This Charming Life [Tig Trager] [Book Two]

XVII. Picking Up The Pieces

"We're negotiating our way out with the Irish" Jax spoke from the head of the table, "They know they don't have a leg to stand on anymore, but it isn't going to happen over night. They still don't know who attacked Galen's group, but they suspect it was him that killed Anya"

Hearing that they admitted to culpability didn't help my mood. I didn't care if they could man up enough to admit that it was a mistake on their side. That didn't bring my wife back.

"They tried to offer some form of compensation," Jax sighed disbelievingly as he looked towards me, "Money, to get Braxton into a good school"

"They can fuck off" I grumbled, "All I want from them is their hearts on the fucking ground"

"And that's exactly what I told them" Jax nodded reassuringly, "What I'm hoping is that we handle the shipment due at the end of the week and then we're done." A collective murmer of agreement ruffled around the quiet room, "Now any other business?" Jax looked around the room.

"Yeah," Happy's gruff voice sounded on the left of the table, "Got a call from Kozik, they're having trouble in Tacoma with some local Italian mafia wannabees, asked if we could head up for support"

"All of us?" Jax asked with a raised eyebrow and Happy nodded.

"Said he could use two or three more bodies, but he thinks it will do us good to get out of Charming for a few days, get a change of scenery," I didn't miss the way almost every eye in the room flitted to me. But maybe it wasn't a bad idea. I couldn't look at a single place in Charming without thinking of Anya, and it was driving me mad.

"Let's take a vote" Jax ordered. Everyone voted to head up to Tacoma at the end of the week, I just had to organise for Braxton to stay with Gemma or Tara and we would be fine.

*

It felt good to get back out on the bike, out on the open road with the scenery rolling past in a hazy blur. I could feel some of the tension I had been carrying in my shoulders for months ebbing away with the breeze. For once, Kozik had been right, getting away might do me some good. Today was our second day of travelling. We had travelled about seven hours yesterday before hunkering down in a sleazy motel for the night, and now after almost five hours of driving, we were nearing Tacoma.

Seeing the familiar shooting range appear in the distance was a welcome sight. We were met with a round of cheers as a prospect pulled the gate open and the Tacoma charter walked into the yard to greet them.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Lee, the Tacoma President grinned as he welcomed Jax.

"Tell me about it" Jax sighed with a laugh, "Nice to see you brother"

"And you" Lee grinned before he started making the rounds to say hello to us all.

"So you got trouble with a local gang?" Bobby asked as the welcome's died down.

"We can sort that out in a little while," Lee grinned slyly, "Right now, you boys look like you could use a drink" with a laughed agreement we followed him and the rest of the club into their clubhouse. It looked a lot like the clubhouse in Charming, except the wall to the yard had big windows that looked out over the shooting range.

"Now, you boys tell Hannah what you want, she'll be happy to help" Lorca grinned as he approached the bar.

I stepped up to the bar with my brothers, I could feel the presence of the woman on the other side of the bar, waiting for me to order. I looked up to speak to her and my heart stopped. I'd never forget those green eyes.

"Anya?" silence filled the clubhouse as I gazed at the woman before me. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed back at him.

"Hi Alex," she whispered as the first tear fell down her face. I didn't need to hear another word, I jumped over the bar and pulled her to me. She was exactly as I remembered her, yet completely different. Her green eyes were the same, but her hair, that still smelled of exotic flowers, that had been a reddy-brown and hung to her shoulder, was now jet black and cut to a chin length bob. Her arms wrapped around me instantly as I held on to her like she was the only thing giving me life. Her soft sobs muffled by my cut as tears steadily made there way down my face. My wife was here. She was alive. The how, why and when would come later, right now all I knew was that she was in my arms, exactly where she belonged and I wasn't letting go of her anytime soon. "I'm so sorry" she whimpered into my shoulder.