All the Money in the World

Chapter 3

Jax's face clearly conveyed his surprise as he was escorted into the visitor's room toward the table where Katie sat. Seeing her expression pushed his surprise aside to make way for concern for her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked before even sitting at the table across from her. "I thought you were Gem."

"Gem?" She asked, drawing her head back in surprise. "I thought she couldn't get up here"?"

"She comes up during the week, weekends have the visitor limit so it's easier," he explained. "Are you okay?"

Knowing it was better not to tell him she'd been lying about being able to see him, for sympathy Katie assumed, she went on with the real reason for her visit. "I'm okay, yeah, but Stahl came to see me at the gym."

"What'd that bitch want?" He snarled.

"I don't know," she sighed. "To spook me, I guess. I think she knows what really happened in the alley, she knows about Charlotte, my past in D.C. and tried to lay guilt on me about you guys and the club."

"What about us?" He asked, seeming offended.

"She just wanted to make sure I knew that you and Happy are...bad men. That you'll get me hurt or in trouble. I mean, she didn't say it exactly but she alluded to it."

"Yeah, I know how she works," Jax huffed. "What did you mean she knows about Charlotte?"

"That you're her father," Katie explained. "She asked if we were lying to Hap and Tara about it and if not how we got them to accept everything."

His nostrils flared as he growled, his anger bubbling in his chest, prompting Katie to take his hands in hers. "Hey, I can take care of myself. I'm only telling you because I wanted to get your blessing, I guess."

"My blessing?"

"Alec and I think she's pulling strings to push the parole hearings up hoping they'll deny you because of that stupid fucking fight. I want to do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen and since you're President I figured I'd do things properly. Working together is better than me doing my own thing."

Jax quickly shook his head. "You're right, it is but no, I'm not okay with this. I don't want you getting in trouble, Kate."

"Oh please," she laughed. "I'm much more capable than any of you guys give me credit for."

"You tell Hap all this?" He asked, knowing the answer before she even spoke.

"No," she sighed. "He's on a fucking hair trigger Jax, you know that. One thing could set him off and I don't want to know what that would look like for him."

"I was in that fight too," he reminded her. "I know what it looks like but I don't think putting yourself at risk and keeping it from Happy is the smartest move."

Katie pouted and looked away from Jax, knowing he was at least partially right. "Then you have to keep him under control," she ordered. "If I'm going to tell him I need to know you have his back in here and you'll keep him together."

"I always have Happy's back," Jax said staunchly.

Katie nodded. "Thank you. I'm trying to do this whole Old Lady thing correctly. Getting the okay and doing what I can to protect my guys." She squeezed his hands again. "I love you Jax, this is as much for you as it is for him. I know you only got involved in that fucking brawl because of Hap, I don't want you missing parole for it. I never thanked you for keeping him alive that day. I know that shiv was meant for him, he coulda been the guy bleeding out in the yard."

Silent, Jax nodded and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Be careful," he said quietly as he stood. "Love you, darlin'."

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