Dragon Soothe

Chapter 24

The bikers finally left church and scattered around the clubhouse. Tig and Chibs sat down with their wives while Ava moved to sit with her husband and Opie. Remi asked Tig if he were ok and hadn't gotten hurt in their little scuffle making him laugh and tell her he was perfectly fine. Chibs smiled at the display as he noticed his own wife cautiously looking him over as well. The Scotsman promised Elise he was fine and the only one who'd really gotten hurt was Happy. Elise sighed with relief hearing that. Not that she was happy with Happy getting injured. Chibs suggested the small group go play some pool while the table was available. The two women were more than thrilled to have a distraction from thinking about their husbands getting hurt and what might or might not have happened earlier in the day. Clay had made the decision that later that evening, they were going to head out and destroy every meth lab that Darby had already set up in and around Charming.

"Listen, we're having to leave later this evening to take care of some business. You stay in our room until I get back. Keep the door locked no matter what. I'll take the key with me so I can get back in." Happy informed his wife.

"Uh, ok. Should you be going out with your arm injured?" She asked.

"I'll be fine." He retorted.

"I'm just saying, a bullet wound to the arm doesn't seem very safe for you to be driving around on a bike." Ava commented.

"I said I'll be fine." He put his foot down making Opie look between the pair.

"If you say so." She stated before standing up to move to the couch near the pool tables.

"Seems like she's just trying to look out for you, Hap." Opie commented.

The assassin sighed, "I don't need her looking out for me. I can take care of myself."

"Give her some slack, man. She's trying to figure out her role as your wife in the club. Our lifestyle is new to them, ok?" Opie tried to soothe his friend making Happy sigh once more.

Opie did make a good point. She was trying to figure out her role as his 'ol lady and what she was to do with the club. He still didn't think he needed anyone to look out for him since he'd been doing that since he left home at eighteen. He glanced over to where she was sitting watching her sisters playing pool with his brothers with a wide smile and cheering her sisters on. The friendly banter between everyone seemed so natural. He sighed again knowing he'd have to really make more of an effort to be her husband instead of keeping her at arms' length. Taking the beer the prospect just sat before him, he moved to sit next to his wife as she watched the doubles match between Tig and Remi and Chibs and Elise. Ava looked up at him bewildered for a moment then suddenly smiled slightly before turning her attention back to the game.

One of the bikers Ava hadn't been introduced to or had been pointed out to her sat down on her other side after Jax walked over to talk to Happy. The guy gave her the creeps as he looked her up and down. She scooted a little closer to Happy although there wasn't much room between them as it was.

"Hey there, sweet thing." The guy stated with a grin.

"I'm married and not interested." She immediately replied as she lifted her hand to show off her wedding ring.

"Doesn't mean anything to me, sweetheart." The guy told her, "Let's get out of here and go have some fun."

"It may not mean anything to you but it does to me. Leave me alone!" Ava exclaimed.

The guy grabbed her arm and was trying to pull her up off the couch when Happy finally turned his attention to what was going on beside him.

"The hell is this? Dave, leave my wife alone!" Happy growled as he stood up.