During the upcoming weeks, the club had been quiet, too quiet. It was enough to send a chill down Jax’s spine.
Meanwhile, Opie and Raine were living a life like a normal family, it was nice to Opie, but in the back of his mind he was tense, waiting for something to happen to Raine. He constantly had an eye on her from the help of a couple of Prospects.
Raine couldn’t be happier, not hearing anything from her ex, and she only hoped it stayed that way. She enjoyed a life other than beatings and fear. She enjoyed shopping for Opie and picking up the kids like they were own.
On her way to do a little shopping for dinner, she quickly took note of the gage on her dashboard rising higher and higher with heat. “Fuck.” She cursed, rubbing her jaw when she saws how close she was to the garage. She pulled in without a second thought, turning the engine off just as it started to smoke. “Double fuck.” She cursed again, something she didn’t do too often but now that she was hanging with Ope, she couldn’t help but let the words fall from her mouth.
She stepped from her car just as a man with a familiar cut came walking out. “You need help with something Raine?”
She liked the politeness in his voice, it made her feel comfortable. “Yeah, I’m looking for Opie. He around?”
Juice gave a large bright smile and shook his head. “Nah, he’s out on a run.”
“Great. How about Gemma, is she here?” She asked, running her fingers through her hair.
“Nope, afraid you’re stuck with me.” He teased before his eyes glanced over at your car. “She overheating?”
Raine let out a sigh before nodding. “Yeah, I made it here right before she started smoking. I was hoping Ope would be here to give me a ride or something.”
“Well, he ain’t here, but should be back soon.” Juice nodded towards the club. “Want to come in for a drink?”
Raine bit her lip, knowing that she probably shouldn’t’, but with her knew found confidence she couldn’t refuse.
She gave Juice a quick nod before following him into the clubhouse, heading straight to the bar where she sat on the stool. “What would you like? Beer?” Juice asked as he walked behind the counter, heading straight for the cooler.
“Actually . . .” She trailed, knowing that she probably shouldn’t. “Can I have a whiskey?”
Juice stopped in his tracks to look at the girl he knew was abused, knew was hurt by a man that only wanted to take advantage of her. “Whiskey?” He questioned. “I don’t want Ope to come in and find out that I got you drunk.”
Raine let out a very unlady like snort. “Please, it’ll take more than one shot of whiskey to get me drunk. I use to nurse all emotional crap into whiskey.”
“What changed?” Juice asked as he poured her the drink, sliding it in front of her.
Raine smiled as she looked down at the brown liquid. “Life.” She smiled sadly before smelling the drink that made her feel better after every fight with her boyfriend. She stopped drinking as soon as he smashed the bottle over her head.
“I feel ya.” Juice nodded as he poured himself a shot and clanked the glass with hers. “To new beginnings.” He declared.
Raine smiled and nodded. “To new beginnings.” She agreed as she downed the drink, Juice being quick to pour her another.
Soon one shot of whiskey turned into two, then three, then after that Raine lost count. Her face red as Juice told her a story about his past life before the club.
Raine snorted loudly, the whiskey burning her nose as she put down the glass. “At least you had a whole life to live.” She shook her head.
“You didn’t?” Juice asked, feeling a buzz from the whiskey but not enough to be drunk.
Raine raised her shoulders before sloppily dropping them. “I had a good childhood I guess.” She waved her hand in front of her face limply. “Then once I hit the teenage years it was school, work, and then home life which was just more work.” She rolled her eyes as she blew a breath out. “There were too many kids in my family, and I was the one to watch them and take care of them. I just wanted to have a life.” She ran a hand down her face, no doubt smearing her makeup. “That’s when I met him.”
“Him?” Juice asked, leaning in knowing he had to find out more information about her ex.
“My ex.” She chuckled. “He was a dick. Beat me for almost anything.” She paused, her eyes welding up with tears before she sucked them down. “Killed our baby once.” She admitted. “He finally gave me something good and with one punch to the stomach he sent it away.” She shook her head, trying not show any emotion
Juice reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it comfortingly as she spilled her life out in front of him. “I’m sorry.”
Raine made a face. “You don’t have to be sorry.” She shook her head. “I hit the bastard over the head with a lamp, best thing I ever did even though it’s going to get me killed.”
“We can protect you.” Juice urged. “Opie, Jax, me, the whole club has your back Raine. Just give me a name.”
Raine watched as she drug the tip of her shoe along the floor before looking at him. “Jared Moore.”
Juice gave a quick nod just as they heard the growls of the motorcycles pulling in.
“Shit.” Raine cursed, attempting to stand up but stumbled back into her seat. “Opie is going to kill me.”
“No.” Juice sighed as he quickly poured another shot to take himself. “He’ll just hurt me, really, really bad.”
Raine rolled her eyes but quickly stopped when she Jax, Chibs, and her Opie walk in like men on a mission.
Opie raised a brow at his girl sitting goofily at the bar, an empty glass in front of her. “Brother, I gotta take care of this.” He said.
Jax smirked as he pulled out a cigarette. “Can’t ever find an easy one, can you Ope?”
Opie ignored his VP’s comment and walked his way over to Raine, his heavy footsteps making her giddy.
“Hi Opie.” She grinned up at him with a giddy smile.
“Are you drunk?” He asked before looking at Juice. “Is she drunk?”
Juice shrugged. “She said she could handle her shit.”
“Well I lied obviously.” Raine snorted making Opie roll his eyes, but internally thinking she was the cutest little drunk he had ever seen.
“Yeah obviously.” Opie grabbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Come on.” He sighed before lifting her up and throwing her over his shoulder.
“Opie!” She cried in surprise and smacked him on the back, though it did nothing to stop him. “Where are we going?”
