Mina came home from work early to find Jax still in bed. She walked into her room and sat on the edge next to him. His glazed eyes staring blankly at the ground, she ran her fingertips down his back.
“You’re not going to find them being in bed all day, sweetheart.” She tried but was met with a grunt. Leaning in closer to kiss his temple, she brushed some hair from his face. “I need you to get up Jackson. Moping isn’t going to fix anything. You know the boys are safe, you just have to go out there and find them.”
His eyes met hers after a silent moment “I was going to let her take them away. Keep them out of Charming just like she wanted.”
She nodded in understanding and ran her fingers through his hair. “Then go find them for a proper goodbye. Let her know she doesn’t need to run and hide. You have to be on good terms so you can see your sons.”
Jax stared at the ground. ” I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t know why she’s scared of me hurting her. I’ve never put my hands on her.”
Swiping her hands over her face, Mina nodded. “You’ll have to hear her out. She’s scared, Jax, but I don’t think she made a deal. You two have so much history, she wouldn’t turn on you now.”
He sat up and looked at her, anger rising within him again. “I never thought she’d fucking fake a miscarriage to frame my own mother! Or kidnap my sons! Who knows what she’d do now.”
Mina jumped slightly at his loud tone but moved in closer to him. “I know, babe, I know. But you have to calm down and think rationally about this.”
“Why are you even defending her?! Just yesterday you two were on the ground ready to kill each other?” He looked at her skeptically.
She looked down and shook her head before meeting his eyes, “Because she’s a mother, Jax. She’s a damn good mother to those boys.” She paused for a moment and bit her lip hesitantly. “And because I don’t want another person dying.”
Jax stared at her for a moment before lowering his eyes to his hands as he spun his SONS rings on his fingers. He hadn’t had a moment to think of how watching 3 people die had affected her. She’d hid it so well. Carried herself so well afterwards, but she hadn’t been through that before. “I’m sorry.” He sighed. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
Mina lifted his chin and leaned in pressing her lips against his. “Shh, I’m here babe. I chose to be here.”
He looked up in her eyes as she spoke and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her up onto his lap. Placing a hand on her cheek, he pulled her face closer, kissing her again. Needing to feel her comfort.
She sat up on his lap, adjusting her legs on either side of him, cupping his face with her small hands as she deepened the kiss, sliding her tongue along his bottom lip before he hungerly opened his mouth to move his tongue with hers. His rough hands moving down her sides to grab her shirt as she leaned back, raising her arms over her head letting him pull it off over her head making quick work of her bra. His eyes roamed her body as he noticed taking the tattoo of an owl between her breasts with it’s wings spread, cupping the perfect mounds.
Mina bit her lip nervously. It’d been so long since she’d had anyone look at her like he was. His eyes burning right through her. She shivered under his touch as his hands roamed over her body. Tracing every curve. Touching every scar. She leaned in kissing him again with more need. The electric feeling that he sent through her body was like nothing she’d ever felt as he rolled her over so she was laying on her back.
After removing her jeans, his hands cupped the waistline of her panties, sliding them slowly down her legs as he kneeled between them. He licked his lips looking at her, taking it all in. The smooth skin. The tattoos. The look of want in her face. He couldn’t believe he was finally with Mina. His hands ran up her body, his eyes following them before finally meeting hers. “You’re beautiful, babe.” He whispered before leaning in to kiss her soft lips again.
She ran her fingertips down his bare sides, pushing his boxers down slowly until he kicked them off of him. The kisses were deep and filled with passion. She needed to feel him. Lifting her legs over his hips, she pulled him in closer, feeling his hard shaft against her core. A slight moan came out of her lips. His fingers ran through her hair as his free hand ran down her body, grabbing her hip to lift her up slightly before sliding deep inside of her. Her breath caught in her throat as he stilled, giving her time to adjust. She opened her eyes slowly to look up into his, who were once again burning into her. She placed a hand on his cheek, the other one holding onto his bicep, as she gave him a nod to continue.
Their bodies moved together in sync. Quickly becoming hot and heavy, Jax couldn’t wrap his head around the effect she had on him. He could feel the warm of her care with every touch and movement and when her eyes were open, they looked directly at him. Into his soul.
