Slow Burn.

Chapter 16.

I stir awake, letting out a small yawn as I reach for the growing baby by my side. I reach out to an empty space and my heart begins pounding in my chest. I shoot up from the bed and look around frantically, searching for the boy who was by my side as we napped. "Abel?" I call out to the baby, hoping to God that he'd cry out in response.

I rush out of the bedroom and feel my shoulders relax as I see Jax holding his son, smiling down at him as he walks over to me. "Sorry, babe. I didn't want to wake you." He says as he continues walking over to me, pressing a kiss on my forehead.

I sigh, running a hand through my wavy hair as I let out another yawn. "How did last night go? You look alright." I tell him, looking over his face and running my fingers over his cheek that has a small bruise. "I was expecting worse." I admit to my boyfriend as he chuckles.

"You should've seen the other guy." He smirks and then clears his throat, "It went fine. We knew they didn't want to meet up the way we agreed, so we had some back-up." He sighs and my eyebrows knit together, knowing he's hiding something.

"What's wrong, Jax?"

He looks over to Abel and then me, an angry look on his face. "Zobelle is a rat. He's been helping the FBI, giving them information so they cut him and his daughter loose."

I shake my head, shocked. "What? But he orchestrated Gemma's rape, they can't just let him go! Do they know what he's done? What he's capable of doing? He's no help to anyone but himself!"

Jax sighs, nodding. "Unser told them, and they don't care. They're getting what they want from it, and they want him on their payroll."

I shake my head as I cross my arms in front of my chest, my arms bare from the tank top I'm wearing. "So, what does that mean? He's getting off scotch free?"

"No, I'll kill him." Jax tells me calmly. I look up at him in absolute shock and fear, not knowing if he's thought this through or not.

"Jax, you can't kill him. He works for the FBI! That'll get you serious time, god knows what he's capable of, and the kind of strings he'll pull if you do that." I sigh, my head falling, "I know you want to do this to protect your mom, to get back at him for what he did, but you need to think about the bigger picture here."

Jax shakes his head, "I know what I have to do, Kacey." He tells me sternly and I sigh, knowing damn well he's thinking irrationally. I watch as he walks down the hallway and I feel myself getting frustrated with the man.

"You don't!" I shout out at him and he stops in his tracks, surprised to hear me raise my voice. He turns around and looks at me and I feel myself fall apart. "You can't just leave us here. You can't walk away from Abel and I." I tell him calmly. He sighs, walking back to me and pulling me into his chest as he continues to hold Abel. "What are we supposed to do without you? We need you, Jax, I need you."

Jax kisses the top of my head, "We'll figure something out."

I nod, doing my best to trust him. "I really hope so, Jax. This just started, and I don't want to have everything ripped away from me just as quickly." I tell him honestly, "You mean a lot to me, both of you." I look at Abel and take his little hand in my own. "I'll be here regardless, but I need you to promise that you'll remember what you have at home before risking everything for the club."

Jax sighs, "Yeah." He says softly, "I promise."

---

The day continued as usual, and I begin gathering some snacks before going in to work for a few hours. "Is your mom watching Abel?" I ask Jax as he begins to get ready for his 'mission' with the club.

Jax shakes his head, "No, but I wanted to run something past you." He asks nervously, and I raise an eyebrow as I stuff a muffin in my leather tote. "Tara offered to look after Abel today. I know it's weird to ask given our history, but she'd have the prospect with her."

I sigh, "How long do you think?" I ask him, not sure if the idea makes me uncomfortable or if it's just her.

"Just a few hours probably, whenever you finish up at work or when I'm done this quick run." I tell her, "I'll only let her if you're okay with it, and like I said, I know it's a weird request, it just seems to be the only option right now."

I take a deep breath, "Yeah, a few hours is fine. I'll be done around dinner, and I'll come back here." I tell him, having a bad feeling about this. "Where's your mom anyways?"

Jax sighs, "I don't know, she was out running errands last I heard."

I just nod, swiping my keys from the small table in the hallway. I walk over to Jax and he holds the back of my neck, pulling me into him before pressing a kiss on my lips. "Let me know when you get to work, eh? Is your dad going to be there?"

I shake my head, "No, Noah is going to help me with stock and inventory, then I'm coming home. We're closed today anyways." I tell him, knowing that he'll feel better with someone else at the shop.

He nods, "Sounds good." He kisses me once more, smiling into it. "I'm glad you're around." He tells me sweetly, "I'm happy to see this working out. Seems like life is finally going upwards."

I smile back at the man, "I agree." I tell him before giving him a quick peck as I head out the door, ready to get this inventory count over with.

---

I watch the sick son of a bitch hide out in the store we've followed him to. I feel my blood pump anger through my veins, and I want nothing more than to rip his head off, but I promise Kacey that I'd think things through and keep her and Abel in mind. She's right, they need me, and if anything, my son needs me the most. I can't be some write off dad who doesn't have a spot in his kid's life because of prison or being stupid and getting myself killed out of anger.

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and I look down at it, confused as to who's calling me. I answer the call and hear panicking on the other side. "Kacey? Kace, what's wrong?" I feel my heart pound in my chest as I anxiously wait to hear her voice, praying to god that everything's okay and that she's safe.

"J-Jax, I-I-I just got home a-a-and he's not here, he's gone."

My eyes widen and my heart falls into the pit of my stomach as the phone crashes onto the concrete. He's gone.