Opie remained silent and continued to walk her back into his room, laying her down on the bed. “I’m sorry.” Raine whimpered, half out of it.
He sighed, and cupped her cheek, his hand overtaking her cheek. “You’re not in trouble.” He said softly.
“I embarrassed you.” She frowned, burying her head in the pillow.
“You didn’t embarrass me, Raine.” He sat on the bed next to her. “Shit we all need to get fucked up every now and then.” He tried, but she only groaned in response. “Look, I gotta go with the guys, but I’ll come check on you later.” He offered as he got to his feet.
Her response: Another groan.
“Yeah, great talking to you Raine.” He rolled his eyes with a grin, his hand going through his beard before he walked out of the room, heading straight to Juice who was typing away on his computer.
The little man looked up at the giant and shook his head. “It wasn’t my idea to get her drunk. Just to . . . loosen her up a bit.”
Opie’s face became hard. “Loosen her up for what?” He questioned.
Juice let out a sigh and turned the laptop around, showing a mug shot of a tall white male, he looked dirty, and beaten.
“Jared Moore?” Opie questioned in confusion.
“Raine’s ex.” Juice explained before turning the computer around. “He’s ex-military so he knows his shit.”
Jax moved to stand next to Opie, a frown on his lips. “You found him?” He asked.
“Yeah, Raine runs her mouth when she’s hammered.” Juice chuckled but quickly stopped when he thought he heard a growl from Opie. He cleared his throat and continued. “Anyway ex-military after he got dishonorably discharged.”
“What for?” Jax asked, crossing his arms.
Juice looked up at Opie and bit his lip. “Sexual Assault on military personnel.”
Opie let out a growl and ran his fingers through his beard. “So, what’s he doing out and messing with Raine?”
“The charges ended up being dropped but he was still discharged after the accusation.” Juice continued before shaking his head. “He also has a bunch of DUI’s and a couple of domestic calls from the neighbors.” He glanced at Ope.
“Great.” Opie rubbed a hand over his face. “Just great.”
“Any word of him lately.” Jax asked as he rubbed the back of his neck, worried for Opie.
Juice typed a few words into the computer before shaking his head. “No, nothing.”
“Silence. That’s not a good sign.” Opie grumbled.
“Things have been quiet for a while.” Juice offered but Jax shook his head.
“Silence isn’t always the best thing Juicy.” Jax sighed. “Keep an eye on this for me?”
Juice nodded. “I’ll put an alert on my computer.”
Jax and Opie took a step away from Juice, so they could talk privately. “I want an eye on her at all time.” Opie growled.
“Agreed brother.” Jax nodded. “We’ll watch out for your old lady.”
Opie glanced at Jax, liking how he called Raine ‘his old lady’, but he never exactly asked her if this was what she wanted. She was just put into it, and he didn’t want to be like her ex, not giving her an option.
“Thanks brother.” Opie nodded, absentmindedly running his fingers through his beard. “I gotta get back to her.”
“Yeah, and I have to get back to Tara and the boys.” Jax nodded. “I’ll get a prospect to watch your house tonight.”
“I appreciate it.” Opie nodded before giving his VP a pat on the back for turning to the back hallway, going to his room where he found Raine where he left her. She hadn’t moved an inch since he left.
Opie let out a sigh and took off his cut before laying in the bed next to Rain, she instantly curled up to him and sighed out his name.
“I’m right here Raine.” He let out softly. “I’m right here.”
He’d been watching over the little kids, something that Abel loathed. Not understanding why they couldn’t play in the yard alone, (because, you know, Gunner had to be careful) in their nice, quiet neighborhood, he’d groan surly when they’d all went in for snacks, refusing to come in. Instead, he was in the driveway, playing basketball by himself. As skinny as the day was long, with a mess of long, blond hair, he looked like his father, like his aunt, when they were kids. When the ball bounced towards the street, he managed to rush at catch it, but a man with greying blond hair caught Abel’s attention.
Slowly, he moved inside, keeping his attention on the man. “Ma?” he spoke, looking around until he found his parents. “There’s a man on a bike outside he warned. Abel knew to look for the Reaper at 12 years old--and at 12 years old, that’s what he wanted. “Not sure who the heck he is,” he spoke, putting the basketball down in the corner. He watched Opie stand up, getting so easily dwarfed by the man. “Ain’t a nomad,” Abel sighed. He knew the drill: keep the kids inside.
It was a bold move, circumventing her parents and going straight to her uncle. But then he was the one with the gavel; the one who, at the end of the day, had final say in all this. So why shouldn’t she go to him?
“Uncle Jax?” Lingering in the door of the office, Harley waited until he acknowledged her presence to step farther in, closing the door behind her. “As you know, I turn 18 next week and when I do, I want to prospect. For SAMCRO.”
“Hey.” Johnny didn’t offer much more than that before craning his neck, peering into Temp’s place, very obviously looking for something that wasn’t her. He dropped back and finally brought his gaze to hers. “Y’r cat around? I wanna pet it.”
“Are you trying to offend me?” Delia faked a soft gasp, her arms crossed over her chest with ease. “I don’t see what the problem is. And besides, what’s it to you if I drank almost three bottles of wine today?” Her skin was warm and it was clear that she had a little too much wine tonight, but work had been crazy and this was what seemed like her only day off this week... so she was taking full advantage.
“I do, yeah.” She smiled, leaning against the door frame of his office. “At least until you stop having the same reaction to them that you did when we were fifteen.” More accurately the summer of. The last summer before John died. Before Kat went on her spiral of bad decisions.
Back when they’d all hang up at the lake and stripping down to her bathing suit showed off just how much she (or rather some parts of her) had grown over the year.
“You hungry? I was heading to Hannah’s and well...figured you hadn’t bothered to eat yet.” Plus she needed to ask him something.
