“So” Jax began, walking into the kitchen and taking a seat at the counter while he watched her make their breakfast, wearing only his t-shirt. “You’re coming to my mom’s for dinner tonight right?”
Leila smiled, turning to face him as she stirred the eggs in a small bowl. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world babe.”
He smiled, leaning his arms forward to take a better look at her. Those long legs going for miles as his shirt stopped right below her round ass. Biting his lip, he picked up a piece of paper from the counter, rolling it into a ball before throwing it her exposed butt cheek. Her giggle alone brightened up his day.
“What do you have planned until then?”
“I have a press conference later today, then I was going to stop by the hospital.”
Unable to stop the smile from creeping onto his lips, he looked at her. So accomplished and held together. With the bruising gone from her face she could get back to doing interviews and publicity shoots but what drew him closer was how she had made it a priority to go to the hospital every single day. She’d stay for hours. Gemma would tell him how she’d sing to Abel and read different stories to him. It was crazy how something he thought would push her farther away only brought them that much closer.
“I love you babe. For everything you’ve been doing for me. For the club. For Abel..”
“Jax” she smiled, coming around the counter to stand between his legs. She hung her arms around his neck loosely as she looked up in his eyes. “I love you. With Abel, I don’t know what it is but I feel connected to him. It’s so strange. I may not be his mother – but I love him. SO much. It’s hard to describe.”
“I can’t wait to bring him home, the three of us babe. We’re going to be a family.” Jax leaned his forehead against hers. Images of her holding Abel floating around in his head and making his cheeks hurt from how bad he was smiling. With his hands on her hips, he pulled her closer into a hug, feeling her cheeks spread into a smile of her own.
“Hey, babe… “ She started nervously, pulling away from him slightly to look at his face. “What do you think about ..” She paused, biting the inside of her cheek before shaking her head. “Nevermind, I don’t want to overstep my bounds.”
“No,” He shook his head, lifting her chin to look back up at him. “Tell me.”
“Where is Abel going to stay?”
Shit. This was so unexpected, none of this was ready. Abel couldn’t stay with Wendy. She was going off to rehab. Nobody was at his house – not even him. The dorms were out of question. Then it hit him. He looked up at the nervous expression on her face and he realized she was offering to have him here.. with her.
“Are you?”
Her eyes widened as if she’d said something completely outrageous and he couldn’t help but stare with a smirk as her cheeks reddened. He’d never seen her actually nervous before and he couldn’t find it and more adorable as she started to reason nervously.
“Well.. I just… I just thought that since you stay the night here anyway… I thought – I thought you two could just move in with me…” She placed her hand over her eyes before brushing her hair out of her face. “I know. I know this isn’t my place but…”
“Babe,” he grabbed her hands, pulling her closer to him, “you’ve already done so much for me and for Abel too at this point. Are you sure this is what you want?”
She calmed down and with a firm expression, she nodded, “Yes. Wendy can’t have this baby living with her – not in the position she is now.”
His brows furrowed at her seriousness. She was right. There was no way Abel was ever going to know Wendy as his mother. She didn’t deserve that with all she’d put him through already. And the protective mama bear mode Leila was in was sexy as fuck. To know that she was doing all of this for him and his son. With a deep breath, he nodded. A small smile creeping onto his face.
“Have I told you how much I love you?”
She smiled, shrugging her shoulders effortlessly. “You may have mentioned it once or twice.”
He laughed and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her tiny frame as he hugged her. The feel of her arms around him, have his all the courage and confidence he’d ever need. Maybe he had fucked up getting with Wendy – getting her pregnant – but God worked in mysterious ways. He was sent an angel to give him another chance.
Jax worked on a bike at the shop, hearing a bike pull into the lot, he saw Bobby come up with a paper bag in his hands.
“Got the good shit.”
He announced proudly as he parked his bike. The two went inside where he dumped out his homemade muffins on the counter of the bar. They all knew how good of a baker Bobby was. These muffins were another great start to the day. Jax was the first to grab one before the men gathered around and took the rest.
