Slow Burn.

Chapter 15.

           

I sit in Abel's room, staring blankly at the baby photos and toys that decorate the nursery. I can't help but wonder if bringing Kacey into this was the right choice. Chibs got injured, and wound up in the hospital, nearly laying on his death bed. My mother got raped because of the club, and Kacey got harassed and nearly assaulted because of our foe. I don't know if Kacey can ever adapt to something this dangerous, hectic and messy. I don't know if it's in her to adapt, understand and protect herself.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair as I lean further back into the rocking chair, the silence haunting me. We're locking everyone up at the clubhouse after what happened to Chibs, and our decided war against Zobelle and Weston. Part of me just wants to tell Kacey to stay with her dad and Noah, but I know that isn't the safest option, and even if I invited her to the clubhouse, she wouldn't come without her brother and father.

I shake my head, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it as I sit in the blue room. Tara keeps pulling these strings for Chibs at the hospital, keeps trying to snake her way towards the club to help us, and I know it's her way of getting closer to it all, to get closer to me. I know she won't move on from me, and I know she'll do whatever she can to get back to the man she stayed in Charming for and used to kill her ex-ATF boyfriend.

I pull out my phone and dial the familiar number, holding it up to my ear as I wait for her to answer. I continue huffing on the cigarette and pull it from my lips when she picks up. "Hello?"

"Hey babe." I sigh into the phone, "What are you doing?"

I hear her rummaging in the background and I chuckle, knowing she's probably at the shop. "At the shop with dad, just working on a few inventory things. I know you wanted me to take more time off, and so did dad, but I was getting real bored, Jax. I go stir crazy."

I chuckle, "Yeah, yeah, the excuses." I tease her, "Listen, we need you, your dad and Noah to come stay at the clubhouse for a couple of days."

I hear her immediately stop her tasking, "What? Why? What happened?" I sigh, rubbing my eyes. I didn't mention anything about Chibs to her because I didn't want her to freak out and begin to over-stress like she usually does.

"Chibs got into a bad accident, an explosion. We just want people at the club house, so we know they're safe." I tell her and she sighs, knowing that's not all, "and we're going after Zobelle and Weston. I don't want you guys alone and getting the back side of it all."

"Yeah, alright. We'll come over when we're done here. I'll give Noah a call, but Jax? If you make me sleep on one of those couches where your brothers have constant casual sex and probably hasn't been washed since the beginning of time, I'm going to question our relationship."

I chuckle, shaking my head and appreciating her light-hearted joke. "I guess we'll see how nice you are to me, eh? Maybe I'll share my bed with you."

She laughs, "You can share it with Noah if you're going to be like that!"

I get out of the rocking chair, already feeling better now that I'm talking to her. "Yeah, no thanks. He'll probably pop my skull like a cherry."

"Wouldn't be the first cherry you've had popped." She taunts me as she continues her tasking.

"Oh, whatever country girl. Get back to your books, and I'll see you later." I tell her happily.

"Sounds good, we'll be over around three or so." And with that, we both hang up. God, please don't let anything happen, especially to Kacey and her family.

---

Dad, Noah and I walk into the club house with a couple of bags. "Jesus Christ, this place smells like decaying woman, smokes and beer." Noah groans as he looks around at the filled club house.