I know. I know, man. When I cheated on McKenzie the first time…  I felt sick, man. Like, damn near puking for doing that to her. But I couldn’t help it. I didn’t know how to stop. I was ignoring my problems, mines and McKenzie’s and it just… kept happening. That’s not an excuse. I’m not trying to justify it. I know I should have, at the very least, just broken things off before going off the deep end, but we didn’t work. There would be nothing left to salvage if I came clean to her the first time. We didn’t work. We never did and we weren’t going to. I should’ve ended things instead of proposing and I can’t take that back…” Brandon rubbed the side of his face in a moment of vulnerability, “I never meant to hurt her. I know that sounds like a lie because I’ve been a complete dick, but I never meant to hurt her. And I don’t wanna keep hurting her or the club. I’m trying to be better.”

Rev took a moment to digest everything Brandon just divulged to him before speaking, “Did you tell Kenz all this?” 

Brandon looking down upon hearing the question told Rev everything he needed to know. 

“Maybe you should start with that,” Rev suggested, “You need to apologize to her, B. Get closure or whatever. For you and her.”

Brandon nodded, “I know. But I gotta know me and my brothers are tight, too? You’re my best friend, man.”

Rev took a deep breath, closing his eyes as Brandon’s words marinated. He never wanted to lose Brandon as a brother and he still didn’t. He truly hoped that him and McKenzie could find a path where they were at least cordial to one another. So everything could go back to the way it used to be. But for some reason, in the back of his mind, Rev couldn’t help but think he never really knew Brandon the way he thought he did.

************

McKenzie sat on the couch in the living room, attempting to concentrate on the book in her hand. Every few minutes, he mind wandered over to where her phone sat on the end table. The ringer was on and the room was otherwise silent. She would’ve heard if any notifications came through, but she still found herself fighting the urge to pick up the device. 

It took another chapter before her will finally lost and the phone replaced the book in her hands. No messages. Not that it should be a surprise, but she still groaned to herself. There was no reason to be antsy. I mean, it was 2022, she could absolutely be the one to text first. And it’s not like they’d even made any concrete plans to hang out tonight anyway. For all she knew, he could have still been busy with her dad with putting in offers for ghost town property.

She knew that that’s why he was at the clubhouse yesterday morning when they had their dorm room rendezvous. And things had definitely picked up with getting business together now that the clubs were officially working together. So, she silently berated herself and determined that he hadn’t called because he didn’t want to deal with her, but simply because he could’ve just been busy. 

So, she sucked it up and decided to text him.

| From McKenzie: You free? Sent at 5:23 p.m.

Short and sweet. There was no reason to hide behind pretense. They both knew why she was texting. 

| From Jax: Yep. Just got out the shower, too bad you didn’t text me earlier, I would’ve waited for you Sent at 5:24 p.m.

McKenzie rose up from the couch and reached around for her slides. Another text came through as she slipped them on.

| From Jax: Should I be expecting some company tonite? Sent at 5:24 p.m.

| From McKenzie: We’ll see Sent at 5:24 p.m.

Meanwhile, she was actively cleaning up to prepare to make her way to Charming. A few minutes later, right as she was headed towards the door, the sound of keys jingling could be heard. A second later, Sairah appeared, who jumped when she noticed how close her sister was to the door.

“Damn bitch, you tryin’ to get knocked out?”

McKenzie chuckled apologetically.

“You going out?” Sairah inquired as she took off her own shoes and settled in.

“Yeah, I’m gonna go over to Evie’s for a bit. I won’t be out long,” she only felt a little bad about lying on her paramedic partner.

“Alright, have fun. Make smart choices.” 

With that, McKenzie once again headed towards the door. Only until she heard her name being called again.

“Hey, Kenz?” Sairah gave a warm smile, “Happiness looks good on you. Glad to see that smile back on your face these past few weeks.” 

McKenzie returned the glowing smile, “Thanks, baby sis.”

“Tell Evie I say hi. I’ll probs be sleep by the time you get back,” The young architect looked on her way into an evening nap as she lounged on the couch with the remote in her hand.

“I will, love you.”

“Love you, too!”

Giving her little sister a white lie about where exactly she was going stung a little, but it was better for everyone involved if absolutely no one knew what was going on. It was just better that way.

Soon enough, she was back at the SAMCRO president’s house and knocking on his door. She chuckled at the immediate sound of shuffling behind the door. They wore matching smug grins as they found themselves face to face.

“Back already at casa de Teller?”

“Shut up,” she threw back lightly while letting herself in. 

He threw up his air quotation marks, “‘We’ll see’, huh?”

A/N: Our favorite little whores! They’ve been having a good ol’ time, huh? 🥰💦 And Brandon… Y’all think he’s being sincere with trying to make amends?🤔 We gotta lil drama and danger coming up in the next chap. Just because they’re going legit doesn’t mean the chaos ends, right? 😉

Taglist: @drabbles-mc@ocfairygodmother@youlovetkay@est1887@rebelwrites@hey-taylor-hey@brownsugarcoffy @kmhappybunny240@readsalot73 @nunya7394

[proceduralpremium]

I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | Chapter 07

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language, lightly edited because I like my writing a lil rough ‘round the edges, Brandon

WC: ~7.3k

Brandon paced the hallway as waves of anger rolled through him. Jax’s words were flowing through his mind and it only served to amp him up even more. He slammed his hand against the wall while huffing out a frustrated groan. He wanted nothing more than to walk back up those steps and give the SAMCRO president a piece of his mind. His plan was a good one, he knew that. He didn’t deserve to have his thought process silenced, especially when it could be something beneficial for everyone. 

But he wouldn’t go back up there. Not when it could rock the boat and ruin this partnership before it even began. But that didn’t mean Brandon couldn’t be angry. Resentful that his ideas were discarded before even seriously considered. 

And if it hadn’t been for Rev, maybe he wouldn’t have been tossed so easily to the side. If the Street Wolves VP hadn’t been mouthing off about Brandon’s personal life, maybe he would’ve been looked at with a bit more respect and seriousness. Instead, he was dismissed as if he were some immature kid bullshitting around. And the view of him probably wouldn’t change unless Rev kept his mouth shut.

Slamming his hand against the wall once more, he stalked out into the bar area looking for a moving target.

And there he was.

Slowing his steps and narrowing his eyes, Brandon's anger grew the closer he got to Rev.

McKenzie saw him first. She was leaning over the bar, in conversation with Rev. She frowned as he strode over to them.

“Rev!” Brandon barked harshly. The vice president looked back with annoyance in his features.

“What?”

“Next time you wanna give one of your little self-righteous lectures, do me a fucking favor and not have them where anyone can fucking hear them. I don’t need the club in my damn business!”

Without so much as a grunt, Brandon turned back around not even acknowledging his club brother’s tantrum. 

McKenzie’s eyes narrowed and her frown grew deeper as she watched her ex stride out the side door in irritation and enmity. Rev was in the midst of continuing their conversation, but McKenzie had begun to follow Brandon.

“Wait, where you going?” Before she walked out the door that Brandon had just torn through, she heard Rev yell, “Kenz, just leave it!”

“Hey!” This time, it was her turn to yell forcefully as he continued his angered pacing. It wasn’t like it was actually burning off any of his agitation. In fact, it was like every step he took only spurred him on. She looked around and made sure they were the only ones out there before she moved in closer. “What the hell was that?! It’s one thing for you to talk to me like that, but show some fucking respect. Rev is your vice president. And he hasn’t done anything to you.”

“Hasn’t done anything to me.” Brandon repeated with a scoff. A dark smile covered his face as he shook his head. “And don’t even act like you don’t know what this is about.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You! You and Sairah and now Rev, you’re all trying to make my life hell to spite me,” He growled. “You keep talking shit about me to make me look bad, I’m not fucking stupid.”

“I haven’t said shit!” McKenzie threw her arms up in frustration. She didn’t want anything about them and their now dead relationship broadcasted for everyone to know. If anything, for once, Brandon and her had come to agreement on the matter. So, why he was so up in arms causing a scene was beyond her.

“Okay, fine, so it’s not you. But whatever they’re saying, it’s because of you. Because you can’t keep your fucking mouth shut and get over it, ” He spat. “Rev is all buddy-buddy with Teller, which means he’s probably hearing all your bullshitting and bitching secondhand. I don’t need this shit tainting my reputation and bleeding over into club business!”

McKenzie chuckled. “Is it really my ‘bullshitting and bitching’ or is it just the truth of what really happened?”

His face hardened, “McKenzie…”

“Anything that I’ve told Sairah or Rev, which isn’t much by the way, has been the truth. So if people are starting not to like you because of that, that’s because of you.”

“I thought dumping you would end this bullshit. Instead, you’re just becoming a pathetic, vindictive bitch who’s intent on making my life hell.”

“I don’t care enough about your life to try and ruin it, Brandon. You made your bed, so don’t blame me when people start having low opinions of you when they find out how low down and trifling you are. That’s not the kind of thing that instills trust in a brotherhood. So, whatever the fuck you’re mad about and blaming me or Rev or Sairah for, look in the damn mirror. I’ve done you a favor by not airing out every single thing that went down in our relationship. Especially to my father. You really think he wouldn’t wipe the floor with your face if he knew the things you put his daughter through?” Venom dripped off her words and burned the insides of Brandon. His eyes steeled as he questioned her.

“You threatening me?”

“No. I’m telling you to knock it off. You keep saying how you don’t want everyone in your business, so maybe shut the fuck up and stop picking fights about it. It’s only gonna draw attention. I’m sorry that somebody apparently hurt your precious little feelings, but that’s not anyone’s fault but your own.”

“Watch it, McKenzie,” his voice low and his face hardened.

“Or what? What exactly are you gonna do to me here of all places?” And maybe for the first time during this conversation, an ounce of fear creeped up inside her, but she pushed it down and remained patient. Once she saw he made no further move to say or do anything, she spoke again, “Exactly.”

She turned around and went to head back inside when she felt him grab her arm in a tight grip. Her body ran ice cold but she swallowed and looked into his eyes.

“Get. Your. Hand. Off. Me.”

He held on for what felt like minutes, but was only another second. She didn’t feel the need to stare him down, merely taking the win of this not going any further. She pulled away and pushed into the side door, not taking another look back. And once she was back inside, around her family, she felt safe again. She let out the breath she’d been holding, along with her guard. 

********

Rev released an exasperated sigh as McKenzie stormed off after Brandon. Considering the changes he’d seen in her over the expanse of their relationship, he didn’t want her to have to be put in the position of interacting with him any more than necessary now that they were no longer together. The only reason why he hadn’t gone out after them was because he didn’t want to exacerbate the situation further. Him smacking Brandon upside the head wasn’t off the table, so he figured he’d keep his distance.

And honestly, he had no idea what Brandon was going on about. He wasn’t afraid to voice his concerns, sure, but Rev didn’t go out of his way to purposefully gossip and spread rumors about anyone, Brandon included.  The only recent encounter he could think of that might’ve peeved the man off was when Rev confronted him the other day. An event that Jax has inadvertently been a witness of.

He sighed to himself and headed towards the stairs to get a better idea of Brandon’s mood. Jax was the only other person upstairs, most of everyone else enjoying the downtime before a new year was ushered in. The lounge room door was wide open and Rev found him diligently at work with getting the remaining paperwork in order for their upcoming affairs. 

He tapped on the ajar door and sauntered in with a careful smile.

“Hey, man.”

“Rev,” Jax greeted, “What’s up?”

“You got a second?”

Jax’s eyebrows rose at the question, taking in the man’s withdrawn demeanor. He put down the paperwork, “Yeah, what’s up? Something wrong?”

“Nah,” Rev shook his head, “Just… did Brandon say something to you while he was up here?”

Jax’s face fell. A conversation he didn’t want to have. It felt bizarre enough to have another club’s member come to him about a potential game plan. They were partners, sure, but they were still two separate clubs with a hierarchy existing in each. Brandon coming to him, of all people, about this supposed third party to bring into their plans could potentially step on toes. And that’s what it looked like it was doing. Jax sat straight, ready to defend himself and clarify that the plan was brought to him and not hatched with Brandon without input from the clubs. 

He didn’t know that that wasn’t why Rev was asking about Brandon, but he opened his mouth to clarify the situation anyway.

“Look, man. We had a discussion. He brought a plan to me, one that I basically brushed off and said should be brought up when we all meet together. Nothing more, nothing less. He got all bent out of shape, worried about what people may have been saying about him, I don’t know.” 

And to that part, he shrugged, because he found it both callow and egotistical of Brandon to bring up a concern about whether his personal shit was influencing Jax’s rejection of his proposal.

Rev nodded slowly at Jax’s words, taking in the fact that Brandon had gone over both his head and Gil’s head about whatever kind of idea he suggested to Jax. He also took note of the mention of him “worried” about what other people are saying about him. 

“I guess I shouldn't be surprised.” He commented.

“Did I… cause something? The last thing I want is to step on any toes or cause any riffs, bro. That’s why I just dismissed the idea and nipped it in the bud. So that it wouldn’t look like I was overstepping boundaries.”

Rev shook his head dismissively, “Nah, it’s nothing like that. You shouldn’t have been put in that position to begin with. He just made that comment about people saying shit about his personal stuff, that’s it.” A beat. “Which I guess he has, at least, somewhat of a point. The last thing we need is drama and tension from personal shit so I’ll try to keep a lid on it. That conversation you heard earlier shouldn’t have happened here.”

Jax chuckled, “Bro, I’m the last person to judge about domestic problems. Trust me, SAMCRO has our own soap opera shit. That’s what makes us family. Doesn’t change things, and we’re not gonna renege on our deal just because of a little drama. We’re good.”

“Good to hear,” Rev countered, “And you’re good, too. About whatever fucking plan he’s got, you were right to dead that shit. ” Rev kept his lips shut about the fact that he and Gil had no idea about whatever Brandon was concocting. Teller may have been cool about a little relationship drama, but it didn’t look good for this club’s leadership to be unaware of a member’s actions and clandestine scheming. Still though, he couldn’t help but chuckle now at how pissed Brandon was from whatever transpired between him and Jax. At the thought, he voiced it, “Whatever you told him, it pissed him off. That’s what his ass gets.”

Jax laughed along with him. “Can’t really say it did a whole lot of good if he’s off pouting about it. To be honest though, he was already on the defense when he saw McKenzie in here. Almost like he was looking for a fight.”

“McKenzie?” Rev questioned.

“Yeah, we were talking when he came in.” 

Rev nodded at the bit of information, but didn’t comment on it. Jax provided an explanation, nonetheless, making sure not to let anyone in on their previous, though recent, history. “Damn muffler burns, I was getting medic advice about how to get rid of ‘em without scarring.” 

“Ah.” Rev merely said. “Anyway, just wanted to make sure we were good, yeah?”

Jax stood from his chair and embraced Rev in a half-hug, half-handshake. “We’re good, man.” 

“You coming to the New Year’s Eve party tomorrow, right?”

“Yep! Lisa said it’s mandatory, even invited our Red Woody crew to join in on the fun.” 

Rev chuckled and pointed a finger at Jax, “You learn quick. If Queen Lisa decrees her demand, you have no choice but to abide.”

They shared another laugh before Rev left him to finish his paperwork. Once he returned back to the lower level of the Garden, he was met with McKenzie who had just walked back inside. She looked more agitated than before she had gone after Brandon. 

“Hey, you good?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. B, he…” She trailed off in irritation and rolled her eyes.

Rev’s spine straightened, “He didn’t do anything, did he?” 

“No, he just…” She trailed off again, not allowing herself to finish her sentence. Rev peered down at his surrogate sister, observing her demeanor. She didn’t necessarily look frazzled or shaken, but she seemed a bit unsettled. Annoyed, but also a little miffed. He wasn’t sure what to make of her expression.

“Kenz..” he pried.

“I’m fine, really. I just told him to back off. I meant what I said, whatever problems we’ve got have no business interfering with the club. Whether he’ll actually listen to what I said remains untold, but I let him know that him flying off at you like that wasn’t cool.”

“You didn’t have to go out there at all, sis.”

McKenzie sighed, “This is exactly what my dad meant about our personal problems causing trouble. You’re the VP. He can’t go around talking to you like that.” 

“Look, I spoke to Teller,” the words gained McKenzie’s attention and shut her up as Rev continued, “Apparently, he was trying to sell him some stupid ass plan and got mad thinking that Jax doesn’t like him because of his drama with you or whatever. Honestly, it had nothing to do with you at all. Just him on a fucking ego trip because he got shot down,” Rev explained.

McKenzie nodded as the context became clear surrounding everything. It was convoluted and the stupidity of it all was beginning to wear down on her. She closed her eyes for a minute to ground herself from all the heaviness that’d been beating down on her these past few months.

“What’s wrong?”

She sighed, “Nothing… I’m just tired of him.”

Rev scrunched his face, “Jax?”

“No, dummy,” McKenzie punched his arm, “Brandon. I’m tired of his shit. I’m tired of the miserable ass person I am around him. I’m tired of feeling weak and worn down by him. That’s not who the fuck I am, so why am I letting myself brood over him even after we broke up?”

A proud, reassuring smile covered Rev’s face as he let her continue.

“He chose this. And he’s done his fair amount of shit. But he doesn’t get to choose how I react to him or how I live my life. I’m done hiding because of him.” 

“That’s my sis.” Rev wrapped her up in a big bear hug. “She back, y’all! Took her fifty-eleven years, but she’s here!” He yelled to no one in particular between the regulars and new faces that had begun to crawl in at the bar in this early hour. 

“Shut up!” she sniggered. 

He ignored her, placing a kiss on her forehead while walking her towards the bar, “So what’s next for Kenz 2.0?”

“Well, I’m going to this damn New Year’s Eve party tomorrow before Lisa skins my head. Shit, this is my bar, too. I’m tryna get lit for once.”

“That’s what I’m trying to hear!”

***********************

Jax dismounted his bike and shoved his hands into his kutte pockets to shield them from the night’s chilly air. He could hear the party already hopping inside, not surprised when you considered an event that was dominated by a bunch of bikers.

As he walked closer to the door, he was met with a familiar face who was also heading towards the entrance. 

“Fancy seeing you here.” He grinned.

McKenzie slowed her steps so that they were walking in tune with one another. “At my family’s bar? On a holiday no less?” She flashed him with a teasing smile and then an appreciative one after he held open the door for her to walk through. 

“Can’t lie, darlin’, wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. Much less in a dress.” 

He’d never seen her in anything but either a tee with jeans or her paramedic polyester. His eyes raked over her, enjoying the view of her curves accentuated in the silk lime green bodycon dress. 

“And somehow I knew that you would show up in that same ol’ flannel with those impossibly pristine Air Forces.” 

He didn’t know what to make of the vibrant mood she had found herself in. It caught him off guard but also mesmerized him. The glow of both her skin and her aura was an enchantment he couldn’t pull himself out of. He couldn’t do anything but follow after her as she made her way towards the bar. The crowd was alive with every single member of both charters present, along with several patrons coming to have a good time. 

“There you are!” Jax heard Sairah greet her older sister. “How the hell did I leave from work and still make it here before you?”

“Well, excuse me for taking the time to get myself all dolled up!”

Sairah laughed, her eyes landing on Jax, behind McKenzie. Her eyebrow rose and she looked back and forth between the two of them. 

“Hey there, Teller.”

“Sairah, nice to see you again.”

“Did you two come together or…?”

Jax shook his head. McKenzie jumped in before he spoke, shrugging and then saying, “Nah, we just got here at the same time.”

And even though that was true, it still felt like they had come here together. Obviously, that wouldn’t be something shared if it were true, but there was something comfortable and pleasant in the way that they walked in here together. 

“Well, the new prospect’s manning the bar tonight. Get you guys some drinks.” 

Sairah called over the young man who promptly went and grabbed a beer for Jax and a French cocktail for McKenzie. As they got their drinks, another voice called for the prospect.

“Hey X, my girl here needs another drink.”

A lump formed in McKenzie’s throat as she took in the sight of Brandon across the bar with his arms latched around the same girl that was lounging on the couch at his place. His grin was smug, but McKenzie refused to acknowledge it. She vied to simply turn back around and sip on her cocktail. She could feel Jax’s eyes on her, but she wouldn’t turn his way either. 

“It’s like he’s begging for me to molly wop his ass.”

“It’s fine, Sairah. Surely, you weren’t expecting him to stay home, were you?”

“No, but he knows what he’s doing.” The younger Gilbert sister looked back, staring daggers at the new couple. 

“It’s whatever. Fuck him. We’re celebrating a new year. One that doesn’t involve him any more than it needs to.” 

Sairah huffed, but couldn’t keep the smile from creeping up her face, “Well damn, I guess I can drink to that.” They clinked their drinks together, but Sairah couldn’t help but add, “If you want me to trip her or accidentally spill a drink on her though, just say the word.”

They laughed together and chatted for a minute or so, before Sairah excused herself, joining Chibs at the booth near the pool table.

Jax had been quietly sipping his beer as he watched and listened to the sisters interact. Now, as McKenzie hopped up onto the stool that Sairah just vacated, his face was unreadable. It was the first time that she actually looked at him since they’d greeted Sairah. She could tell from his face that he’d been watching her.

“You got something to say, Jax?”

If it had been a few days beforehand, he would’ve detected venom and animosity in her words, but now all he heard was amusement and a little flirtatiousness. 

Yeah, definitely a side of her he hadn’t seen before.

That unreadable expression on his face was something of allurement and amazement as he took in her essence. He’d almost forgotten that she asked a question.

“Nah, I don’t, darlin’.”

She nodded, keeping her eyes on him. Curiosity sparked in them.

“I heard you had a talk with Brandon.”

He let out a huff of air before he answered, “Yeah, a real winner.”

She giggled at the crack and his mind found no barriers in joining in on her laughter. It took her a few tries to rein it in, but she was too tickled at his words to stop on the first try. Meanwhile, he found her laugh infectious even if his words weren’t all that funny. At least not as funny to warrant her cackles. 

When she finally found herself able to stop, she drew in a deep breath. 

“It wasn’t because of me, was it?”

“Huh?”

“Rev said it was an ego thing. That it wasn’t really about me. But then again, he doesn’t know about us. So I’m asking you. The fact that you don’t like Brandon, it’s not because of me, right? Because of what we did?”

Jax shook his head, “No, no. To be honest, even if I didn’t know that he was not only shitty but dumb to mess things up with you, I still wouldn’t think too highly of him as a person. You definitely don’t have to worry about us being BFFs anytime soon. Although, I’m pretty sure you think he and I are the same, anyway... But either way, that’s not gonna affect things with how we work if that’s what you’re worried about.” He remembered Rev’s earlier comment about things bleeding into club business and he felt the need to allay her concern about things causing tension and problems.

Meanwhile, McKenzie’s face fell at the comment about her thinking Brandon and Jax were one and the same. She deserved that. She’d been biting with her words towards him, a lot of it, he didn’t even deserve.

“I’m sorry, Jax. I was a total bitch to you. And you’re right. I don’t really know you. I just- I saw you at that bar, hitting on all those women, failing too,” she added with a chuckle, “I guess I just associated that with him, but that was so unfair to you.”

Jax had a sheepish grin on his face, “Can’t lie, wasn’t my best night. I was kinda going through something of my own. Something good came out of it, though,” he winked at her, her cheeks warming up at the innuendo, “And maybe I was looking for someone to fuck my frustrations out on the same way you took all your shit out on me. You weren’t 100% right, but I can’t act like there wasn’t some truth to what you were saying.”

“Yeah, like the fact that you suck at picking up women.”

“It was an off night!”

And just like that, they were back to snickering together after the serious turn in their conversation. Later on, when they’d reflect on this night, they would have trouble recalling the last time they’d been smiling and laughing so hard.

“Just when I thought we were becoming friends.”

“Mhmmm, although I don’t think friends is the right word yet. I’d like to think we’re on the way there, though.”

And then, they merely gazed at each other. Considering each other’s faces and carousing in the not-enemies, but not-friends space that they were in as of now. McKenzie ignored the weird, swirling sensation in her stomach, while Jax refused to acknowledge the elevation in his heart rate. His eyes flickered to her lips and smiled his own smile, taking in the soft one planted on her lips.

“Yeah, maybe one day.”

Sairah’s voice snapped them from their trance.

“I’m sorry, but can you believe his ass? Screwing a random chick is one thing, but parading a new girlfriend the same month you break up with your fiancee is a bitch ass move.” 

McKenzie simply laughed at her baby sister’s antics. Who would have thought that a shitty broken engagement would bring out the protective factor in someone who stuck to herself and was on most occasions, reserved and peaceful? The same way she was looking on at her sister in enthrallment, Jax was looking on at McKenzie with the same affection, tenfold. He still wasn’t sure what to make of the McKenzie that sat in front of him, but he was glad to see the shift that led to her shining radiance. If this was anything like the McKenzie before her broken relationship, she could see how anyone would fall for her.

“Hey, prospect! Get us some more drinks!” Sairah called out.

When their drinks were renewed, Jax took a step back to excuse himself, “I’m uh- gonna see if I can find Rev and Gil.”

The sisters both nodded at each other and Sairah took the spot that Jax was just standing in.

“You two seem cozy,” Sairah teased.

McKenzie rolled her eyes while trying to keep a straight face.

“What? I’m just saying. Girl, you ain’t that funny but y’all were over here heeheeing and hahaing like Bernie Mac was on stage.” 

“Sairah…”

The younger Gilbert sister threw her hands up in defense. 

“Can you even fathom the fallout if anyone were to find out we were hooking up?” McKenzie asked. It was posed as a hypothetical question, despite the fact that the two had indeed already hooked up. 

“Well, then stop looking at him like you wanna ride him six ways to Sunday.”

McKenzie’s eyes widened at her sister’s comment. She reached over to thwack her arm.

“Ow! What? I’m just saying. Man, we thought Brandon was acting like a lil bitch boy before. He finds out the SAMCRO prez is fucking his ex-”

“Sairah!”

“Alright, alright. Fine,” She held her hands up in defense with an amused simper still planted on her face.

McKenzie, meanwhile, sat back in her seat and hoped she didn’t seem as flustered as she felt. She finished the rest of her cocktail and found Sairah’s eyes were still on her as she placed the glass back down.

“There is kind of a vibe between you two, though,” she remarked, “Or maybe I’m just happy to finally see that thousand watt smile back on your face.” 

Meanwhile, Rev and Jax were settled in conversation at a booth farther away from all the partying. 

“Sacramento’s like an hour away. You’re telling me you’ve never been to a Kings game?”

Jax shrugged, gulping his beer before answering, “I’m more of a football fan to be honest. But even then, I’ve never been to a live game before.”

Rev shook his head, “We definitely need to go, maybe make it a group trip. I’m telling you, watching it on TV is one thing, but being in a stadium or arena is a whole different experience.”

“Sounds good.” 

“Shit, we got a run at the end of the month in Vegas. Maybe we’ll hit up a Raiders game,” Rev threw back his whiskey, “I’ll have to see if-”

“Rev!” Both men looked up as Brandon approached them with the girl he came with on his arm. Rev winced at the volume of the man’s voice, hearing the drunkenness in it. 

“Yeah, man?”

“I’d like you to meet my girl, Pauletta.”

Jax’s eyes widened while Rev’s narrowed.

“Your girl?,” he pressed. To which Brandon responded with a triumphant smile and nod.

“Yup.”

Rev threw him an exasperated glare as he rubbed the side of his face. Brandon immediately picked up on the tension in Rev’s expressions and turned to Pauletta.

“Baby, why don’t you go get me another drink, yeah?” He squeezed her hip in encouragement and accepted the clumsy kiss on his cheek as she assented to his request.

Rev rolled his eyes, but waited until she had walked away before opening his mouth.

“Girl? As in you’re claiming her?” At the end of the day, Brandon was single. But it’d been less than a month since he ended things with McKenzie. Pair that with his recent outbursts, it looked intentional and messy to be parading out a supposed established relationship in front of her and everyone else.

“Yeah,” Brandon responded sharply, “She’s not up my ass, she actually listens to me, she’s a beast in the s-”

Rev rose from his seat, “Be fucking respectful.” Jax sat back a bit, but said nothing, not wanting to poke his head in business that wasn’t his. Regardless of how he personally felt, getting involved would only make things messier. “You got someone who makes you happy? Fine. But don’t act like you parading her around here is anything less than a dick move.”

“Last time I checked, I wasn’t looking for permission, Rev. I’m single. Sooner or later, everybody’s gonna have to get on board with the fact that I can do whatever I want,” Brandon shook his head and looked back up at Rev again, “Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I was out of line talking to you like that, but you can’t tell me what to do regarding my personal life. You’re my brother. Figured you’d be happy for me…”

Brandon walked away, searching for his girl.

As Rev sat back down, Jax couldn’t find much to say about what he’d just witnessed. Instead, he just gave a low whistle before chugging the rest of his beer.

Rev shook his head remorsefully, “I swear I don’t even know who that guy is. Not anymore, anyway.” 

He blew out another breath. Before letting an uncomfortable bout of silence permeate their space, Rev picked back up their previous conversation to fill the space.

************

After partaking in some dancing with both her dad and Sweets, she was back at the bar to get off her feet. She switched her drink of choice to champagne and nursed the flute as she got lost in her own head. Her sister’s comments aside, there was something between her and Jax tonight. The playfulness. The giggling. The wink. Was it in her head or was it real? Was this just who he was as a person and she was only just now seeing it now that she wasn’t hailing insults down on him constantly? She didn’t know. 

She was struck out of her thoughts at the sound of a hesitant, soft voice calling her name. 

“Hey, McKenzie…”

She turned to the side and her eyes widened at the sight of Pauletta in front of her.

“Uh, hey…” She wasn’t even entirely sure of her name and she didn’t really know what else to say other than return her greeting. She looked around and spotted Brandon speaking with Rev and Jax. Her eyes bounced back to Pauletta as the unassuming woman spoke again.

“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry if me being here makes things uncomfortable or awkward for you. I know you and B ended things not too long ago and I know you’ve gotta be thinking that we’re probably moving too fast, but he’s been really really amazing to me. I mean, you’ve gotta know, you were with him for all those years.”

“I’m sorry, wait. You guys are like… together together?”

A look of confusion passed over Pauletta’s face before her smile lifted again, “Well, yeah. He asked me when we were on our Christmas trip. I honestly didn’t think he was ready to be in a serious relationship yet considering,” she gestured towards McKenzie, “but he really opened up to me. Told me all about you guys and how he was still struggling but really wanted to take things seriously with me. I mean, we’re taking it slow, but he says he’s in this for the long haul.”

McKenzie felt simultaneously sucker punched and not surprised at all that her ex had twisted the truth to yet another person. A person who actually seemed sweet albeit aloof.

“Oh. Well, I guess I just didn’t realize it was that serious.” From the corner of her eye, she could see Sairah stalking over towards them. And from behind Pauletta, Brandon could be seen making his way over with a confused grimace on his face. “But, I mean, I’m glad you guys are happy.” The words were hollow and held no sincere meaning, but McKenzie had been guideless throughout the conversation not really knowing what to say anyway.

