What I Love Most

Chapter 4

Beer and liquor were flowing and everyone was having a wonderful time. Jax could see the girls were suitably distracted, chatting happily away in the corner of the room, as he and Opie met back up by proud display of mugshots.

"Married life good?"

Opie chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, we're dong real good. Smooth and shit. What about that?" He nodded toward Tara. "Still providing free daycare?"

"Ohhh, yeah you really got room to talk, brother." With a hard shove Jax laughed uproariously. "Actually, she's uhh, pregnant. We're having a baby." Jax wasn't sure how the news would be received after Mae's miscarriage but he had to tell Opie at one point.

"No shit," he reserved but genuinely happy, that was good. They clinked their beer bottles together. "Congratulations, brother."

Shrugging and ready to move on before he conversation could turn to Mae and their efforts he kept right on talking. "How's the mill been treating you?" Jax asked casually, his eyes scanning the room for any possible interruptions. It wasn't perfect but Opie was relaxed and that meant he was much more open to upping his involvement.

"It's good, boring and shit but it's steady money and keeps Mae happy."

"How's she with being here?"

"Good," he said confidently and tugged at his cut. "She never hated the club, she should but she doesn't."

That burned Jax but he kept on. "Look man, you're still patched and I know you've been fine with a proxy for your votes but I got some shit coming up that I need your support on, not just at the table."

Opie gave Jax that look, that 'what the hell did you do' look he'd been giving him since they were kids. "What is it?"

"I don't want rock the boat, I know you're trying to do right by your family but there was a time we were your family too. We get by this shit over the next six months and if you still want out you can go right back to it."

"What is it?" He asked again.

"Coke."

Opie threw his head back, laughing heartily at the absurdity of what was said. "Jesus Christ, Jax. Are you fucking serious?"

"We're just muling." He lowered his voice now and moved to stand closer to Opie. "I didn't want this, Clay's trying to squirrel away some cash before his hands give out, I get that. Alvarez hooked him into a cartel looking to arm up and it went further. I wasn't there when he made the deal but man, it could be good cash."

"A cartel? Are you out of your fucking mind?" Opie slammed his beer down, the liquid foamed up and started overflowing onto the table. "This ain't some small time crew, Mayans or Niners with families, men that understand there are lines. Cartels go after women and children," he pointed over to the girls as they smiled and laughed together happily. "You want to fuck with that? Get them hurt?"

"No ones going to get hurt, Ope. We're not selling, we're middle men just delivering shit." Jax was speaking louder now, no one could hear them over the music but it showed his seriousness.

Pausing, Opie pursed his lips and looked at Mae with her bright smile. Violence and legal issues we're huge but it felt like such a slap in the face to his wife. "And what about jail time?"

"It's not long term. We're trying to make quick bank. They're connected, politicians and shit, we won't see the inside of a cell on drug charges."

Money sounded nice, that wasn't something Opie would or could deny. They were living but the second mortgage was draining them and the time without a Mae's income had put a dent in their financials, as well as her ring. "I don't know." He fiddled with his beer but did it drink it, it was warm and just about empty. "This goes against what we stand for, brother. SAMCRO has never dealt with drugs besides this gives everyone a reason to get out of business with us. No one what's to fuck with a cartel, and Alvarez, it gives him leverage on our business."