Mina woke up Jax’s arms, he’d been twisting and turning all night so she knew something was going down tonight. She slowly slid out of the bed, checking the alarm clock to see that it was only 6. Neither of the boys had made a sound throughout the night and she prayed that it was because she’d made them feel comfortable her home. She jumped into the shower, quickly washing up and pulling on a pair of grey distressed skinny jeans and a white v neck. She left her hair down in loose waves with her bangs swept to the side. After spraying on her perfume she put on her makeup and went to the kitchen to make some coffee and call her sister to invite her up. She never knew why they woke up as early as they did but they were always up before the sun.
It didn’t take Adrianna long before she came up. Mina had two cups of coffee ready for them. As they sat down, she knew she owed her sister some sort of explanation.
“So you two are good now?” Adrianna asked knowingly.
Mina raised her eyebrows as she took a sip of her coffee. “Yeah. Yeah we are.”
“And now that you’re Mrs. SAMCRO, I’m guessing you won’t be leaving for Georgia with me.”
“I’m not Mrs.SAMCRO. But, no, Addy. I’m not.” She sighed putting her drink down.
“And now you’re taking care of his sons?”
“Correct.”
“What about their mother?” Adrianna took a sip of her coffee.
“You know she was attacked. She’s still in the hospital.”
“And Gemma?”
Mina looked back towards the doors to make sure they were still closed before leaning closer on the table. “I need you to keep your mouth shut about this but i think it was Gemma who did it: Jax won’t believe me but i know it was her. I have the boys so Gemma can’t get her hands on them. Its the only way to make sure Tara can get them out.”
“Mina, sweetie,” Adrianna leaned closer sensing the need for secrecy. “This is some serious shit you’re getting involved in. Gemma Teller is not one who plays fair when it comes to her family.”
Mina took a deep breath and stared at her coffee for a while before looking up. “And neither do I. And I’ll be damned if Gemma Teller does anything to hurt them for her sick twisted idea of ‘family’.” She pounded her fists on the table causing the table and cups to shake.
Adrianna saw the determination in her eyes and knew better than to argue. Just as she was about to speak up a deep voice caused them to jump. “Everything alright?” He asked after hearing banging on a table.
“Yeah,” Mina gathered herself, shooting Adrianna a look that the conversation was over. She stood up walking over to Jax giving him a soft kiss. “Sit down babe, I’ll make you a cup of coffee.”
Jax put his arms around Mina’s shoulders giving her a kiss on the forehead, “Good morning” he smiled before letting go to sit at the table. He glanced over at Adrianna who was looking at him without the usual hate in her eyes when he entered the room. “Long time no see.”
Mina brought him over a cup of coffee as Adrianna lifted her cup to him. “Yes it has. Glad to see got her back, Jackson.”
The sound of a baby crying filled the house and Mina put her cup down on the counter before walking to his room. She smiled at the infant, picking him up from the crib gently and changing his diaper before bringing him out to the kitchen and making a bottle for him.
Jax watched her carefully, seeing her with a baby in her arms made her so much more attractive to him. “That’s a good look for you.” Adrianna’s eyes burned holes into him but he didn’t care.
Mina laughed hearing his voice behind her and turned around to face them, putting the bottle in Thomas’s mouth to feed him. “When’s Brooke and Rat going to be here?”
Adrianna checked her watch and stood up, walking over to the sink to put her cup in. “I gotta get to work, I’ll see you later tonight.”
Mina nodded as her sister kissed her cheek then surprisingly kissed Thomas’s head. Jax raised his eyebrows just as surprised as Mina but smiled as he took a sip from his cup. “Well who knew babies were the ice queen’s weakness.” They laughed as she shook her head. “They’ll be here by 7. I told them to come early since you’re an early riser.”
She laughed and shook her head again looking down at Thomas who was drinking happily in her arms. “So what’s the plan for today Teller?”
He took a deep breath, looking down at his coffee. He knew she wouldn’t like what he was going to say but he knew he’d be in more shit if he didn’t. “We’re getting RedWoody up and running today. Going to throw a party, invite the Chinese, Bastards, Mayans. Then when that sick son of a bitch who did this to Tara shows up, we bring him back to my house and I take care of him.”
Mina stared at him. As much as she wanted to speak against it, she left her face blank of any unapproving emotion. “So what about Lin.. when he finds out you went after his men?”
He shook his head, taking another sip. “I have a whole other plan for Lin. You’re coming tonight right?”
She looked down at him, confused. “Where?”
“To the RedWoody party.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Oh yeah, wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
He smiled as he stood up to kiss her forehead. Abel’s sleepy voice grabbed their attention. “Mornin’ daddy. Mornin’ Mina.”
