The Final Ride

Chapter 21

*Two Nights Later*

Usually on run nights Happy didn't wake her when he arrived home but this nighter was unlike any other. He checked the kids first and then shut their bedroom before flying into bed.

"Ror," he shook her. "Ror, baby get up."

"What?" She grumbled. "Hap I'm not in the mood for this shit."

"Tara's dead" he said solemnly.

Rory's eyes popped open, now fully awake, and she could see how disturbed Happy was by what has happened. "Tara?"

"Yeah, right in their goddamn kitchen." He hissed. "Jax found her after the run."

"Oh my god," she gasped, clamping her hand over her mouth, and began to cry.

"They took him in," Hap said as he held her. "They fucking took him in and sent his kids to some fucking facility."

Rory found wave after wave of shocked as he hit her with more information. "Wait, they think he did it?"

"I don't really know shit," he shook his head. "I'm so happy you're okay baby. I was so scared."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she was still crying as she hugged him back. "Hap, this ain't the worst it's gonna get is it?"

"No baby, it ain't."

They didn't sleep that night. Happy and Rory laid in bed, eyes wide, nothing but the sounds of their breathing between them. They'd lost people to club drama before but losing an old lady, a wife and mother, that sent them all into deeper spiral. It was an unwritten rule, families were untouchable; but Lin had hurt Knox and now, they were suspecting, been the one behind Tara's murder.

"Those boys need to be with family," Rory finally spoke once the sun began to peek through the blinds.

"Yeah," he grumbled. "We'll see what Lowen says."

"I'm scared Hap," Rory rolled over and buried her face his chest. "First Knox and now Tara."

"Nothing is going to happen to you or the kids." He said forcefully while wrapping her up in his arms.

Patterson and the possible life sentence were so far from Rory's brain that their discussion she had planned was forced onto the back burner.

"Yeah, I know," she sighed. "Whatever I can do for the boys or Jax let me know. I gotta tell Emma."

Happy groaned. "That kid has lost more people in her short life than most adults."

"Don't remind me," Rory wriggled out of his grasp. "You have to go?"

"Yeah," he sat up. "We gotta figure out who."

"Is that really a question?"

Happy shrugged. "We talked to them two days ago, explained our side, we thought this beef was on its way out."

"I'm going to have Trevor with us today, I'll keep Ash and Em home and just have him here. Okay?"

"Yeah, I like that."