“These muffins are great with tequila Bobby.” Piney laughed as he took sip from his shot glass.
“Shit’s addictive! Turning me into a fast bastard.” Chibs yelled as he stuffed his face with another one.
“Turbinado sugar. Organic flour. No processed shit. Not that any of you give a damn.”
“You put hash in ’em?” Jax spoke up as he popped open a beer.
“You know my rule. No bud before 9am.”
Jax laughed, brushing him off. “I don’t have that rule.”
“Morning, kids! The deal with the Niners is officially closed. Spoke to LaRoy and he’s giddy about his new assault rifles.”
Clay was in a better mood today, handing out the envelopes of cash. Jax got his, opening up to give it a count. He couldn’t be more relieved that they’d finally gotten paid. Yeah it was dirty money, but he had a family now. Abel needed clothes, diapers, hell an entire nursery. He hated what they had to do for this but it needed to be done.
“Look who it is.”
Tig nodded his head at the TV and the men looked up. There was Heaton at another press conference and Leila standing right behind him, looking calm and collected as always. She smiled for the cameras and crowds of reporters but it never reached her eyes. Jax had seen her real smile, the way it lit up her entire body. She’d radiate in happiness brighter than the sun. Those people would never see that side of her.
“What do you have to say about Leila’s relationship with Son’s of Anarchy member Jax Teller?”
“To be quite honest, I approve. We’ve repeatedly tried to catch them doing something illegal and as you can see, we’ve got nothing. They’re good standing citizens as far as I’m concerned and it’s time we focused our efforts elsewhere. Most of you know my daughter and know that she’s got a good head on her shoulders. Anyone she deems good enough for her is good enough for me.”
“Aren’t you worried that changing direction this late in the election will hurt your changes?”
“Well now I didn’t say my focus won’t be on working against crime in Charming, but our focus won’t solely be on the local MC. I think it’s good for the public to see that I am just a regular guy. I make mistakes, but Leila catches me on those. She helps me see things from a different perspective. I believe our kids – this new generation – is our future, and I for one and truly proud to have a daughter who is just as involved in bettering our community as I am, not just by being a good citizen but by seeing the good in others and I feel like everyone should take a note from her on that.”
The crowd clapped as Heaton wrapped an arm around Leila, giving her a kiss on the forehead and Jax winced. He knew what Heaton was capable of. How full of shit he was. He couldn’t stand to see him near her, let alone touching her in this bullshit heartfelt plea to the press. He heard Clay grunt and turned to see a satisfied smirk on the other members faces.
“Good to know he’s keeping his end of the bargain.” The old man huffed out as he took a pull off his beer.
“Just got an update from my city hall snitch.” Juice walked in turning their attention to him. “Looks like Hale’s got a warrant to search our warehouse.”
Clay sighed heavily before rolling his eyes. They still had those Mexican women in the somewhere. Fucking Tig. Jax sighed and got up with Clay to make their way over. What a way to start the fucking day.
Leila finally made her way to the hospital right after the press conference. The sound of her heels clicking down the hallway catching everyone’s attention but she didn’t care, her only mission was to get up to that room. It was strange. There was a feeling of peace that came over her in that room. Just her and baby Abel. When the elevator finally came down, the doors opened and she saw Tara, she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. She hadn’t missed the glances that she’d thrown Jax. The way she’d make to a point to ‘bump’ into him. If she’d spent half that time on Abel maybe they’d be out of the by now.
“Hey,” she plastered a smile on her face as the young doctor returned it.
“Hey,” Tara shot her a smile, equally as fake. “I saw you at the conference this morning. You look great.”
“Thanks, Tara.” Leila smiled again, moving a piece of hair back behind her ear. “So, how’s he doing?”
“He’s good.” She answered as the doors opened and both women got off on the same floor, walking towards the room. “He’s doing a lot better.”
