Other Side of the Tracks

Chapter 28

The intense vibration and buzzing echoed out of the garage and hit Julia's ears as she gnawed on her thumb nail anxiously. She could see Jax, his jaw right and nostrils flared, as he watched Happy black out Clay's tattoos. It took longer than a god them would have liked to get there but proper steps had to be taken. Barosky's murder was investigated, but no suspect could be found, and the case against Clay was laid out flawlessly for SAMCRO and other charters.

"You alright darlin'?" Gemma asked startling Julia out of her own thoughts.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Julia turned to stare at Gemma, still not trusting her. "He was your old man."

"He hasn't been my old man is years," she said wistfully.

"Hmm, okay," Julia shrugged. Standing, she grabbed her bag and keys off the desk. "See ya."

"Julia," Gemma grabbed her arm. "You ready for all that?" Gesturing to Jax, Gemma was making it clear that while she wasn't accepting Julia she was more open to it than before.

"Been," she said confidently. "We're months in now, Gem. Kind of late to try to vet me, huh?"

"Maybe, but the games changed now." She raised her eyebrows. "This is what I was worried about. You two with your businesses parallel but not quite together."

"We can manage," Julia was forceful now.

"How did you manage?" Gemma was nonplussed. "Charlie outed you and you killed him but you're whole. How's that happen?"

Julia smirked and shot Gemma a wink. "It's business," she said smugly. "You're just an ex-old lady and Jax's mom, you wouldn't understand."

Gemma glared at Julia as she swayed her hips toward Jax. The couple shared a few whispered words before he guided her out of the garage and down to her car.

"See you in the morning?" He asked, leaning his hand against he driver side door as she stood between him and the car.

"Yep," Julia nodded. "Colette told the girls nine and Nero will be there with his crew."

"I'm proud of you," he said as he moved to kiss her.

Julia moaned a little as his tongue danced with hers, his fingers kneading her waist and pulling her closer to him. "Do you have to stay?"

"I do," there was no hesitation or pause. "I'm sorry."

"Duty calls," she giggled. "Gem asked me how I secured my role. I didn't tell her though, I just thought you should know she asking."

Looking back at Gemma he sighed heavily. "I'm not telling her shit, not until I can be sure we can trust her."

"I know baby," she tugged his cut. "I gotta go. I love you."

"Mm hmm," he kissed her. "Love you too."

Julia replayed Gemma's casual interrogation in her head as she drove home. It was impossible to imagine how Gemma would have reacted to the real story.

*Two days after Charlie's murder*

After twenty-four hours underground and another cleaning herself up and planning, Julia was ready to stake her claim. She'd called Ryan, telling him she wanted a truce and the chance to work something out, and the two met at the bakery before heading to his house.

"Did you kill Charlie?" They were the first words out of his mouth.

Julia nodded. "I did. I had to. He cheated, he tried to kill me to cover his tracks and he killed my father, Ryan. He had to go."

"I knew it," he sighed. "I knew it was you."

"Everyone knows it was me."

"So what now? You want me to help you after all his shit?"

Shaking her head she moved closer and closer to him. With a little push she force him to sit on the couch and straddled him.

"I want to do this together."

"What about your biker boyfriend?"

"Oh he's still here, he's in your bathroom," she leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "He's watching us."

"What?" Ryan tried to jump up but Julia already had her blade in his face. It wasn't planned by after Charlie she felt such power holding that knife she never wanted to conduct business without it. "Gonna kill me too?"

"No," she laughed. "I'm here to offer you a job."

His eyes were fixed on the tip of the knife as it glinted in the fading sunlight. "A job?"

"Mmm hmm," she smiled. "You'll be my little errand boy, my pet; drive me around and run the bakery." The surprise was that she'd trust him that much and she could see that in his expression. "If you do those things, as well as spread the word that Charlie was the rat, Charlie was the cheat and he deserved what he got, I won't kill you."

"You're gonna kill me anyway," he spat. "No one is gonna buy that you let me off this easy after what I did."

"Oh you're gonna pay," she hissed. "You're gonna be a walking billboard for what happens when people come at me or my man."

Julia took a deep breath, still not confident in herself or thrilled to have to use such violence, and following Chibs directions, cut Ryan's left eye out. He wailed in her ears but she worked so quickly his crying and wriggling didn't save him.

"You bitch!" His hands went directly to his face as she jumped off him. "You cut my eye out! You're fucking crazy!"

"That's not the last of it," she said hesitantly. As he panicked, she grabbed the iron off the stove Jax had left on a low flame. Pressing it to his cheek she cringed and held her breath as his flesh sizzled. "Jesus," she yanked it back and tossed it to the ground. As he thrashed on the floor in pain Julia tried to keep from vomiting. It had to be done but she was still getting used to serving up punishment.

"I'm sorry," he cried out. "I won't do it again."

"You're gonna tell em' all, right?"

"Yeah," Ryan sputtered.

"Who runs shit, Ryan? Who runs the goddamn ports?"

"You do, you psycho bitch."

Julia nodded and looked around, unsure of how she had gotten there or who she had become, before snatching up her things and grabbing Jax from the hall.

"We done?" Jax wasn't thrilled to see such a strong and violent display from his old lady but he too knew it was necessary.

"Yep, all handled."

*Present*

It had worked, Ryan spread the world and dutifully carried out whichever tasks she assigned him. It seemed things were settled and business was smooth. It was almost too easy. Julia stripped nude and stepped into the bathroom for a long relaxing shower.

When she sauntered out she noticed a few things in her vanity had been moved. She glanced back with a smile. "Jax?" On her tiptoes she left the bedroom to look for him only to be greeted by a chloroform soaked rag.