California Dreamin': The Sequel to Leather & Lace

Chapter 12

After a delicious breakfast of maple bacon and scrambled eggs with toast, Tinsley, Jax, and the kids all began to get dressed for the day. Willow and Asher were coming over to send the day in the pool while Jax, Half Sack, and the club took care of business.

Tinsley wondered just what kind of business Clay had set up for the club. Would it be more guns? Would it be something to do with Cara Cara? She really didn't know and it was driving her insane. Yes, she had told Jax that sticking with the club was the best thing for them all and she honestly believed it but she also didn't want anything to happen to him that would cause him to be incarcerated again.

Just as she was coming out of Abel's bedroom, Jax yelled for her from the bedroom.

"Coming!" Tinsley yelled back.

Walking into the bedroom, she found Jax in the closet, his back to her.

"What did you need?" Asked Tinsley.

"What are these?" Asked Jax, turning to face her, holding a stack of papers in his hand. Tinsley knew immediately what they were. It was the letters from Maureen.

"Jax..." started Tinsley.

"Why do you have letters from Maureen Ashby?" Asked Jax.

"They were in your bag when you got back from Ireland" said Tinsley.

"What are they? Why would she send them to me?" Asked Jax.

"Babe, you really need to let me have those." Said Tinsley.

"Why? You've read them... what do they say?" Asked Jax.

"Babe..." started Tinsley once more.

Jax walked past her from the closet and over to the bed, reading the letter that was on top.

"Seriously Jax, you don't need to read those. I meant to trash them before you got out but never got around to it" said Tinsley.

"If you really meant to trash them you would have. You obviously didn't know what to do with them or they would be gone" said Jax. Tinsley hated that he was able to read her so well because he was right... she hadn't known what to do with them and therefore held onto them. She had made up her mind that she didn't want them to ever been seen by Jax the night he came home but hadn't been away from him long enough to destroy them.

Too late now....

"They don't paint a very flattering picture" said Tinsley.

Jax didn't respond. He just sat there reading page after page of letters. Tinsley could tell when he got to the more disturbing ones- the ones painting an ugly picture of how JT May have died- because his body changed. He tensed up and he looked like an animal who had been caged for way to long.

"Jax..." started Tinsley.

"Shut the hell up!" Yelled Jax.

"I will not. I know your pissed but you WILL NOT take it out on me. I never wanted you to see the damn things but I didn't know what to do with them either. I knew they were dangerous and if they got into the wrong hands, shit was gonna go crazy. Excuse the fuck out of me for wanting to shield you from the picture they painted. Excuse the fuck out of me for only wanting to protect me and my family because you know just as well as I do that this will end up with someone dead" yelled Tinsley right back at Jax.

Standing up off the bed, Jax closed the distance between him and Tinsley. Standing toe to toe with her, he leaned down and practically seethed. Instinctively, Tinsley took a step back. She wasn't usually scared of Jax because she knew he wouldn't hurt her but the way he was acting right now, sent chills down her spine.

"You're goddamn right someone's gonna die. If Clay is responsible for JT's death, then he has to pay. As for my mother, well, she will have to pay as well" said Jax.

"And that's why I didn't want you to know. I don't want to lose you Jax." Said Tinsley. He fingers itched to hold him, to comfort the storm that was surely roiling in him but she knew that wasn't a wise move. By the tension that was radiating off of him at the moment, she knew that she would end up hurt if she tried to touch him. The look in his eyes alone were enough to show her that.

"I'm not going any-fucking-where. This will go to the club for a vote. Things will be done the right way. When the club votes that clay meet Mr. Mayhem, I'll be the one to blow his fucking brains out." Said Jax.

"And Gemma?" Asked Tinsley.

"The letters only say that JT felt like Gemma was involved. I don't think she could have done it but I do think she gave her blessing and for that, she will pay" said Jax.

"Babe, you can't hurt your mother. It will eat you alive" said Tinsley.

"And knowing that she was involved in my father's death and I did nothing to make her pay isnt?" Yelled Jax.

"Jax, please, keep your voice down. The kids are just downstairs." Said Tinsley.

"I'm fucking pissed Tinsley. I'm gonna yell. I doubt be the last time the kids hear me do it." Said Jax. He walked past her, and out of the bedroom. Tinsley stood there in shock wondering how things had went from sugar to shit in the matter of minutes. This morning had started out so great and then this.

The letters... yep, it all boiled down to them. She hadn't been lying when she said she knew they were trouble. Anyone in their right mind would have known that.

Just as Tinsley was walking out of the bedroom, Jax's bike started up. Running down the stairs and and out the front door, she caught the tail light of Jax's dyna just as he rounded the curve heading out of the neighborhood. She wanted to go after him, to comfort him, but she didnt know how things would play out and and wasn't about to put her children in the middle of it.

Closing the door, she went into the living room and started picking up toys. All she could do know is wait and see what happened.