“That’s really good, thank you – for all you’re doing for him.”
“No, it’s no trouble. I want to see him get better soon. How’s Jax holding up.”
Leila folded her arms across her chest. A small smirk on her face at the woman’s obvious shift in priorities. None the less, she politely kept calm and shrugged her shoulders, looking the brunette in her eyes.
“He stays up most of the night, just wants Abel home with us, y’know?”
The look on Tara’s face was priceless. Leila could tell it stung and although she hated being that way, she wasn’t willing to risk Tara getting any ideas. They had put too much time and effort into this relationship for her to think she could just waltz back into his life.
The young doctor was silent the rest of the walk, showing Leila to the room before walking away. Leila took a seat by the boy, placing her hands gently into the glass and for a moment she swore he was reaching out for her. She was dying to hold him in her arms. All she wanted at this point was for him to get better. Pulling out a book from her purse, she scooted closer to him and began reading. By now she could tell he recognized the sound of her voice. She’d even gotten a few smiles. He was still so small but that smile was as heart melting as his dad’s.
Gemma arrived at the hospital an hour or so later. As she approached the door to Abel’s room, she could hear Leila’s voice softly singing him a lullabye. The older woman peeked through the window to see her sitting close to the incubator, still looking dolled up and proper but there was always a different side of her when she was in that room with Abel. She had that motherly instinct. That look of pure love in her eyes that reminded Gemma of when she had Jax and Thomas. Though she didn’t give birth to the boy himself, that woman in there was in love. Her grandson would be in good hands.
Leila looked out the window to see Gemma standing there looking at her. She walked out the room, arms folded over her chest as she approached the older woman, concern written over her face.
“Everything okay, Gem?”
When Gemma smiled, relief quickly washed over her. She never knew what to expect with the club. Anything could go wrong at any minute with the way Jax had described things and seeing as she hadn’t heard of him since they left the house this morning, her worry was on high alert.
“Everything’s fine baby. I came to check on Abel but I can see he’s well taken care of.”
Leila looked through the window at the tiny baby in the incubator and a small smile formed onto her face. “He’s a fighter. That boy will be just fine.”
After a long, grueling day, Jax and Leila were finally ready to go to Gemma’s for dinner. They pulled into Gemma’s driveway with the rest of the bikes and he waited for Leila to hop off before he did. They hung their helmets on the handlebars before Jax took her by the hand to lead her inside. He knew she was nervous since the few other times she’d been in front of the club they’d threatened her but he knew she’d proved herself. She had their approval. She was now part of this big, messy, family.
He opened the door, walking in with Leila following close behind. The guys were already gathered around the table, talking and drinking beers while Gemma and a few croweaters were in the kitchen prepping the food. The men turned their attention towards Jax and Leila, raising a glass at the young couple.
“Well if it ain’t the VP and SAMCRO’s guardian angel!”
Tig raised his bottle, taking a swig as the guys got up to greet the two. Jax held her hand proudly as she blushed, hugging and greeting his brothers. No other woman had gotten the entire club as smitten as Leila had. The things she’d already done for them in this short period of time was more than anyone was capable of. They’d had people in high powers on their payroll but not even they could make sure the club was off the ATF’s radar like she had. His eyes wandered over to Clay, who for the first time, gave him a smile of approval. A genuine smile as his step-father, not just his president. Jax returned the smile before they took their seats.
Clay at the head of the table, Gemma on his left and Jax on his right with Leila at his side. Everyone started to fill their plates, passing the food, drinking laughing, joking around. He looked over at Leila and he could see she was genuinely having a good time. Her gorgeous smile was brighter than ever as she laughed and joked with Piney, who was the grumpiest of them all. He kissed her head and her smile made him smile, his cheeks hurting from how happy he was. Looking at Gemma, he could feel her happiness as she watched the two of them interact. This right here was perfect. There was nothing more in the world that he’d ever need other than his family, and soon his son would be part of this too.