Soon enough, Brandon had made it over and immediately wrapped one of his arms around Pauletta’s waist. He looked between them and queried, “So, what’s going on here?”

Sairah arrived and McKenzie immediately grabbed for her hand, keeping her sister by her side.

“Oh nothing. I was just clearing the air with McKenzie. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t making things awkward by me coming here with you. But we’re good.” She beamed at McKenzie and then up at Brandon while leaning closer into his arms.

“Good,” he said tightly. He gave a loving look before glancing towards McKenzie.

She cleared her throat and spoke, “Yeah, I didn’t realize you guys were now in a relationship. Congratulations.” 

Somehow, she found a way for the words not to come out as gritted as they sounded in her mind. It didn’t necessarily sound sincere, but she didn’t sound as hateful as Sairah looked right about now.

She grasped tightly to her hand in the hopes of grounding both of them.

“Thanks,” he simply said, “We’re, uh, gonna go back to our seats.” 

And, so they left. And now the air didn’t feel as heavy as it did seconds ago. 

She felt Sairah rubbing up and down her arm and looked over when she heard her ask, “Are you okay?”

McKenzie swallowed thickly and actually thought about her answer. She was surprised as she found herself honestly responding, “Yeah.”

She continued while nodding, “Weirdly enough, yeah.” With a shrug, she added. “I mean, he’s free to do whatever he wants.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he gets to flaunt it at our clubhouse. And then the nerve of her to come confront you like that, fake ass bitch. She can act as she sweet as she wants, she knows how messy it was to come over with her fake concern.”

The older Gilbert sister chuckled, “It’s fine, Sairah. He can do whatever he wants.” Her eyes scanned the room, flickering away from the new couple and over towards Jax and where he was drinking and laughing with Rev, “And so can I,” she murmured. 

Sairah sighed, “Alright. But just say the word and he won’t see the New Year.” 

She left it at that and lured her sister back out onto the dance floor. The night wore on and midnight drew nearer. McKenzie was surprised by the amount of times she ended up at Jax’s side. The amount of her time that he sought her out. And maybe it wasn’t intentional but it was still something she noticed. He wasn’t much of a dancer, but he indulged her in one mid-tempo track where he mainly just stepped side to side as she surrendered herself to the music. They had a couple of Jello shots with Ace and Juice before she switched her drinks to water for the rest of the night. Now, they were in a booth together with Rev, who was getting ready to make his exit.

“A’ight, think I’mma head home.,” he adjusted his kutte as he got out of the booth.

“Strip club,” McKenzie coughed. It was less than half an hour before midnight and she knew he was probably hoping to steal a New Year’s kiss from the girl he’d been flirting with that worked at Mons Venus World.

“Shut up.” Rev muttered with a grin before clasping Jax’s shoulder and saluting them both goodbye.

He didn’t get far before he came up on Brandon and Pauletta who were preparing to walk past him.

Brandon nodded towards the exit, “You heading out?”

“Yeah,” he simply said before looking at Pauletta, “Nice to meet you.”

Pauletta smiled widely, “It was nice meeting you all, too. And it was nice to see you again, McKenzie.” She said as she looked over Rev’s shoulder towards where McKenzie and Jax sat. 

McKenzie flashed a weak smile back and went through the extra effort of sending a wave her way. 

Brandon and Pauletta headed towards the bar and Rev sent a sympathetic smile McKenzie’s way before heading out and rushing out his final goodbyes before taking off. McKenzie and Jax looked at each other and silently agreed to part ways towards different areas of the Garden. It was one thing for them to be hanging out in the midst of others, but they didn’t want anyone getting any ideas by them hanging out all by their lonesome. Jax veered off to where Opie was and McKenzie made her way back to Sairah. There was a little photo booth towards the front of the Garden with decorative glasses, hats, and other New Year’s Eve themed trinkets. They took selfies together and even forced Gil and Lisa into a few shots. None of them were much into social media, but they figured these would be fun photos to look back on. Lisa kept them to put into a scrapbook while McKenzie and Sairah simply sent the pictures to their phones.

McKenzie was setting a silly one with the four of them as her phone background as she looked up and saw Jax exiting towards the side entrance. She looked back down at her phone and saw that it was four minutes til midnight. 

She wasn’t sure what compelled her to go after him, but her feet were moving before her mind registered the steps. You would think she’d learn her lesson, come to the realization that nothing good could possibly come from the two of them. But she still kept going. The night air smacked her something good considering she was in a sleeveless dress that was several inches above her knees. Jax was walking towards his bike and she could see his hand raise as he lit a cigarette to his mouth.

The steps she took taking after him consisted of ignoring every thought in her head telling her to run in the opposite direction. Once she reached close enough, she grabbed onto his arm with a little more force than she meant to. His cigarette nearly fell out of his hand and he turned around with a bewildered expression.

“Oh,” he released as he realized who had grabbed him. He smiled but looked back at the clubhouse in confusion. The quiet outside allowed them to hear the booming music and cheering inside. His eyes veered back to her and they traced all over her as he silently tried to read her. 

“You okay?”

“I don’t know. I mean-” McKenzie chuckled. “Yeah.”

Jax returned the chuckle while his eyes remained on her. When she said nothing else, he ventured, “So….”

“You wanna get out of here?”

Her words were rushed as if they were chasing his “So…”. As if she was waiting for his prompt. He looked at her and then looked down. 

“I, uh- I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he looked back up at her with tender eyes, “We can’t keep doing this, darlin’. We can’t keep falling into bed every time you need a distraction.”

McKenzie shook her head, “This isn’t that.” There was conviction in her words and sincerity in her eyes as she spoke. “This isn’t me looking for a distraction. This is me having fun with you tonight and not wanting that fun to end,” she reached for his hand and hoped she hadn’t terribly misunderstood what they shared tonight: the flirting, the times he sought her out, the connection that had sparked. “If you really don’t want to do this, that’s fine,” she waited a few seconds and watched as he watched her, more than likely seeking to confirm the veracity of her words, “Although I’m pretty sure you want this just as much as I do, if the way you’ve been looking at me all night is any indication.”

His eyes flickered to her lips and then back up to her eyes.

“Last time didn’t end so well. Who’s to say tonight doesn’t end the exact same way?” He was trying so damn hard to fight it, but his eyes grew darker and his voice rougher.

Inside, the one minute countdown had begun. Though muffled, they could both hear the jumbled voices of everyone inside cheering “60, 59, 58…”

“Because we say it doesn’t. Because this isn’t like last time. Because this time, we both get to set boundaries on how exactly we want this to go. I’m not asking for a ring or a relationship. Hell, that’s the last thing either of us need. I’m just asking for one night of fun. Maybe several nights of fun. But only if you’re down for it. We get to set the rules. Together.”

Jax felt his throat go dry as her hand crept up his chest.

“39, 38, 37…”

“And you’re sure this isn’t because of Brandon? Because of him and his new girl?”

She didn’t even flinch at the mention of him. In fact, she moved even closer to Jax.

“He’s pretty much the last thing on my mind right now.”

“25, 24, 23…”

He allowed her words to wash over and his eyes searched hers, probing for any signs of deception. He licked his lips again and reached for her hand that was grasping onto his chest.

“10, 9, 8…”

“So is that a yes?”

“5, 4, 3…”

Jax broke out into a smile and grabbed ahold of her arms. Their lips met in hunger and yearning as screams of “Happy New Year!” could be heard from inside. Their kiss drowned out her excited squeal as he lifted her up by the back of her legs. Her arms were wrapped behind his neck, holding onto him as he takes a couple of steps towards his bike. 

Of course, that pesky need for air arose and McKenzie almost wanted to pout when their lips separated. Jax chuckled as he lightly let her down, “We really shouldn’t be doing this here.” 

Anyone could walk out at any second and there’d be explaining to do if it was anyone from either club. 

“Yeah, you’re right,” she conceded and took a step back. “I should probably also drive. If I go on your bike, they’re gonna be wondering where the hell I’m at and why my car’s still here.”

Jax nodded and placed another light kiss on her lips. Then, he gestured towards the Garden. “Go say goodbye. I’ll see you there.”

And just because she couldn’t resist, she pecked him with another kiss and practically hopped towards the clubhouse. If Jax wasn’t in his own infatuated stupor, he would’ve laughed instead of being stuck still in space for those few moments. It wasn’t until he heard the door closing that he shook himself out of it and mounted his bike. 

Logically, he knew there was trouble to be had and fallout that could occur if things went sideways. There were umpteen different reasons and umpteen different ways this could go off the rails. 

But he couldn’t find it in him to care about a single one. He wanted this. And so did she. And that was all that mattered in the moment. 

A/N: Whewww that was so fun to write lol. As you can see, there’s now a major shift in not only McKenzie, but also McKenzie and Jax’s relationship. Let’s see what happens next on their journey. Hint: the next chapter starts back at Jax’s house hehe

Taglist: @drabbles-mc@ocfairygodmother@youlovetkay@est1887@rebelwrites@hey-taylor-hey@brownsugarcoffy @kmhappybunny240@readsalot73

[proceduralpremium]

I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | 06

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language, lightly edited because I like my writing a lil rough 'round the edges, should we add Brandon as a warning?

WC: ~7.9k

Jax walked into the Garden with his hands still shoved into his kutte pockets, shielded from the rare chilly day. He was here to meet with Gil about scheduling a meeting with a banker and county official to begin the process of buying up some of the property in the ghost town. Given that it was holiday time, it was likely that this wouldn’t get done until after the new year came, but they both agreed it was better to get an early handle on things. 

That was the focus of his mind when he first parked his bike, but his thoughts quickly skittered to McKenzie when he saw her car parked at the side of the building. Before he could convince himself that it might not be a good idea, he was inside the bar and looking around in search of her. She was towards the back, talking with Lisa, matching Starbucks cups in their hands. 

Jax slowed his steps as he got closer to the bar and spoke to make his presence known, “Morning.”

“Morning, Jax.” Lisa greeted. 

His eyes flashed to McKenzie who had decided she was going to ignore his existence. She simply chose to sip on her coffee and pretend to find interest in the lid of her cup. 

“How was Christmas at Flu’s?”

“Hmm?” Jax answered as he took his focus off of McKenzie. “Oh! Yeah, it was great. Flu sure can cook. Went home with a mile high takeout plate, too.”

Lisa chuckled.

“What about you? How was your Christmas?” 

“It was good. This one was nice enough to take a half shift and spend dinner with us.” Lisa voiced as she pointed to McKenzie, “It was nice to just have a quiet dinner with the four of us.” 

McKenzie had indeed taken a few days to go visit her mom, but otherwise continued working. She even picked up double shifts to cover for some of her coworkers who had spouses and children that they wanted to cherish the holiday times with. Still, at Lisa’s insistence, she took the afternoon off on actual Christmasday and joined her dad, Lisa, and Sairah for Christmas dinner. 

“Gil’s upstairs unloading some shipments for me. Let him finish that up for me and he’ll be down to join you.” Lisa informed him.

Clearing his throat, he looked away for a moment before turning back to them. “Actually, I wanted to speak to McKenzie, if she had a second.”

Lisa’s eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked between him and her stepdaughter, who was still entranced by the labeling on the cup. 

“Sure, yeah. I’m gonna go heat up my scone.” Lisa’s words slowly filtered. She grabbed the paper bag holding the pastry that McKenzie had brought for her this morning. And then, she gave a final curious look between the two of them before she went towards the kitchen. 

Jax kept watch of her retreating form and didn’t allow his eyes to wander back to McKenzie until Lisa was out of earshot.

Before he got the chance to open his mouth, McKenzie spoke.

“Do me a favor and don’t single me out like that in front of people here. We’re not supposed to know each other, remember?” Her voice was cold as she spoke and her eyes were still glued anywhere but at him.

“Kenzie, can we talk?” He asked softly.

“About what?” She bit back. 

He released a heavy sigh, unsure of how to find the smallest of openings between her hardened exterior. He sat down in the bar stool he was previously leaned against so that he was somewhat eye level with where she stood. Their eyes still hadn’t connected, but he could see the animosity and frustration written on her face. He looked around to confirm that they were the only two figures in the room during the early hour before trying again.

“McKenzie, I’m sorry.” 

She continued looking on as if he hadn’t said anything. A few seconds of utter quiet pass.

“Darlin’...” He tried again, this time, reaching out with a hesitant hand and placing it over hers. “What I said that night, it was fucked up and I’m sorry.” 

She finally looked up and he could now see the exhaustion in her eyes. After a few seconds, she simply nodded and looked back down again. 

“No need.” She spoke.

“McKenzie-”

“No, it’s fine. You said what you said. You feel bad, fine, but you don’t have to pretend like you didn’t mean it. I’m a big girl. I had it coming. I shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”

Jax shook his head at her, “You didn’t have it coming.” 

As she grabbed her cup and moved to walk away from him, he grabbed her arm to stop her. She roughly pulled herself out of his grasp but remained standing there, rolling her eyes. “You were obviously… going through something when you came over,” he spoke lowly.

She continued looking all around the closed bar as he spoke. Her flaring nostrils were the only indicator of emotion on her otherwise blank face.

“What happened shouldn’t have happened, but I know you were there because you were upset and you needed something to get your mind off it all.” 

“Jax,” she spoke warningly. Everything he was saying was right and she hated that he had read her so well. 

“I know that you didn’t mean everything you were saying that night either. At least not to me. I think we both know that I’m not the person you’re really mad at. I should’ve tried to help you instead of taking it personally and lashing out. I knew better and let you get to me, anyway.”

“You don’t know me, Jax. So stop fucking acting like you do. I went there to fuck you and that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.” Her voice was sharp, yet quiet. 

He continued shaking his head, knowing that she was only building her walls higher. 

“I’m just trying t-”

“I know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to fix me. And I’m telling you that I don’t want it. I’m not some broken fucking toy you get to pick up and glue back together.” He could see her attempts in trying to hold a lid over her anger, but the tears in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. She was protecting herself, lashing out instead of allowing him to get close.

He wasn’t going to take the bait this time. He wasn’t going to take her words to heart when her eyes told something entirely different. No matter how much he wanted to shake her because of how infuriating she was, he wouldn’t do anything to upset her any further. 

“I’m not trying to do any of that. Trust me, I’ve known you for like three weeks and I can already tell that you know how to take care of yourself. I’m not here to be anything to you other than a friend. That’s all I wanna be for you, darlin’.”

His words just barely reached her ears. 

“I don’t need anything from you, Jax. I don’t know what your fucking angle is. Whether you’re trying to put your superman cape on or if you’re just trying to get back in my bed, I don’t know, but whatever this is, I don’t need it.”

She couldn’t pretend she didn’t see the flickers of hurt that passed over his face. 

“Is that really what you think? That I’m only being nice to you to take advantage? I’ve really given you that low an opinion of me?”

“Well, you didn’t have any problem doing it the other night,” he shook his head and ran his hand over his mouth as he released a heavy breath. She continued,  “You said so yourself, Jax, you knew I was upset, but you still slept with me.”

Jax took several steps back with his head down and hands up in defeat. He pressed his hands to nose in a prayerful position before roughly speaking, “You know what, just forget anything I ever said. You’re clearly fine. Next time you want a distraction, don’t come looking for it at my door.” 

He muttered his final words to her before going upstairs in search of Gil.

Lisa returned from the kitchen and caught the frustrated scowl on his face as he trudged up the stairs. She hadn’t even gotten the chance to ask if he was okay before he disappeared. Turning back towards the bar, she saw McKenzie whose head was towards the ground. Glancing back at the stairs that Jax just flew up, her confusion only grew at the looks of distress on both their faces. She didn’t know what to make of the irritation on his face and the sadness on hers.

She walked up to McKenzie, “Hey,” her soft, inquisitive voice grabbing the younger woman’s attention, “What did Teller want?”

“Uh, nothing. He had a first aid question. Muffler burn on his leg.” She hoped the excuse didn’t sound as lame as it did in her frenzied head. 

Lisa’s eyebrows rose, “Hmm, you’d think, with as long as he’s been riding, he’d know how to take care of those.”

“Yeah.”

Lisa was looking for more, but the one word response was all that McKenzie supplied. And it did nothing to fuel her curiosity. She didn’t buy the excuse, and even if she did, it did nothing to explain the hurt on McKenzie’s face. Her spirits still weren’t what they used to be before the breakup, but she had seemed at least a little more content at Christmas dinner last night. 

Lisa was sure there was deeper conversation that was had under her stepdaughter’s surface-level explanation of paramedic advice. But what, she couldn’t be sure. In the approximate three weeks since SAMCRO and the Street Wolves partnership, the two had barely interacted, mainly because McKenzie had been pretty AWOL. And in the few times they’ve been in the same room together, Lisa noticed a peculiarity in the way that they almost deliberately ignored each other’s existence. McKenzie had made nice casual conversation with several SAMCRO members, but never Jax. As far as she could tell, no one else had picked up on any weird vibes between the two, but then again, McKenzie had made it her mission to stay as invisible as possible. 

Whatever was going on, whether it be with Jax, Brandon, or anyone at all, she just wished McKenzie would open up and confide in somebody. 

“You sure you two don’t know each other?” Lisa questioned. She took stock of the flash of panic that flamed in McKenzie’s eyes before they settled into neutrality. 

She shook her head, “Nah, I met him when you did.”

“Hmm.”

Before she could press even further, the first customer of the day had walked in. McKenzie took that as her cue to leave with a wave of her hand before exiting and going on her way. 

******

“Y’all want a beer?” Rev asked as Jax and Chibs followed him into the kitchen and dining area. The same way that Flu was usually the one to host something festive for Christmas, Rev liked to host an informal football game night every now and then. It was Sunday night and Jax and Chibs had just arrived with Ace and Juice already in the living room, watching the pre-game announcements.

Sairah was also there, at the dining table, ordering the pizza. 

She looked up when she heard them come in and gave a small smile as Rev introduced them, “Don’t think you guys have met before, she been so busy with work. This is Sairah, Gil’s youngest daughter. Sairah, this is Jax and Chibs.” 

She couldn’t help but grin at the playful smirk Jax supplied as they shook hands or the Scottish accent that Chibs spoke in as he made a jesting remark at her expense.

“Aye, we’ve heard a lot about the lass potentially helpin’ us with a new clubhouse, but was beginnin’ to think she was a urban legend.”

Sairah jokingly rolled her eyes, “Leave it to my pops to volunteer me for things he’s never spoken to me about.”

She looked at Rev as he returned from the fridge with beers in his hand, “Pizza should be here in 20.” 

He nodded while handing the beers to Jax and Chibs.

“First quarter’s starting!” Juice yelled from the living room.

Sairah had asked Chibs about what happened to their clubhouse which burgeoned into a conversation between the two while Jax and Rev went to join the others in the living room. She was heavily entranced in the story unfolding from the Irish blowing up T.M. when her phone rang several minutes later. Rev had glanced back preparing to get up and go get the pizza, thinking it was the delivery driver.

“Kenz?”

Jax’s ears had perked up and he looked back when he heard the concern in Sairah’s voice.

“Whoa, whoa, slow down sis. What happened?”

He was subtle in his listening, turning his back towards the TV, but still having his ears open. Rev had less subtlety and immediately rose up from his seat and stalked towards Sairah. Jax couldn’t hear anything being said from the line while across the room, but he looked back every so often to gauge the looks on Sairah and Rev’s face. 

Sairah let out a sigh, “Okay, Kenz, I’m at Rev’s. Come over here so we can talk about it.” A beat. “Yeah, the guys are here, we’re watching the game. We’ve got pizza and beer, too.” 

A small bout of relief colored her face before she said, “Alright, I’ll see you then.”

As soon as she hung up, fury rose in her eyes as they focused on Rev. 

“I don’t know what he did, but I’mma beat his ass.”

“What’d she say?”

Sairah shook her head, “I could barely understand her, she sounded so upset. Something about B, of course, because doesn’t it fucking always.” She tossed her phone back on the dining table and roughly rubbed her face in frustration. “Sorry for telling her to just come over, I just wanted to get away from wherever she is now.”

Rev waved his hand dismissively with a frown before she even finished her apology.

“Nah, it’s fine. Whatever it takes to get her mind off his shit.”

The doorbell rang and Rev went to go grab the pizza. Sairah looked back at Chibs, “Sorry.” 

Her look of wrath had transformed into something of meekness as she realized she came out of character around people she’d just met. 

Chibs simply shrugged, “No worries, love. Jus’ remind me not ta get on yer bad side.”

Her smile had lifted before she could control it as he feigned a look of fear at her earlier threats.

Rev had walked back in with the pizza boxes and threw a curious glance at Sairah upon noticing their expressions. The silent warning on her face was a message only recognized by him as she walked to the kitchen and grabbed plates. They all went back into the living room with the pizza, drinks, and utensils to enjoy the game. It wasn’t until nearly the end of first quarter that the doorbell rang again. Sairah went to get it this time, knowing it was McKenzie. The miserable pout on her older sister’s face was all it took to take her in her arms and wrap her in a warm hug.

“Come on in, babes.” She said when they finally separated. Sairah had placed an arm over McKenzie’s shoulders as she walked them straight past the living room and into the kitchen.

“Hey, Kenz.” Rev greeted, as they passed by. 

She acknowledged him with a slight nod before leaning her head against Sairah’s shoulder. She caught a swift glance at Jax who was sitting next to Rev and was unsure of how to react. The soft smile he gave her relaxed her and she gave him the briefest of nods before they continued their path to the kitchen. 

“What happened?” Sairah asked softly. McKenzie’s eyes were tired and her frame slouched as she sat. Like whatever had happened had just beaten her down. With each passing day that led up to and even after their breakup, she looked more and more exhausted. It was beginning to manifest physically with Sairah taking note of the coldness in McKenzie’s hands and the bags under her eyes.

She took a deep breath before finally finding the wherewithal to answer.

“I got a text from B earlier. Apparently, I left some stuff there at the place. I told him to just leave it at the clubhouse the next time he was there, but he insisted I come by and get it.” Sairah reached for her hand again and held it as McKenzie continued, “I did and when I got there, there was this woman who answered the door. I don’t know who she was or anything, but I’m guessing that’s the girl he took on the Christmas trip we had planned.”

“Wait, what?" Sairah interrupted.

McKenzie nodded and clarified, “Yeah, remember we were supposed to get away for the week? Obviously, that was planned before the breakup, but yeah, I overheard him talking about it with Ace and Jax. There was still luggage by the door, so I’m guessing they just got back.”

Sairah muttered some choice words she thought about the situation before McKenzie resumed the anecdote.

“Anyway.. I guess, I just wasn’t expecting it,” she shook her head at herself, “Like I don’t know why else it hit me this hard. To see this woman all comfy in the place we used to live together. I mean, I know it’s stupid, but I can’t help it. It’s almost like he did it on purpose, like he was proud of himself.”

“It’s not stupid. And it’s not illogical to still feel some type of way considering you were together for almost five years. You built a life together. Look, get your cries out now, because you better not shed a tear when I finally pop him in his shit. So tired of his ass…” Sairah frowned and closed her eyes, reeling in her anger. She smiled tenderly when she opened them back up, “I’m really happy that you came to me about this. I don’t like to push you, but everyone’s been worried, y’know?”

McKenzie nodded. “Yeah. And I know I haven’t been the easiest person to be around...”

Sairah shushed her and rubbed her arm,  “Shhh, none of that. Like I said, you have a grace period. You can choose to be a bitch or you can choose to cry. Hell, you can do both. But I’d rather you do that then bottling it all up inside. I know it hurts and I know you loved him, but I promise you this is for the best.”

They shared another smile, “I know. I’m coming to terms with that. I just…”

Sairah continued rubbing her arm, silently coaxing her to spill whatever was on her mind.

“I spoke to him last week. You know he’s been cheating, but he finally came clean about all of it. It was going on for an entire year…”

As angry as she was with him a few minutes ago, Sairah’s ire had returned tenfold, “With who?,” she gritted out.

“With everyone. I don’t fucking know.” She threw her hands in the air in defeat, “When I asked how many times, he wouldn’t give me a straight answer. He’s been with so many women, he doesn’t even know.”

Sairah blew out a low whistle, “Whewww, when dad gets his hands on him.”

McKenzie started furiously shaking her head, “No, no.”

She interrupted again before Sairah could even get a defending word in.

“Sairah, no. It’s not club business. There’s no reason the ‘president’ needs to know about one of his members being a shitty fiancé.”

“And what about a father knowing how said fiancé fucked around on his daughter?!”

Despite her and Gil’s earlier spat, she had no doubt her father would resort to either leaving Brandon without a face or shooting his dick off. Either way, it would open a can of worms that could ruin everything.

She shook her head again and spoke in passionate, hushed tones. “Nobody needs this shit right now, Sairah. It’s gonna cause problems. Flu and Sweets are old school, they’re not gonna give a fuck about what Brandon did. And they’re not gonna stand for inner club tensions on a domestic issue. Even worse, SAMCRO up and decides this isn’t worth all the drama and they bounce. No partnership, no business. No business, no money. And then everyone’s fucked. No!”

Sairah rolled her eyes but kept quiet, not having anything in her arsenal to argue against the points made.

After a beat, she asked, “Does anyone else know?”

“No. And I’d like it to stay that way.”

Sairah nodded her head even though she was getting ready to tell Rev right this second. She needed someone to help bury the fucking body, after all.

“Okay, come here.” She gathered McKenzie in another warm embrace while slightly leaning over to peek her head past the partition that separated the living room and kitchen area. Rev leaned his head back, catching the movement out of the corner of his eye. He wouldn’t lie, he had hoped to hear some of their exchange while they were in there, but the television was too loud. He caught the nod of her head as she gestured towards the bathroom. Rev nodded and got up, as if he were stretching.

McKenzie and Sairah parted and the younger sister gestured towards the living room.

“Go eat and watch the game. I’m gonna go charge my phone.”

McKenzie nodded and met Rev as he was walking towards the hallway. He pointed to the coffee table and said, “The bottom box is one with just cheese.”

She nodded her appreciation and gave a small smile towards Jax as he handed her an empty plate. The look they shared went unnoticed by Ace, Juice, and Chibs, but the carefulness and warmth in his eyes held her in a tender embrace. Words weren’t exchanged but the essence of his presence had soothed her as she sat down next to him.

Jax, himself, hadn’t heard much of her and Sairah’s conversation, even though he too, was trying to listen. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know it had to do with Brandon. He was just happy that his being here hadn’t caused any problems between them. He didn’t know what to predict of her reaction when she saw that he was here. Her face held nothing when their eyes first locked and she didn’t spare him a second glance when her and Sairah walked back to 

Meanwhile, Sairah and Rev were cornered in the hallway, their backs leaned up against the doorway of the guest bathroom. 

Rev took in the returning anger on Sairah’s face. 

“What’d he do?”

“Signed his fucking death certificate, that’s what.” Rev’s eyebrows furrowed. “He’s been cheating on her left and right for over a year.”

She explained all of Brandon’s transgressions leading up to McKenzie’s retelling of how she walked in to find him with another girl at their recently shared place. Begrudgingly, she also reiterated her older sister’s fear on the implications of what might happen if this were to spiral further. In her mind, it shouldn’t matter that Brandon was a club member. His actions were reprehensible and he’d deserve any and everything coming his way for pulling the worst of disloyalties to someone he was meant to love. 

“I mean, fuck, she’s right. We really don’t need any of this right now,” Rev admitted, “But still, this is a fucking shit show. What the hell is he thinking?”

“Who knows and who cares. At any rate, I’m not a member. And I really can’t be held responsible if I throw hands the next time I see his weasel looking face.” 

“Easy, Rocky,” Rev said with lightness in tone but seriousness in his words, “But seriously, though, I get it. And I’m gonna try to knock some sense into him the next time I see him, I promise, but McKenzie should be the priority. We can worry about beating his ass later. How is she?”

Sairah sighed, “She’s not doing well, that’s for sure. I know she hasn’t been herself in months, but I didn’t know it was this bad.”

“None of us did. Hell, it’s like he hid it well at first, but now he’s just wilin’ out now that they’re broken up. Last thing we need right now is anyone getting reckless and causing drama.”

“I can’t even imagine what he’s been putting her through,” she roughly shook her head in frustration, “I’m so glad she’s finally through with it, but I hate she was with him to begin with even more.”

“Just be there for her. That’s all you can do.” He wrapped her in a quick, supportive hug and left a consoling kiss at the crown of her head. “And like I said, I’ll talk to B, screw his head on straight.”

“Doing so with fists would also be welcomed, just saying.”

He rubbed her shoulder and laughed in her hair, “Don’t tempt me.”

He guided them to the living room with his arm still wrapped around her and said, “Come on, let’s go lift her spirits and enjoy the game.”

********

“B, can we talk for a sec?”

Rev was sitting alone in the Den, the Street Wolves’ “church,” working out the kinks for a future run. His chair was to the left of Gil’s vacant president throne, a seat that he’d owned for close to ten years now. He was a generational Wolf and had taken his dad’s place as Vice President after he was left fatherless from a particularly grisly showdown with another motorcycle gang. There wasn’t enough beningnancy or absolution that could release him from underneath the ruthless acts he had committed in the name of revenge, but he’d probably always be searching for any morsel of humanism that could restore him to who he used to be.

Finding the balance between having the back of the woman, who was for all intents and purposes his sister, while also keeping the peace among his brothers was his current dilemma. 

He’d seen Brandon rummaging through the storage closet across the hall through the sliver of space between the slightly ajar door of the Den. 

“Yeah, sure, what’s up?” Brandon came in, wiping the sweat from his brow, after cleaning the bar up before it was open to the public. 

Rev rose from his seat, “Wanted to ask you about something… Something McKenzie told Sairah last night.”

Brandon rolled his eyes, already annoyed with the topic of her, “Jesus, what the fuck is she saying now?”

“She said that you’d been cheating on her,” he added after being met with silence, “For over a year, I might add.”

“Yeah, so. Is there a question in there?”

Rev looked at him blankly, “Yeah, I’ve got a question. What the fuck? Are you out of your mind?”

It wasn’t even just the fact that he was low down enough to step out on someone he was committed to. It was also just the fact of how dumb it was to cheat on the daughter of the MC’s president. It shouldn't have had to been said that he was making a bigger commitment than just marrying anyone. He was marrying into the family and drawing closer ties than before. Witnessing the sheer nonchalance and apathy in Brandon’s expression was beginning to enliven the same agitated urges Sairah had been displaying at just the mere mention of his name. 

“Why does it matter?” Brandon spewed.

“Because you fucking cheated on her, man.” Rev responded roughly, “Not to mention, after you proposed to her. Why the hell would you do that? Are you fucking stupid?”

Brandon glared, “I thought you were supposed to be my brother, Rev. Why do you care so much? We’re not even together anymore.”

“Yeah, I am your brother which means I can call you out on your bullshit! Let’s not even get into how idiotic it is to cheat on someone, propose to them, and continued said cheating… But did you even think about any of this shit before you got involved with her to begin with? Not to mention, you have the worst fucking timing ever. Bro, when the fuck did you have time to cheat when we were on the brink of a full-out war with the Irish?”