“Hey buddy,” Jax spoke up, walking over and picking up Abel into his arms. “You hungry?”
“Pamcakes?” He looked up at his father, wrapping an arm around his neck while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
“Lets go get you pancakes sweetheart. We’ll go to the diner.” Mina spoke up putting Thomas’s bottle in the sink.
“You sure you’re up for that?” Jax asked and Mina nodded.
“Then can we go see Mommy again?” Abel asked causing Jax to look down at him confused.
“You took him to go see Tara?” Jax asked, putting table down on a chair.
She nodded again adjusting Thomas on her arm. “Yeah. They were really excited to see her.”
“Mina, I don’t want them seeing her like that.”
She sighed and stepped closer. “Jax, she’s their mother. They didn’t care what she was wearing or how she looked, they were happy to see her. You should’ve seen how happy they were just being in the same room as her.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “When are you going to see her?”
He looked up from the ground meeting her eyes. “I can’t. Not until she knows the bastards that did this to her are dead.”
She shook her head and leaned in kissing his cheek. “The only thing she needs to know is that you’re keeping your promise about getting her and them out. None of this other shit means anything to her. Maybe if you listened more than you plot you’d know.”
Jax looked over at her, his mouth slightly open from the shock of her bluntness as she left the room, taking Thomas and Abel to get cleaned up and changed.
Jax was with them at the diner for breakfast. She’d never seen the boys happier than when they were around either Jax or Tara. She couldn’t let anyone ruin that. Not having a great home life growing up made her more defensive than ever to give these kids something normal. Something less destructive.
After Jax left so did they, Brooke and Mina took them to the hospital to see Tara. There wasn’t much for them to talk about. As sweet as Brooke was, neither woman wanted to say anything about Gemma in front of her. She could easily be broken by Gemma. The visit to Tara was more for the boys, they had fun with their mother. A joy she’d never felt. Abel drew pictures for his mother while Thomas cood in his mothers arms.
She’d never wanted a kid. Didn’t think she’d be a great mother. She always thought she’d be that great aunt. Jax on the other hand, seemed to have something else in mind. She shook her head at the thought. Here she was trying to help Tara get the boys out of Charming because this wasn’t a place to raise kids yet she couldn’t help but think of how cute of a kid they would have together.
After the day Jax was having he wanted nothing more than to take in Mina’s scent, lay down on her couch with her tucked in under him, and have a beer. The thought of what was going down tonight said otherwise. He had to wait. He needed to be focused. His plan would be put in motion today. The people that put the mother of his children in the hospital would feel everything she did. The Chinese would get the message.
He pulled his bike into Mina’s driveway. She should’ve been getting ready by now. He couldn’t let her go to that party with anyone but him. He could trust his guys, but his trust ended there. In a place full of outside patches and pornstars, anything could happen. And in the mood he was in he’d kill anyone who went near her.
Making his way inside, Jax took a look around the place. Brooke and Mina were getting ready while Rat was on the couch with the kids. The boy’s nanny would be here soon and so would a few prospects to keep an eye out. He couldn’t be more grateful for Mina letting the boys stay with them. They were well taken care of throughout the day and he found himself getting home sooner than normal just to want to see them.
He couldn’t face them before. Let them see how he’d failed their mother. He felt like he’d let them down. Let his whole family down. Mina made that fear go away. She’d stepped up and taken them to go see Tara regardless of their history together. Sooner or later he’d have to face her too. Jax bent down over the couch giving Abel a kiss on the forehead and then Thomas. They both looked so much happier. She must’ve kept her promise of taking them to go see Tara again.
When Mina came out of the room, he felt a weight melt right off his body. It was like all the pressure holding him down disappeared. With a smile he walked over to give her a kiss. It amazed him how even as casual as she dressed, she was always so breathtaking.
Mina wrapped her arms around her man’s neck, the tension in his shoulders easing up to her touch. Leaning up closer to him she pressed her lips against his then down to his neck. “I missed you.” She whispered against his ear. Tonight was her duty to do everything she could to keep him as calm as possible. She knew things would hit the fan regardless but the less angry he was the less destructive he would be.
“I’ll need you to show me how much later.” He breathed into her neck. The small gasp she let out at his hot breath against her skin drove him crazy. What he wanted to do to her – but tonight was about revenge.
Mina bit the corner of her lip, pulling back slightly as she ran her fingers down to his belt loops, ringing her fingers into them so she could pull him closer. “Only if you’re very very good tonight.”
Jax licked his lips and leaned down to kiss her again. “Oh I will.”
