Blood and Water

Chapter 49: 10 Feet Down

10 Feet Down - NF

Mina POV

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Chibs had been gone for a full day. I didn't leave Scoops as the club sat, trying to figure out what to do next. I sat at the counter next to Ratboy and Tig. The three of us sat quietly. I looked around; Happy, Montez, and Quinn had already left and West was watching the guns. Jax was sitting upstairs by himself. Then, I realized one of them was missing. 

"What happened to Juice?" I asked.

Tig shushed me. "Don't talk about him. He betrayed us. He's on the run."

"Oh, sorry, didn't know."

"It's alright, sweetheart. Just...don't talk about him with Jax in earshot." We heard a loud crash from upstairs, followed by Jax yelling. "Stay here," he said to me and Ratboy. 

Once he was on the stairs, I stood up and followed him. "No, Mina, he said-" Ratboy started.

I turned to him and said, "I don't give a f*ck. If it's about my old man, I need to f*cking know." Running up the stairs, I heard Jax and Tig talking.

"They have him. They have Bobby and Chibs. They killed West. They took our guns. I don't know what to do, brother!" Jax yelled, "We have no leverage! We have no money! We have no guns! We have no idea what he wants!"

Tig said, "We'll figure it out, man."

"How?" he yelled.

"I don't know. But, we're going to get our brothers back."

I walked back down the stairs and sat next to Ratboy. He was drinking a beer and offered me one, but I shook my head in reply. The two of us sat quietly as we listened to Jax's muffled yells.

After a few hours, Tig drove me home. Just like the other day I was on his bike, it didn't feel right. He didn't lean too far to make me laugh. He didn't smell like cologne and cigarettes and whiskey. He didn't kiss my forehead as he stood from the bike. He wasn't Chibs.

When I walked inside, I had never felt more anxious than I did my entire life. I was alone, a feeling I had forgotten. I walked into the bedroom and pulled out a shirt to sleep in. I didn't realize it was Chibs' shirt. It smelled like him and it overwhelmed me but I enjoyed it.

Even though it was early, I laid down in bed, with only his shirt for company. I knew he wouldn't answer, but I called his phone anyway. He didn't have a message on his voice mail, so I couldn't hear his voice. 

"At the tone, please record your message. When you are finished recording, you may hang up or press one for more options." 

After the beep, I said, "Hey...Chibs. I, um, I...wow, this is stupid," I started crying a little. "I know you won't hear these, but, um, but we're coming for you, baby. We're going to find you. I...I just needed to tell you that."

I hung up the phone, rolling onto my side, sobbing. I knew it was a dumb idea to talk to his voice mail. Especially if it made me feel worse like it did. I sobbed into the pillow next to me, his pillow. His smell was stronger in it than the shirt.

I started crying even harder. I held the pillow against my face as I lamented. After a few minutes of sobbing, I started coughing from crying so hard. I stood up from the bed and picked up my pants, pulling them on.

I had to leave the house. I couldn't stay there. 

I got in my car and drove to the only place I could think of. Knocking on the door, I held the collar of the shirt up to my nose. Jax opened the door.