“You’re the last person who should be giving anyone relationship advice. And whatever McKenzie’s been saying about me, it’s none of your fucking business! It’s got nothing to do with the club!”

“Yeah, it shouldn’t but you parading around how happy you are to be single and how you’re free to fuck whoever whenever as if Gil’s deaf, dumb, and blind is gonna start causing problems. Problems that are gonna spill over into club business and put everyone in the middle if you don’t stop acting so damn reckless!”

“The last thing I need is a lecture from you, so just leave it the fuck alone, Rev.” Brandon spoke furiously, stalking off back into the bar area.

Rev blew out an embittered sigh as he, too, left the Den and slammed its door with irritation. 

“You good, man?” 

Rev glanced up to see Jax, who was standing in the hallway.

“Yeah..” Rev responded, looking warily at the man and wondering how much of that he’d just heard.

Without words, Jax knew what he was thinking and winced with a nod, confirming that he’d heard, at least, most of it. 

He held up the contents in his hand, “I was dropping off the forms you and Gil needed to cosign before we meet with the lawyer next week.”

Rev shook his head and grabbed the folder from him, “Sorry about that, man. Just trying to keep the peace around here.”

Jax nodded understandingly, “No worries.”

**********

“I mean, I really wanted to go to Miami for New Year’s, but I don’t got Miami money and plus I didn’t get approved for furlough time so I’d have to come straight back to town like the very next day. Ain’t that ‘bout a bitch?”

Evangeline Raymond, McKenzie’s partner, had been talking a mile a minute on their drive to the current accident scene they had been called to respond to. McKenzie hadn’t heard much as she was too stuck in her own head. Last night’s events were still stuck to her brain like gum. She’d been on auto-pilot even as Evangeline slowed the ambulance to a standstill in front of the site.

“Helloooo, earth to Kenzie!”

Evangeline was undoing her seatbelt and preparing to hop out. 

“Yeah,” McKenzie shook her head out of it, “Let’s go see what’s going on.”

When they hopped out with their necessary tools and aids, they took notice of the scene. They had stopped on the quiet road where a car was crushed heavily against guard railing, the structure being the only thing keeping the vehicle from falling down into the overhang. It would be a twenty foot drop, at least. 

“Squad, what’s your ETA?” A nearby firefighter keyed in on the radio.

“About three minutes out. Stuck behind a train. What’s the scene like?”

“Single car accident. Got a woman pinned inside, gonna judge by the roadkill off to the side, she swerved to avoid major impact. Car’s hanging by a thread, we’re gonna need to get her out before it slips down into the ravine.”

McKenzie zeroed in on the scene while listening to the exchange between firefighters and realized that this woman might not have three minutes. She began walking closer towards the car as she heard another firefighter call for reinforcements to put around the car in order to stabilize it.

“Ma’am, can you hear me?,” McKenzie called. She took a few steps further in when she heard no response and saw no movement from the woman. “Ma’am, if you can hear me, try not to move. Blink your eyes if you understand me.”

“Kenz, get back.” Evangeline entreated worriedly.

“We’ve gotta help her, Evie.” It was tricky terrain given that some of the ground was falling in, but McKenzie leaned over a bit to see if she could reach close enough to check a pulse. 

“Gilbert, it’s not safe!” She heard from one of her fellow first responders.

“I’m not getting in! I’m just checking for a pulse.”

Evangeline was creeping in closely, with a C-collar in hand, albeit more frightened and wary. She could see more of the ground slowly giving way and knew they’d both go down with the car, given the close proximity.

“McKenzie, just wait a second,” she implored.

“Yo! Y’all are gonna get yourselves killed!,” another firefighter bellowed.

Evangeline grabbed for her partner and friend, “Kenz, just listen to me. It’s unstable. Squad will be here in a minute.” Though still a bit distant, the sirens of the rescue truck could now be heard amongst the chaos. She wasn’t sure what had gotten into her friend, but she wasn’t about to let her own frenzied, unfocused mind lead to her demise. 

“She’s right there, if I can just-”

Evangeline pulled with more force, enough to pull McKenzie further away from where she was reaching. 

“Evie, let me go!”

With the guard railing snapping as if it were just a twig on the ground, the car descended and McKenzie watched in horror as it flipped and turned into the divet of forestland below.

************

After spending the day in Charming catching up on paperwork relating to Red Woody, Jax was back at the Garden filling out even more paperwork. This time, it was for the upcoming meeting with the banker and county official about buying up some of the property in the ghost town. He thought he’d drop off everything necessary but Gil had called him and told him there were more papers that he needed to fill out and cosign. He was somewhat familiar with real estate, he owned his own house, after all. However, he hadn’t at all expected the quantity of steps to complete and hoops to jump through to get started.

They hadn’t even officially met with the bank yet to discuss mortgage loans and there were already so many things added to the to-do list. Bobby and Flu had formed their own little accounting unit, but there were still so many people to hire and reach out to whether it be attorneys, contractors, and property managers. Then, there was the fact that some of the properties they were looking at were to be for personal use and some were to be investment properties. This entailed another few layers of paperwork. Jax sighed to himself; he was at least a little relieved that they had hit the ground running with everything instead of lazing about. 

He sat in the upstairs lounge area, tapping his pen against his chin, anticipating the day that he’d be able to look back on all of this and smile in reminiscence. 

He broke out of his thoughts when he heard the slightly ajar door open some more. He looked up to see a frazzled and nervous looking McKenzie. She was still wearing his paramedic polyester, having just gotten off her shift. Her braided twists were frizzy and she was breathing deep breaths as if oxygen was hiding from her and her lungs were searching desperately about.

She hadn’t even known he’d be here. She came straight here after her shift because for the first time in a long time, she felt like she could view the clubhouse as a safe haven. She was finally done hiding from the people who made her feel safe and comforted. The shift’s events had shaken her out of her shell and she ran straight to the first place she knew she could find someone to lean against. She just hadn’t known it’d be Jax she ran into first. But now here they were. And the first thing she wanted to do was spill all the words she wanted to say to him that night at Rev’s.

“I’m really really sorry,” she shuddered as she spoke.

“I-I responded to a call at work. There was this woman. Off.. off on the northside of town near the woods. And I thought I could get to her. I needed to get to her. T-to see if she was alright. To get her out before her car flipped down the cliff. S-she wasn’t answering, Jax, and I needed to get to her. I didn’t know that she was already dead, I just needed to get to her. And I didn’t know that she was already… I needed to get to her. I could’ve been killed, I could’ve gotten my partner killed, but I couldn’t l-l-listen. I just needed to get to her. Jax, I just needed to get to her.”

Somewhere along her soliloquy, her words became unintelligible as she transformed into a blubbering mess. He couldn’t wait for her to finish before he was up out of his seat and holding her in his arms. 

“Oh, baby,” he soothed.

“I’m so sorry, Jax.”

He shushed her, rubbing her back in circles of assuagement. Without seconds thoughts or regard for where she was, she allowed herself to fully lean into his touch, taking all of its comfort and security. The softness of his embrace, combined with the firm frame of his body, was everything she didn’t know she was searching for. It wasn’t until her sobs had quieted that he had allowed her to detach from their hold. 

Tears still streamed down her face and she sniffled some before speaking again.

“I’m really sorry, Jax. I’ve been taking things out on you. Saying things you didn’t deserve. I’ve been awful to you when all you’ve ever been is there for me.”

“It’s alright, darlin’,” he offered a sympathetic smile and wiped a falling tear, “My being here hasn’t exactly made things easy for you.”

“That doesn’t mean you deserved being an easy target.”

He placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head, shushing her again. “Enough of that. It’s old news now. We’re good.”

She returned a small smile of her own and held onto the hand he’d used to wipe her tears. 

“I just…”

“What?,” she prodded, seeing hesitation in his eyes.

“I’m worried about you,” he confessed.

She gave a small smile again, “I’m fine, Jax.” 

The pointed look he gave in return was expected and she cut in again before he responded.

“Okay, I’m not fine, but I will be. I just need to shake it off. Let myself actually sit with the hurt for a little instead of searching for distractions.”

“I know he’d been stepping out on you, longer than you thought he was.”

Her eyes widened at his revelation, “Who told you that?”

“No one, I heard him and Rev arguing about it earlier.”

“Sairah.” McKenzie grumbled to herself. Really, she couldn’t be surprised. She knew her sister wasn’t going to keep it completely quiet. In fact, she guessed she should be sort of glad that she didn’t end up spilling to Lisa or hell, even confronting Brandon herself. She did, however, make a mental note to go looking for Rev and make him keep the same promise of keeping this all of the downlow. “Does anyone else know?,” she whispered with a wince, almost afraid of the answer.

“No, I don’t think so. But…” Jax turned his head, “Why are you trying to keep it a secret? You don’t think they should know the truth? He’s been walking around acting like you guys just grew apart or something.”

“It’s nobody’s business. Besides, it’s not like it’s gonna change things.”

“Still. You don’t gotta protect him.”

McKenzie sighed, “It’s not about protecting him. I just don’t wanna rock the boat. And on top of that, you think I want everyone, especially my father, knowing how much of an idiot I am? To not know, the whole entire time, that he’s been sleeping around with other women, in the house we used to live in together, no less? This is already humiliating enough.”

“Kenzie, you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. This is on him. You trusting him wasn’t stupid,” he sighed and looked away from her deep brown eyes, “Look, I’m not gonna say anything. And no one should be telling you how you want to deal with this. But you need to know that none of this is your fault.” 

Tears burned in her eyes again, this time not for hurt or agony, but rather confusion? And also gratitude and appreciativeness. After everything, she couldn’t believe he was still being so soft and patient with her. She came here apologizing for herself and she wouldn’t have blamed him if he told her to kick rocks. But here he was, caring about her feelings. Trying to make her feel better. The broody part of her wanted to mistrust him, but she was fighting to keep her walls down long enough to enjoy the solace she found in him.

“Hey, Teller, can we talk for a second- oh-” Brandon’s sentence stopped short as he saw McKenzie standing with Jax. The two were standing closer than he’d like and his eyebrows furrowed at the sight. Jax’s spine straightened as he looked at the man. “...Didn’t mean to interrupt,” Brandon finished.

“So anyway, you should start using aloe vera. That way, the muffler burns won’t leave too much scarring as it heals.”

McKenzie was already halfway out the room before Jax caught on enough to utter a “thanks.”

Brandon watched her with a curious stare as she slipped out of the room. He gleaned back at Jax as he leaned against the wall, “What did she want?”

Jax gave a non-committal shake of the head and dismissing wave, “Bike slid in some rain. Got a muffler burn trying to course correct.” He sat back down in his chair and refocused his attention on his paperwork. “You need something?”

Brandon had come in here to do a little course correcting of his own. He knew Jax had heard him and Rev’s spat yesterday, considering he bumped into him in the hallway. And if there was one thing he agreed with on Rev yesterday is that he didn’t need to be fucking up and earning less than stellar reputations among his president or even the SAMCRO president. He’d taken initiative in finding a potential backer for investing in some of the property they planned to buy up. Teller just happened to be the first MC president he saw, so he figured he’d give him the good news.

“Yeah, I wanted to bring something up. Found us someone who could front us some money for when we start securing property.” 

Jax looked up in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“Well, I figured going through the bank and having to owe loans back would be a bitch, so I found a connect who can help front some cash. The clubs could go in together with ‘em, make everybody’s life easier.”

Jax put his pen back down, apprehensive at what he was hearing, “Loan approvals from the bank aren’t guaranteed, sure, but we’ve already got meetings set up to talk with them next week. And I mean, this,” he pointed between himself and Brandon to illustrate SAMCRO and the Street Wolves, “is already a partnership in itself. Adding more people can get rocky. Three’s a crowd, ya know?”

“Well yeah, but-”

“And plus, the whole point of this is going legit. We need to build credit and clout with the bank, so this can actually be sustainable. We really don’t need to even be thinking about adding other investors to the mix until we get actual revenue streaming and the suits on our side.” 

Brandon was starting to get irked. Here he was, taking initiative in the best interests of the clubs, and it was getting shot down before he’d even had a chance to lay it all out. 

“If you would just-”

Jax stood and stretched his limbs, “Listen, bro, I’m not your president. But I’m willing to bet, if you go sit down with Gil about all this, he’ll agree and think it’s way too soon,” he gestured towards his paperwork, “I don’t like doing all this bureaucratic bullshit, but this is something worth doing right.”

“Look, I get it, if you don’t want to take me seriously after what you heard yesterday, but that’s got nothing to do with what I’m trying to say here.”

Jax’s eyebrows furrowed, “What does that have anything to do with what you’re saying right now?”

“It’s a good plan, Teller! We’ve got money saved up, sure, but that’s gonna run out at some point, and we won’t have anything to pay to the banks. Then, we’re right back at square one when they snatch the properties from us.” 

“That’s why we gotta start being strategic about how to earn revenue. That’s why Opie and Rev are busting their asses pulling in and planning as many money runs and security gigs they can get their hands on. That’s why Bobby and Flu are raking over the books to get us on track and organized. That’s why we’re already reaching out to contractors and real estate agents. That’s why we’re meeting with financiers as early as next week. You’re not telling me anything we’re not already doing. And for the record, I don’t give a fuck about what’s happening in your personal life.”

Brandon gristled, “Just seems like you’re not even willing to hear me out. I don’t know what Rev’s told you-”

“This conversation we’re having now- you going over the head of your own president- to talk about bringing in some random fucker off the street, has done more to impact my view of you than what anyone else has said,” Jax gave a humorless laugh with a shake of his head, “We’ve got a meeting with everyone right before meeting with the bank. We’ll just pretend like this conversation never happened and you can bring it up then and see where it gets you.”

Jax didn’t wait for a response as he sat back down and once again refocused his attention on the paperwork. He heard the stomping steps of Brandon exiting the lounge, the man clearly peeved with how the conversation had gone.

He didn’t feel bad about it all. Regardless of his actual feelings about the man, he did indeed find it reckless for the man to have considered bringing an outside figure without consulting with the officers of his club. The egotistic man needed to hear it. He needed to be knocked down a peg or two. If he kept up with stunts like that, it was only a matter of time before he got the clubs into some trouble. 

A/N: Could better days be closer than we think? Lol not for Brandon haha. Anyways, the next chapter is New Years Eve/New Year’s and I’m excited about it hehe. 

As always, pls like, reblog, and leave comments if you enjoyed! Thanks y’all for the love!

Taglist: @drabbles-mc @ocfairygodmother @youlovetkay @est1887 @rebelwrites @hey-taylor-hey @brownsugarcoffy @kmhappybunny240 @readsalot73

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I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | 05

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language, smut 👀 (oral sex; female receiving, PiV sex) , threatening behavior

WC: ~10.8k (i couldn't stop lol)

“Morning.”

Lisa had gotten back to the clubhouse early to let in the busboys who would help her clean up the mess after last night’s festivities. She had put the coffee pot on, mostly for herself, since she wasn’t expecting anyone else to be up at the relatively early hour. However, B had walked in about an hour or so after she had arrived. There were a few SAMCRO and Street Wolves lying around in either a few of the booths dead to the world, while the rest were either upstairs sleeping in a dorm room or in their own beds at home.

Brandon looked a little worse for wear, but way more alert and controlled than he could say for any of his Street Wolf and SAMCRO brothers. If it was anyone else, she would’ve poured them a cup of coffee or even corrected him and told him that it was actually closer to noon than morning, but instead, she simply chose to wish him a “good morning” and continue sweeping the floors. By now, she had finished up with the main area of the bar and was currently sweeping abandoned limes and deserted salt particles behind the bar.

Brandon came up to lean against it, looking around and grinning at Bobby, who was laying face down across two tables with one shoe off and the other dangling off his foot.

“The SAMCRO boys know how to party just as hard as we do, huh?” He cracked as he pointed at the sleeping man.

Lisa gave a small smile, “Guess so. They weren’t the only ones having a good ol’ time last night.”

If there was deeper meaning meant for those words, Brandon didn’t notice. Lisa had seen Rev last night trying to reel Brandon in and make sure he was on his best behavior. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he had pulled some sort of asshole stunt like trying to hook up with a girl right there in front of McKenzie. She was glad that he kept it cute and glad that McKenzie decided not to come to the party. She wouldn’t put it past him to completely disregard her feelings the very day that he had announced their split.

Lisa was still trying to wrap her head around things. How things got from them working on their problems to just up and announcing that there would be no wedding. It wasn’t like this was a quickie engagement where the two had just met. McKenzie and Brandon had been together for almost five years and in each other’s lives for much longer, considering how long Brandon had been a part of the club. Neither of them were yielding much info to go on, which is perhaps why Lisa couldn’t help but dig just a little.

“Fancy seeing you here, figured you might’ve stayed home to nurse your hangover.”

“Yeah, I think we’re all supposed to meet up here once everyone’s up so Teller can take us to the site he was talking about yesterday.”

Lisa hums in response and waits a minute before she asks, ”So, how are you doing with everything?”

She looks up from her sweeping as she asks, waiting to gauge his reaction. His eyebrows raise slightly but the wide grin doesn’t fade.

“As well as I can be, I guess. Breakups are always hard.”

Lisa hummed casually, “Hmm. Well, why did you?”

Brandon blinked, “Sorry?”

“Why did you break up with her, then?”

“Uhh, well, like I said yesterday, it was a mutual decision,” Brandon frowned as he carefully responded to her.

“Are you sure about that, Brandon?,” Lisa put the broom back in its place and grabbed a nearby washcloth to wipe down the counters, “Because McKenzie made it sound like it was a decision you made.”

Lisa’s face betrayed no emotions as she spoke, her focus on sanitizing the bar counters. Brandon’s mouth opened and closed as he tensed. She took advantage of the momentary silence instead of awaiting a response. That wasn’t what she was looking for. It was his facial reactions and stance that told her more than any words he could’ve used to circle out of the conversation.

“You don’t have to tell me. I mean, it’s not really my business, but I can’t help but be curious. You two were getting married, after all.”

She didn’t say anything else. In fact, she finished up wiping the counters and got her things to leave, so that he wouldn’t continue the conversation either. She called out to the busboys and advised them on what to finish cleaning before the bar opened back up to the public. Bidding Brandon a goodbye, she was out the door to enjoy her lunch break and time away from the clubhouse.

*********

Anger.

She’d finally been able to pinpoint and just carouse in one specific emotion. It had taken her days of floating in several of them for her mind to finally untwist and unwrap itself from all its complexities and just settle on one emotion. She had just woken up from her usual post-shift nap that she’d take after a 24 hour shift as a paramedic and found herself flooded with ire.

At Brandon. At herself. At the world.

It was much like the anger and animosity that had brought her to the Disora bar a few nights ago. The anger that Jax had brought out in her.

She knew the anger needed to be channeled in something if she was to be productive for the rest of the day. She could’ve gone to a dance class, but she hadn’t been in forever and she knew she probably fell behind in some of the techniques. Brandon had told her to drop them since there was really no point since she was getting more than enough exercise in their bedroom. She could’ve started a new book, but Brandon complained that her collection took up too much space in their house, so most of her books were in storage. She could’ve watched something on Netflix on her iPad, but Brandon had already changed the password and she didn’t feel like texting Sairah at work for her password.

Her anger grew even more as she realized she didn’t even have a way to channel it right now.

She threw her iPad on the bed and soon after, kicked it to the floor when it made a noise that indicated she had a message. Two minutes later, the alert dinged again and McKenzie knew she needed to acknowledge it if she wanted any peace.

| From Lise: Let’s grab lunch, I’m feeling tacos Sent at 12:09 p.m.

McKenzie sighed. She really didn’t want to go, but knew that Lisa would keep pushing until she confirmed for herself that she was doing alright. Her stepmother had already texted a few times just to confirm that McKenzie was hanging in there and had someone to talk to if she needed to.

| To Lise: Getting dressed. I’ll meet you at El Barrio in 20 Sent at 12:12 p.m.

And with that, McKenzie rose up to throw something on.

********

“You weren’t kidding when you said this place was like a ghost town, Teller. Looks straight out of a Western.” Flu claimed.

The Street Wolves and SAMCRO found themselves in the middle of the so-called ghost town that Jax had led them to. It was the afternoon after the party and everyone’s hangovers were mostly cured over coffee and greasy food after a quick meet up at the clubhouse. It was mostly an impromptu thing that he thought to play by ear, but Jax figured it was as good a time as any to take them by the deserted township, since most of them had already crashed there the night before.

There were patches of desert all along the path that took them to the small, quiet nook of land. Homes were few and far between as they took their time circling around the surrounding areas. When Jax led them down the main street, they found several false front buildings, complete with vertical facades and double story designs that housed apartments on the top floors. The more they explored, the more it looked like the bar, Disora, was one of the only functioning businesses in the area.

Jax flared his arms outwards as he walked around and took in the open expanse.

“Open real estate, brothers.” He connected eyes with everyone, ignoring yet intrigued at the silent fuming emanating from Brandon, as he spoke. “We could build this town from the ground up and make it ours.”

It would be something that took time. Especially if they wanted to do it right, but in the end, it could be something that was incredibly lucrative for the two clubs. There would still need to be some exploration of some quick ways they could earn money in the meantime, but with the right vision, brains, and focus, this could be the very thing that sustained their alliance for years to come.

As everyone took the time to look all around and envision the potential treasures that lie ahead, Jax settled back and indulged in the hopefulness and hunger in all of his brothers, both new and old. He could see the cogs turning and determination set in their eyes as they, too, could now tangibly visualize the promising future right in front of them.

It was all the confirmation he needed that they were edging forward in the right direction.

With their minds now committedly attached to a clear purpose, they got on their bikes and rode off.

******

Surprisingly, Lisa behaved at lunch. There was no mention of Brandon, no peering questions, and only one “How are you?”. They mostly just used the time to catch up and enjoy each other’s company. McKenzie talked about how she was preparing for her shift at the fire department tomorrow and some of the latest, wackiest calls she’d been on in the past week. Lisa raved over the new drink she added to the menu at the bar that seemed to be doing well with the customers. Together, they took a selfie and sent it to Sairah to elicit a little jealousy from her. Her “the betrayal is real” response back earned a laugh from the both of them.

It wasn’t until they were both parked at the clubhouse that McKenzie had realized that all her earlier anger had mostly dissipated. She smiled to herself at the realization and got out of her car to thank Lisa. Her stubbornness hadn’t allowed her yet to really open up and talk about things yet and she was thankful that Lisa could see that and simply get her mind off things.

When Lisa hopped out of her vintage black camaro, McKenzie immediately encased her within a hug.

“Thanks,” she simply said.

And nothing more needed to be uttered between them. Lisa registered everything meant in the one word.

When they disconnected, Lisa gave her a little pat and gestured towards the door.

“Go say hey to your daddy before you bounce. I’ll be in in a minute.” she directed while retrieving a cigarette from her purse.

All of the motorcycles outside indicated that they were back from their earlier excursion. In fact, if she even stopped to touch one of them, she would probably feel the heat emitting from the just turned off engines. Nevertheless, she was confronted with a different kind of heat as soon as she walked through the building’s side door.

“Hey!” Brandon shouted as his eyes lasered in on her. He’d still been silently steaming from his earlier conversation with Lisa, not enjoying her ruminative eyes or the suggestions laced under her innocent questions. He steamed all during their group excursion, not saying much, even as he took in all of the open land and abandoned buildings throughout the ghost town. He’d been silently pacing in the fifteen minutes they’d been back, not having any way to unleash his displeasure until she entered his line of sight.

McKenzie looked up immediately, her eyes widening as she saw Brandon charging towards her. Some of the club members who were currently witnessing this encounter and the current patrons of the bar mirrored her shocked look on their own faces.

“I don’t know what lies you’ve been spreading around here, but knock it the fuck off!”

McKenzie shrinked into the adjacent wall and stuttered with unsteadiness, “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“B,” Rev cautioned in a low voice. His hands were faltering downwards, signaling for him to take it down a notch. Instead of assuaging him, B walked right past him and continued marching towards McKenzie, who was still in the narrow alcove between the side door and open space of the bar. Most of the bar patrons sitting at the counter couldn’t even see her, only now having a peripheral view of B’s back.

“You trying to frame me as the bad guy here, that’s what I’m talking about!” He slammed his hand against the wall, causing McKenzie to jump in her skin.

Rev had followed him and now moved between the two of them, positioning himself in front of McKenzie.

“Take a walk.” The concurrent warning and calming in Rev’s voice had barely registered in Brandon, his furious eyes still pinned down on the startled woman.

“She’s been switching shit, trying to make herself the victim, man. I thought breaking up with her would end this shit!”

Before letting the man’s anger continue to thrive in the tight space, Rev moved forward, prepared to physically push him if he didn’t step back. The bar patrons continued to look on with intrigue and nosiness at the domestic situation, while the SAMCRO and the Street Wolves, who were downstairs, mostly looked on in shock at the scene that was unfolding in front of them. That shock and the battling conflict between stepping in prevented them from making a split decision. Nobody wanted to butt into a brother’s personal business, but the situation was getting dicey.

Jax was witnessing the entire encounter with indignation rising in him the longer it went on. He had noticed the man seeping in quiet vehemence that had only continued to grow once they got to their destination earlier. He saw it even when they got back, watching the man steam until he had looked behind the SAMCRO president at the sound of the side door opening.

And now, as he looked on at the few Street Wolves who were also watching the confrontation, too stunned to move, he reckoned that it had gone on long enough.

“You need to calm down right now,” He heard Rev advise, almost sure that Brandon was two seconds away from getting decked, judging by the chilly intonations in Rev’s words.

“Or what?! This is between me and-”

“Hey!,” Jax called and then softened his voice before continuing, “Think about what you’re doing, bro. You’ve got a bunch of customers who can hear everything you’re saying, probably scaring a few of ‘em. Then, you’re getting ready to fight with your brother. You’re pissed, fine, but this ain’t a good look, man.”

Brandon opened his mouth to say more, but the warning in Jax’s eyes and the feel of Rev’s hands across his chest apprised him that he was in a battle he couldn’t win. He gave in, shooting a final blazing glare at McKenzie before scowling at Jax and pushing himself out of Rev’s grip.

Another slam could be heard as he stalked out through the front door to cool off outside.

Rev and Jax’s eyes fell on McKenzie, who instantly needed an escape. She closed her eyes, preventing the welling tears to pour out and climbed up the stairs, two at a time, away from everyone.

********

McKenzie sat hunched over on the bed in one of the dorm rooms, forcing herself to release steady, even breaths as she focused on her shoes. An hour had passed and she had yet to find the courage to walk out and make the run for her car.

Thankfully, no one had bothered her, but she knew the entire clubhouse knew by now. Even the ones who weren’t downstairs to watch the showdown, had to have the insight on what exactly went down. And she knew that Lisa was now aware if her hollering heard from behind the dorm door was any indication.

Her actual words couldn’t be deciphered, considering it was taking place downstairs, but McKenzie caught the gist of her stepmother’s ranting which consisted of “why didn’t anybody kick his ass?!” and “in the middle of MY bar?!”

She used the time in here to calm her nerves and reel herself back from the visceral fear that had taken over her body when Brandon came charging at her. She hadn’t expected the panic she felt. It was the first time in a while that she realized she was scared of him. That was a revelation, all on its own, that she needed to grapple with.

She was so lost in her hiding that she hadn’t realized another person had entered the room. Or even that that person had called her name. It wasn’t until she felt a hand touch her shoulder that she jumped out of her thoughts. Concern covered Jax’s face as he looked down at her hunched position.

“Sorry, darlin’, didn’t mean to scare you. I called your name, but…” He trailed off.

McKenzie immediately moved back from his touch on her shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’m okay.” She responded, not quite meeting his eyes.

“Uh, your dad’s looking for you. He’s in the lounge.”

He didn’t tell her that her dad had been made aware of what happened, but he didn’t need to. The very statement that he was looking for her was enough to confirm her earlier thoughts. Without another word, she rose from the bed and made to walk out of the door. Jax’s next question stopped her.

“Are you okay?”

“Never been better,” she snapped, affording him a side profile of her face that displayed tiredness.

“McKe-”

“What? What do you want?,” with loss of patience heavy in her voice.

“To make sure you’re alright.”

And just like that, her earlier anger returned in full force.

“Oh, so you’re some nice guy now, hmm?”, she bit back, “I don’t need your fucking pity. We’re not friends, I barely fucking know you!”

“It’s not pity-”

“So, what is, then?! Guilt? Guilty that you slept with me now that you know the only reason I was at the bar was because I got dumped?” Her voice was sharp and she wasn’t letting him get a word in, edgewise. “Well, too fucking bad for you because I don’t give a fuck! I needed a distraction and you were there. That’s it. That’s the entire extent of our relationship. I’m not here to soothe your fucking guilt and I don’t need you to act like you care about me.” Her bitter words remained in the air with a confused and indignant Jax even after she slammed the door and strode down the hall to the lounge.

When she walked in, her steps immediately halted when she saw that Brandon was already in there with her dad.

Gil gestured for her to come in and she only walked a few steps further, opting more the greatest amount of distance between Brandon and herself.

Leaning against the long glass table, Gil looked between the two of them, obviously unimpressed.

“So, I heard about what happened earlier...” He began.

“Gil, I’m sorry.” Brandon cut in. Gil narrowed his eyes as the younger man continued, “I let my anger get the best of me, it shouldn’t have happened.”

“I believe I made it clear to both of you that I expected this to not get ugly or uncomfortable for everyone around. I mean, I’d like to think I could trust that you would be adults. Not to mention, this happened during business hours, in front of SAMCRO… Do you think this instills the kind of mutual trust we need to be building in order for this partnership to work?”

Gil’s voice became more rigid as he continued to speak, with Brandon following along and nodding as he listened.

“I understand, Prez. I was out of line, completely. I let my emotions get the best of me when I should’ve just spoken to her calmly, sir. It won’t happen again.”

Gil gave a slight nod and then responded. “Good. Because if it does, I’ll knock your fucking head off. I’m not having this conversation with either of you again. Keep your personal problems out of the clubhouse. When you’re inside these walls, you’re family, so act accordingly.”

“Understood,” B acceded.

The two men looked at McKenzie before Gil prompted, “Kenz?”

She gave a nod and gave a low, confirming “yeah” though she was still unsure why she was also being admonished right now.

“Good.” He said to both of them before turning to Brandon, “You better go downstairs and wait some tables or shit to get on Lisa’s good side.”

Brandon nodded and headed for the door. McKenzie stayed rooted in her spot, waiting for him to pass her and exit.

“Kenz, you need something else?” Gil prompted, still leaned against the table. Brandon looked back with narrowed eyes, unsure of what she was doing.

Gil looked up at Brandon and sent him a shooing gesture as he studied his daughter’s face. Brandon paused at the door for another second before closing the door behind him and leaving.

“What is it?”

“I just… I don’t understand why I’m getting a lecture too, when I didn’t even do anything.” Gil sighed and looked down momentarily. “I literally just walked in and he just starts berating me and that’s somehow my fault, too?” Her words were full of confusion with flashes of hurt.