Once the prospects and nanny got there the four of them were on their way. Mina choosing to take her car in case club business took longer and Brooke rode with her. The two men riding their bikes ahead of them. Upon arriving the party was in full swing as expected. Lin and his guys were there as well as the Mayans and Bastards. The more the merrier in this situation. They needed all they could to make this seem as casual as possible.
Mina walked in ahead, after greeting the members she knew she went right to the bar. He didn’t miss the eying she got from the random men in attendance. As irritated as it made him, he also got a sense of pride that his girl didn’t need to strip down to be appreciated. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Tig, who’d witnessed him eye fucking Mina.
With a laugh, the crazy haired man spoke up. ” All these fine women in the house and you always have the best one.” Jax laughed looking over at Mina once more this time she was surrounded by people, already making friends.
“She’s something else ain’t she.” Bobby walked over laughing as Lyla and Mina took a shot.
“Yeah, just make sure someone has an eye on her while we take care of business.” He looked between his men as they nodded. He called over the Bastards to fill them in. He motioned for Gemma to head over for them to hear it themselves. “Go ahead, Mom. Tell them what you saw that day.”
Gemma stood between the men, eying them nervously but had to sound confident. “I…uh.. I drove by Jax’s house the night Tara was attacked and I saw a man leaving. I… I got a good look at him. It’s the man sitting at the bar.” The men turned their heads slightly, looking at the young, well built, asian man and nodded. Now it was time to let the bastards handle this and wait for the call.
Mina kept her eyes on Jax the whole night. The vibe was sketching her out. She only hoped the rest of the clubs didn’t feel the same. The last thing this place needed was someone noticing all the plotting and planning going on. She watched as the group gathered with Gemma in between them. That rotten cunt would be spinning some bullshit lie.
She watched as the old woman made her way over to the bar where Mina was posted the whole night. She wanted Jax to know exactly where to find her in case he needed anything. Gemma eyed Mina up and down before pursing her lips. Visibly she was trying to hold herself together. Her hands fumbling over themselves. Her movements less smooth than usual.
“How’s it feel knowing your lie will be the death of an innocent man?” Mina leaned closer, speaking in a hushed tone solely for Gemma’s ears.
The woman’s head snapped up and the hate in her eyes running deep, looking around at all the people around she quickly composed herself laughing quietly to herself. “Look around sweetheart, there’s not one innocent person in this room. That includes you.” she put her hands on the counter, leaning closer to Mina.
Mina smirked looking down at the woman’s unstable hands then back up to her eyes. “But that man. The one at the bar. That you’ve never seen before in your life. He’s going to be paying for something you did. Now tell me Gemma, how much worse is your punishment going to be.”
A whistle caught both their attentions as they looked over to see Jax motioning his mother over. The darkness in his eyes deeper than she’d seen before. The sadness in Mina came up again. Jax was going to burn so many bridges because of this woman and she was powerless.
Without another word Gemma disappeared out the door and Mina shortly after. The prospects were posted on the couches the nanny was sent home. She needed to be alone. She felt as if she was suffocating. Never had she had this kind of anxiety. She felt so helpless seeing Jax damaging everything he was working so hard to create.
She jumped in the shower as soon as she got home. Staring aimlessly as the water ran down the drain and before she knew it she was on her bed in a pair of cotton shorts and one of Jax’s beaters, staring aimlessly at the ground. She had to release Gemma’s hold on Jax. One way or another it was going to happen.
What felt like hours went by the all too familiar sound of Jax’s bike pulling in woke her. After a moment went by there was still no Jax. No sound of the door , no footsteps, nothing. She grabbed her short cotton robe and threw it on making her way carefully down the front steps. When she opened the door she saw Jax sitting on the steps taking deep pulls from a cigarette. Her heart pounded being unable to imagine what he must be going through. In his head he really thought he’d come face to face with Tara’s attacker.
Slowly making her way over she sat down next to him. The two of them sitting in silence for a while before he tossed out the cigarette, cupping her face hard and kissing her passionately.
Mina jumped back slightly at how hard he was holding her but nonetheless returned the kiss. Her hands placed over his while he moved against her with need. As their tongues moved together, his hands reached down, sliding up her bare thighs. As much as she wanted to keep going, something was off. The movements were there but Jax wasn’t. His breathing was quick, her cheeks felt wet with tears that weren’t hers.
Pulling away slowly, she placed her hands ln his cheeks, wiping his tears away. “Hey..” She whispered as his eyes refused to meet hers. “Babe. Hey…” His tear swollen eyes moved up to meet hers. Her heart broke with every teardrop that hit the ground. “It’s okay baby. I’m here. I’m right here. Shh.”
He buried his face deep in her neck, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck stroking her fingers through his blood stained hair, listening to the quick pace of his heartbeat as he let it all go. All the hate, the anger, the hurt. It was all coming out now.