This wasn’t just sex. They were making love. They both knew the feelings they had for each other weren’t just those of friends or even lovers. They touched each others hearts – souls. He watched her throw her head back as she climaxed. The pure look of bliss on her face, as her nails dug into his back, he couldn’t hold back as he let his follow before collapsing on top of her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him against her as she caught her breath. Sliding her fingertips up and down his back, he lifted his head from the crease of her neck to kiss her again. Placing a hand on her cheek, he stroked it gently with his thumb as he leaned up on his elbow, looking down at her. “I love you.”
Mina leaned her head to the side, kissing his palm, keeping her eyes on his. “I love you too. You going to head out today?”
Jax shook his head, moving to lay next to her, pulling her into his side. “No. I’m having the guys try and track her, but I want to stay in. With you.” For once, he didn’t want to deal with the world. Sure, he’d had the guys check in with everything going on, but staying inside with Mina seemed like the best option.
She smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder. “Sounds like a date, Teller.”
Mina ordered food for the two of them after they showered. While he was in the room changing into sweats, she kept her short robe that landed mid thigh on and went to the kitchen to get a drink and walked to the living room to turn on the TV when there was a knock on the door.
Peeking through the peephole she saw sheriff Roosevelt and opened the door. “Sheriff?” She took a sip of her coffee looking at him.
“Ms. Veira, can I come in?” He asked politely. She hesitated for a moment knowing Jax was upstairs but moved to the side holding her hand out to motion him in.
As they got upstairs, she led him into the kitchen putting her drink on the table. “Can I grab you a drink?”
“No, thank you Ms.Veira.” He looked around the room, taking everything in before looking back at her.
“Mina, please. What can I do for you?” She crossed her arms leaning back against the counter.
“I actually have a few questions for you, regarding a Chris Anderson. Your sister said you might know where he is?”
She furrowed her brows, standing a little closer. “Chris is missing?”
Jax walked into the room in sweatpants and no shirt on as Roosevelt was about to speak. Both men looked at each other in confusion before Jax spoke up. “What’s going on?”
Mina put her hand on his arm but kept her eyes on the sheriff as he stared at them with interest. “Chris is missing.” She spoke up.
Roosevelt nodded and looked between the two of them again. “Yeah we got a call from his mother saying she hadn’t heard from him in days. It appears he was in town to reconcile his relationship with you.”
Jax scoffed and Mina looked up at his dark eyes, immediately figuring out what happened. She swallowed her anger and looked back at the sheriff. “Yeah. He was. Came around my job a few times. Caused a scene when I wouldn’t take him back. He attacked me so I beat him with a baseball bat and threatened to have him arrested if he ever came near me again. I haven’t heard from him since.”
The sheriff’s eyebrows flew up high in his forehead as he looked at her. “True to your record I see. How long ago was that?”
Mina’s eyes went dark at his statement. “A little over a week ago.”
Roosevelt nodded and held out a business card for her. “Let me know if you hear anything else.” His eyes shot to Jax’s before going back to hers.
She took the card with a nod and held her hand out leading him towards the stairs again. “Will do Sheriff.”
“Eli, please.” He smiled at her as they made their way down the stairs.
When opening the door, they heard screaming between two women and saw Gemma and Adrianna at eachothers throats. “Hey, hey! What the fuck?!” Mina yelled getting in between the two, pushing them apart. Eli went to step closer but Mina stopped him. “Eli, thanks for stopping by but you better go.”
Jax ran down the stairs to see what the commotion was when he saw his mom trying to charge towards Mina’s sister with her in the middle. He quickly ran to his mother, pulling her away causing the screaming to stop. “What the fuck is going on here?!” He yelled over the women and all of them quieted down.
Mina pushed her sister further away from Gemma while the older woman placed her hands on her hips looking at her son. “I need to talk to you.” She said taking a look at her barely dressed son as well as Mina’s skimpy robe. She took her sons hand pulling him inside of Mina’s house.
Adrianna looked at her sister with crossed arms. “You need to get these people out of here. Chris is missing. The police are showing up and now Gemma Teller is at my door screaming at me about her son?! How are these the type of people you want to be involved with?!”