“Baby, this is exactly why I wasn’t the biggest fan of you two dating in the first place. Things didn’t work out and now look! My point remains the same, the two of you aren’t going anywhere but now you can barely stand to look at each other and it’s causing problems that are putting everyone in the middle. This can’t be the place where you two hash out all your problems.”

“So, the next time he comes up at me screaming and yelling in my face, slamming shit, that’s as much my fault as his, that’s what you’re saying?”

“First of all, there’s not gonna be a next time. Because if he does-”

“What, you’re gonna kick him out of the club?” McKenzie let out a humorless laugh and proceeded to answer her own question, “You’re not gonna kick him out just because he throws another bitch fit. That’s not really a club offense, so let’s not, daddy. You’re basically saying the next time he throws a tantrum, that’s just as much my responsibility, as if I control his actions.”

“Baby, that’s not what I’m saying-”

“No, it’s understood, dad. Don’t worry, you’re crystal clear!” She ignored the pleading in her dad’s voice for her to listen to him explain himself and shut the door behind herself. She didn’t have the time or energy to watch him struggle between father and president.

Instead, she stepped down the stairs and tread out to her car, sparing no one a second glance in the process. Right now, she needed to be as far away from this place as possible.

**********

Jax had been maneuvering back and forth between Red Woody and the Garden for the past few days. From approving changes to the website, overseeing shipments, and then working out a plan on how to begin purchasing property in what had become known as the “ghost town,” he had been constantly busy with the growing rise of tasks. So busy that he hadn’t noticed the recent changes at the Garden. It was December and Christmas was rapidly approaching. The place had already had the occasional holiday-themed decoration here and there, when they had their first brunch here. But now, it was like Lisa had gone overtime in making sure that everyone knew that the holidays were around the corner. The bar and clubhouse were decorated with wreaths, red ribbons, LED lights, small Christmas trees, a big Christmas tree in the corner, and even some mistletoe under the booths that he just witnessed some customers kiss under.

His heart warmed at the gesture and he realizes that this isn’t the Christmastime he saw for himself. It would be an entirely different time, compared to the past couple of years. His house would’ve been filled with festive decorations along with plenty of presents under the tree and holiday soundtracks constantly on replay. And besides the club, he would’ve been spending the day with his mom, wife, and son.

But none of those things would be happening this year or any year after that.

There was no wife. No son. Not anymore.

And his mother was no longer the woman who raised him.

Before he could get too absorbed in his own head and allow those depressing thoughts to lower his spirits, he shook himself out of it and shuffled his mind back to the present day. There was nothing he could do about the past, so there was no sense in wallowing in it.

“Hey, man.” Ace greeted as he exited the kitchen with a snack.

“Hey, Ace.” Jax responded, matching Ace’s strides towards the stairs.

It had been almost two weeks since the two clubs had gotten acquainted with one another. And in that time, they had all started to form close bonds. It didn’t take much, mainly food, beer and bikes. Those were the common threads that were already beginning to form a meaningful fabric amongst them all. They’d had a couple of other meetings to flesh out the early sketches of a plan on how to plunge through with their undertaking, usually followed by a meal, drinks, and riding out to a random location. And also just the other night, SAMCRO had decided to return the favor and host the Street Wolves for a night out in Charming. With no official clubhouse, they opted for inviting them to a wrap party for a recent Red Woody film.

“That was fun the other night, the Red Woody party,” Ace remarked as they climbed the steps, “Never been to a porn studio before.”

Jax chuckled at the young man’s loose grin and recalled the images of a drunken Ace having the time of his life, “Yeah, well, had to show y’all that the SAMCRO boys know a thing about partying too.”

Ace snickered while holding the door open for him to the lounge room. Jax knew that there was a private room downstairs behind the kitchen that the Street Wolves used as “church,” but Gil had repurposed the upstairs lounge room as the collaborative meeting room for both clubs. It seemed to also double as a quiet common space away from the downstairs bar area open to the public. Ace had snacks in his hand and judging from the paused screen on the nearby TV, he was getting ready to watch a movie.

“So, what you got going on for the holidays?” Ace asked.

“Uhh nothin’, probably just gonna enjoy the quiet. What about you?” Jax bounced the question back, as he usually did when he got the occasional question about his personal life.

Ace shook his head while tumbling on one of the couches, “Not from the area. Last year, I went to Flu’s because he usually cooks a lot,” He nodded to Brandon- who had just walked into the room and looked to be gathering his things, and looked back to Jax, “You could come along too. Flu won’t mind. I already invited Juice.”

“Maybe,” Jax said, non-committedly. He looked around the room and found a pen and paper he could use to write down a message to Gil.

“What, you guys talking about Christmas plans?” Brandon questioned with a grin.

“Yeah, I was just telling Teller about Flu’s. What about you? You doing anything special for the holidays?” Ace’s voice was careful as he asked the question, recognizing that his plans, up until recently, more than likely involved McKenzie.

“Well… McKenzie and I did have plans to get out of Highwater for a little getaway, but that’s obviously not happening,” He remarked as he put his jacket on, “But then I met this girl at the party last week and…” Brandon let out a whistle as his statement trailed off. “Long story short, she’s next level crazy which I found out last night, so problem solved!”

Jax’s gaze flashed to Ace, who was growing visibly uncomfortable. Ace had only just received his full patch a few months ago after a year of prospecting. Besides Jax and SAMCRO, he was the newest of the crew. He always felt incredibly awkward when he was witnessing the moments of discord between his brother and the president’s daughter. Even now, he grimaced at the mention of Brandon going on what was supposed to be a couple’s trip with a woman he’d just met. And he voiced as much, wondering if Brandon would realize how messed up it sounded if it was coming from outside of his own head.

“Sooo… you’re going on a trip that you arranged for you and McKenzie? But with another woman? A woman you just met less than two weeks ago?”

Jax bit his tongue and silently observed the encounter while writing down his note for Gil.

“Yeah, I mean, why waste the money? And the girl won’t know the difference, she seems excited. Hell, we’ll do whatever she wants as long as she does whatever I want when we’re back in the hotel room,” He joked.

Part of Jax continues to not want to pass judgment, especially knowing he, himself, hasn’t always been the most upstanding guy when it comes to women, but another part of him just can’t help but be bothered by Brandon. Even removing McKenzie out of the situation, it rubbed him the wrong way how dumb it was to flaunt around how happy you were to be free from the shackles of your relationship with the president’s daughter. It felt intentional, as if he took great pride in making it known that he was no longer in a relationship.

There was just something about the man that unnerved him. Something that told him that he wasn’t a dependable guy.

“Well, I, uh, hope you have fun,” Ace commented before turning his focus to the TV screen.

“Oh, I plan on it!” Brandon said, before walking towards the door and making his exit, patting Jax’s shoulder on the way out as a goodbye. “Catch you guys later.”

His progress in stepping out of the room was halted by the appearance of McKenzie.

“Oh, sorry.” He said before whizzing out the room.

McKenzie said nothing and merely side stepped to allow for distance between the two.

Both Ace and Jax watched the awkward, seconds-long encounter. McKenzie’s face was blank and she hadn’t looked up to make eye contact with either of them when she spoke up.

“Looking for Lisa, you seen her around, Ace?” She inquired.

“Uh, yeah, she’s in the back doing inventory.”

“Thanks.” And with that, she left to continue down the hallway for the back office where Lisa was currently working out of.

Jax silently hoped that she hadn’t heard what Brandon had just been bragging about, a trip that was once met for them being used on some random party girl. The man hadn’t exactly been shy or bashful in announcing his thoughts and the door wasn’t completely shut when she appeared. The thought of her overhearing that, especially after her last appearance here at the club house, left a disquieting feeling in his gut.

That, in and of itself, was confusing for him. He didn’t know why he felt the way he did about her, especially with the day she blew up on him in their last encounter. McKenzie had made her feelings for him perfectly clear that day. And with the intentional manner in which she didn’t acknowledge him at all just now only further reiterated her emotions towards him: she wanted nothing to do with him.

What worried him the most was that she hadn’t seemed to want anything to do with anyone. Since Brandon’s outburst nearly two weeks ago, she’d kept to herself, not visiting the clubhouse even once. From what he gathered, this had become a common occurrence even when the couple were still together. But the way she had been icing everyone out and isolating herself since two weeks ago was becoming a concern. He’d overheard Lisa relaying to Gil that the only reason she knew that McKenzie was alive and well was because she was living with Sairah. Other than that, she hadn’t been answering any phone calls or texts from her or Gil. It was clear that the older woman was becoming increasingly worried with her stepdaughter’s immersion in reclusiveness.

He felt bad for McKenzie, even if he’d never express it to her, knowing that that was a fail-safe way of getting lashed out at again. He pondered over whether the fact that she couldn’t stand him stemmed from him being the easiest target to hate or whether she genuinely couldn’t stand him. He couldn’t tell and maybe he never would. But even with the indignance and disgruntlement he felt towards her after their blazing moment in the dorm room, he still couldn’t help but care for her.

She was clearly struggling, but wasn’t allowing anyone close enough to help her.

He didn’t know what to do other than to let her be.

****************

McKenzie walked through the side door and desperately found the need to escape from the small, confined space that she had found herself in during Brandon’s confrontation. And as if to make things worse, the man himself, walked under the archway that separated the open bar space open to the public to the closed off area that led either to the kitchen or hallway with steps that go up to the upper level.

He had only given her the slightest of glances, obviously taking her father’s words to heart. His eyes swiped over her as if she was just another part of the wall. The feeling of invisibility under his gaze was actually a welcome feeling, compared to the targeted fury she’d been under the last time. The fear may have dissipated since then, but it still felt uncomfortable to be in such a tight space alone with him. He wasn’t stupid enough to actually do anything, but she still felt the need to pause and let him pass her before she moved herself.

Once he started walking up the stairs, she took a look into the bar area and sighed when her eyes hadn’t found Lisa. She then took a quick peek in the kitchen and found it empty. Her car was outside, so she knew she was there. She’d been getting phone calls and texts from pretty much everyone, checking in on her and making sure she was okay, but Lisa had been the biggest culprit in leaving voicemails and constant messages. As the days had passed, the messages from everyone had thinned out, the shock of Brandon’s actions probably already having worn off for them. Once he had put on his earnest frown and spewed his words of self-deprecation and how embarrassed he was for his behavior, it was as if he had done nothing. All was back to normal.

She didn’t have to be present in the clubhouse to know that Brandon’s apologetic behavior and words of remorse had been enough for everyone to forgive him and move on. That was part of the reason why she kept away. Why she had thrown herself into work, picking up overtime as much as she could. Why she practically locked herself away in Sairah’s guest room, only coming out to eat or leave the house.

She just needed time for things to blow over and for some semblance of normal to shift into place.

Lisa’s constant calling had been consistent, though. So here she was, at the clubhouse, showing her face, so that that could satisfy her stepmother and maybe not show her face for another two weeks.

Determining that she was not downstairs, McKenzie climbed up the stairs in search for Lisa on the upper level. As she got to the top step, she heard Ace and Brandon engaging in conversation, in the lounge room.

“Well… McKenzie and I did have plans to get out of Highwater for a little getaway, but that’s obviously not happening.”

McKenzie came to a halt at the barely cracked door as she listened to them speaking. He heard how he boasted of a girl he had met at the party a couple of weeks ago and much fun he had had last night with her.

“Sooo… you’re going on a trip that you arranged for you and McKenzie? But with another woman? A woman you just met less than two weeks ago?”

Fucking thank you, Ace, she thought as she listened to the unease in the younger man’s voice. She hadn’t had many conversations with Ace, but he had gained some respect in her eyes just now. Brandon, meanwhile, rattled off all the reasons how he’d justified it in his mind. As she heard him say his goodbyes, she found now a better time than ever to fully open the door and make her presence known. She knew he hadn’t given a single fuck whether she knew or not, but there was something less dignified in being caught snooping or eavesdropping in her mind.

He’d nearly collided with her, but they both side-stepped each other in time, as if their frames touching would singe each other’s skin.

She saw Jax in the room, but focused her eyes anywhere but him. She kept her eyes low, only sparing a glance to Ace as she asked where Lisa was. And when she got her answer, she left with a muted “thanks” and fled to her destination.

******

“Hey girl!” Lisa immediately lifted from her chair behind the desk and jogged over to hug McKenzie.

She couldn’t help the small smile that escaped her lips as she returned her stepmother’s embrace.

“Hey Lise.”

“How’re you doing, baby girl?” Once they had separated, Lisa rubbed McKenzie’s arms in a soothing motion.

“I’m alright,” she let out, with a sigh.

“Hmm,” Lisa gave her signature hum, but said nothing else on the matter, “Do you have next week off? Or does your shift fall on Christmas this time?”

McKenzie gave a hum of her own while realizing she had indeed taken time off for her weekend getaway with Brandon, “Technically, yeah, but I still may chip in and take some shifts. Got a bunch of firefighters and paramedics with kids at home, so if anyone wants to switch, I’ll volunteer.”

“Aww, that’s sweet, baby. You should at least use some of the time for yourself, though. Even if you don’t want to come by our house for Christmas dinner. I beat some sense into your father by the way, but I get it if you’re still a little mad at him.”

McKenzie chuckled, “Nah, it’s fine. I mean, I guess, I’m not mad at him anymore, but I was actually thinking, with the extra time, I might go visit my mom.”

And truth be told, she was still a little mad at him, but she knew where he was coming from. It still didn’t feel good, and soon enough, it’d blow over, like most of their father-daughter spats do, but she wasn’t currently interested in having a heart-to-heart moment with him. She wasn’t interested in having a heart-to-heart moment with anyone, which is why getting out of town and visiting her mom might be a good solution.

Lisa seemed to agree, “Oh, well that sounds fun! I’m sure she’ll enjoy getting to spend some time with you.”

“Yeah, nothing like announcing that your fiance dumped you to really get into the mommy-daughter bonding spirit,” she muttered.

“Wait, you haven’t told her?” Lisa’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Lise, you know my mom isn’t exactly the emotional type. She’ll say ‘oh well, it wasn’t meant to be’ and be done with it. I contemplated texting her and figured I’d save her the precious battery usage it’d take to send the message ‘ok’.”

She and her mom came to an understanding of their relationship a long time ago. It was why she felt no ill will or resentment as she described the sometimes coldness her mom emitted. And it was why the prospect of visiting her seemed appealing. She knew what to expect. They’d probably go shopping together and have a nice meal out, but the whole crying and comforting and carrying on was never her mom’s forte.

“I’m sorry, honey.” Lisa allayed, not knowing that a few days away from everyone here was exactly what McKenzie was craving.

McKenzie shrugged, “It’s alright. I haven’t spent a lot of time with her lately, it’ll be good for us.”

“Good. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”

“Yeah,” McKenzie sighed, “Anyway, I just came to show my face so you knew I wasn’t dead.”

They both laughed and Lisa was thankful to see the smile on McKenzie’s face.

“Don't you worry, I was having Sairah send in daily reports to make sure you were alright, objectively speaking, anyway.”

“Yeah, I definitely saw her footsteps outside my door a few times,” McKenzie responded. She patted Lisa’s arm as a goodbye and said, “And don’t be too hard on dad, you know he gets all sensitive.”

“Then, he better get his head out of his ass before the couch becomes his new bed.”

*********

McKenzie had descended down the stairs and continued walking out into the bar instead of the side door she usually entered and exited through. She had popped into the lounge room and saw that only Ace occupied the space, watching a movie. There was a chance he had more than likely already left, but she needed to talk to him, even if she knew it probably wasn’t going to end well.

There was nothing good to come from the conversation, but she still needed to know. Like witnessing a car accident and not being able to look away, she was unable to stop herself in searching for answers that would only hurt her. She didn’t know if it was for sanity, or clarity, or closure, or what. She felt like once she knew, she’d be able to move on and cease all of the moving parts and emotions in her head, but a part deep inside her, knew that it wouldn’t help in the long run. That it wouldn’t matter.

It’d been on her mind constantly since that night she moved out. A revelation that she knew to be true even when she believed his words that he hadn’t. The thoughts had slowly faded over the time that had passed since then, but overhearing him discuss the women he’d been sleeping with had brought it back to the forefront of her mind. She’d drive herself crazy if she, at least, didn’t ask.

The night slip should have cemented the truth, but she needed to hear it from his mouth.

Her gaze snapped into focus as she saw the door at the front closing. She strode across the bar and upon opening the door, was met with the sight of him walking towards his bike.

“B!” His eyes widened when he looked back, not expecting to face her of all people when he turned around. “Can we talk for a second?”

“Whatever this is, drop it. You heard your dad-”

“I’m not trying to start a fight, I promise. I just need to ask you something.”

She started walking to him once he fully turned around and indicated that he was listening. She ignored the frustration on his face and impatience in his sigh.

“What?” He gnarled.

“How long?”

His head tilted in confusion, “How long what?”

“Had you been cheating on me?”

He looked away and clicked his tongue at the roof of his mouth. Shaking his head, he began backing up and starting towards his bike, “I’m not doing this, McKe-”

“Just tell me.” The steel in her words gave him pause, “We’re not together anymore, so let’s cut the bullshit. It doesn’t matter, right? So, how long?”

“McKe-”

“How. Long?” Her spine straightened as she bit out the two words and took a step towards him.

“A year..” His words were low and he only briefly locked eyes with her before swiping them out of her gaze.

It felt like she was free falling in the wind. Like her stomach was dropping down to her knees and hanging by the thinnest of tendons.

He’d been cheating on her since before he proposed, for almost as long as they’d been living together. For every step they’d been taking in their relationship, he’d been defiling his commitment and faithfulness to her.

Could she even call the last year of their relationship real?

“So, before you had the intention of marrying me, you were what? Just sowing your oats all over town?”

“McKe-”

“Stop. Fucking. Saying. My. Name. How many times?!”

Anger was flashing through her veins and she wondered if it was possible to be flooded with an emotion. If it was possible if the very essence of ire would just start pouring out through her fingertips, her eyeballs, her pores, any second now.

“I don’t know…”

His lame response had her seconds away from physically shaking with fury.

And without much control, she gave her own lame, pathetic response, “I- I don’t get it. Why? Why did you stay with me? Why did you ask me to marry you?!”

“I don’t know.”

McKenzie’s hands clawed at the air, the way she wanted to claw at his face. She walked back a few steps, breathing in gasps of air.

“I’m sorry, McKenzie.” He spoke quietly and with remorse, which only infuriated her more. She charged back at him and didn’t hide the pain and devastation on her face.

“Did you ever even love me?! At all?! Did you ever… want me?”

“I did… for a while..” he gulped as he spoke. The response cracked her heart so much that she wished he had lied and said he never had.

“Why didn’t you just end things?” she questioned after a few painfully silent moments, “If there was some part of you that loved me, why didn’t you just tell me instead of dragging this along for five fucking years?”

His eyes continued to avert her as he thought over his words with another sigh, “I guess I didn’t want to make things hard. For us or for everyone else. I thought it’d be easier this way.”

Bafflement colored her features, “So your solution was to get married?”

“I thought it would help.”

“Help with what?” she questioned, desperate to grasp his reasoning.

Even when his eyes wanted nowhere to do with hers, he found the wherewithal to look straight at her when he opened his mouth.

“I thought it’d teach me how to love you again.”

Her eyes fell closed as his words washed over her. She was still working through her mind that the past year of their relationship hadn’t been real, but now she was beginning to come to terms that it’d been a long time before that. He hadn’t loved her for a long time.

Getting engaged, to her at the time, was her fairytale ending.

For him, it was a crash course. A hail mary.

A shot in the dark that he’d somehow have all the magic answers needed to unlock his heart for her.

In his goals to make things “easier,” he’d wasted years of her life.

He’d given her hope. Through what problems they’d been having earlier, the ring that used to sit on her left ring finger gave her hope that they’d figure it all out in the end. Given her hope that they could work through anything together. He gave her hope and when he could no longer withstand the pressure himself, he crushed it like an ant under his shoe.

Unable to look at him further, she walked towards the side of the building and off to where her car was parked. Noise had begun filling in her head after the silence that had made a home between them during their showdown. Tears had begun welling in her eyes but she slapped them off her face like pests.

She woke up this morning thinking, well shit, it couldn’t get much worse than this.

And today, it just had.

**********

McKenzie sat in her car with the random radio station still humming as she looked at the house. She’s not entirely sure how she ended up here in Charming after hours of driving around Highwater, but she was too amped up to question or second guess herself.

The sun was beginning to set now and the sky was a gradient of purple and pink.

His bike was outside, so she knew he was home. Only she didn’t know if he was home alone. The topic of his relationship status never came up and even if he was single, he definitely wasn’t celibate. There still could be someone inside and she had absolutely no idea what she was getting into here, but she still hadn’t left.

Something was keeping her here. Away from going back to Sairah’s and packing a bag to visit her mom.

She needed something that she knew very well he could give her. A chance to forget.

Her entire being was so fried that she just needed a break. From thinking. From hurting.

He could give her that, a few hours free from the trainwreck of her life.

When she was sure that the chances of her backing out were now non-existent, she finally cut off her car and got out. The air had the slightest of bites to it, which put some pep in her steps as she walked the path to the front door. The closer she got, the more resolved in her steps she was.

She looked at the door for a moment and has a vague memory of being pushed against it during their night together. The thought awakens her, which is the final enticement needed for her to knock on the door.

Jax was shocked to say the least once he opened the door and was met with her face. He had his gun nearby, just in case, but figured it was a neighbor or something. His eyes widened at the sight of her and his mind began to speculate on why exactly she was standing in front of him right now.

“Hey..” he manages to say.

“Hey.” she greets back, “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt your night…”

Her mind may have been resolute in its task, but she didn’t really know how to go about it, she was realizing.

He stepped to the side and let her inside while replying. “It’s fine, you weren’t interrupting much of anything.”

Part of him regrets just letting her in the way he so easily had, considering he didn’t know her intentions. As far as he was concerned, she hated every fiber of his being.

Closing the door behind her, they both just look at one another in the clumsy silence. McKenzie was the one who came here, so Jax is waiting to hear what she obviously has on her mind, but he also doesn’t want to come across as rude. Which is also confusing to him, because why would he care about how he’s coming across to someone that doesn’t like him?

“You want anything to eat or drink?” Jax began to walk to the kitchen, “I got some takeout and beer.”

She shook her head as she followed him.

He paused his steps when she declined his offer and merely looked at her. He looked down at her hands and saw that they were clenched together. And when he looked back at her face, really looked at her, he could see the redness in her eyes. She was upset, he had gathered. Not unlike the stupor he found her in when they met at the bar. She still held the same tired look in her eyes, but there was also a brokenness that was more palpable as he looked at her right now.

He waited for her to say something, but she stayed silent.

He knew he needed to force it out of her.

“What happened, darlin’?” He asked softly.

Her face transformed into an expression he couldn’t quite read.

“Wrong question.”

Without warning, McKenzie closed the distance between them and slammed her lips into his, balling up parts of his shirt as she held onto him. Jax, stunned by the force and suddenness of their collision, took a second or two to recalibrate and then reciprocate.

He pulled back first, only in search of oxygen. When he opened his eyes, he found the smallest of smirks adorning her face as she, too, took in her keep of fresh air.

“We… we can’t do this.” He breathed, feeling like only portions of his brain were currently functioning.

“I know,” she simply said, but then slid off her jacket and threw it on the nearby breakfast table. Her lips returned to his and her hands began creeping up his frame. She grabbed the cotton of his white t-shirt and lifted it to the point where he reached his hands up and allowed it to be removed from his body. He groaned into her mouth as he felt one of her hands reach lower towards the zipper of his jeans.

“Kenzie,” he breathed out and regained her attention, “this is a really bad idea.”

“Yep.”

She nodded, which was the only indication that she had heard him since she was currently removing her own shirt and throwing it alongside her jacket on the table. Then, she turned around and began walking to his bedroom, removing her bralette along the way.

Jax found more articles of clothing- her boots, her socks, and finally her jeans- as he followed her down the hallway. His heart thumped in his chest once she rounded the corner and entered his bedroom. His mind was whirling, still trying to understand what exactly had just unfolded. He knew walking into the bedroom would only complicate things. He knew this was a bad idea, he voiced as much. So why couldn’t he stop his feet from moving? Why wouldn’t his steps slow?

He turned the corner into the bedroom and was welcomed to the sight of her lounging across his bed, waiting for him in only her underwear.

Jax began unbuckling his belt as he walked further into the room. When he looked up and they locked eyes, mirrored smirks rose. Something so amusing, in that moment, about their little secret that no one else knew. A dirty little secret that should not be taking place right now.

Once he steps out of his jeans, he grabs one of her legs and pulls her closer to him. She yelps that ends with a laugh, something that Jax can’t help but smile at and chuckle to himself. He leans his face closer to hers and looked straight into her eyes, “Yeah, this is definitely a bad idea.” But that doesn’t stop him from being the one to initiate another kiss between them, this time more hungrier and needier than the first two.

His palm grabs her breast and he indulges in appreciating the fleshy material. Under his weight, she falls onto the bed and Jax follows her, leaning over her. He feels her hand come up behind his neck, pushing him further into their kiss until they’re no longer able to continue without air. His lips begin to pepper kisses down her neck and to her breasts while his hands move on to teasing her stomach and then inching down towards her black thong.

He snaps them against her skin which elicits a whimper from her. This only further encourages him. He snakes his hand between the thin material, first pressing and brushing her thighs before moving inward. McKenzie gasped and bucked her hips immediately as he started working her, his lips still suckling her breasts and absolutely leaving marks that would later turn up.

He took the time to explore her, what made her moan, what made her whimper, what made her jump and buck.

Soon enough, she was completely bare and his mouth had joined where his fingers had just been. He was off the bed with his knees on the floor as he licked, lapped, and suckled at the most sensitive part of her body. McKenzie was lost in pleasure, unable to process anything other than his tongue. She had no sense of anything beyond the exhilaration burgeoning between her legs. If she was luxuriating in silence or singing to the high heavens, she didn’t know.

Her release hit her like a train, her hips rising to join with his mouth as closely as possible. He continued softly through her release, almost like he was soothing an untamed horse.

McKenzie breathed in deep breaths as she felt him kiss and rub all the way up her body until he laid a soft kiss on her lips. Then, he separated from her still trembling body to search the nightstand for a condom. Her hands began to explore beneath his boxers, pulling him out of the undergarment. He relished in the warm grip she had him in before removing his boxers completely and giving her hands a light push.

He looked up at her and discerned the challenge in her eyes. He grabbed at her hands once more, but this time, pressed them to the bed above her head. Their eyes never left the other’s, even when he finally did remove his hands to slide the condom on himself.

Plenty of unspoken words were exchanged between the two in those few seconds before he finally slid into her. She released a sharp whimper at the sensation and immediately returned her hands to the back of his neck. He started his strokes slowly to give her time to adjust before finding a rhythm that left her leaving marks of her own on him, mainly half-moon indentations in the back of his neck from the tenacity with which she grasped him.

***********

McKenzie glanced over to the clock that sat atop his nightstand before slightly sitting up in bed. It was nearing midnight by now and Jax was in the kitchen grabbing her a water bottle. She hadn’t had the intention of staying as long as she did, but she didn’t regret it. She got exactly what she came for and was happy to be going home with a clearer mind. The only downside is that she worried what her state of mind would be in a few hours now that her distraction had faded.

“Here you go,” he said as he handed her the bottle. Once she grabbed it, he also put his hand out, offering her her bralette that she had taken off in the hallway.

She rolled her eyes with a sheepish grin before thanking him in a soft tone. She allowed the covers to fall off of her as she put the item back on. Glancing up, she saw that he’d been watching her and still had eyes on her now. She gave another grin before asking, “You seen any more of my clothes?”

Jax helped her look around and he came back with her jacket, socks and boots. She’d found her underwear right under the bed and slipped them on after getting out of the bed.

“You heading home?” He asked as he opened one of his drawers.

“Uh, yeah, well to Sairah’s place, anyway.” She responded and then furrowed her eyebrows when she saw that he was handing her one of his shirts.

“I spilled beer on yours.” He explained while motioning to the beer in his other hand.

She nodded and put on the shirt, along with the rest of her clothes. Once she was done, she looked back at him and cleared her throat. “So, um, listen. This… can’t happen again.”

She saw an expression, she couldn’t quite read, on his face, but he nodded his assent.

“I mean, really, I shouldn’t have even come here.” She rambled on, not thinking ahead of the aftermath of her lapse in judgment.

“So why did you?”

“I just needed to take my mind off things, I guess. I don’t know. What does it matter?”

“So you were using me.” He said. She was too caught up in her own mind to register the playfulness in his tone.

“Yeah, and?,” she bit back, “It’s not any different than the women you use on a daily basis, so let’s not. Hell, I’m surprised there wasn’t a line of them waiting outside your door tonight.”

Jax wore a glare that matched her own as he listened to her bitter words. “You know, darlin’, I let you into my house, I let you fuck your frustations out, the least you could do was be a little nicer about it.”

“Why, exactly? Why the fuck does it even matter to you? Jesus, I didn’t figure you the type to get attached.”

Jax let out a humorless laugh, head pulled back and all, while taking a closer step to her. “I’m not attached to you, trust me, but I just don’t get why you chose me to entertain you. There’s plenty of men out there to pick from that don’t happen to work with your dad and ex.”

“I don’t know, Jax, alright? Fucking sue me! If I knew if it was gonna turn into you getting your precious ego bruised, I would’ve rethought things. You didn’t seem to have a problem with it when we were in bed together. And I don’t even know why you’re being defensive about what I said, because it’s not like I lied,” she crossed her arms over her chest as she continued her retort, “The night we met you said I didn’t even know you, but I know exactly who you are. You sleep around without a fucking care in the world, and just as soon as it’s done to you, you want to feel some type of way about it. Well, I’ve got some advice for you, Jax. Grow. The. Fuck. Up. It’s not like this is ever gonna happen again, so just get over it.” She sliced her words at him remorselessly.

He knew she was hurt. Looking at her, she was back to how she first was when he opened the door. That deer in the headlights look even under the animosity and hostility. Whatever had brought her here had been hurt. And he was now becoming the target she lashed out at whenever her frustrations consumed her. He was all she had done since they first met, and even though he felt for her, more than he could help, he was also tired of being put into a place he never asked to be in. Too tired to stop the words pilfering out of his mouth once the room was silenced.

“You know, I know you’re miserable and bitter because your life is a goddamn mess, but did you ever think that maybe you’re the reason everything in your life is such a shitshow to begin with? Because of how you treat people?,” he was so engrossed in spewing hard-bitten words just as she had, that he missed the subtle crack of her hard exterior, “Just because your life is falling apart, doesn’t mean that everyone else has to be just as fucking bitter as you are.”

McKenzie refused to break eye contact despite the words hitting her harder than she’d ever admit to anyone. She held his gaze the whole time as he spat his harsh words, up until they were nearly in each other’s faces.

“Fuck you, Jax.”

Her voice was stiff and left no room for any sort of reply as she stalked out of his room and out of his house. Tears may have prickled during her exit, but she refused to let them fall. She was tired of crying.

