All the Money in the World

Chapter 41

*Sorry for the wait, everyone! Life got crazy for a bit there!*

--

Everyone involved kept their heads down for a few days. Happy and Jax weren't around the clubhouse and Katie had Ana drop Charlotte off at school. Finally, when she summoned enough courage, two days after the incident, Katie arrived unannounced at Tara's office.

She knocked quickly and mumbled through the door, "Tara it's Kate."

"It's unlocked," Tara uttered.

Taking a deep breath, Katie opened the door and stepped into Tara's office. "Hi."

"Hello," she said plainly.

"Look, Tara, I-"

"You're sorry," Tara assumed.

"You have no idea how sorry I am," Katie muttered nervously. "I'm still angry at Jax, I am, but I'm sorry for everything this has caused you. I know you probably hate me."

Tara shook her head, "I don't hate you. I'm mad at you, I'm furious with Happy and I feel a rage toward Jax that I never have before," she admitted shamefully. "What he did was," she shook her head. "After everything he guilted you into something to save him own ass, something that-" again she stopped and just shook her head. "I am very angry," she said simply. "I accept your apology but I will not apologize for what Jax did. I can't."

"I don't want you to," Katie sighed.

"Okay, well, I have a lot to catch up on," she glanced at the door signaling for Katie to leave. "He's been sleeping...somewhere. I don't know where, his choice not mine, but I can still take Charlotte this weekend if you want her to see her brothers."

"I think we're gonna just keep her," Katie said. "Have a good day," she said, turning and leaving as quickly as she arrived. It wasn't until she hit the elevators that Katie exhaled and finally felt relief from the fear of the visit. She sobbed as the little bell rang with each floor as she descended to the ground level and didn't bother to wipe her tears as she walked to her car to go home.

--

*Later that day*

Happy returned home from a ride, still more sullen than usual, and found Katie in the laundry room off the kitchen. He poked his head in, "Hey."

"Hi," she said with pursed lips. "What's this?" Katie asked, holding up a crumpled Teller Morrow invoice pinched between her index and middle fingers.

"I dunno," he shrugged, taking the paper from her. Opening it he saw there was no work order or customer name but on the blank back side was a few scribbled words. "103 - K," he looked at her. "I dunno," he shrugged again.

"That's a woman's writing," she huffed. "This laundry," she kicked the bag that was at her feet, I found in the garage, it's all filthy and old, a few weeks judging by some receipts."

"Probably shit from the clubhouse," he said, annoyed. "Did you look at all of it? Probably ain't even all mine."

She scoffed. "Why would there be clubhouse laundry in our garage?"

"I don't know," he said with a growl.

"Are you fucking someone? Some crow eater or one of those porn chicks?" Katie just asked, her suspicions wouldn't allow her to hold off any longer. "I know shit's been weird with us since the baby and I just, I can't say I'd be surprised. I know how you guys are, on runs and -"

"You don't know shit about runs or chicks hanging around the clubhouse," he seethed. "If you did, you wouldn't be asking me this shit."

Taken aback by his tone, Katie nodded. "Okay," she said, clicking her tongue. "I have to go to Scoops, I need to order some stuff," she pushed passed him. "Sammy's sleeping, he'll need a bottle when he gets up."

Perfectly on cue, the baby began crying as soon as she slammed the front door. "I should be gettin' my goddamn dick wet if I gotta deal with this shit," he grumbled, heading to the nursery. The baby screamed until he saw his father's face. "I feel ya, kid," Happy said, picking up his son. "Come on, lemme feed ya."

--

Katie did have to go to Scoops and that was where she ended up despite wanting to be almost anywhere else. She was in the back, glancing at order forms and inventory when she heard familiar voices by the door. Jax and Ryan had come from the second floor, alone, and were chatting in the doorway to the stairs.

"I appreciate it," Jax said, shaking Ryan's hand. "It was on me, Katie and Hap are clear, right?"

Ryan nodded, "They're fine. I think with everything else you've earned some goodwill from the Kings. I can probably safely assume you're back in their good graces. This honesty goes a long way."

"Glad to hear it," Jax chuckled. "I guess I'll see you in a few weeks for pick up."

"You will," Ryan assured him. Looking passed Jax and through the swinging door windows, he saw Katie listening and shot her a sly wink. "I'll be seeing you," he said to Jax, his eyes still on Katie.

When Ryan left, Jax turned, after having noticed Ryan's eyes focusing behind him, and saw Katie by the back alley door. It was obvious at that point what Ryan had been looking at. Jax stepped into the kitchen and forced a fake cough as not to scare her. Katie normally would have tossed the cigarette in an attempt to hide it but she didn't care.

"Hi," she said coolly.

"Hey," Jax said sadly.

"You look like shit," she said smugly.

"Your old man didn't hold back."

"Good."

"Katie," he huffed.

"You're selfish," she laughed ruefully. "I never even noticed it really, I guess because it never hurt me before like it hurt others, usually I benefited from it since we were close. I was special," she rolled her eyes. "Shame on me for believing you'd never hurt me."

"Stop," he growled. "You're not an angel, Katie, and you're not some victim. Take that woe is me, self-righteous act and use it on Hap. I was trying to keep a bullet outta his head cause he fucked up that night. No one else."

"You're a liar," she snarled. "Get out of my store. We're not your makeshift clubhouse anymore, side deals and shady meetings gotta happen elsewhere."

"You're just an old lady, Hap can make that call," Jax told her. He knew Happy would agree with Katie but at that moment his anger and pride forced him to be so argumentative and cruel.

"We both know who he'll side with," she flicked her secret cigarette into the alley.

"You didn't have to do it this way you didn't have to tell him," he said as she turned her back to him. "Look what you did, everything is fucked now, you coulda just talked to me."

"Goodbye, Jax," she grabbed her bag and, abandoning her work, left out the back door.