The younger woman shook her head. She’d deal with Jax later but for now, there was other matters at hand. Ignoring her sister, she walked back inside her house to her Gemma yelling at Jax.
“Your bitch of a wife kidnapped our boys and you’re shacked up with some tart all day?!”
“MY boys are safe with Tara! I will find them to say goodbye but I am divorcing her and letting her get the boys out of Charming, Gemma!”
“Are you out of your mind?! Jesus Christ!”
Mina shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair as she entered the living room. Gemma focused her gaze on her, pointing her finger at the brunette. “What you just want to start over with some new pussy?!”
Jax’s face flashed dark with anger as he stepped forward towards his mother. “Watch how you talk about her, Gemma.”
Gemma stepped closer to Mina, pointing a finger at her face. “And you. Next time that bitch has anything to say about my family, I’ll rip her tongue right out of her goddamn throat!”
With a scoff, Mina grabbed Gemma’s hand, tossing it away from her face and stepped toe to toe with her. “Gemma, you threaten my sister again and I’ll see to it that you’re the one missing.”
The older woman’s eyebrows flew up to her forehead before her eyes narrowed to look down at Mina. Jax quickly grabbed his mother’s arm, dragging her down the stairs. Mina stepped into her kitchen, placing her hands forward onto the counter and taking a deep breath. What the fuck was going on?
Jax ran his fingers through his hair as he watched his mom drive away in the truck. The last thing he needed was a fight with her. On top of that he didn’t need Mina’s sister having one more reason to get into her head about being with him. He looked up the stairs and sighed. From the way she looked at him earlier, he knew she know that he was responsible for her ex being missing.
Going up the stairs, he saw her in the kitchen sitting on the countertop smoking a cigarette. “Mina..” He started, taking a step closer to her. “I’m.. I’m sorry.”
She took a deep pull of her cigarette, her eyes burning into his. “For what? What your mother said about me? Or that you killed my ex boyfriend?”
Jax swallowed hard at her bluntness, keeping his gaze on hers. “Both. I should have told you. I saw him outside your job again and hearing that he had put his hands on you, I saw red babe.” He stepped closer as she stayed silent keeping her eyes on the ground. Placing his hands on her thighs, sliding them up and down slowly.
“Don’t hide things from me, Jackson.” She spoke clearly after a few moments of silence.
He looked up at her, placing a hand on her cheek and leaning in to kiss her lips. “I won’t. I promise.”
She kissed him back and pulled away to look at him. “I can deal with your mother. I can deal with my sister. I can not deal with lies and secrets, Jax. If you’re serious about trying this.” She motioned her finger between the two of them. “Me and you – you have to keep it 100% honest.”
Jax nodded his head, taking his hand in hers. “I know babe and I will. I want to do it right this time. With you, Mina.”
Mina nodded and smiled softly, kissing him again. “I love you.”
He leaned his forehead on hers, kissing her back. “I love you.”
She put out her cigarette and smiled at him. “So, uh, my cousin’s wedding in next month. I was wondering if you’d be my date?”
With a laugh, he nodded. “Can’t let my girl go alone.”
Mina smiled and bit the corner of her lip. “It’s.. uh.. in Georgia.”
His eyes widened and he paused looked down at her. “Georgia?” She nodded and he took a deep breath. “Yeah, alright. Sounds like a plan.”
Mina twirled her fingertips over his bare chest as they laid in her bed. Taken 1 was playing on the tv but they were so wrapped up in each other that they paid no mind to surroundings. As he played with a strand of her hair, he watched her bare chest rise and fall in a way that brought him peace. His mind ran to what Tara and the boys were doing but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from thinking of how good Mina was with the boys.
As if reading his mind, he heard her soft voice speak up. “What are you going to do when you find Tara?”
He closed his eyes, leaning his head back on the pillow, shaking it. “I don’t know, babe. The betrayal I feel – I don’t know if I’ll be able to control my anger.”
She traced the letters of Abel’s name on his chest, listening to his heartbeat while he spoke. “You still love her. You won’t hurt her.”
Placing a hand over his face, he ran it up towards his hair. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop, but the two of us don’t belong together. I saw it then but I did everything I could to push that doubt back.”
Mina nodded and closed her eyes. “Everything works out in the end, babe.”