Jax stood in his bedroom, still irritated but also filled with guilt as the weight of his words sank in, seconds too late. He heard the front door slam and the brief rattlings of the wall from its force. He rubbed his hand over his face, irked, now that he had realized he had just made things worse.

A/N: So… that backfired. And very quickly might I add. McKenzie’s really struggling and as we’ve seen from the little hints of Jax’s past, he also has a painful past. I’m excited to dive more into that, but of course, I won’t shy away from hearing theories, feelings, and thoughts! So please run up my notes! Like, reblog, and leave comments!

Also…. not Brandon getting mad but then ultimately outing himself in the same breath. Y’all notice that?

Thanks y’all for the love. Hope you enjoy!

Taglist: @drabbles-mc @ocfairygodmother @youlovetkay @est1887 @rebelwrites @hey-taylor-hey @brownsugarcoffy @kmhappybunny240 @readsalot73

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I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | 04

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language

WC: ~4.5k

“Is that red velvet?”

McKenzie glanced up from her perch on the porch steps as she registered Sairah’s voice. She picked up the milkshake and handed it to Sairah with a confirming nod. She was halfway finished with her own toffee-flavored shake when her younger sister arrived from her work dinner. McKenzie’s eyebrows raised at the high heels and suit jacket Sairah wore, not used to seeing her sister so done up.

In response, Sairah rolled her eyes and said, “Bite me. I came straight here from the restaurant. I bet this shake has more calories than whatever the hell kind of dish they served me.” She took a few sips before asking, “So how did it go today?”

McKenzie shrugged her shoulders in response, “About how I expected it to go. Once they found out, no one really knew how to act around me, kept looking at me like I was gonna break. Brandon, all but ignored me, except for asking me if I had told anyone yet and when’s the fastest I could get my crap out.”

She didn’t have to look at Sairah to sense the tensing in her.

“He didn’t do anything else, did he? You know I’ll fuck him up.” Her voice was hardened no matter how much she tried to sound airy and humorous.

Shaking her head and taking another sip of her shake, she responded, “Nah, I wasn’t there when he told everyone, but apparently he wasn’t exactly so forthcoming.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lisa said he made it sound like it was a mutual decision, like we both decided to call it quits,” McKenzie shrugged again, “but whatever, who cares, it’s over now.”

“Don’t you think everyone should know what happened? He shouldn’t get to hide behind some lame ‘we just decided we’re better off as friends’ shit.”

“You know how it is for him, everybody loves him.” McKenzie sighed.

“They love you, too. The fuck?” Sairah interjected.

McKenzie shook her head, practically ignoring the comment, “Anything he tells them, they have no reason not to believe him. If I say anything that counters him, it’s just gonna look like I’m trying to stir up trouble. Who would even believe me and think that I’m not just trying to save face?”

“So the alternative is to let him walk all over you?! What in the hell is wrong with you?”

“Sairah, please, just drop it,” frustration heavy in her voice, “I don’t care. It’s over. I just want to move on because at the end of the day, nothing I say is gonna change things. I don’t want to be difficult or make things difficult for everyone, I’ve done enough of that already.”

Sairah’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, “Who said you’re making things difficult, McKenzie?”

McKenzie sucked in a deep breath and looked straight ahead at the quiet neighborhood road.

“Did B tell you that?” Sairah pressed.

“Sairah…”

“He told you you make things difficult?”

Below what little composure she had, Sairah was fuming. Her fists danced at her sides as she looked at her older sister, unrecognizable from the usual no nonsense, feisty woman she had always been. She didn’t have to answer, her solemn demeanor was all the confirmation she needed. It infuriated Sairah to realize just how deep-rooted the problems in her sister’s relationship truly were.

Full disclosure, Sairah had never really liked him. Tolerated him because he was a Street Wolf. It was usually Sairah who was the solemn, reserved sister. That afforded her the luxury of sometimes being inconspicuous. And with her mother’s nosiness, she noticed a lot. So she saw straight through the bullshit and knew him to be the arrogant, narcissistic asshole that was hidden underneath the charming personality and jesting humor. Her unnerved feeling of him only intensified when he and McKenzie got together. She kept to only subtle comments and snarky cracks about him to McKenzie, but she knew her sister was going to do whatever she wanted no matter anyone’s opinion. Outright voicing her disapproval was a waste of words, even though she never hid her disinterest in their relationship.

McKenzie seemed happy, so who was Sairah to intercept that? There were even a few moments where she felt like she may have misjudged B, but they never lasted long. After a couple of years, their relationship grew turbulent and the amount of times where they were hot or cold dizzied Sairah. She’d been waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the relationship to finally end once and for all.

But then one day, McKenzie shows up to family dinner with an engagement ring on her finger. Her smile was blinding and it was quite possibly the happiest she’d ever seen her big sister. So Sairah shed any inhibitions and forbade herself from making any kind of negative comments, no matter how subtle or joking they may be. This man was going to truly be family now, she needed to learn how to play nice once and for all.

But then the honeymoon phase of their engagement was over in only a few days. Somewhere in that week’s time, McKenzie had gone from walking on sunshine to the distant and quiet woman that sat in front of her. The fallout had been worse than anything Sairah could’ve imagined, not because she had witnessed some kind of huge blowout or even physical violence, but because the sister she had always known had devolved into demureness and invisibility. Sure, she still had some moments of fierceness and headstrongness, but she had become more timid. A shell of herself. There were times that her sister’s reticence scared her, never having before associating meekness with McKenzie. She used to think her sister’s worst quality was her grudge-holding, but she’d take it back in a heartbeat if it meant McKenzie was less content in letting herself be walked over. Brandon had been the change in sharp 180, she knew that. But she didn’t exactly know what he had done or what he’s still been doing to cause such a shift in her.

Tonight, though? She was beginning to get some idea.

Hearing how she was so quick to place the blame solely on her, Sairah knew that those words weren’t hers. All their years together had to have included some kind of manipulation or grooming that led her to being so comfortable in saying those words and having that sentiment. They were words that had probably been ingrained in her over and over again for them to have come out so effortlessly.

The thought made Sairah ill.

“Let’s go inside,” McKenzie suddenly said as she hoisted herself up from the step she was sitting on, “I wanna make sure we get everything tonight so we don’t have to come back.” She unlocked the door and led a riled Sairah into the house. Sairah bit her words back and silently followed. The conversation was nowhere near done, but it was already late into the night. And also, just being in his place only further embittered Sairah, so the quicker they get out, the better.

Sairah’s eyes adjusted to the light as she came in from the nightfall. The home was pretty unfamiliar to her despite McKenzie living here for close to a year. The only two times she had been here were the first couple of days when she had moved in. It seemed only fitting that her last time at this place would be when moving her sister out.

“Alright, most of my stuff is in here.” McKenzie said as she walked upstairs to the main hallway. She stopped when she got to the second door on the left, not realizing the slowing in Sairah’s steps. Sairah took her time as she looked around and what she saw only served to unnerve her more.

The place looked like a bachelor’s pad. She did a spin as she walked up the steps and couldn’t find even one thing that looked different from the last times she was here. She was confused at the absence of McKenzie’s books lying around or any family pictures lining the walls. There was nothing she could pinpoint that looked like it belonged to McKenzie.

When she followed her sister into the guest room, her confusion only grew. There were several boxes scattered around the guest bed. Some were packed up, some were open. There was dust around the ones that were closed shut and Sairah could have sworn that that was where McKenzie had placed them when she had first moved in.

“...Did you already start packing yesterday?”

McKenzie had started on an open box when she answered, “Nah, I just grabbed a duffle bag with some stuff and left.”

Sairah paused, “Ok, so you’re telling me you never unpacked…”

Her words were gentle and careful, and she couldn’t tell whether that was for her sake or McKenzie’s.

McKenzie shrugged, nonchalantly, “The stuff I need is in the bedroom.”

Sairah shook her head sadly, “Kenz, it doesn’t even look like you live here.”

She blew air through her teeth as she traipsed to the closet. “He likes his stuff and it was his place before I moved in. We were gonna buy a new place together once we got married, so I figured…” McKenzie shrugged, leaving her statement unfinished as she grabbed some of her clothes from the guest closet, “You know I’m a pack rat, anyway.”

The sisters let the silence permeate as they worked together to fold clothes, pack belongings, and tape boxes. Sairah had gone from angered to melancholic and McKenzie was just happy for the questions to have stopped. They found a smooth rhythm together and found that they would be finishing up sooner than they thought.

It wasn’t until they were nearly done that Sairah spoke again.

“So how was SAMCRO?”

A beat passed before McKenzie spoke, “They were cool. Everyone seems to get along. They’re probably getting hammered as we speak.”

“Hmm. Maybe I’ll stop by before work and meet everyone. They’ll all be hungover, there’s no way they’re getting any work done tomorrow. Maybe while I’m there, me and B can have a chat.”

“Sairah.”

They let out matching exasperated sighs, both tired of the other. But Sairah conceded, with her hands up.

“I’m sorry.” She looked up and captured McKenzie’s eyes. “I really am. I’m sorry. I just- I hate him.”

“Okay, well let’s finish taping up these boxes and hate him together.”

Before long, Sairah was taking boxes to the car while McKenzie continued her last minute packing. She went from room to room, scavenging the area for any of her belongings. It was through that search that McKenzie realized the depth of Sairah’s words. She was right, there wasn’t much she could find that belonged to her. She’d been living here for a year, and everything she had could be boxed up and put into the backseat of her sister’s car. The sparseness made her question if she was ever really a resident here, instead of just a guest. To anyone looking from the outside, she was sure that they’d categorize her as the latter. It was sobering to think that she had never been allowed to make this place theirs and it was sobering for her to just realize this all now.

“Alright, we’ve got most of everything.” She heard Sairah’s voice coming up the steps as she stood in her now former bedroom with her last box of things. “Everything fit. There’s even room for more if-”

She paused when she noted the pensive look across her sister’s features, “What’s up?” She probed.

Snapping out of her realizations, McKenzie replied, “Uh, nothing. I’ve got the last of everything.” She held up her last box, mostly comprised of random, miscellaneous items she’d found in her final sweep of the place. “Got any more tape?”

“In the kitchen, I’ll go get it.”

“No, it’s okay, I’ll just bring it down.”

Sairah nodded in response, “Alright, well, if that’s the last of it, let’s dip.”

McKenzie only made a few steps before the box had slipped from her grasp. The opened cardboard sent the various items scattering all across the hardwood floor. With a groan, McKenzie bent down to begin retrieving the box’s contents while Sairah followed in suit. They grabbed everything in sight and McKenzie reached under the bed, where she saw her lemon squeezer roll away under.

She blindly felt around for it, waiting to feel the hard metal material. Instead, her eyes narrowed in confusion as she felt a soft material meet her hand. It was satin and when McKenzie pulled it out, she was met with the sight of a dusty pink nightgown. She silently licked her lips and closed her eyes, centering her mind.

Sairah crouched there, watching the reaction in confusion. She jumped a bit when she watched McKenzie angrily throw the material back under the bed and rise back up.

“Uh, do you not want that?”

“It’s not mine.”

She left her lemon squeezer under the bed and walked out of the room with the box grasped firmly in her hands. She hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen to tape it up, not wanting the contents to fall out again.

Sairah rigidly followed behind once the implications of her sister's words registered.

McKenzie could hear the words “piece of shit” uttered from her sister's mouth several seconds before then hearing the front door shut. Only, Sairah was in front of her, leaning against the kitchen archway.

Brandon’s voice echoed through the front hallway as he walked into the space, “McKenzie, you still here?”

McKenzie and Sairah’s eyes met and with everything in her, McKenzie poured pleading and supplication into her face. Sairah took a pause, as if she was thinking about it, before pushing herself from against her leaned position in the archway and silently stalked out of the house. It wasn’t before she threw a look of disbelief and disappointment McKenzie’s way and fiery eyes at Brandon.

There was a brief, uncomfortable air when Brandon’s eyes met Sairah’s. She almost wished he said something, anything to give her a reason to lash out, but he merely waved with a blank look on his face before heading to the kitchen.

“What’s up her ass?”

McKenzie clicked against her tongue, deciding against saying anything. The less words the better, because almost anything was bound to start a fight between them.

“I got everything, I think, but if you see anything I might have missed, just leave it at the clubhouse and I’ll get it.” Her voice was firm, succinct, and hopefully left no room for argument. She was tired of showing him weakness and she refused to leave their relationship with anything less than her head held high.

“Sounds good,” he shrugged.

With a sigh, she walked around the counter and towards him while reaching inside her pocket. The velvet box that held her engagement ring inside was now grasped between her fingers. The symbol of their forever was now his and his only.

She wordlessly handed it to him, and swiftly returned her hand to her side once she had done so. As he looked down at it, he toyed with it in his hands.

After a few seconds, he whispered, “I am sorry, McKenzie. I-I really wanted this to work.”

She bit the inside of her cheek, working to keep her tears at bay. She avoided looking away from his stare, wanting to see what lay on his features as he spoke. She wanted to find sincerity, she wanted to believe that his words were true. But she didn’t need to look at it to know that they were indeed false. She simply couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in her gut that told her he wasn’t sorry for a damn thing. If anything, he was saying those words for her benefit.

Before she let the walls close in around her, she simply turned around towards the door. The weight of what she was leaving was hitting her full force, but she refused to let it stop her in her tracks. The long years of dysfunction, broken promises, and heartbrokenness kept her moving. She only paused long enough to open the front door and turn her head back.

Their eyes met for the last time that night, “Bye, Brandon.”

************

Jax glanced around at the party in full swing. Drinks were flowing, music was bumping, and there was unadulterated fun everywhere he looked. He had already had a few beers along with some food and whooped Opie and Rev’s ass in pool. That was about as much mayhem he was getting into tonight, but that didn’t mean the festivities were by any means mild.

Ace and Juice had started a keg competition that currently consisted of Half-Sack doing a handstand on the keg while chugging straight from the nozzle. Kozik, Bobby, and Flu were attempting to try and stay upright after the numerous shots taken between them. Happy and Chibs were currently occupying the pool table that Jax had recently vacated, attempting to pull in Rev and Opie for a game of eight-ball. Sweets had barely left the dancefloor as he bopped and swayed around with any woman who gave him the time of day, which was practically every woman, given his silky moves and suave flirtations. Everyone was having a good time and it warmed Jax’s heart to see.

Sliding his way through the crowd, Jax made his way over to Gil, who was also looking around at the expanse of the Garden and taking in all the joy and celebration. He’d been bundled up in a booth for most of the night, silently reveling in all of the jubilee. Lisa was sitting next to him and she generously handed Jax an unopened beer as he got closer to the circular booth. With a silent smile, Gil gestured for him to join them and take a seat.

“Thanks Lisa.” Jax flashed her a smile as he opened the beer.

Without any more words needing to be said, the trio sat back, relaxed, and beamed in the inaugural party of their alliance.

Meanwhile, across the bar, Rev was interrupted from making his shot as he felt his shoulders being shaken roughly. An already inebriated Brandon was behind him, flashing him the widest of smiles.

“Rev, I finally did it, man!,” He spoke jubilantly, not even paying attention to Rev’s confused eyes or the hesitant eyes of the few SAMCRO members who were playing eight-ball with Rev.

“What did you do?” Rev asked as he looked around, “Didn’t you just get here? How the hell are you already drunk?” His nose fluttered at the unwelcoming scent of alcohol hitting it.

“Ay, yo, Ace grab me a bottle of tequila!” B’s voice boomed around the bar as he yelled for some Don Julio. He turned back to Rev, “I’m officially a free man, brother,” He spoke with a wide grin on his face.

Rev’s face was still full of confusion which prompted B to go further. “She’s out the house, man! Her and Sairah just left with all her shit. She gave me the ring back and everything. Now all I gotta do is find me a dime piece to take back with me.”

Rev’s face contorted into agitation. His voice was shrouded in warning as he lowered it to speak to B.

“You might wanna cool it on the drinks, man. You just got here, pace yourself.” There was cautioning in his tone, but it didn’t seem to register in Brandon. There was a luminous gleam in his eyes and the broadest of smirks. He actually looked genuinely thrilled for his relationship to be over, not the forced kind of “I’m fine” façade that most guys might put on to save face. No, he looked like he was ready to live his best life, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Rev was torn between letting him be and causing an even bigger scene. B’s drunkenness wasn’t allowing him to take any of Rev’s words seriously, but Rev knew if he raised his voice or got aggressive, it would gain more attention to everyone.

Jax was the only one who’d noticed when B walked in. He’d only initially taken a quick glance as he looked out at the rest of the party, but his eyes returned to those two as he noticed the tenseness in Rev’s stance. Whatever was going on was obviously perplexing the usually cool-headed vice president.

“Look, are you okay, man? You really don’t gotta be all tough guy about this.” Rev spoke as softly as he could over the loud music.

“This may be a shitty thing to say, but I’m actually fantastic.” Brandon shrugged his shoulders and took a large swallow straight out of the bottle that Ace had passed to him. The dopey grin hadn’t washed off in the slightest.

Rev’s eyebrows rose slightly with an inch of disappointment, “And what about McKenzie? Is she alright?”

“I don’t know, really, but then again, not my problem anymore, y’know? Even if I did ask, she’d never give me a straight answer, so what’s the point? You know how she is, always making things difficult.”

Rev opened his mouth to speak, but B cut in, ready to change the subject.

“All that matters is that I finally get to have some fun!” He moved to brush past him, but Rev planted a firm hand against his chest and blocked him from going further.

“Aye man, think for a minute. Do what you want, but you just broke up with McKenzie. It ain’t a good look to be wildin’ out, not in front of Gil.”

“What does it matter, she ain’t here and we’re not together. Besides, I got some catching up to do,” his words were to Rev, but his eyes were on a random woman across the bar, nursing a coke and rum. “Later, man.”

The night continued to wear on, filled with music, drinks, and festivities. Jax had found himself at the bar, partaking in a few shots with Happy and Sweets. Gil had taken Lisa out on the dance floor for a few numbers, enjoying themselves to Bobby’s karaoke singing. Opie, Flu, and Chibs were the first ones to retire for the night not long ago, but vied for crashing upstairs instead of riding home. Ace, Half-Sack, and Juice were somehow still going heavy on the drinks, transitioning into some weird kind of video game trivia contest where getting the wrong answer resulted in taking jello shots. Rev had gone to try and settle Brandon down once again. Jax couldn’t make out what their earlier conversation was, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure he was trying to keep Brandon on the straight and narrow right about now.

Jax debated whether he was ready to go home or not. His body was beginning to wear down on him and it’s not like he had anywhere super important to go tomorrow. Everyone would be too busy nursing their hangovers for them to get actual business done. But Jax had yet to make his move, still perched on the bar stool, eating stale peanuts.

“You good, Jax?” Lisa’s out-of-breath voice was beginning to calm as she leaned against the back of the bar.

He nodded as he looked at her grabbing a bottle of water. “Yeah. You tired yourself out there, huh?” He asked as he gestured towards the dance floor that was becoming less populated as the early morning hours crept in.

Lisa giggled. “Yeah, I’m not old, but I also ain’t that young anymore. Gil and I used to close out a dance floor, no matter the occasion. Wedding, patchover, birthday, you name it.”

They shared a laugh together.

“So… I think Flu mentioned in the club meeting earlier that you have another daughter? Didn’t see her or McKenzie tonight.” Jax wondered if his questioning came across as subtle as he wanted it to. He wasn’t sure why he was asking or inquiring about McKenzie, but as soon as the curiosity spiked him, he couldn’t help but ponder. “Pretty much everyone else was here, but they weren’t. Was just wondering…”

His questioning didn’t pass by Lisa’s own inquisitiveness, but she also didn’t let on that she found his inquiries peculiar.

“Sairah had a work meeting tonight and she’s kind of a wallflower, anyway. Doesn’t really like parties, but she’s around pretty often. McKenzie… Well, these days she avoids this place like the plague.”

“‘Cause of Brandon.” Jax surmised.

Lisa merely looked at him and he couldn’t quite decipher the carefulness on her face. Before he could apologize for potentially overstepping, she spoke.

“Hmm, you pick up on things quick. Although, I guess the break up makes things somewhat self-explanatory.”

“Is she doing alright?” He questioned, watching the older woman take a pause and think through her words with a sigh.

“She’s hanging in there, definitely not taking it as well as B. I think the whole damn club is taking it harder than him,” She replied with bitterness in her tone. Then, she waved a hand as if to calm herself from getting agitated. “She’ll be okay. She’s a Gilbert, she’ll bounce back strong. I’ve been meaning to ask, by the way, do you two know each other?”

Jax felt his breath hitch in his throat. His mind blanked for a second, but thankfully he still had one more shot in front of him. He picked it up and as nonchalantly as possible responded, “Nah, why do you ask?” before kicking it back.

“I saw you kept looking at her earlier at brunch, just figured maybe you knew her from somewhere.” She shrugged as she held her hand out for the now empty shot glass from him.

“Nah, we don’t know each other.” He responded with a reassuring smirk, as he internally chose his words carefully, “I just thought she looked familiar, I guess.”

“Hmm. I just didn’t know if you guys were friends or something. She could really use some. With everything going on…” Lisa paused, as if she was reconsidering her words.

Jax prodded, “What?”

Lisa sighed and looked at him, “Everyone here, they all love McKenzie, she’s family. But it’s different. Brandon is a member. So even if they don’t mean to, I’m just afraid they’re gonna side with him. You may not understand it from this side, but I know you know what I mean. Just the whole club culture, in general.” She vented. “McKenzie doesn’t really have a lot of friends outside of the club, so I guess I just worry. I don’t even know why I’m telling you this, I’m not trying to pit you against either side, that shouldn’t even be your concern.”

“Nah, it’s okay.” Jax assured her, “You’re just doing what a good mom does, worrying about her kids. I won’t take sides, I promise. I’m just trying to get along with everyone and make sure everyone gets along with me.”

Lisa nodded in understanding and a glint of approval, “Smart. The best presidents are diplomatic,” She mused with a chuckle, which he also joined in on.

“But even though I’m not trying to get involved, doesn’t mean you can’t vent if you need to.” He smiled, which she mirrored.

“I like you, Jax Teller,” she declared with a point of her finger.

A/N: Reblogging this doubles as a "Fuck Brandon" button so please press it, thanks!

Anyway, things will be ramping UP in the next couple of chapters so I'm really excited for y'all to see what happens next. I actually cut some of the scenes from this chapter, but if y'all are interested in me posting them as kind of like "deleted scenes" I could do that. Nothing vital is missing, just a little more backstory and building of relationships.

I hope y'all enjoyed! I wanna thank y'all for all the love and support you've shown this story. Pls continue to like, reblog, and leave reviews. I really like to hear what y'all think!

Taglist: @drabbles-mc @ocfairygodmother @youlovetkay @est1887 @rebelwrites @hey-taylor-hey @brownsugarcoffy @kmhappybunny240 @readsalot73

[proceduralpremium]

I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | 03

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language, a lil derogatory language towards strippers

WC: ~5.5k

McKenzie glanced down at the grocery list as she leaned against the buggy in the middle of the chip aisle. She offered to do the grocery shopping for tonight’s party since she didn’t plan on actually attending. And also, it was just an excuse to dip out from the clubhouse. She needed to be away from everything, or rather everyone right now. She was having a hard time as it was adjusting to the recent fallout with her and Brandon. But add Jax to the mix and she was ready to crawl up the walls.

She continued on her journey down the aisle after grabbing a variety of family size chip bags. The buzzing in her pocket halted her once again and when she reached to look at her phone, she saw that her sister was calling.

“Well, that didn’t take long.”

“What?” Sairah inquired.

“You calling, I’m actually surprised you didn’t call sooner,” McKenzie clarified.

“Well damn, I do have a job, you know. How are you?”

“Fine.”

Sairah groaned, “One of these days, I’m gonna take that word and shove it down your throat. You know you can talk to me, right?”

“Look, I know you’re trying to help, but I really don’t want to talk about it,” She said with a sigh.

Sairah paused before saying anything else and then spoke, “This just sucks. I wish there was something I could do to make it all better.”

“Well since you mentioned it, there is something you could do to make it a little better. Can you help me with something tonight?”

Sairah hesitated for a moment but then replied, “Uhh, sure, I’m not going to the party anyway. What do you need?”

“I was gonna move out tonight while he’s at the party,” McKenzie explained as she continued pushing her cart around the store.

Another pause.

It was obvious that Sairah was working overtime to mind her tongue. These days, McKenzie was hard to suss out. She didn’t want to say anything to further upset her heartbroken sister, no matter how much she assured that she was “fine.” In reality, all Sairah wanted to do was shake her and get her to see reason.

“The sooner, the better, you know?” McKenzie prompted.

Sairah couldn’t hold back the frustrated sigh. “What, he can’t wait a couple of days? Or damn, better yet, be a gentleman and help you move the shit himself?”

“Look, I can do it myself if it’s that big of a hassle.” McKenzie bit back.

“I didn’t say it was a hassle-” Sairah paused again, taking a moment to gather calmness before this turned into an argument. When she felt more in control of herself, she continued, “I’ll be there tonight. I have a work dinner with some colleagues, but I’ll come straight there afterwards.”

“Are you sure? I mean if it’s-”

“I’ll be there, McKenzie,” Sairah soothed.

McKenzie closed her eyes with some relief, happy that she wouldn’t be doing this alone.

“Okay, well, then I’ll see you then. Thanks.”

“No need to thank me, sis. He better stay his ass at that party, though, because there’s no telling what I’ll do the next time I see him.”

“Sairah…”

“He needs his ass beat, McKenzie. You can downplay it all you want, but he didn’t just wake up one day and decide he didn’t want to get married.”

“Sairah,” McKenzie’s voice wavered, “I’m in the middle of the grocery store right now, I really can’t do this right now.”

The roughness in her voice immediately silenced Sairah’s ranting, “I’m sorry. I really am. I’m not trying to make things worse. I’ll shut up.”

“I know.” McKenzie nodded even though Sairah couldn’t see her, “I guess I just need time to process, y’know? I don’t even want to think about it, much less talk about it.”

Her sister replied, “Okay, I’ll drop it for now.”

McKenzie smiled as she wiped her wet eyes, thankful that none of her tears dropped in public.

“Thanks.”

“I’ll see you tonight.”

The sisters said their goodbyes and McKenzie returned her phone to her pocket. She resumed her shopping with a little bit of weight lifted off her chest, knowing that if no one else, she always had her sister by her side.

******

Jax stepped out of the lounge and decided to venture around. Gil did say that SAMCRO was completely welcome to the clubhouse and to consider it their shared home for the time being.

There was less heaviness on his chest now that he and McKenzie had talked. He was relieved that she had voiced the same train of thought that he was thinking; there was no reason that anyone needed to know about their night together. The adamancy with which she expressed her desire for this not to be brought up ever again filled him back with relief and more hope that everything would go right. That nothing would curtail his goals for bringing this club into a new era. He felt bad for her, he couldn’t lie. She obviously harbored a lot of hurt from her break up which translated into the unprovoked animosity that he was met with last night. He was empathetic to her plight, not enjoying how it was clearly affecting her. But on the other hand, it was better that the two were broken up. It was technically less messy if it were to get out that he and McKenzie had hooked up. Sleeping with just the president’s daughter was a little better than sleeping with the president’s daughter and another member’s fiancée. For him, at least.

He doubted she would take the same comfort as he.

She was still in the same place. Constantly having to face the guy who dumped you. And now Jax’s presence probably made that even more difficult for her. The thing that gave him relief still probably hurt her deeply and there wasn’t much either one could do about it.

Jax wandered down the stairs and found his way back into the common area. The bar was open now with some Highwater patrons enjoying a drink, intermixed with some SAMCRO and Street Wolves. He needed the earlier time to himself after their fruitful meeting and the bombshells from this morning. Now, his social battery was recharged and he felt inclined to mingle. There’d be plenty of time tonight to really get to know everybody, but he wanted to interact some while sober.

He looked up when he heard chuckling. Flu was smirking at him, “I’m surprised you’re not somewhere resting. Two clubs coming together, the party tonight’s bound to be one for the books.”

Jax shook his head with a chuckle, “I don’t plan on doing too much damage. I’ll leave that to Bobby and Kozik, those two’ll probably get drunk enough for me by themselves.”

“Sweets and Ace, too! Those fuckers drink as if you can buy new livers at Walmart.” Flu shot back.

Jax grinned as he looked all around the room. The bar, now open to the public, had a mix of patrons and club members around. It was still somewhat quiet, given it was the middle of the day, but held a reassuring, regular vibe. Jax had only been in the space for a few hours, but he had already found comfort here. In the space and in the people.

In his sweep across the room, he didn’t spot McKenzie. He hoped she didn’t feel the need to avoid everyone because of him, but he knew that he probably wasn’t the sole factor behind her disappearance.

“Wanna sit, man?” Rev asked. He nodded to the seat that sat at the table between him and Brandon. He was reading Zhuangzi, a Chinese philosophy book while Brandon was watching sports highlights at the nearby TV that hung over the bar area. Flu looked as if he was doing some accounting business for the bar, given the papers, pencil and calculator he had out on the table.

Jax nodded and placed himself in the seat.

“So, what’s your first impression of ‘The Garden,’ Teller?” Brandon asked, referring to the name of the Street Wolves’ bar. He leaned away from his bent over stance from focusing on the TV.

“It’s a nice establishment y’all got set up here. Some clubs fix cars, some clubs run bars.” Jax cracked.

T.M. went up in flames alongside the clubhouse, but it had been their legitimate front for as long as the club had been around. Just like with T.M., The Garden was the Street Wolves’ front with closed off areas upstairs designated as the club-only quarters.

“That’s right, y’all had an auto shop. Shit, that’s just another business idea we could get crackin’ when the time comes.” Rev added. The others nodded in agreement.

“Maybe so.” Jax concurred. The possibilities were endless with what they could do and he couldn’t wait for them all to buckle down and narrow down some solid projects to get going.

“Maybe sometime later this week, you can take us all on a field trip, let us see that ghost town you were raving about.” Rev encouraged.

He nodded in response, pleased that Rev seemed to be as enthusiastic about the potential area as he did. Hopefully, everyone else would come to the same response once they saw the blank canvas waiting to be painted on.

“Consider it done.” Jax declared.

Rev leaned back in his seat and lowered his book some, curiosity in his gaze, “So what else is there to know about the SAMCRO president? I’m assuming you’ve lived in Charming your whole life.”

“Born and raised,” He confirmed.

“What about family, besides the club? I know you mentioned your dad found the club…”

Jax paused for only a second, “I got a sister, yeah.”

“Damn Rev, what’s this, 20 questions?” B asked, but Rev just waved him off with a shrug.

“Just making conversation, man,” He said to B before glancing back at Jax, “What about an old lady?”

Jax felt a sharp aching in his chest at the question, but merely blinked his eyes to mask the pain the harmless question filled him with.

Shaking his head, he said, “Nah. What about you?” It was a smooth deflection, but Jax was also interested to learn more about the Street Wolves as well.

