Something to Prove

V

You never know how much someone means to you until they're gone.

"How the hell did they get him?" I wonder as I pace in front of the fireplace in the living room.

Everyone joined in the room and I told them the bad news. It's my dad, the guys, and Marilyn, who was here working on event outfits when I got the call.

Jax takes his gun out and checks the barrel, making sure it's loaded. "I say we just go after the sons of bitches now and ask questions later." He begins to make his way to the door but my dad puts his hand on his chest.

"Sit." With that one word from the Boss Jax immediately plops down in the nearest chair, avoiding my fathers' gaze. "Did Michael say anything about where they were or what they wanted?"

I shake my head and continue to pace. "All he said was that he had Bash and that we'd get a call later, giving us instructions on what to do if we wanted to keep him alive."

"I'm not making deals with that bastard of a brother, he's gone far enough." He runs his hand through his dark hair and sighs. "Did we run the scan to try and track his phone?"

Dean stands and holds out the iPad with the map on it. "Tracking was successful until this street here," he says as he draws a circle around the street. "I would say that wherever they're keeping him is locked down tightly, no way of hacking into the system."

"What's there?" My father asks and points to the building across the street where the tracking stopped.

"Some type of factory or warehouse I believe," Dean replies with furrowed eyebrows.

"I'll send some men there to check it out, everyone wait here." He leaves and begins to make a call.

I plop down on the couch next to Marilyn and put my head in my hands. "This is all my fault, if I wouldn't have made him so angry he would've just stayed here." Marilyn puts her hand on my shoulder, trying to help. "I should've just taken that damn shot," I say quietly.

She raises a dark eyebrow. "What? What do you mean?"

I lift my head out of my hands but keep my elbows on my knees, feeling exhausted from everything that's happened so far. "He was mad because I kissed Dean," I mutter and look over at her. "You were right."

"What made you realize?"

"I shouldn't have been so stupid, it was obvious." I sigh and pick at my nails nervously. "Before he left, he pulled me close like he was going to kiss me."

"And?" She wonders with a smirk on her face.

"And nothing, he changed his mind and went out the door without another word," I mumble.

"Wait," Zack says from his spot in front of the fireplace. "You and Bash almost kissed? Man, finally, he's had a thing for you for like ever."

"Yeah, we thought you knew," Jax says with a wide smile on his lips. "How didn't you know?"

My jaw is to the floor. "Are you guys serious? You knew? How long has this been a thing?"