One Rule

Chapter 30

Kozik's reaction was all I needed to make the decision to drive up to Stockton to see Happy.

"What the hell are you doin' here?" he asked, sitting down at the table. "Why does your face look different?"

"There's something I need you to share with my dad and Jax since I can't count on your brothers to do it." I took out my phone and opened the file and passed him the phone to flip through the pictures. "I'd tell them myself, but I'm not on either of their visitation lists. You're the only one I could get in to see."

"What the fuck?" Happy asked, looking up at me.

"Keep looking."

He was seething by the time he'd seen all of them. "What the fuck?" he repeated.

"That was a couple months ago." I filled him in on everything that went down. "I can't act like it didn't happen. I probably won't be there when you all come home because I can't stand to be around either of them."

"Why the fuck won't they tell Clay and Jax?"

"I wasn't privy to the full story. The most Kozik would tell me was that it wouldn't do any good to tell them," I replied.

"I'll take care of it. You're coming to Opie and Lyla's wedding." It wasn't a question.

"I wouldn't miss being there for Lyla."

"You carrying?"

"Yeah. In one form or another."

"Good girl."

For the remainder of the time we had, I filled him in on some of what's been happening in town and with the club. When time was up, he hugged me. "I got you, little girl."

"I knew I could count on you."

When I walked out to my car, my husband was sitting on the hood, and Chibs was leaning against the driver's side door. "Who'd you go see?" Kozik asked.

"Happy. I know I can count on him to convey a message," I replied. "Besides, it's not like I could get to Clay or Jax directly."

"Damnit, Diana!"

"Don't give me that! I deserve better than that. Not telling them erases what happened to me, and makes me look like the unreasonable bitchy one because I refuse to be around Gemma and Tara! That's what good it does! My credibility and my reputation still mean something to me! Somehow I have survived my upbringing without assaulting anyone, despite my role model. And despite everything else, I still know right from wrong, and dammit, I am not in the wrong here!" They were furious. "Get out of my way." I was practically daring them to assault me there in the parking lot of a prison. I looked at Chibs, "Move, or I will scream bloody murder."

"Fine. But know, you've made a big mistake, Diana. Whatever happens now is on you," Chibs warned as he backed away from my car.

"Whatever," I replied, getting into the driver's seat and shutting the door.

Kozik tapped on the passenger's window, and I cracked it enough to hear him. "Can I come home tonight?"

"Do whatever you want. I'm not going home."

"Where will you be?"

"Not sure," I lied. I'd already switched shifts with one of the girls who worked overnights, and had a bag of my stuff in my car.

We've been having issues at home, and I'd finally reached my boiling point. I've been so frustrated for the last few months with everything. It didn't occur to me that part of it might have been sexual frustration until I looked at Connor that evening, and I just wanted to jump him. I realized that I hadn't had sex in months, and the sexual frustration on top of my actual frustration is probably what led to me snapping. Kozik hadn't so much as tried to make out with me since everything happened. A small part of my brain worried that he was getting some from the croweaters since I wouldn't come to the clubhouse anymore. He knew he wouldn't get caught.