Flu had snorted at the question which immediately sent a smug smile on Rev’s face. “Aye man, fuck you.”

“This ole doe-eyed motherfucker be falling in love with every stripper he sees at the local joint. They don’t even be wanting to be saved, but here he comes with his cape.” Flu interrupted.

“Man, chill with all that.”

“You read all them books, so I know you know what a Superman complex is. I know you see your face right there in the dictionary next to the definition.”

Jax listened to the two of them bantering, enjoying the camaraderie.

“Aight, so Rev here has got hero syndrome,” Jax joked. “What about you, Flu?”

“He ain’t much better than I am!” Rev retorted. “What’s this, divorce number three?!”

“Aye man, at least I know when to quit. You ain’t happy until they running you out for fucking up their tips!”

They both laughed at their antics, enjoying each other’s ribbing and finding solace in their fellowship. It shouldn’t have felt so refreshing to Jax, but it did. His own brotherhood had been hanging by a thread after the mess Clay and Tig made of it. There were several SAMCRO members who wrestled with the feelings of mistrust they felt around people that should have been their brothers. People they used to be able to rely on without a second thought. Jax wasn't proud to admit that he, too, felt something was lost in their charter after the dust had settled. Everyone had made renewed vows to reseal the once-tight bonds that held SAMCRO together, but it was easier said than done.

He allowed his mind to travel back to the now and let himself rejoice in the fact that they were now back to being as tight as ever. He tuned back into the conversation at the table and set his previous feelings of upheaval ebb to the back of his mind.

“I guess Gil and B are the only ones who got this love and commitment shit figured out.” Rev sniggered, but the comment set Jax’s back straight. He looked at Brandon to gauge his reaction. An uncomfortable awkwardness settled in Jax as he knew Rev’s comment wasn’t completely true. From the look on Brandon’s face, there was also uneasiness in him at the comment, but he kept quiet.

“One of you mind directing me to one of the dorm rooms? I could probably use a shower before tonight.” There’d be plenty of time for him to freshen up, but Jax was keen on disrupting the unsettledness that had yet to pass from him.

“Yeah,” Brandon rose first and waited for Jax to follow. Rev's eyebrows flew up at the sudden movement. With the rate at which he stood, it seemed that he, too, was searching for a way out of the awkwardness. Together, in silence, they walked back upstairs and he directed Jax to one of the unoccupied dorm rooms with an ensuite bathroom.

Back downstairs, with the two of them now alone, Rev spoke in curiosity, “Flu, has B seemed a little off to you lately?”

“No more than usual, why?”

Rev simply shrugged, “I don’t like getting in his business like that, but sometimes he makes it all of ours when it comes to him and McKenzie’s shit. And then the way he just up and left in a hurry with what I just said…”

“Shit, he’s probably just got cold feet.”

Huffing out a breath, he lowered his voice some. “I know they love each other, but damn if I don’t miss how things were before they got together,” he reminisced, “McKenzie don’t even come around like that anymore, you’d think them getting engaged would mean her being around just as much, not less.”

Flu sighed, “I mean, you know she’s been focused on her job and everything, and it’s not like we really need her as a medic as much these days. The benefits of being legit, less bullet wounds. And the club’s been her and Sairah’s lives since they were babies, I can understand wanting to branch out some. They know where home is."

“Well, yeah, but Sairah still pops in all the time. And it’s not even about just about how much McKenzie’s here, it’s about how she already looks ready to bounce before she even walks through the door. You saw how fast she volunteered to go grocery shopping for Lisa? And shit, B just looks miserable these days.”

“I don’t know what to tell you man, my name is Bennet and I ain’t in that shit. Maybe it’s just pressure considering he’s marrying one of the president’s daughters, I don’t know.” Flu shrugged, seemingly done with the conversation.

*******

McKenzie sat back in tiredness with all the errands she’d been running. She took the liberty of not only going to the grocery store, but she also picked up her dry cleaning, got some gas, made a bank deposit, and explored the town for some apartment openings. She didn’t plan on staying with Sairah forever, so she wanted to get an idea of what the current rent market looked like.

She was currently in her car, outside of the clubhouse, after honking the horn of her blue-green Camry. The guys usually volunteered to help grab and unpack the groceries, but she had no patience right now. So with a grunt, she got out after popping her trunk.

There was a possibility she’d get roped into helping Lisa put the final touches on the party tonight, but that was the absolute latest she was staying. Once the party commenced, she was out of here.

She grabbed the grocery bags with a bit more aggression than needed, but they were the closest target to letting out her frustration. She didn’t want to have to make several trips back and forth, so she grabbed as much as she could with her two hands. In her zealousness, a jar of salsa had slipped out from one of the bags. Before it could reach the ground, a hand caught it.

McKenzie looked up and found herself face to face with Jax. His appearance forced her to settle some. Not even necessarily because she didn’t want him to see her so puzzled, but just the fact that she had found his words so grounding earlier today. Her moment with him earlier was probably the most peace she had gotten today. She couldn’t call it trust, she didn’t even know him, but there was an assurance, a bond now built between them that melted away the apprehension she felt when their eyes first met earlier today. His peering eyes held concern and he didn’t stumble in voicing it.

“You good?” He asked.

“Y-yeah, I’m okay.” She breathed.

They both stood up from their slightly leaned position. Her head snapped up at the sound of other voices as more of the guys came out to help with the groceries.

“Thanks,” she spoke quickly to him before handing a bag to Rev.

Wordlessly, she moved back some and allowed them to retrieve the remainder of the bags before heading inside. When she walked behind the bar to the narrow kitchen, she was met with Lisa.

“Oh, thanks, baby. You know where to put everything.” Lisa was busy, going in and out of the kitchen and bar, fixing drinks for customers and talking with the caterer for food tonight. By the time McKenzie had finished putting everything up, she was ready to make her exit for the day.

Instead, Rev stopped short as he was walking past the kitchen, “Yo, your pops was looking for you.” He called out. He paused again when McKenzie called after him.

“Wait, why?”

Rev shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, he said to tell you go find him when you came back from the store.”

Nodding slowly, she ambled out of the kitchen and made her way upstairs. Rev watched after her, still unnerved at the recent changes in the woman he’d always considered a sister. It wasn’t lost on him that B hadn’t gone out to help with the groceries, he hadn’t even acknowledged her when she walked in. He was resolved not to say anything because he hadn’t felt it was his place, but Lisa wasn’t so hesitant.

She had been running around putting the finishing touches on the party while also tending to customers as they came and went. Still, her eyes saw everything and questions continued to rise in her head. The first time she’d had something of a breather, she went and dashed straight to Brandon.

“Ok, since she’s not gonna say anything, I figure you’re the next best person to go to.” Lisa spoke as she sat down next to B. She took a second to catch her breath from all her moving around as she waited for B to speak.

The confusion on his face was evident.

“Huh?”

“McKenzie. What’s been going on with her? She’s been off all day and in typical McKenzie fashion, she pretends like nothing’s wrong. We need to make sure nothing’s wrong.”

Jax looked on at the encounter, pretending he was entranced with the TV. He watched as Brandon’s shoulders tensed and he could see the pause in his features as he searched carefully for his next words.

With a deep sigh, he said, “...It’s not really my place anymore, Lisa.”

Rev’s ears perked up at those words and his eyes met Brandon’s with confusion. Lisa’s eyebrow rose in alarm and question.

“What are you talking about?” She asked.

“Guess this is a good time as ever,” he mumbled before standing. He avoided Lisa’s chilly look as he drew the attention of everyone. “Guys listen up, I got something to say," he paused before continuing, "Last night, McKenzie and I decided to end things. For good. We’re not getting married and we’re no longer together.”

A shocked silence permeated the room and Jax looked around at the stunned faces of the Street Wolves and the sympathetic looks of his SAMCRO brothers.

“It was just better for everyone this way. No hard feelings.” He declared with his hands up.

Jax hadn’t realized he was holding his breath during Brandon’s announcement and he also hadn’t realized the hitch in it at those choice of words. The tone that suggested amicableness. Mutuality. And he knew from McKenzie that that couldn’t be further from the case. When he made it sound like a reciprocal decision, McKenzie had all but voiced that he had dumped her. And it made Jax wonder what his angle was.

Sweets spoke first, having just arrived not long beforehand to hear the announcement. “Ahh, B, that sucks, man. Sorry to hear that.”

Brandon simply shrugged at his words. Jax looked over to Lisa who was silently fuming in her seat, her eyes never having left B despite his ardently avoiding hers. Jax was almost scared of whether she might lash out, her quiet fury reminiscent of his own mother’s. Despite possessing a glare that could kill, she simply rose from her seat and presumably went to check on her step-daughter.

“Maybe you two can work things out.” Ace suggested.

“Nah, we’re definitely over. And that’s okay. We don’t want to make this weird for anybody, we’re all still family, after all. We just wanted you to know what’s going on.”

And with that, he returned to his seat, going about his business as if nothing had happened.

**********

McKenzie stepped into the club’s lounge area, tapping on the open door as her dad looked up at her from his leaned stance against the table. He gave her a small smile and nodded her in.

She closed the door behind her and walked further into the room. When she settled next to him against the table, he spoke.

“How are you doing, baby? You’ve been quiet today.” He asked softly. And when she looked at her father, at the sympathetic and soft cast on his face, she knew.

“He told you,” resolution in her voice.

Gil gave her a sad smile.

“He did.” He simply stated. He sat and waited for her to give a response, but she simply sat there, smoothing her hands down her jeans. With a sigh, he pulled her into him and held her in a side embrace. He kissed the top of her head and soothingly ran his hand alongside her.

“I’m sorry, baby.”

McKenzie allowed herself to lean into his embrace, but nothing more. She’d save the crying spell for another time, preferably when she wasn’t here at the clubhouse. When they finally separated from each other, Gil maintained his comforting hand around her. Their eyes locked and she could see the sincere compassion, but also hesitance.

“I just-,” he looked away before he continued, “I just need to know this won’t be an issue.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. After all, he was president of the club, too. Brandon wasn’t going anywhere and McKenzie obviously wasn’t either. It was logical for Gil to have concerns about how things would go moving forward. Especially in the face of a new regency of the club. Though she held back from biting back with a smart comment, Gil could tell that his words weren’t received in the best way.

He continued rubbing up and down her arm to illustrate his sympathy. “Now wait, I have your back always. But I gotta think like a dad and a president. I voiced the same concern to B, too. I didn’t say anything when you two got together because you’re a grown woman, but here we are. B’s not going anywhere and you definitely aren’t. I gotta know that this doesn’t change things. That you two can still co-exist.”

“It won’t change things.” She spoke firmly. “At least on my end, it won’t.”

Gil put his hands up in defense, “Alright, that’s all I needed to know.” And then he held them out again, silently gesturing for another hug.

She walked into his arms and allowed herself to feel her father’s comfort once again. There were no further words spoken between them, an understanding in place. Once they parted, they nodded to each other and McKenzie walked out of the lounge.

She was only a few steps down the hallway before she was met with Lisa. Her arms were crossed as she slowed down and her eyes switched from fury to sadness as they connected with McKenzie. Acceptance rained over her as she realized that Lisa must know. Which meant everyone now knew, too.

She sucked in a resolute breath before meeting Lisa in the middle of the hallway. Wordlessly, they allowed their arms to cover each other as they fell into a hug. Once again, she allowed herself to revel in the arms of a loved one, embracing the squeezing comfort. Her eyes had watered once again but she wouldn’t let her tears fall, not while she wasn’t alone.

“You know, don’t you?” It was an unnecessary question, there was no doubt, but McKenzie felt the need to ask anyway.

“B just told us. Honey, why didn’t you?”

McKenzie let out another deep sigh before speaking, “Well, it was his decision. Figured it was on him to be the one to announce it.”

Lisa’s head immediately tilted in question, “What?”

“What?” McKenzie mirrored, not understanding the confusion.

Lisa stepped back and crossed her arms around her chest once again. “He said y’all decided to end things as in ‘we.’ As in it was a mutual decision.”

McKenzie couldn’t stop the rough laugh that escaped her lips. She shook her head and murmured, “Of course he did.”

“McKenzie, what really happened?”

She wanted to disregard the concern filling Lisa’s voice, but she knew her stepmother would push until she got her answers.

“He… he got home last night and said he didn’t want to be with me anymore. So he ended things. Just like that. A straight up blitz attack.”

“That asshole.” Lisa ground out.

“We’ve been having problems. Obviously, that’s not really a secret. Still though, I feel like I must have had blinders on because I didn’t think it was that bad.” The defeat and barely hidden hurt in McKenzie’s voice was evident. Lisa could hear the guardedness and she could see her begin to put walls up, unable to even look at her in the face. She stepped back, putting more distance between them and uttered, “It is what it is. No use in harping on it.”

Lisa sighed and pulled at McKenzie’s arm, silently willing her not to harden herself.

“He’s a dick, baby.” She continued pulling her until she was back in her arms, “You know I’m here for you, it’ll all be okay.”

“I know, thanks Lise.” McKenzie slowly relinquished herself from Lisa’s embrace. “It’s just- right now, all I want to do is forget about it.”

Lisa bit her tongue and simply nodded, “Then, that’s what we’ll do. Tell you what, let’s run out for a quick lunch, the guys can hold down the fort for a little bit,” she offered. A small smile fell onto McKenzie’s face and they linked their arms together as they walked down the steps.

“That sounds perfect.” McKenzie replied.

Neither of them glanced out towards the open bar area. Instead, they detoured towards the side door and headed outside towards Lisa’s sports car.

“Thank you,” McKenzie breathed as they separated. Relief had washed over her as soon as she exited the clubhouse. Almost as if it was choking her, she felt fresh air entering her lungs as she basked in the outside.

Lisa sent her a sympathetic smile, and responded, “Anything, babygirl.” She hopped into the driver’s seat, intent on lifting her stepdaughter’s spirits.

**************

Jax glanced at himself in the mirror as he spruced himself up. The party was beginning to start. He could already hear the music blaring through the speakers and patrons indulging in the festivities. He had come back up here to savor in the down time before what was sure to be a party for the books. To be honest, he wasn’t particularly in a party mood. He would for sure revel in the booze, food, and celebration, but he couldn’t see himself getting straight fucked up. Don’t get him wrong, today was worth celebrating. But peace had washed over him instead of the desire to get hammered. He felt like he had finally been able to relax after so long, especially seeing how everyone had fit well together during the brunch.

Now that him and McKenzie had come to a truce, he was even sure that they would be able to be cordial. The only weariness that continued to weigh on him was B. He wasn’t sure how long the feeling of uneasiness around him would permeate. It was weird because he didn’t necessarily feel the same anxiety around Gil. Sure, it wouldn’t do well for either of them to know of his and McKenzie’s recent tryst, but there was an unpredictability with B.

Jax had quickly found out that Brandon was sharp-witted and cunning. His contributions to their earlier meeting were insightful and sharp. He gave plenty of input on how best to go about purchasing properties and even supplied some contacts of people who’d be willing to help with the legalities on the cheap. He was helpful and the SAMCRO president could see how his usefulness was important to the Street Wolves. However, Jax also picked up on some things that rubbed him the wrong way about the young Street Wolf. For one, he had a perceptible ego. It wasn’t glaringly obvious, but it was there. And that kind of attitude could be dangerous, especially for two clubs who were working hard to stay legit. Hopefully, it never got to that point, but he knew it was something to watch out for.

And another thing that bothered him was how he treated McKenzie. Again, it was subtle. But obvious enough that he wondered if everyone could see it and simply chose to ignore it or if he was the only one who noticed. McKenzie had been withdrawn for pretty much the entire day and Brandon couldn’t have been bothered in the slightest. Jax wouldn’t have known that they were engaged to be married with the indifference and even slight annoyance with which he walked to go check on her in the bathroom earlier today. And it also wasn’t lost on him that McKenzie had practically fled the premises once he had announced their separation. Even after that, Jax was taken aback at the ease with which Brandon threw snide shots that were obviously directed at her. He made constant comments about how excited he was to finally be free tonight at the party and how he had one less headache in his life now. The only thing that made it even more childish is that he didn’t dare take a shot in the presence of Gil.

Everyone else looked a little uncomfortable, but said nothing, presumably letting him air his grievances like they would any brother who had just gone through a breakup. It was awkward because McKenzie was also their family, but they were doing what they knew best, supporting their brother. Instead of encouraging his comments though, they would just pat him on the back or give him a sympathetic smile.

Jax didn’t find it amusing at all. He never smiled, even sympathetically. He only excused himself to allow himself some alone time before the party. He tried not to be presumptuous, that had bitten him in the ass earlier. Maybe, B just wanted to lighten the mood and was the kind of person to crack jokes during tough times, but it rubbed Jax the wrong way and set off alarms in his head. Not even necessarily because of McKenzie. Just that Brandon thought it was appropriate to make those comments at all. At a fragile time like this, discord among the group was the last thing needed.

He’d give him the benefit of the doubt, though, just like he did McKenzie. They had both just gone through a break up. Maybe this was Brandon’s way of compartmentalizing, a twisted coping mechanism to help him process and get over things. It had only been a day since the breakup and a day since he had known the two of them. So, he’d give it more time before having his final judgements on the man.

Despite those initial worries, Jax wasn’t letting anything wash away his peace. He felt inspired, empowered, and ready to take on the world. Everyone seemed to respond well to his proposed plans and visions, so he couldn’t feel more excited about the moves on the horizon for this new partnership.

When he walked downstairs to join the party, he noticed Lisa and McKenzie in the small hallway nook that was centered right before you hit the main bar area. The two were saying goodbyes; it was obvious that McKenzie was itching to get out of here.

The sounds of his footsteps hitting the steps alerted them of his presence.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to intrude.” He spoke with a small smile.

Jax and McKenzie’s gazes locked momentarily as Lisa, oblivious, opened the side door that McKenzie was getting ready to walk out of.

The two gave each other a silent nod before McKenzie focused back on Lisa and said her goodbye.

Instead of lingering, Jax continued walking past the hallway nook and entered the vast expanse of the bar- the party in full swing.

A/N: And that’s Ch. 3! The two clubs seem to be settling in well which is nice, especially with their work cut out for them with new possible projects. There’s a lot of interesting things coming up with this story, so I hope y’all are enjoying it so far. I plan to delve more into Jax’s and McKenzie’s pasts, considering McKenzie is an OC and Jax has a non-canon past in this story. If you love slow burns, then this story is def for you! I know that’s ironic considering they slept together in the first chapter but def don’t expect them to be getting together together anyyy time soon. Obviously, there's still a lot of hurt and fallout for McKenzie after her breakup. And Jax himself hasn't had the best of experiences with love, so there's that.

Please let me know your thoughts. I’ve been so happy with the feedback and reception from y’all! Please continue to support by liking, reblogging, and leaving feedback. Thanks for reading!

Taglist: @drabbles-mc @ocfairygodmother @youlovetkay @est1887 @rebelwrites @hey-taylor-hey @brownsugarcoffy

[proceduralpremium]

I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | 02

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language

WC: ~9.3K

McKenzie studied the mason jar that contained her smoothie, avoiding her sister’s occasional glances through the space between the dining table and kitchen. Sairah had made her the smoothie after McKenzie declined the eggs and toast she was making for herself.

It had only been twenty minutes since she got here and bouts of silence were intercalated with bundles of questions. McKenzie explained the bare, skeletal minimum but she could tell that Sairah wanted more.

When she first came into the door, she told her that her engagement was off and her little sister’s first question was “what happened?”

McKenzie had given the short and concise response, “He just broke up with me. He didn’t want to be with me anymore, that’s it.”

“That’s it?” Sairah had responded. “A four year relationship and that’s it? That’s all he said, that he didn’t want to be with you anymore? Have you two been having problems?”

McKenzie simply shrugged her shoulders as she sat down. “It's fine,” she thought to say after a second.

And even though Sairah had more to say and more to ask, she pursed her lips and kept quiet.

And now here they were.

McKenzie, sitting at the breakfast area while Sairah was moving around in the kitchen, still waking up for the day.

They both knew that the conversation would be picked up again, later tonight when they were both in for the night. So they lounged in the comfortable silence, both deep in their own thoughts.

Sairah sat to eat and McKenzie continued sipping on her smoothie. McKenzie looked around at the breakfast area and took note of the recent changes to the house. Sairah was an architect, so when she looked into buying her first starter home, she searched for a fixer upper that she could start several projects within. Gone was the wall that divided the kitchen and dining room and in its place, was a lengthy counter top with seats for people to sit at the bar. She also now had a sleek glass door that connected to the backyard instead of the flimsy, outdated screen door that originally came with the house. Impressed, she nodded to herself at the improvements made.

Sairah peeked at her and ruminated, “You sure you wanna go to the clubhouse today? It’s not like you’re a member. Dad would understand.”

McKenzie blew out a contemplative breath, “It’s fine. I’ll be fine. Besides, it’s family.”

She spoke as if she was more so convincing herself as she spoke to Sairah. Her little sister wasn’t convinced.

“Well, yeah, it’s a big day, but no one would blame you for skipping. Hell, I’m not going, I got work.”

“It’s fine.” McKenzie said, resolutely.

Sairah rolled her eyes, “It’s really not, but whatever.” She sighed and tried again, “You’re allowed to be upset, you know.” She looked on at her big sis, bothered by the indifference coloring her features. She wasn’t even showing her annoyance at her constant prying. Just disinterest, unbotheredness. Her sister wasn’t a super emotional person, but she’d much prefer some bawling or anger right about now. The neutrality was alarming.

Still, McKenzie just shrugged and finished the rest of her smoothie. “He made his decision. It’s over. I don’t see the point in harping on it. I’m not about to waste any more time than I already have.”

Sairah gave a rough sigh but said nothing more. She’d follow her lead for now, even though she wanted nothing more than to just shake some sense into her sister. Pressing on and on wouldn’t do any good and she had to get ready for work anyway. She resumed eating her breakfast and allowed silence to permeate the space once again.

After she finished eating, she spoke again.

“I may not be there today, but you can always call or text if you need to talk.”

McKenzie nodded her head in appreciation and rose from her seat.

“You sure you don’t want any breakfast? There’s still some eggs over there,” Sairah pointed towards the stove.

“Nah, I think I’m just gonna go upstairs, take a quick power nap.”

Her sister scoffed, “Fuck a power nap, take a few hours.” She looked up at the clock on the wall, “They asses not gonna be up until at least 11. Use my weighted blanket.” Sairah winked and stood up to take her plate and her sister’s smoothie cup to the dishwasher.

McKenzie grinned and set on her path to the nearest bed. She knew Sairah was preparing to get ready for her day at work and so she left her to do just that.

**************

Jax stepped out of the shower and used one towel to dry his hair and another to wrap around his waist. He continued his basic hygiene routine: brushing his teeth, applying deodorant & cologne, and gelling his hair back. As he got dressed, he caught glimpses of the marks McKenzie left on his body. Scratch marks on his back. A few hickeys a little below his neck. Teeth marks on his shoulder. Damn, she’d done some damage. His blue plaid shirt would cover them, but even if they hadn’t, he’d wear those marks with pride. He smirked in the mirror as he surveyed his skin, reminiscing on the memorable night.

Reveling for only a moment, he got back to getting ready for the eventful day ahead. The last thing he needed were distractions. As president of SAMCRO, today marked an inaugural event for his charter. One might say this was the beginning of a new era. It was definitely taking the club into a different direction within several contexts. Going legit used to be only a dream on paper in his dad’s manuscript. Now he was in the initial steps of making that dream come true.

He was tired of all of the chaos, spilled blood, jail time, and betrayal. That wasn’t the core of what this club was supposed to be. SAMCRO was founded on brotherhood and camaraderie. A safe haven. A commitment to having someone’s back, knowing that those same people had yours.

And over the past few years, the club had disintegrated into everything JT stood against. Treachery. Backstabbing. A soul-sucking misery.

There was no beginning, middle, or end where you could pinpoint a moment in time that the club had went to shit. More like several disastrous events that just kept rolling onto one another as time went on. There were the Nords selling meth, the DEA sniffing around, and a couple of jail stents- Opie’s mainly. To be honest though, the prison time was actually child’s play. An occupational hazard, really. It was the fallout afterwards that put dents into the dynasty that his father had built. The recreant mistrust Clay and Tig had in Opie, which ultimately led to Donna being collateral damage, was a major player.

And maybe that wasn’t the one event that led SAMCRO to where it was now, but it was absolutely a big domino. Their deceit was made known to the entire club pretty soon after and yet they were somehow able to pick up the pieces and move forward. It was anything but easy, and yet it still happened. Clay and Tig were stripped of their officer titles and Jax, Opie, and Happy were named president, vice-president, and sergeant-at-arms, respectively. That should have been the end of it.

But then, Stahl, a dog with a bone, came roving around again. As if her actions hadn’t led to an innocent woman being murdered. Clay and Tig were supposed to see through her game. They were supposed to trust their brothers and allow themselves to be trusted. But when Stahl started slithering around with tampered evidence and laced threats, the duo, once again, sought to cover themselves over the benefit of their club. She had a paper-thin built case with no hard proof or court-admissible affidavits. But she had cleverness, strategy and a poker face in her arsenal. She had them convinced that she had found the young teenager who was the sole witness of Tig killing Donna. She preyed on their vulnerability, their irresolution, their animosity towards Jax for not having the girl ultimately silenced. She had them wrapped around her finger, bent at her will. And so when she put lighter sentences and guaranteed security on the table, without hesitation, they shook on a deal for selling out the club.

Only Stahl was a glutton for destruction.

As fast as she could, she gallivanted to Jax, playing her recorded conversation with them, a gleaming smile on her face.

And when Jax later played that same recording to the club, sans Tig and Clay, he knew changes needed to be made. An overhaul was needed. He needed to bring this club up into a new and hopeful era instead of letting it plummet to the ground.

And that’s where the Street Wolves came in.

The adept and seasoned MC based out of Highwater, California.

They had been around for just as long as SAMCRO, founded in the late 60’s, under the guise of one of the oldest bars in its township. And sure, they really did run a successful, family-owned bar that did well for itself, but arms trafficking and selling had also been heavy in rotation since the club’s inception.

Their and SAMCRO’s relationship had always been impartial. Never truly allies, but very rarely adversaries. Their stomping grounds were only 15 miles apart and for the most part, they kept out of the other’s hair.

But SAMCRO needed a Patsy.

When the club had sat down together to deliberate on what they needed to do and how to do it, they developed an elaborate plan for turning the tables. Jax got back to Stahl and approached her with an even juicier proposition: cut SAMCRO a deal and we’ll give you Clay and Tig AND we’ll give you everything you need to bust the Irish gunrunners she'd also had a hard-on for.

It would be the stone that killed all of their lingering crows.

It’d get Stahl off their backs once and for all; she’d be too busy basking in all of the glory from busting IRA gun runners, to be worried about little ol’ SAMCRO. Clay and Tig would obviously be off their plate and exiled to fend for themselves in gen pop. And of course, they’d finally be rid of Jimmy O and the rest of the larcenous Irish dissidents who had brought nothing but strife and woes ever since they came into the picture.

The only snag was that they needed to come out of this clean.

There were too many ways in which this could go sideways and bring forth even more calamity.

Even if Clay and Tig hadn’t attempted to rat first, it still would look bad on SAMCRO if it got out that they left their ex-members out to dry like that. Ex-communication was one thing, but to rat on not only them but also another separate syndicate?

Blood would rain down until every river was red.

And so, this was where the Street Wolves entered the picture.

They also had the unfortunate position of dealing with the IRA. The Street Wolves had several chapters covering the South and East Coast. So while SAMCRO did a lot of dealings and buying for the IRA on the West Coast and up north, the Street Wolves were their main go-to customer in the other regional markets.

They, too, were looking to pull out of guns, a fact that Gil, the Street Wolves MC president, made clear when Jax had approached him with the business proposition of potentially picking up the slack in IRA arms dealing.

“I don't know what to tell you, man. I appreciate the offer, but the Street Wolves are trying to pull back, not fall further in. We’ve got five different charters working on getting out of the game, and they ain’t been making it easy.”

Jax had walked away from that meeting pissed and stressed, frustrated with having made no further progress in ridding SAMCRO of its leeches. But he kept that tidbit of information in his pocket for the day that he’d possibly need it.

That day came when the club decided, once and for all, to punish Clay and Tig for their transgressions. To rid this brotherhood of all its demons and finally fulfill his father’s legacy. The vision that JT saw for what he created.

A new allyship had been formed between SAMCRO and the Street Wolves. A quid pro quo where both needed each other to get to their destination. SAMCRO were reliant upon the Street Wolves to help pull off their cunning scheme, while the Street Wolves needed SAMCRO to get the IRA off their backs. And so when both clubs voted and agreed on the well thought-out strategy, they immediately set their plans in motion. SAMCRO immediately stepped back and stood down while the Street Wolves laid down the groundwork: covertly gathering and compiling contacts, names, and evidence from previous and present meets with the IRA to get to Stahl by way of the hands of their fall guy, Cameron Hayes. Of course, Hayes wouldn’t have purposely snitched on his IRA brethren, but if he were to go behind their back and go into business with the League of American Nationalists, why wouldn’t they believe that he would also rat and sell them out? He’d be dead before he could even defend himself.

Meanwhile, SAMCRO continued business as usual. They needed to lay low and be as far back from the Street Wolves and IRA mess as possible, for appearances and plausible deniability’s sake. They went to their usual meets, put up with Tig and Clay, and played their role as oblivious sitting ducks. Only up until Jax could arrange for Stahl to have been handed everything she needed. He shook on their off-the-books deal, keeping the Street Wolves’ name out of it for both clubs’ safety. That sealed agreement was everything the clubs needed to eliminate all of their enemies.

Of course, there was still some blowback. The entire SAMCRO charter still had to serve 14 months of prison for watered down weapons charges, but it was a welcome overture compared to the life sentences and possible death penalties that would have been handed out on Clay and Tig’s words.

It had been over a year now since their release and their charter hadn’t suffered much due to the Street Wolves stepping in to finish the remainder of theirs and SAMCRO’s less than legal business endeavors. Things were still done mostly in the dark, clandestinely, to avoid suspicion or inquiries into the two clubs’ sudden closeness, the members of the two charters never having been in the same room together at all. But the loose threads of them separately were beginning to form a tightly formed knot. The Street Wolves amassed something of a bigger cut from the clubs’ profits, something mutually agreed upon due to the instrumental groundwork laid by them in getting everything they needed to cripple their adversaries. And SAMCRO was allowed first pick at their first joint business venture now that the two clubs were officially legit.

That’s what today was for.

The start of a new beginning.

A celebration and coming together for something that once seemed so far away out of reach.

The founding of a new partnership. A new brotherhood.

The Street Wolves and SAMCRO would still remain their own entities. There was too much history and meaning in the genesis of their clubs for either to patch over to the other. The foundations and chronicles of their charters were the very reasons they were so desperate to preserve it in the first place. So no, neither club would lose their essence. But they had brokered an alliance together as they stepped foot into the bright, shiny, and lawful world together.

