What I Love Most

Chapter 2

Jax stormed out of the meeting after polite handshakes and goodbyes, his fury directed at Clay rather than their new business partners. He was fuming as he clipped his helmet on and watched Clay casually chat, strolling back to his bike. It only made Jax that much angrier. He'd gone behind the club's back and made a dirty deal that would likely land them all in danger. Jax's nostrils flared as he glared at Clay, a self-satisfied smile on his face as he mounted his bike. The plans to move the club into a straight way of earning had stalled but Clay's secret deal with Alvarez was the catalyst Jax needed.

"What the fuck was that?"

With a hard look, Clay rolled his jaw and decided it was time to level with the young man. It would happen eventually, the truth would come out and Clay needed Jax on his side. "I'm tapped out," he flexed his fingers, the pain made him visibly shake. "How much longer do you think I have at the head of that table?"

He wet his pursed lips and chuckled. "I get it, I do. Secure your shit for when your hands give out, smart idea, bad plan and even worse execution."

"How else am I supposed to do it?"

"I don't know," Jax shook his head, utterly disgusted. "But you're not supposed to be lying to the club."

"Short-term, we could make a lot of money. Kids are expensive, son. Don't you want something to fall back on? Set up, earn big, take it easy?"

It sounded good, really good, Jax wanted to build a cushion for his family but seemed to be almost impossible with the way business had been going, steady but with no growth. Tara made great money but they had very little wiggle room and Jax knew moving out of the outlaw life would mean a considerable financial hit at first.

"Muling coke? That's your answer?"

"I need this," he said with more fire. "Your mom needs this."

"And you need me to back your play."

"Isn't there some way we can make this work?" Clay looked between his own hands, aching and swollen, and Jax. "I can't do this much longer."

"Stuff your pockets before you're out but how long you think we can do this without more fed heat or blood?"

"Six months, six good runs. You back me for six months and I'll hand you my patch."

"What?" Jax's head moved back as he looked at Clay in shock. "You're going to step down?"

"It's not like I have a choice and if I want anyone taking over, it's you."

With that damn president's patch Jax could do so much, but this didn't feel right. Clay loved SAMCRO more than anything, it was almost unbelievable to hear him offer the gavel so easily. "Club won't vote this and I won't lie. I can't."

"Once they see the cash, I don't think they'll be as much resistance as you're expecting. It's short, we won't dive in full force but we'll need every vote."

"Including Opie's," Jax mused. That would be a hard sell, especially with Mae's background. "He won't proxy and he's still patched, he's gotta be at the table for it."

Clay nodded, that was wear he'd come in handy the most. "Tig and Happy will follow our lead, Juice I'm not sure but Bobby and Opie are definitely going to need some persuading."

"Piney?" Jax asked, his anger slowly dissipating. "There's nothing that'll get him to vote yes."

"All we need is majority." Clay said flatly, gripping the throttle as best he could. "We just have to be sure the others are all on board."

"Yeah, might take some time though."

"As long as it works, that's all that matters. We can't vote until after the first run, so we'll have some stacks of cash to change a few minds."