Irish Eyes

Chapter 15

*A Few Days Later*

"That's going to scar," Gemma said as she examined the wound along Von's jaw.

Von nodded, "Aye."

"I'm sure Tara knows a good plastic surgeon," she suggested.

"I'm fine," Von mumbled, still unable to talk as she had before. "I've got plenty of scars."

"This life'll do it to ya," Gemma finally stopped pacing and sat. "I know who did this to you."

"What?" Von turned her head slowly to look at Gemma.

"He threatened me," she wouldn't meet Von's eyes. "It's the goddamn letters. I thought he was right, about hiding it all, but not this."

"I trusted you," Von hissed. "We're not friends but I thought I could trust you not to hurt me, or Jax."

"I never wanted to," she said quickly. "I didn't want this."

"It wouldn't be easier for you if I was gone?"

Gemma pondered on the question for a long, suspenseful minute. "No, not now. You've grown on me, I can see how Jax feels about you that changed how I felt."

"Even though I was helping him?"

"Yes, even though you were helping him," she looked away from Von. "We can work together on that, Von, the next steps for Jax and the club, but not like this."

To Von, Gemma was nuts. She would not become the new part of a duo hell bent on manipulating the club's moves and killing their way into power. "Aye," she lied, "We can work together." There was no point arguing it now and Von wasn't sure Gemma wouldn't attempt to finish what Clay started. "I'm tired, Gem."

"Ah shit," Jax called their attention to the door. "Play nice," he warned.

"Who?" Gemma asked with her usual attitude returning.

He looked at both of them and shrugged, "Both of you."

Von smiled, "I'm always nice."

"That's a lie," he kissed her forehead. "How you feeling?"

"Like shit," she grimaced.

"I'll give you two some time," Gemma said, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

"Thanks, Ma," Jax kissed her cheek and opened the door for her to leave. "Whatever she said, I'm sorry."

Von tried to hold in her laughter to keep the pain minimal but she still let out a chuckle. "She was fine."

"You're talking better," he remarked with a smile.

"Aye," she mumbled. "It hurts still."

"I'm sorry," he took Gemma's seat. "It was Clay?"

"Stay calm," she warned him.

"Just say it," he urged her.

"Aye," she squeezed his hand seeing his face turn angry. "I'm sorry, Jackson."

"You have nothing to apologize for," he scolded her. "I should have known."

"Can't look back now," she said. "Gotta look forward."

"What's forward look like to you?"

She closed her eyes and relaxed back against the bed. "Good food, sleep and sex, in that order."

"I like that future," he chuckled, "But we need more than just the immediate."

"Yeah," she frowned despite the pain. "I'm going to call the Kings."

"And tell them what?"

"That someone is after me," she said simply. "It makes sense, doesn't it? Even if he's saying they want me dead I don't believe it so why wouldn't I go to them for help?"

Jax nodded. "Then it comes out?"

"All of it," she said darkly.

"There's a whole middle part there that we don't have," Jax was annoyed, rightfully so, by the entire situation before him.

"I'll call them, ask if he's right, and confront him."

"Confront Clay?"

"Yeah," she wasn't shaken.

"You talk to the Kings," he sighed. "Then I talk to the Kings. The Irish always liked Clay, they trust him, and I need to be sure they'll work with me when he meets Mayhem."

"Aye," she nodded. "Once you have their assurances?"

"I take it to the table," he said somberly.

"He won't lash out?" She asked, worried for her safety as well as his.

"I'll make sure he doesn't," he assured her.

She nodded. "Your mom?"

"I can't tell her before the vote," he sighed. "It'll crush her and I don't know what she'll do."

"Gemma is unpredictable," Von agreed.

"I'm sorry he did this to you," Jax felt himself growing emotional again.

"He killed JT why wouldn't he go after me?" She asked sadly. "I had my suspicions but even to me it seemed extreme."

"He's not gonna come near you again," Jax kissed her cheek.

"Aye, he's not," she agreed. There was a swift knock at the door. "Go," she said as Tig poked his head in. "They need you."

Jax nodded at her and kissed her lips softly before meeting Tig in the hallway. "What's up?"

"Clay's goin' over what happened," Tig explained. "Thought you'd wanna know."

"I know what happened," he growled. "The fuckin' Irish."

"Yeah, I'm gonna deal with it," Jax said confidently.

"How?" Tig asked eagerly and Jax assumed he was digging information for Clay.

"She's my responsibility and I'll handle it. This ain't about the club, it's between the Irish and Siobhan."

"Clay took a bullet for her," Tig said forcefully. "That makes it about the club."

Jax rolled his jaw, his nostrils flaring, and shook his head as he tried to lay it out for Tig. "They shot Clay cause of Von, not 'cause of the patch, now leave it alone."

"What are you doin'?" Tig asked skeptically.

Stepping closer to Tig, back straight and shoulders squared, Jax got in his face. "Trying to keep Von safe and my club clear of her shit. That good with you?" His last words were dripping with a dark sarcasm.

"Yeah," Tig said matching his vaguely threatening tone. "All good, VP."

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