And today was the first day of that alliance. A joint entity, united, as they began to explore the business expanse.

Although excited, Jax could admit he also felt some nerves. Everything was so surreal. He’d done it. He got the club out. Everyone was safe. He’d fulfilled his father’s wishes. And he couldn’t believe it. There were moments that the disbelief weighed heavy on him, to the point where he slipped into a momentary trance. And then he’d slip out because he couldn’t lose focus. Getting to the mountaintop wasn’t the end, you had to maintain being on top. And as the SAMCRO president, the responsibility laid heavily on his shoulders to do just that. So he couldn’t lose track just because he’d won. There were still mouths to feed and lives to live. Their final moves during and briefly after their stay in Stockton would keep everyone comfortable for the time being, but they needed ways to remain sustainable. Revenues that allowed SAMCRO to continue to prosper.

He couldn’t lose sight of what was important. He refused to.

**************

McKenzie strolled into the bar that doubled as the Street Wolves clubhouse. There was an exclusive area upstairs that was specifically delegated to the club members, but everyone was out in the open, getting ready to start their day. She ignored the chatter of voices around her and willed herself to be invisible as she headed towards the bar.

She knew she would soon be forced out of the solitude of her mind, but she’d prolong it for as long as possible.

Stepping closer to the bar, her fight or flight instincts began to flow through. She hadn’t looked up yet, but she could hear him. He was at the bar, laughing without a care in the world. As if he hadn’t just dismantled her world less than 24 hours ago. There was no indication of hurt or affliction in his tone, and something about that stabbed at her.

He obviously hadn’t told anybody. Otherwise, her father and stepmother wouldn’t be laughing it up with him right now, amused at whatever charming joke he cracked.

The only thing she could hope for for today was that she wouldn’t be here when the news broke. She didn’t need to see their reactions or feel any of their pity.

If there was even any pity to deliver...

McKenzie may have been one of the club “princesses,” but, barring her stepmom, she was almost sure they’d all have his back, be on his side. Not that they didn’t love her or wouldn’t take a bullet for her, but there had been a shift in her relationships with the members of the Street Wolves throughout their engagement and this wouldn’t make things better.

She couldn’t lay all of the blame on them. Some of it was on her. She’d been distant. Not as present. She may not have been a member, but she was family and thus an indispensable figure for everyone here. Missing family dinners or club outings wasn’t intentional, but it was just harder and more uncomfortable once their relationship issues became known to everyone. It got to the point where she felt it was better for everyone involved if she stopped coming around so often.

She came today because she knew how important it was to her dad and to the club, but her pattern of inconsistency would probably continue after today.

Lisa, her stepmother, could tell that something had been off with McKenzie lately, but she was careful in her prodding, not wanting to poke her stubborn stepdaughter too far. She could even see it on her face right now, but kept her lips zipped and allowed McKenzie to come to them.

Gil was the first to greet her.

“Hey baby.” He pulled his oldest daughter into a side hug, planting a kiss on her forehead.

Lisa flashed her a small smile and waved, with McKenzie reciprocating right after.

“Morning,” she softly said.

He had yet to say anything, but she could see his neck clench out of the side of her eye. He didn’t even look at her, pretending to suddenly be engrossed in his coffee cup.

She walked around the bar to grab some water, with the conversation resuming as she moved around. The humorous tone in his voice was gone now that she was here, but he continued his previous conversation with her parents.

“Alright, SAMCRO should be here any minute, let’s go rally everyone up.," Gil spoke. The two Street Wolves left the bar together to gather the rest of the charter up.

McKenzie kept focus on her water bottle label and remained quiet. Lisa had watched the interaction, or rather the lack there of one. Her eyes narrowed in curiosity as she pondered on what it all was about. Gil had had a bit of confusion on his face before he gestured his, unbeknownst to him, ex-future son-in-law to the rest of the members. He also peeped the curious look on his wife’s face and he learned a long time ago to not meddle with her meddling.

Lisa glanced once again at McKenzie, “You doing alright, honey?”

McKenzie still didn’t look up but responded, “I’m fine.”

“...Are you sure? You need a little girltalk? Even if it’s just to bitch just a little bit.” Lisa quipped with a smirk. Sometimes her stepdaughter was a panicked horse and needed to be dealt with delicacy. She figured lightness was the way to go instead of badgering.

McKenzie finally looked up and hoped it wasn’t visible on her face that she was trying to come up with an excuse. Before she could conjure one up though, Lisa spoke again.

“Oh, well, never mind! Seems like you two had a good night.” Lisa teased. McKenzie wasn’t following, however.

The confusion must have been evident because Lisa leaned closer and adjusted McKenzie’s top.

“He left a mark. You may be a grown woman, but your daddy gets all awkward with any notion of you and sex in the same vicinity, so keep that covered.”

Lisa had briefly exposed the tender patch of skin before covering it up once more. McKenzie forced a tight smile in order to mirror Lisa’s teasing one, but only just barely. Internally, she was annoyed and alarmed at her carelessness. She’d seen them when she looked at herself in the mirror after raiding Sairah’s closet. She thought the white tie-front shirt she picked out would effectively blanket the purple blemishes that embellished her skin, but obviously not.

She opened up the camera app on her phone and did a once-over of her appearance to confirm that the hickeys would be completely covered. Like Lisa said, she was a grown woman, but even if she hadn’t gotten them from a random one night stand, she didn’t want anyone in her business like that.

And she also knew that if he saw them, all hell would break loose. He’d demand answers. And he more than likely wouldn’t even bother to do so in private.

“So things are getting better. That’s good to know.” Lisa remarked.

This was McKenzie’s chance to come clean. To tell her that the engagement was off. To release that unknown truth to at least one person. But she couldn’t. She could feel the words at the back of her throat but couldn’t muster up the will to actually say them.

“Hmm, sounds like they’re here. Let’s get ready to say hey.” Lisa said. The guys were already outside waiting for SAMCRO. The sounds of arriving motorcycles could be heard from inside, which was soon followed by cheers and roars as the men all greeted each other.

Only a few minutes later, the noise could be heard permeating through these four walls as everyone poured in together. McKenzie smoothed her hands on her pants and walked alongside Lisa from behind the bar.

Her eyes bounced around at all the faces, the ones she’d known her whole life intermixed with the new ones. When they found her ex, she saw happiness and glee before his eyes locked with hers. And then, they had hardened into a glare as if the very sight of her aggravated him.

She moved her eyes away and took in some of the new faces. A short and plump man with long graying hair and a lengthy beard to match. A tall and slender gray haired man with Glasgow scarring on his face. A young, Hispanic man with a distinct mohawk in between two tribal head tattoos. A hardened, quiet figure with the subdued demeanor of a grim reaper. A towering giant with soft eyes and a dark beanie.

And then…

It took her a few seconds to register the man with his arms around her father. But the second she did, her heart felt like it had fallen through her stomach and down onto the floor. Her eyes flitted and blinked, but it was no use. She knew exactly who that man was. He was looking around, taking in his surroundings and McKenzie’s breath hitched each time that he thought his gaze may fall upon her. Before it could though, Gil’s voice had gathered the attention of the whole room.

“Ay yo, we already got food lined up over here! If y’all got as drunk as we did last night to celebrate, you’re gonna want some of everything to soak up the hangover.”

McKenzie frowned. Celebrating? He was supposed to be off celebrating with his club and he was in some random bar on the Charming border all alone?

“Nah. Can’t really celebrate without a clubhouse, y’know? Still working on that.” The round, bearded man spoke.

“And that’s one of the reasons we’re all here today.” Gil pointed and said.

“Yeah, yeah, after though! I’m ready for some grub.” Jax spoke, rubbing his hands together. When his eyes peeled away from the waiting food on the table next to the bar, his eyes swung up. Like stumbling upon a car accident and unable to look away, McKenzie couldn’t force herself to turn away when he locked eyes with her. He stopped short and the functions of his mind all but ceased at the sight of her. Once he registered just who he was looking at, the makings of a smirk almost painted his face before he realized the circumstances of where he was right now. The “oh shit” look that followed only a second after was one for the books, but it’s not like she herself could find any of this amusing right now.

He swiftly moved his attention back towards the food that Lisa cooked for today and grabbed a plate. Everyone else was doing the same, too engrossed in brunch to have paid attention to the peculiar interaction between them.

Well, everyone except Lisa. She had already eaten before everyone got here, not wanting to compete for food with a bunch of grown, greedy men. She was a silent spectator as she took in all of the new faces entering the clubhouse. She stood to the side and simply introduced herself to the SAMCRO members as they passed by her to grab a plate.

Jax was only barely immersed in the merry conversation around him. He, too, wanted to join in on the cheerful excitement from everyone in celebration of this hopeful direction for the clubs, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off McKenzie.

She was the last person he expected to see here. He hadn’t gotten the chance to previously get to know all of the Street Wolves affiliates’, much less all of the Street Wolves themselves. It was intentional, sure, so as not to expose the clubs’ relationship to anyone outside their circle, but still. Today was the first day he had personally met most of the charter. And yeah sure, he didn’t exactly inquire about her background before they jumped into bed together, but he had no inclination they would ever cross paths again.

“Baby girl, you don’t wanna anything to eat?”

“No thanks, dad. I ate at Sairah’s,” he heard McKenzie respond to Gil.

Jax blinked a few times as he registered the exchange he just heard. Every question in Jax’s head just became answered. And the weight of his current predicament became all too clear. He worked to regain his focus yet again as he sat down at one of the round tables with his food. He absolutely couldn’t get swept up in her. His previous thoughts from yesterday about making their hookup into an ongoing thing were now completely zapped out his periphery. There’d be no way anything could ever happen between them. He’d might as well pull out his gun and shoot himself in the foot. This partnership needed to work. To thrive. To be everything that his father couldn’t accomplish. He couldn’t fuck that up by messing around with the Street Wolves president’s daughter.

His mind was somewhat comforted by the fact that she didn’t particularly like him. She may have had a good time last night, but she couldn’t get out of his house quick enough. She had used him just as much as he had used her and he didn’t see anything coming out from that. Therefore, he didn’t see it becoming much of a problem with them not interacting. He knew they probably still needed to clear the air, though. Aside from that initial time their eyes locked, McKenzie had refused to return his glances any time he looked over at her. It’s like she had a sensor that alerted her to turn her head each time he raised his eyes. The tense way in which she held onto the bar counter and directed her eyes everywhere but him, told him everything he needed to know: she deplored this situation just as much as he did.

But then she surprised him when she finally did look towards him once again. There was uncertainty in her gaze, along with incredulity. And he was sure he could also pick up a little bit of fear, too. Which he didn’t really know how to translate. Maybe Gil was the overprotective type? But even then, he had absolutely no reason to think anything had happened between his daughter and Jax. And Jax sure as hell wasn’t going to say anything. So as far as he was concerned, she had nothing to be scared about. They were two grown ups who had a nice night of enjoying each other’s naked company and that was it. It was nobody else's business. He would be sure to voice that to her the moment that he could get her alone. She had nothing to worry about.

When McKenzie forced herself to look away from him, she turned to walk back behind the bar. Every thought was screaming at her to run the hell out of this clubhouse, but she fought to keep a sound mind. She felt so stupid. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Her one night stand wasn’t supposed to be eating brunch next to her father right now. He wasn’t supposed to be the person who was now going to spend day in, day out with her ex-fiancé. He wasn’t supposed to be the fucking president of SAMCRO.

McKenzie reflected about all of last night and wondered just how in the hell she didn’t notice she had slept with someone in SAMCRO, much less how she had managed to sleep with its president. The bike should’ve been a dead giveaway, but she was too far gone by that point, too twisted in her head trying to decide whether she was really going to sleep with him or not. Maybe it should’ve occurred to her when she declined getting on the back of his Dyna, especially because her reasoning was that it reminded her too much of the person she was trying to wash her mind from. And yeah, he came into the bar with only a black hoodie, with not even muted SAMCRO colors on it, but still. And yeah, the house was too dark for her to make out any of his tattoos- some of which were surely SAMCRO affiliated, but still. She should have had the sound mind to notice. But she didn’t because she was too wrapped up in finding a distraction to ease her pain.

“Do you two know each other?” Lisa, all of a sudden, asked.

The words snapped McKenzie out of her panicked thoughts but somehow brought forth even more of a frenzy in her head.

“What?”

“Teller,” Lisa pointed at Jax, “You know him? He keeps looking over here at you.”

McKenzie swallowed thickly before quickly shaking her head with a frown. “Mm mm no.” She shrugged her shoulders and gave her best unbothered expression.

Lisa narrowed her eyes at her, wondering why her stepdaughter had been so tense since she got in. Her odd demeanor had only escalated once the SAMCRO crew arrived. She spared another glance at Jax, whose attention immediately returned to Gil when his eyes met Lisa’s prodding ones. The action only further perplexed her and questions filled her head. Maybe McKenzie didn’t know him, but he absolutely knew her.

Meanwhile, everyone else was getting to know each other and basking in the new alliance. They’d get down to business later on today and then party even harder tonight at the official party. This brunch was mainly members only while the bar was still closed to the public. Tonight would surely be one for the books with all of the chaotic festivities prepped with affiliates from both clubs joining in.

For now, they were just enjoying their first time all being in the same space together. The Street Wolves got to know SAMCRO and SAMCRO got to know the Street Wolves. Jax’s main previous interactions had only been with Gil and his VP, “Rev.” Rev was around the same age as Jax, with a laid back and even-minded temper. He was a thoughtful person who acted on logic rather than emotion, a trait that would serve him well, if and when the time came for him to be Gil’s successor. Jax was never given an explanation for Rev’s epithet, but he surmised that it derived from the man’s off the cuff philosophical ideations and abstract ethos of a mind.

And then there was their sergeant-at-arms, “Sweets.” From getting to know each other, Jax would soon find that the man had a duality to him. There was the no-nonsense, humorless side to him when it came to club business. Outside of that though, he was a fun, smooth character who loved to dance and indulge every person of the female sex he encountered. En masse, whether it was with a gun or a bed companion, his moves were like honey as he executed the job.

The other treasured members of the Street Wolves were: Flu, an older man who took pleasure in busting the others’ balls and was one of the original Street Wolves founding members along with Gil’s older, now deceased brother, then Ace, who was the human version of a dedicated golden retriever wanting to do everything and please everyone now that he was no longer a prospect, and finally Brandon aka just “B,” who had a charismatic, larger than life personality that sometimes masked his unpredictable and turbulent emotional streaks.

McKenzie continued to stay planted in her spot behind the bar, ignoring all of the movement around her. She knew she needed to stick around, no longer necessarily for moral support but rather to talk to Jax. She’d wait until she could steal a moment alone with him somehow and then flee the clubhouse like the scaredy-cat she was not. She’d carouse in the cowardice for now though, not caring how out of character it was for her.

She was alone as she stood and waited, Lisa having gone to introduce herself to the others she hadn’t already. Jax was one of them. She did her best to keep names and faces straight as she went around entertaining everyone: Opie, Happy, Chibs, Juice, Kozik, and Half-Sack. Jax, she had already known of, from her husband, but had never met him in person either.

“Ah, my queen blessing us with her presence!” Gil exclaimed as he held out a hand for her to come closer. She leaned up against him and stuck out a hand towards Jax. Gil did the introducing.

“Jax, this is my wife, my life, my love, Lisa. Lise, this is Jax-”

“President of SAMCRO, your name precedes you.” Lisa finished with a grin.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” Jax spoke with an amorous smile, noting the curiosity in her eyes. She only engaged in a few minutes of small talk before telling them all to clean up after they finished and grabbing a large trash bag for them.

By the end of brunch, Jax had now personally met all but one of the Street Wolves members.

Brandon had grabbed the trash bag from Lisa, putting his plastic plate and fork into it, before giving it to the nearest table, the one where Jax and Gil sat. He nodded when his eyes met Jax’s and stuck out a hand, “‘Ey, I’m B. Good to meet ya, man.”

They dapped each other up as they greeted one another.

“Likewise, bro. Look forward to getting to know you all.” Jax responded.

From her position at the bar, she had a clear view of Jax and Brandon interacting and it made her sick. Palpably sick. She felt like she could vomit at any minute. And not even wanting to risk the possibility of doing so in front of everyone, she traipsed off to the bathrooms. In her haste, she hadn’t realized her bumping into the counter or the noise it made that attracted the attention of the nearby table.

Lisa watched with concerned eyes and released a silent sigh.

“Everything alright? Did she eat anything?” Gil inquired to the group, peering between Lisa and Brandon. Jax simply looked on quietly, going back and forth between the doors that McKenzie just jogged to and the interaction between the trio in front of him.

“Yeah, that’s probably it.” Brandon huffed.

Gil ruffled, “Well, what are you doing standing here, then? Go check on her.”

B took his time walking to the bathrooms, not much urgency in his steps.

“She alright, Lise?” Gil asked his wife, while stroking her arm.

“I don’t know, she’s been off all this morning since she got here. I don’t know if they’re having problems again or what, but she seems jittery.”

Jax, without much subtlety, listened in on their conversation, his mind working to put together what exactly they were talking about.

“I hope to hell he hasn’t gotten her pregnant. Call me old-fashioned, but I’d like to walk my daughter down the aisle without a baby bump.”

Jax choked on air, his harsh breaths turning into coughs as he tried to control his astonishment.

“You alright, man?” Gil patted on his back, with confusion coloring his features.

“Yeah, drink went down the wrong pipe.” He pointed to his cup after finally recovering and reclaiming his composure.

“Sorry about that. I don’t think you met my oldest daughter, McKenzie.” Gil spoke.

“Yeah, her and B are engaged, actually.” Lisa chimed in.

“Oh,” Jax simply said.

Internally however, he clenched at this discovery of new information while nodding to them. Anger and indignance filled him as it set in just how much more complicated this situation was. The situation she put him in.

“Yeah, I wasn’t kidding when I said this MC is truly like a family.” Gil cracked.

“Mmm.” Lisa hummed, with something peculiar in her voice. She said nothing more as she settled into the seat next to Gil.

“It’s never a dull moment around here, Teller. But hey, you’d know something about that. I’m sure your crew keeps things interesting too, huh?” Gil quipped.

Jax somehow found the strength to tear his mind away from all the new information that was still working through his mind. He nodded in agreement and kept the conversation going between him. In his head though, he was still wrapping himself around the idea that McKenzie was engaged. The woman he had slept with last night was not only the daughter of the Street Wolves MC president, but she was also getting hitched to one of its members. He couldn’t help but wonder just what in the hell was wrong with her. What had been going through her mind when she kissed him. When she propositioned him. When she pushed him on the bed and let him have his way with her. All while she was engaged. It was the worst kind of betrayal to go behind your significant other’s back like that. Jax was trying to pull himself back from jumping to conclusions, but it was hard not to, especially with all the resentment boiling underneath him from the position he found himself in.

He really needed to talk to her.

“Okay, ladies, what do you say we take this upstairs? The bar’s about to open and we’ve got business to discuss.”

Gil commandeered. Jax agreed, and everyone finished disposing of their trash and allowed Gil to lead the way up the stairs.

Jax would have to have his talk with McKenzie later.

**************

McKenzie ran her hands through her twists as she paced the bathroom floor. The good news is that that nauseous sensation went away and she ended up not having to vomit. The bad news is that she had still slept with the SAMCRO president. She kept her eyes closed and she continued pacing around, taking several deep breaths. The unsettling feeling in her stomach was still there, but it was lessening with every calming respiration she took.

She turned her head when the bathroom door opened. Her eyes met Brandon’s as he ventured in. He crossed his arms and gave her a crotchety look. Those orbs that she once found so mesmerizing were nothing more than pools of vexation whenever she looked into them.

He blew a deep breath before speaking as if trying to calm himself.

And then he spoke, “How are you doing?”

McKenzie looked at him for a moment before scoffing. She matched his crossed arm stance and steeled her resolve. “Let’s not, Brandon. …What do you want?”

Sighing for a moment, his stare left her. He took a minute before speaking, “You obviously haven’t told anyone about the engagement…”

She gave out a dry chuckle, which she could tell spiked his nerves as he clicked his tongue in irritation, “No, I haven’t. Figured I’d let you do the honors since you’re the one that ended things.”

“Jesus Christ, do you ever fucking stop?” He bit back and stepped closer. “We were both miserable and you know it. You should be thanking me, I did us a favor.”

“A favor?? Dragging me along for almost five years is a fucking favor?”

“That’s not what I meant. You’re always turning shit around. You’ve always got to be so damn difficult.” The volume of his voice carried some and she recoiled as a reflex, both at the prospect of someone hearing them and also just how it was so easy for him to blow a conversation up, unnecessarily. He held up his hands and said “I didn’t come here to pick a fight, I just wanted to know if you were gonna tell them, but if it’s that big of a deal, then fine, I’ll do it.”

She hated the way he bounced that back on her, a common tactic of his. She thought about how it was no longer her problem to deal with and that was enough to calm her nerves from firing back and causing an even more raucous argument.

The contempt in his voice was potent and his turned up frown only drove further how low he thought of her.

When she didn't answer, he continued.

“I don’t wanna make it a big deal, so I’ll tell them later. Before I forget though… when’s the fastest you’re gonna be able to get your stuff out?”

McKenzie’s scowl returned on her face at his words, “Uh- I haven’t really had time to think about it.” She said and glowered at the resulting annoyance on his face. “I’m staying at Sairah’s. Me and her will work on getting stuff out tomorrow, she’s at work right now.”

“Good, no need to prolong this.” Her answer had satisfied him and she just barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes.

And with that, the conversation was over and so he turned back with his last words, “We’re over, business as usual, alright? Don’t make this weird for everyone.”

“I wasn’t planning to.” She said sharply and stared him down.

He left without another word, leaving her to join the group upstairs. It was only then that she lowered the walls she built around herself and allowed the tears in her eyes to descend down her cheeks.

***********

Jax lounged on the sofa upstairs as his gaze focused on the ceiling above. The group had just finished up their casual meeting to discuss future business prospects. With SAMCRO being afforded the opportunity to take the lead with exploring future endeavors, Gil gave them the floor to introduce some options.

Bobby and Juice talked about expanding Red Woody productions, which was remotely accepted around the room. Ace, the youngest Street Wolf member, had even chimed in, suggesting the addition of subscription boxes with sex toys and exclusive content. It may have earned him some jokes cracked at his expense, but mostly everyone agreed with and approved of the possibility. There was also talk of delving into the construction business by Opie, having had his fair share of exposure in his previous days of working at the local construction plant in Charming. Initially, it earned some groans, mostly from the idea of manual labor, but Opie intervened, “Relax, ya lazy asses, we would hire workers to do the work for us.”

“That’s not a bad idea, Sairah could probably help us with giving some contacts.” Flu suggested as he looked on to Gil. He clarified for everyone, stating that Gil’s youngest daughter was an architect.

Gil nodded approvingly at the voiced opinion and added, “Hell, she could probably help us with getting a new spot.”

Before they had even had their meet up today, Jax and Gil had been communicating about finding a new spot. Keeping their clubs from patching over, they also decided that, of course, they wouldn’t just up and abandon their own club houses. Granted, SAMCRO didn’t really have theirs anymore; they’d been using the second floor space of Red Woody Productions as the de facto clubhouse after theirs became collateral damage with all that mess with the Irish. But still, they wanted to have a joint space that was for everyone. Of course, they were now welcome into each other’s clubhouses but with starting off a new venture together, they also wanted to have a regular meet ‘n hang spot that was common ground. Something that belonged to both clubs’ together.

And with that, came Jax’s consequent thought. Last night wasn’t only for looking for a woman to sink himself into. He was also scouting various areas around Charming and Highwater. He’d been doing this for a couple of weeks now whenever he couldn’t sleep or just needed to get out of the house. He’d get on his bike and ride around for hours, venturing to different places around the neighboring towns. It was how he found the bar last night, Disora. It was nestled in a practically deserted ghost town. The bar was the most popular business in the area and there were several dusty, abandoned buildings in the general vicinity. While cruising down the streets, Jax likened the area to the kind of old town you’d see in western movies, complete with saloons and an aged railroad track system. Besides the people who patronized the hole in the wall bar, the locality was essentially empty.

While most people might see the space as a lost cause, Jax saw the potential and opportunity in it. It was basically a clean slate. A blank canvas that the clubs could paint their brushes on. A new area that they could build up from the grounds themselves And so, he brought it up in the meeting. He talked about the various empty buildings that they could use for potential businesses, Opie’s construction firm idea included. They talked about building the township up and being able to see it bustle and grow. There was even talk of potentially building their joint spot in the area. Sometime soon, Jax would lead the charge in taking everyone to the space and allowing them to see the potential with their own eyes.

In the meantime, Jax was lying on the couch, stuck in his own mind about his recent excursion to the abandoned boom town. How it led him to the predicament he was in now. How he might have ruined this new movement between the clubs before it had even started. Without even knowing, his actions last night, if they became known to anyone here, could potentially snatch away the victory he had just earned. Because if this didn’t work out, if they couldn’t find the means to sustain themselves soon enough, what other option would they have other than to delve back into arms?

The door opening and soft footsteps roused him out of his mind. His head snapped to his right to find McKenzie looking back at him. Her eyes were wide, as if she still couldn’t believe he was here, in the Street Wolves club house. Her face portrayed worry, the kind of worry that made sense to him, considering she cheated on her fiancé with him.

He didn’t say anything, attempting to contain his impatience with her. She walked closer into the lounge room where the clubs had just had their meeting and looked around to make sure they were alone. Several of the members had gone out for a drive, some had either gone home or rested in the spare back rooms to garner some energy for tonight’s festivities, the others were downstairs engaging with each other.

She closed the door behind her and fiddled her hand nervously against her jeans.

“Hey,” she simply spoke. Neither cheerful nor antagonistic.

He nodded, but still didn’t speak. He did, however, sit up some to give her her full attention. He was curious to know what explanation she was going to give. He refrained from flaring his nostrils or expressing his frustration, but the hardened look in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.

“We need to talk…” She started. It was obvious she’d rather be anywhere but here right now. She subtly shuffled her feet, hinting at her nervousness.

“So talk,” he said, not wanting this to drag on. He couldn’t help at least one snide remark though, “Did I miss the ring last night?”

Taking a breath, not knowing but somehow expecting the blow, McKenzie spoke, “No… you didn’t.” She paused as he saw a number of expressions color his face over the next second or so. As a reflex, she rolled her eyes and immediately got defensive, “Look, I don’t need you judging me.”

Jax scoffed, “You didn’t say shit last night about being engaged. You came on to me. And normally, I wouldn’t have a problem with that, but you realize the situation this puts me in, right?” His voice was firm as he spoke to her.

“Right, as if this situation only affects you. I’m not a fucking psychic. I couldn’t have predicted that this would happen any more than you could, so spare me. I wasn’t obligated to tell you anything about my personal life to begin with.”

Her eyes challenged his as she moved closer to him, not wanting her voice to travel outside these four walls.

“Nah, but did you ever think you might be obligated to tell your fiancé that you’re sleeping around behind his back?,” he chuckled but the sound was anything but humorous. “Nah, I take that back. You sleeping around behind his back has nothing to do with me. Until now, at least. Now, I’m supposed to not only make friends and be buddies with the guy you’re cheating on, but your dad on top of it.”

“You don’t even have any idea what you’re talking about.” She rumbled.

Jax huffed in response.

“I have no idea?! You fucked a man that’s not your fiancé. It’s not exactly rocket science.” He snapped. “And you know what? I don’t even particularly care, God knows I can’t really judge, but this could ruin everything not just for me, but for everyone.”

“Well, sorry that I’m not a fucking clairvoyant.” She said, exasperatedly. “And yeah, you really don’t have any ground to stand on when it comes to judging, considering you were there just to get yours. Don’t even pretend like you wouldn’t have still slept with me if I said I was engaged. I don’t remember you wearing that kutte or any kind of MC colors at all last night. You and I both had no idea who the other was, so give it a rest!”

“I’m not the one who was engaged, I'm not the one who cheated, so you’re damn right I still would have-”

“I didn’t cheat on him!” Her frustration won out as she yelled back at him. Jax paused at the volume and force of her words. Her voice was more muted now, “I didn’t cheat. He broke up with me. That’s why I was there ‘drowning my sorrows.’ He broke up with me last night and no one knows. Are you happy?” Her eyes pierced him as she continued, “I didn’t go there last night looking for trouble, you were just there. If I had known who you were, I wouldn't have gone through with it.” She thinks back to her going back and forth in her mind and wishes she would have just flaked.

Jax nodded with remorse. Logically, he knew there was no way for either of them to know who each other were. And she was right, he wasn’t wearing club colors, not wanting to wear anything representing SAMCRO while thinking about them. And that was really the reason why he was there last night. To find an escape just like she was.

It was both of their faults, but also no one’s at all.

Instead of continuing to use her as a punching bag, he said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Lisa said you two were engaged and I panicked because that just added way more complications to an already dicey situation here.” He pointed between the two of them as he voiced his penance.

“Like I said, no one knows.” She mumbled, dejectedly.

“I know. And you’re right. There’s no way either of us could have predicted where we are now. I’m sorry.”

McKenzie nodded. “I’m sorry, too. I never meant to put you in this position.” She cleared her throat, “I know this puts you in a bad spot. Hell, it puts me in one, too.”

Jax stood and grabbed her hand in reassurance. “It’s gonna be fine.” He put his index finger below her chin to lift her face back up from their joined hands. “We did… what we did. I’m just gonna follow your lead on this because you’d kinda know better, the direct fallout that would happen if this ever got out.”

McKenzie chuckled, “Right.” They looked at each other for the first time with humor in their temperaments, “I say we should just forget about it. We can’t change it or just pretend like it never happened, but no one else has to know, right? So, we just move on and …forget about it.”

“Okay,” was his response and the one word agreement lifted the nerves off of her frame. She gave him a relieved smile as their hands separated.

“Thank you, Jax.” She said as turned to exit the room.

He nodded but stopped her before she could fully leave the room.

“Hey McKenzie?” He paused when she looked back, “I’m sorry about what happened between you and him.”

McKenzie returned his apologetic words with a weak smile before slipping out the room. He watched the door for several minutes after she left, feeling a weight off his chest.

A/N: Wheww, so this was a lot! We met the Street Wolves, including McKenzie’s ex-fiance. SAMCRO is headed in a new, legal direction. And Jax and McKenzie have a secret that they’re just… not gonna acknowledge anymore.

There’s still so much to learn which is really fun and exciting to think about, but I didn’t want to just lay everything out in the first couple of chapters: 1) because that can be overwhelming and 2) because it’s gonna be way more fun hearing ppl’s input and theories on where things go from here and what things have happened in the past.

I really want to thank y’all for the positive reception to the first chapter! Please don’t hesitate to leave reviews and/or hop into my inbox to chat about the story. I hope y’all enjoyed Ch. 02. Thanks so much for reading! Please like, reblog and share!

