It Was Always You

Ch. 4 Helping Out

Juice was proud as hell when Jax had suggested they ask Angela for help getting bodies to stage a crime scene and burning the bodies of the two workers they'd uncovered at their old dummy corp's site in order to protect Tig. He himself hadn't seen the two burned bodies of the innocent helpers who had "serviced" Tig, but by Jax's description, they weren't pretty. He felt bad for the two ladies; they were innocents who'd gotten mixed into the Mayan's stupid plot to steal their guns. It was comforting to know Angela would take care of them well and see to it they were cremated with the utmost respect.

He was also relieved that his suggestion to help pay for the new cremator at the funeral home was paying off; initially, his brothers had been skeptical about it and how often they'd actually use it, so he was glad they were putting it to use so soon after they spent the cash on it. At least is showed he knew what he was talking about when he'd suggested it, and it wasn't just to help his girl. Not only that, but Jax's suggestion to actually go through with the deal showed Angela was trusted enough to go to for something that was definitely illegal. Even Bobby had voted yes on it, and Juice knew he still didn't trust Angela.

He rode with Chibs, Jax, and Half-Sack towards Dubrowski's; the other brother's had their own shit to deal with around town. Once they got to the front, he maneuvered to the front of the back, leading them around the back of the funeral home where the oven was. They all dismounted their bikes, and headed towards the retort, the sound of reggaeton music coming from behind the closed doors. He smirked, that meant Angela was in there working. He knocked three times so as not to scare her before he opened the door.

Angela was in the process of pulling ashes out, a sheen of sweat on her skin making it glimmer in the best way. She was wearing a maroon tank top with a lace trim, black slacks, and her work boots. A nicer maroon blouse was hanging on a hanger in the corner of the room. Dirt streaked her arms and pants which made him wonder if she'd had to dig a grave earlier. Her dark hair was braided away from her face, the heat of the oven making it frizz. She was absolutely beautiful. He took a moment to enjoy the sight before him.

"You really cremate bodies in here?" Half-Sack asked, catching her attention.

"Yeah, we do," Chibs replied on a smirk.

Angela grinned up at them, wiping her forehead with her arm as she straightened. "Hey boys," she greeted before her eyes fell on Juice, her smile getting even bigger just for him. His heart did flip flops at the sight of it. "Hey you."

"Hey baby," he replied, leaning in to catch her lips in a quick kiss.

Chibs closed the door behind them, and she furrowed her brows at them in confusion. "Everything okay?" she asked, suspiciously looking from Chibs to Juice. Juice shrugged, giving her a reassuring nod, and she relaxed a little.

"Just checkin' in on our investment," Jax stated, nodding towards the oven.

Angela wasn't fooled, but she knew better than to call him on it. Instead, she gestured towards it and launched into a very detailed description of it, and its capabilities just to fuck with them. Juice had never loved her more. "And then over here is the cremulator where we grind everything that's left over into fine ash like this perfect specimen right here," she said showing them the light grey ashes. "Perfect color and everything. Hotter ovens will make them darker, almost black. Families usually don't like that. 'Course I always double check to make sure all the big chunks are...."

"Tha's enough of that," Chibs interrupted, holding up his hands, a disgusted look on his face. "Not really why we came here, love."

"Oh no?" she asked, sarcastically as she checked on whatever was currently in the cremator. Juice snickered at her sass, shaking his head at her.