P.S. Y’all notice there’s a SOA character I haven’t mentioned yet? 👀

Taglist: @drabbles-mc @ocfairygodmother @youlovetkay @est1887

[proceduralpremium]

I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | 01

A/N: Hi! Back on my bullshit with another fic. I'm not even particularly sure where this came from, but the inspiration hit and I just let it ride tbh. I've never written for SOA before so this is a first for me. Also, I'll make better graphics when I get the time lol.

Pairing: Jax Teller x OC (McKenzie Gilbert)

Summary/synopsis: Fresh off a broken engagement, McKenzie Gilbert has a one night stand with a random guy she never plans to see again. Soon after, their paths cross, which complicates several situations at hand.

Chapter warning(s): language, sexual content (yup in the first chapter)

WC: ~6.5K

“Want another one?”

McKenzie looked up and was met with pitying eyes from the bartender. He glanced down at her empty shot glass before peering back up at her, awaiting a response. She pondered for a moment as to whether another shot was a good idea, but ultimately decided fuck it before nodding her head.

Her second thoughts dissipated as she realized she wasn’t even particularly drunk. Not even all that tipsy. She’d been sitting here long enough that the alcohol previously consumed had already osmosed. Part of her was upset because it had been her every intention of getting plastered tonight, but then again, he wasn’t worth that. He wasn’t worth destroying her liver anymore than necessary.

The bartender, having a general sketch of most people’s mindsets and reasons for coming into bars, knew she was obviously not having a good time right now. He stood there for a moment and decided to put on his therapist hat, “You alright, chica? Anything else I can get you?”

Before she could answer, he had provided her with a glass of water and another shot.

“I’m good, thanks.” She replied. It took a lot of effort to gather a smile, but she gave him a small one, appreciating his thought to check in on her.

“Well… if you wanna talk about it, I’m a professional listener, too. Sort of a hidden skill as a bartender.”

“Thanks, but I’m not really in the talking mood right now. I’ll take one more shot though.” McKenzie kept her voice level, holding back the snark she wanted to release. He was just being nice and doing his job, but she really didn’t want to be bothered. Thankfully, he took the hint and walked away to tend to other customers after refilling her glass.

She kept the shot glass on the counter, not jumping to knock it back yet. She meant it, she wasn’t getting drunk tonight over him. Even if this wasn’t the life she imagined for herself as of now. Even though she no longer had any direction or destination in mind for where she would go from here.

Marriage wasn’t particularly something she envisioned for herself, but when the opportunity came, she said yes to the man who proposed to her. And she was excited. Excited at the prospect of being someone’s wife. Having a husband. Planning a wedding, a day of celebrating with everyone you love in one room. She thought she met someone who was worthy of sharing such a day with her. She just knew that man loved her. His words and the ring that used to rest on her left ring finger solidified that in her mind. And now everything she believed to be true was no longer so.

Only a couple of hours ago, she’d been happily engaged. Only a couple of hours ago, she proudly wore the round cut diamond ring that proclaimed to everyone that she was betrothed. And now, here she sat with all of that nothing more than a lost dream, a broken ending. All the promises and plans and wishes had gone down the drain, her forever ending going with it.

The only thing more potent than her heartbreak right now was the anger that arose every time she thought about how she had been dragged along for almost five years, with a man who never wanted any of the things she did.

Confusion was a top three contender. Because she wondered how she missed the signs. How she hadn’t figured out beforehand that he never wanted her to be his wife. How she could have possibly messed this up. They were nowhere near perfect, God knows, but she never felt like it was too much to the point that it couldn’t be fixed. That they couldn’t work through it together. Yes, she was incredibly stubborn, and yes, he could be particularly arrogant, but…. they were in love. And that should have been enough, right? Unless it wasn’t. Or unless he really didn’t love her. Which was so obviously the case, but how long had it been like that? How long had it been when he fell out of love with her? Was he ever?

Confusion rose in rank as to what she was feeling. More questions arose the longer she sat there, reflecting over her now broken engagement. Was this something he’d been thinking about for a long time? Or was it sudden, a split decision? She thought back to his behavior these past few months: he’d been coming home later (or sometimes not at all), he was more distant than usual, they were arguing more. The feeling that maybe he’d been seeking comfort in the arms of another woman floated through her mind more than once during this time, and she even gathered the courage to ask him straight up if he had. But he said no and so she believed him. He said “I love you” and so she believed him. Because if she didn’t, that would give credence to the little voice in the back of her head that told her that something was off.

And here she was in this random bar in the middle of nowhere, hating herself for not listening.

And with that, she picked up the shot and knocked it back. She deserved the burning sensation in the back of her throat. A punishment for her asininity. And also a distraction from her aching.

Tomorrow, she would have to go to the clubhouse and face him. She would have to keep her head high because she’d be damned if she let anyone see her fall apart. She also couldn’t give him the satisfaction. She’d walk in tomorrow and pretend that her heart hadn’t been ripped from its chest.

But for tonight, she didn’t want to think about any of that. Tonight needed to be a night for distraction and self-indulgence.

Because no matter how much she wished she would never see him again, she couldn’t do that. He was a part of her world and he wasn’t going anywhere. And she knew he wasn’t so she had no choice but to face it. And she would face it with as much gracefulness and strength she could muster because anything less was unacceptable to her.

But for tonight at least, she could abandon all of that. She purposefully avoided having drinks at the clubhouse bar, not wanting to encounter him or anyone else for the time being. That’s why she drove out on the skirts of town to find this place, a bar on neutral ground without any club affiliations. She also didn’t want to have a peek at him taking home another woman or better yet, simply taking a woman right there at the club. She couldn’t even stand the thought, quickly whishing the visual from her mind. And that was confirmation right there that she made the right decision, because she surely wouldn’t have been able to control her emotions had she seen it in real time, in person. Maybe their engagement hadn’t even stopped him from doing just that in the past, but either way, it was now moot. She didn’t want any part in witnessing the sight.

There were loud cheers down the bar that jolted McKenzie from her thoughts. She rolled her eyes when she found the source, seeing a bunch of frat guys on winter break, partake in a beer chugging contest. The time she spent in her head left her just now noticing that the bar had gotten more crowded. A basketball game played on the screen, a group of girlfriends were having a girl’s night out, and a few dates were canoodled together in booths. She would probably barely hear her own voice if she were to start speaking right now with all the buzz and liveliness around her. And she definitely didn’t hear the bar door opening or the sound of footsteps that stopped until they were right beside her.

She only noticed when the bartender reappeared to serve the new patron, “Hey, what can I get you, man?”

To her left, was an unfamiliar blonde, waiting at the counter. He had on a black hoodie with his hood on his head, though his gelled back blonde hair peeked a little outside of it. His face wore a laidback smirk on his face as he greeted the bartender. When the bartender turned his back to get him his drink though, the smirk on the blonde had faded some and a bit of weariness colored his features. It was only a few seconds and the careless demeanor returned as he was handed a glass of whiskey. He turned to leave his spot and glanced McKenzie's way as he backed up some. He flashed her a flirtatious smile and wink before he continued on his way, walking towards the back of the bar.

Over the next hour or so, she broke herself out of her mind and just sat and watched all around her. There weren’t a lot of moments where she could sit and just be. It was a privilege she didn’t get to indulge in a lot of the time. Between her job as a paramedic and being involved in what was technically a crime syndicate, relaxation wasn’t usually afforded to her. And so she sipped on her water and just observed. She didn’t want to invite attention to herself by looking at anyone too hard or too long, but her eyes couldn’t help but bounce back to that mystery blonde every so often.

He’d found a small table near the bathrooms that was somewhat secluded, yet gave him visibility to everyone around him. He didn’t stay there for long though. He finished up his whiskey and ambled over to a table or two, tables that were particularly inhabited by what looked to be single women. Flirting. Shamelessly. The only problem was that no one was taking the bait.

It worked a little, he’d make them smile, he’d make them laugh. Cause one of them to twirl their hair a little. But when he went in for the kill, he got shut down each and every time. It became a game to her as much as it probably was to him. An amusing one, at that. A pretty face like that probably wasn’t used to so much rejection, especially in one night.

Over the hour she watched him, the man had probably attempted his magic on almost half a dozen women. She’d give him credit, he was a stubborn one. Determined. But she felt not an ounce of sympathy that he was striking out every which way he turned.

Eventually, the game got tiring and McKenzie looked elsewhere for entertainment. The bartender had reappeared once again and this time, he placed a Cosmopolitan in front of her. Upon looking into her questioning eyes, he nodded his head towards the frat guys. One of them had raised his beer at her, glassiness heavy on his face. The blank stare on hers did nothing to dissuade him and he even got from out of his seat to walk over to her.

McKenzie groaned and the bartender chuckled, “So I’m guessing you don’t want that?”

She shook her head and he immediately moved the drink from in front of her. The drunken, sloppy flirt had appeared beside her, leaning against the bar and heavy into her personal space.

“Hey pretty lady.” He slurred. He looked at the bar and noticed the drink he sent her was no longer there. “What, you don’t like Cosmos, sweetheart?”

“I love them, but I’m not your fucking sweetheart.”

“Ooh, feisty!” He gurgled. His gait was swaying and he reached for the back of her seat for stability. This only moved him further into her personal space, causing her to lean as far back as she could without falling. She closed her eyes and mentally started counting, trying to keep calm. She could end this situation real quick, but it was a matter of not wanting to waste the energy.

When she reopened her eyes, she cut him with her meanest glare. With a steely voice, she demanded, “Back. Off.”

The bartender also chimed in, "Hey man, she doesn’t wanna be bothered. Quit it.” He promptly gestured for the drunk’s frat friends to come retrieve him and McKenzie intentionally chose not to acknowledge them muttering about what a “prude ass bitch” she was.

Instead, she blew out a breath of relief once they were all gone, and relaxed back into her seat.

“You okay?” The mystery blonde, who had just reappeared, asked, worry in his eyes, “I saw that guy messing with you, he didn’t touch you, did he?”

“I’m fine.” She replied.

The blonde settled into the seat beside her, “Sorry about that. Assholes…”

“Yeah, most men are.” She finished the rest of her water and slid the glass away from her. She hadn’t really registered her words until she noticed his amused expression and raised eyebrows.

“Wow,” he said before licking his lips, “tell me how you really feel.”

“It’s not like I lied.”

His grin only widened the more she spoke. It annoyed her that he found this entertaining. She would’ve been more satisfied if he were offended or irritated. Hell, she wouldn’t have even minded if he called her out her name, too. If only it meant he would walk away.

“Fair enough, I guess.” He conceded, with that provocative smirk permanently etched on his face, “Still glad you’re alright, though.” And even with his enticing grin and charismatic eyes, she could detect the sincerity in his voice.

After a silent second or two, he spoke again, introducing himself.

“I’m Jax.”

She cut her eyes at him and pointedly looked at the hand he was holding out for her to shake. She didn’t move to return the gesture, only continued glaring at him.

And again, that smirk. He tilted his head with his eyes narrowed and that flirty, teasing smirk. He dropped his hand and then picked it back up to gesture towards the bartender.

“Sooo I don’t get to know your’s?” He inquired after getting himself a beer. He then spoke to the bartender, “Oh! And go ahead and put whatever else she wants on my tab, bro.”

MacKenzie’s nose flared, “You just saw me turn down the last guy who tried this trick and now you’re doing the exact same?,” She questioned him. “I’m not gonna sleep with you.”

Jax’s eyes widened again, this time in surprise.

“Darlin’, I don’t remember mentioning anything about wanting to sleep with you.” He spoke. And then continued, “I don’t even know your name.”

MacKenzie rolled her eyes, “Yeah, well I just figured considering you’ve been trying to get into every other girl’s pants tonight. You’d think after the second or third time, you’d take a fucking hint.” She ranted. “But then again, you seem like the stubborn type, so why don’t you get yourself back out there because you’re not getting anything from me.”

Jax cocked his head at her with curiosity creeping up his features. “...Have you been watching me?” McKenzie paused and Jax’s smirk returned full force, satisfied with his upper hand.

She only stumbled for a second, her face returning to its impassive mug. Speaking slowly, she said, “Don’t. Flatter. Yourself.”

You’re damn right she’d been watching him, but of course, she’d never admit it.

Jax chuckled, “Alright, well, even though you haven’t been watching me, I think I’m gonna take your advice and get myself back out there. Enjoy your night.”

He left without another word and she didn’t bother to bid him goodbye either. The night wore on and her anger stemming from both her fiancé and the frustrating encounters she’d had tonight was dissipating away. All she was left with was sadness at the current state of her life. Tomorrow was a big day for the clubhouse. She had no choice but to show up, but she wasn’t ready for the pity, the tension, or the pain.

It was such a complicated situation and she was anxious about hearing the others’ thoughts, opinions, and feelings. She certainly wasn’t ready to hear or see her sister’s reaction.

She knew she’d have to face her soon. Probably sooner than anyone else, considering she had no place to stay as of earlier today. She’d have to show up at her house and hear dozens of questions about what happened, about what went wrong. Her sister would never say it, but she was probably the biggest disputant of her relationship, and if she were a vindictive person, she’d never let McKenzie hear the end of how she was right to think that her love wasn’t the one for her.

Nonetheless, it was all love.

But she wasn’t rushing to let someone else in on her pain, so she remained seated and tuned in to the sports highlights on the TV, milking this solitary night for all of its worth.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jax return to the bar, a few seats down from where she was. He groaned to himself after requesting another refill, frustration coloring his expression. McKenzie couldn’t help it, she giggled at the sight. Only her outburst was a bit louder than she realized in the quieting bar.

His head turned towards her and his eyes narrowed.

“Something funny?”

“Nah, you just seem a little frustrated is all. You’re telling me you couldn’t find one chick in this joint to go home with you?”

He grabbed his beer and walked closer to her, curiosity and annoyance evident on his face.

“What exactly is your problem? Did I do something to offend you? Because if so, I apologize.” He said, holding his hand to his chest as he spoke.

McKenzie shrugged in response, “I just know your type, that’s all.” Apparently, she knew his type too well. She was fucking engaged to his type. If she cared enough, she could only hope that there was no fiancée, or girlfriend, or wife attached to the man standing beside her.

“And what type would that be?” He prodded.

“The type that doesn’t see women as people. Just a hole to get your rocks off in. You prey on them for a quick fuck, and as long as they’re cool with that, fine, fucking go for it, but I know exactly your type. And quite frankly, I’m so tired of being around men like that,” She professed bitterly. She was so stuck in her heated words that she missed the flash of darkness that crossed his eyes as she went on. She’d hit a nerve without even realizing it.

He took a step closer and met her eye to eye.

“You don’t even know me. All you’ve done tonight is tell me what you think you know about me and my type. Meanwhile, all you’ve been doing for the past two hours is sitting on this stool and nursing drinks with a sour look on your face. I haven’t exactly seen too many suitors walking your way either, darlin’. Unless you want to count that sloppy asshole who probably couldn’t even see two feet in front of him to begin with. It’s probably that bitterness that’s just reeking off of you with those judgmental eyes. So let’s cut the psychoanalytic bullshit and bring it down a notch. You’re so tired of being around men like me?” He leaned in closer and gestured behind her, “There’s the door.”

Fury filled the entirety of her frame, rushing into her veins and heating up her skin. Her nose flared and she fought to keep her shaking, raging hands to their sides. She was a snarling serpent, ready to pounce at the slightest inclination.

After having said his piece, Jax wasn’t interested in sticking around any longer.

“As fun as this evening has been, I think I’m gonna call it a night myself.”

He readjusted his hood and shoved his hands in his pockets, ready to face the cool night air. He stuck one out to wave bye to the bartender before turning once more to her. His voice barely above a whisper, he spoke, “I’m sorry for whoever hurt you.”

And then he walked out the door.

And McKenzie’s blood just continued to boil even more. She whipped her head around to the door and jumped out of her seat immediately. With her jacket on and satchel on her arm, she stalked out the bar barely a minute after he left. The cold air that assaulted her when she opened the door was not even acknowledged, her focus only on searching for him. She saw him walking towards a motorcycle across the street and she immediately set off to storm right after him.

“Hey!” She bellowed. He stopped his movements and turned around, but he didn’t move to walk towards her. Instead, he released a heavy sigh as she moved closer to him. “What was that?!”

“What was what?”

“You telling me that you’re sorry. What the hell was that?!”

He looked at her for a moment and with annoyance and confusion, he said, “You know, you really don’t know how to take apologies well.”

If looks could kill, Jax would be dead. She couldn’t even utter a sentence, her brain short-circuiting at the gall of this guy. Her mouth hung open, unable to find the words that captured her vexation.

That short bout of silence only spurred him on.

“You’ve been at my throat all night when I haven’t even done anything to you. Then, I apologize, keep in mind that I don’t owe you shit, but I apologized because something’s obviously happened in your life that’s got you hating the world, or hating men at least… And now you’re still coming at me like I’m the bad guy?”

“And what? Because I’m the only girl not taking your bullshit, I had to have been hurt or had my heart broken? Seriously?” She huffed. Damn if it wasn’t the truth, but still…

Jax turned fully towards her and stared her down, “You’re really gonna look me in my eye and tell me I’m lying?”

She didn’t need to say anything. The way she warily flinched at his accusation was enough for him. He nodded, in confirmation, to himself, knowing that her faltering told him all that he needed to know. He had to hand it to her though, her hard exterior came back with a vengeance and her imperceptible mask had returned right in front of his eyes.

“I don’t have to tell you shit. You don’t know a thing about me.” She fired back.

He smirked before backsliding into a sneer, “Sounds familiar, don’t it?”

Her eyes narrowed and words weren’t needed to express the irritation and indignance beaming off of both of them. They maintained each other’s glare, only until Jax had had enough. He was over this entire night and was ready to get back to Charming. “Now if that’s all, I’m gonna call it a night.” He began walking towards his bike and grabbed his aviator goggles from his pocket. “You’re right about one thing. Not getting any action tonight has put me in a foul mood and dealing with you ain’t been helpi-”

Jax’s grouchy words were cut off when he felt his hoodie sleeve being pulled from behind him. Looking back towards the woman who’d been a pain in his ass, he was halted from speaking further as he felt her lips collide with his. Stunned by the stark 180, he didn’t move as she resolutely moved her lips against his. The daze wore off quickly and soon enough he was returning the favor, as they moved against each other. Jax’s hands found themselves on her hips while her’s grasped onto his neck. When he swung her around a little bit closer towards the sidewalk and out of the empty road, he felt the hitch in her breath.

It was the reminder that told him that oxygen would soon be necessary for them and so he begrudgingly pulled back some. Their chests heaved against one another and when Jax locked eyes with her, he found challenge in her smirk.

He took a couple of more seconds to catch his breath before querying, “What was that?”

The sly smile that played over her face was a familiar look that signaled less than proper ideations.

“What was what?,” She responded, throwing his words back at him. She snickered at the roll of his eyes that he tossed back.

“You’ve been pissed at me all night for who fucking knows, berating me for trying to sleep with you, which for the record, I was not, I was only trying to make sure you were okay, and now… you’re kissing me?”

If she was in a better mindset right now, she’d feel flustered at how this all seemed. She was driving this guy in circles, that much she could tell from his confused, knit brows.

But she wasn’t in a better state of mind.

She didn’t care.

She ran her eyes over his entire frame for the nth time tonight and decided that she was doing this. It was happening.

She returned her eyes to his slight, perplexed frown and confirmed the decision in her head. He was exactly the kind of distraction she needed.

“You wanna get out of here?”

His brows rose once again and he paused, as if he were thinking carefully about his next words. “I thought you didn’t like me?”

“I don’t, but that’s not what I asked.”

He paused again and this time her face lifted, more so in impatience. She pressed her lips to his again, intentionally adding more heat and enticement. Giving him a prelude as to just how masterful her tongue was. And before they could get too engrossed into it, she was the one to pull away this time. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, awaiting a response.

A beat.

“For the record, I’m not so sure I like you either.” He moved towards his bike once again, “My place or yours?”

“Yours.” Her reply was instant. She no longer had a place, so really it was either his place or a motel. And she knew she’d already feel like a whore in the morning, so his place was better for her ego.

He gestured towards his bike, but she shook her head. “I’ll follow you.”

“Suit yourself.” He said as he put on his helmet.

McKenzie jogged to where her car was parked diagonally, across the street. Quiet and alone in her car, it was only then did she register her goosebumps and racing heart rate. On one hand, these nerves were all too familiar with her. She’d had one night stands before, after all. But it’d been a long time and maybe that’s where the sensation of novelty came in. It’d been over four years since she last had a random hook up and it was not long before she got into her now broken relationship. There was also the slightest notion of guilt. Logically, she knew there was nothing to be guilty about. She was single. She no longer had any ties, obligations, or commitments to him. And it’s not like he wasn’t off doing the same thing. But alas, the guilt continued to seep in the longer she followed Jax into Charming limits.

And when they arrived at a ranch style house in the dead of night, McKenzie knew it was now or never. She needed to make a decision. She looked at herself in the rear view mirror while grasping onto the steering wheel. She took a few deep breaths and compelled herself to make a choice. Stay or go. Jax killed his bike and climbed off it, taking his time to remove his helmet and aviators.

And right when she was seconds away from shifting into reverse and snatching out of here, she saw the glimmer of jewelry hidden away in her console. Her engagement ring.

And it was then that she made her choice. She owed him nothing. She owed herself everything.

Even if for tonight, that “everything” was a mere random hookup with someone she’d never see again.

It was then at that moment that she decided he didn’t have to take anything else from her. She wouldn’t let him.

Turning off her car and locking it up, she faced Jax who was still waiting, at his bike. He flashed her a wink, just barely visible under the nearby street lights.

“Thought you might’ve chickened out.” He jeered before walking towards his house. Even though he was right, much like how right he’d been all night, she merely shrugged and maintained her laid back demeanor.

She wasn’t fooling him however, and he chuckled at her non-response. He held his hand out to her, but didn’t wait for her to put hers into his. Instead, he grabbed onto it and pulled her a step closer. He stepped all into her space and breathed in her floral scent. Their fingers interlocked as she swayed into him and glanced alluringly up at him.

“You get to come into my house on one condition.” He declared. He’d lifted their connected hands and pointed his index finger at her. “You have to tell me your name.”

Snickering at how quickly his face transitioned from seriousness to banter, she relented, “McKenzie.”

Jax hummed. “Mmm, McKenzie.” The way he said her name sent fire crackling all along her spine. “Alright, McKenzie,” he moved a braided twist from her face, “let’s go inside then.”

They gave each other pecking kisses over their lips as they stumbled their way to the front door. Her focus was purely on reaching as many parts of his face with her lips as possible as he worked on getting the door unlocked and pulling them inside. Her eyes just barely adjusted to the darkness inside and she allowed him to guide her to his bedroom. Along the way, his hoodie and her leather jacket were lost to the floor. Shoes and socks were next and she was working on taking off his plain white tee as he attacked her neck without mercy. She couldn’t be held accountable for the sounds of delight that filled the room just as he hit that special spot directly beneath her ear lobe.

McKenzie grasped onto his face pulling his lips towards her mouth. She could see the bed, highlighted by the moon that breathed soft illuminance into the room. As he plopped onto it, their lips never disconnected and she moved to sit on his lap, lessening the space in their embrace. Jax’s moves were sloppy and desperate as he sought to lift up her ginger colored tee. While enlivened by the new and exposed skin, he couldn’t resist returning his lips to her neck and gradually down her collar bone.

Her breathing got heavier and she worked on unbuckling and unzipping his jeans while also exploring his chest. In the dim moonlight, there wasn’t much that they could see of the other, but that didn’t stop their hands and lips from exploring all that they could.

“You’re still wearing too many clothes.” He mumbled as he pulled at one of the straps of her bra.

He could feel her smile as her mouth traveled lower, down to his abdomen. Her hands journeyed even lower and she was amazed at the length she felt. Unfortunately for her, her hands were pulled away so that he could unhook her bra. He pointed at her pants and silently motioned for her to remove them. She rose from her seat on his lap and allowed herself the room to shimmy them down. Their lips met once again at her bent stance, both moaning as they deepened it until they were lightheaded.

McKenzie took the moment of respite to pull his jeans completely off of him and push him flat against the bed. His eyes were full of lust and fervor and without another thought, he grabbed for her, pulling him down to her.

Their movements once again became frenetic: Jax’s hands gliding down to her ass and squeezing, while McKenzie’s heavy breaths turned into whispered gasps. She basked in the arduous affections as his hands continued to explore. She was too distracted in running her fingers through his hair that she missed as his fingers maneuvered towards the front of her, meeting her clothed core. Her hips immediately buckled at the sensation.

He chuckled at her excitement and couldn’t help but tease a bit: “Someone’s sensitive.”

“Shut up.” She muttered, rolling her hips closing into his hand.

His mouth found one of her nipples and he lightly swirled his tongue around, eliciting another angelic moan from her. Simultaneously, he was also working on removing her teal lace panties. His fingers found their way in the folds of her and he immediately set to work in providing pleasure overtime. She could just barely believe it, the double sensations of being stimulated felt like being pulled into an out of body experience. At some point, she didn’t know what to do. Where to grasp. How not to just collapse right then and there. How to prolong the blissful arousal she was experiencing.

Prolonged, it was not, because it only took but a few moments later before forceful, concentrated waves of luxury collided full force with her frame.

She fell over onto her side and Jax wasted no time. He was up and over her, taking advantage of the new position. He started kissing her again and jumped a little at the feel of her hands inside his boxers. They were once again wrapped around his length and Jax reached out to his night stand drawer to retrieve a condom. Thankful for the reprieve, she laid back on the pillows and watched as he took the time to roll it onto him. She licked her lips, appreciating the view.

Hovering completely over her, he moved back the comforter and moved them both so that they were comfortable under the sheets.

He looked straight at her as he slowly inched his way inside. His movements were soft but intentional. His hands soothed her, rubbing her thigh and allowing her the time to adjust to him. One hand caressed his back while the other met his at the crux of her thigh.

The slow and sensuous pace didn’t last for long, however. Soon, he was thrusting into her, both their forms becoming sloppier and more frenzied as they indulged in the throes of passion. Their needy moans and the bed creaking against the wall were the only sounds that filled the otherwise silent house. And once they were done, high in the clouds off of their climaxes, the house was filled with nothing but stillness.

***************************

Several hours later

McKenzie adjusted her dark teal bra as her eyes skirted around the room, looking for her shirt. Peeking out from under the bed, she grabbed it as soon as she spotted it. Jax hadn’t said anything, not even knowing if she realized he was up. He watched her, admiring her beauty in the morning light.

Almost his entire body was covered under the bed sheets as the dusk air creeped into the room. Even in California, chilliness could have a bite to it during the early morning or late night hours. He was too cold to even get up and put some heat on. He just chose to lie there and watch her make her escape. He figured it didn’t hurt to not let her off so easily, at least make her say goodbye.

“You feeling okay, darlin’?”

“Yeah,” she didn’t flinch but sighed, “found my shirt.” She lifted it up, and then over her head.

“Yeah?” He repeated. “I’d say last night was more than 'yeah', especially going by your responses.” He goaded.

She ignored his comments and didn’t take the bait. Instead, she made sure she had her car keys, phone, and wallet.

“We could do this sometime again, if you want.”

“I’ve got somewhere to be.” She responded.

“So do I. I wasn’t talking about now, though.” He said. And he sat up a little to note the time, 6:40 a.m., relaxing when he recognized that he didn’t need to be at his plans for another few hours.

She still didn’t say anything, though, only putting on her jacket and shoes.

“Suit yourself. Maybe I’ll see you around town.”

At this, McKenzie scoffed, “I doubt it. I don’t even live in Charming.” She turned to exit the door and gave a salute behind her back, “See ya never!”

He just smirked and lied back in bed, wondering if he’d ever been on this side of a one night stand before. The side where he was the one suggesting future escapades. Where he was the one being turned down. He didn’t know why, but damn he kinda liked it. He put an alarm on his phone to wake him up from the short nap he was about to take and closed his eyes in sweet bliss.

McKenzie, on the other hand, couldn’t get out fast enough. It wasn’t as bad as she expected, but she still definitely woke up feeling post-orgasm judgments. She couldn’t blame it on the alcohol because she was almost entirely sober through the whole ordeal. She didn’t regret last night, per se, she actually enjoyed it. A lot. And maybe that’s why the weight of it all was hitting her. She’d just had sex with someone new for the first time in nearly five years. This wasn’t the life she envisioned for herself right about now, but here she was, and she didn’t know what to make of it. It was only yesterday that she could see her whole life planned out before her and now she didn’t know what she was doing or what to even do next. There were so many possibilities and avenues and maybe that’s where the overwhelming feelings came from? That she could just up and go randomly sleep with a random guy just because she could? It was foreign. It was overwhelming in a time where she was also figuring out how to mourn what would never be. Her mind was being pulled in a thousand different directions and she didn’t know when or how to process.

She had to force herself to take several deep breaths and calm her frenzied mind as she drove to her sister’s house. She willed herself not to cry because she probably wouldn’t stop in time before she got there and she didn’t want to explain to her sister that she didn’t know why she was crying, with all the different emotions and thoughts running through her head.

So she remained zen and walked up the steps to her little sister’s place. She had a key, but she knew better than to just barge in on a single woman who carried a glock. She knocked and waited. Willing herself to keep calm and remain steeled. She could indulge in her basket case of a mind when she found some alone time.

Sairah opened the door and immediately knew something was wrong. Her brows raised in surprise that her sister was at her front door at seven in the morning.

“Umm, can I- can I crash with you for a while?”

Her sister paused for a moment and McKenzie could see the questions forming before they even materialized into the air. Something on her face must have told Sairah to hold off. So instead of opening her mouth, she simply nodded and moved to let her sister step in.

Sooo if you’re looking for a timeline as to when this takes place, yeah disregard all that 😂. I mean, technically this takes place at the end of season 7 ideally, but it’s verryyy AU. Tara doesn’t exist, there’s no Abel or Thomas, Opie’s alive (I can’t kill my bb), Jax has a sister (I don’t know when we’ll meet her but we will) and instead of the Grim Bastards, I created another MC (The Street Wolves), which McKenzie is the “princess” of.

There’s hella backstory, world building, and fleshing out that I've been working on and I’ll be involving so fret not if a lot of things seem unclear. This chapter was really for setting the stage and now we’ll see where things go from here and add more background as we go. If you have any questions though, plss hit up my ask box or just reblog and leave your messages/questions there. This is my new favorite obsession so I don’t mind giving little tidbits of information (without giving spoilers of course) to really enrich the story and experience for y’all. I’ll probs reblog some little OC games or tags if you want to learn more about McKenzie or the new MC I’ve created. There’s gonna be plenty of new characters to add to the fun!

Anyways, I hope y’all enjoyed the chapter and thanks for reading! Please like, reblog and share!

P.S. I don’t know if the bartender will just be a cameo or if I’ll add him to the story more, but can y’all guess which SOA character that is?

[proceduralpremium]

I cant help it I love men covered in blood

[proceduralpremium]

I Don't Wanna Be Unfair | Fic Index

Chapter 01 | Chapter 02 | Chapter 03 | Chapter 04 | Chapter 05 | Chapter 06 | Chapter 07 | Chapter 08 | Chapter 09 | Chapter 10