Other Side of the Tracks

Chapter 32

Even though things hadn't quite been the same, Jax and Julia put in effort and really tried to work on moving forward. After a nice dinner and some drinks they sat together on the couch, Julia draped over him with her head on his chest, taking quietly.

"After all this wine you're going to have to carry me to bed, Teller." She joked, looking up at him with a flirty smile.

"And then what?"

She felt his strong hands begin to work on her shoulders, kneading the tight muscles and forcing all her stress out of her body.

"I think you know," she moaned a little. "That feels so good."

"Work getting to you?" He asked softly. "You're tense, babe."

"Work always gets to me," she sighed.

"Lin reach out again?" Jax continued to massage her as they talked. "He contacted me, said he wants to talk."

"I hate that bullshit," she was suddenly angry. "Like I'm some little girl who can't make her own decisions. He wants you to push me into getting out, I know it."

"Hey," Jax said soothingly. "Calm down, Jules. I don't know what it's about yet."

"Sorry," she sighed. "It just makes it worse knowing we all want me out. It'll happen, something will pop up and I'll be ready to give it up but now is not the time. Not after everything."

"Alright," he sighed. "I'm sorry I brought it up, I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm hypersensitive," she rolled her eyes. "You can take me to bed though, that'll make me feel better."

Jax grinned and ran his tongue over his bottom lip as she sat up and pulled her shirt off. "Or we could skip the bed and I can make you feel better right here."

"You're the boss," she winked.

--

"Jackson Teller," Lin offered his hand. "How are you?"

"I'm just fine," they shook and Jax promptly shoved his hands back in his pockets. "What's this about?"

"Your little girlfriend," Lin smirked.

Jax huffed and the others showed this disapproval in various ways. It wasn't that they were offended, other than Jax, but they knew how much better it looked to have her respected in a business sense by the whole club rather than just her significant other.

"My little girlfriend has a name," Jax grunted. "She's a grown woman and I'm not her keeper, Lin. You got a problem or a request you can take it up with her."

"Next time we want to do business with you should we go to Laroy or Cacuzza for permission?" Chibs asked with a hearty chuckle.

"This involves you," Lin snapped. "You stand to make a profit when she ends up selling her share of Diosa."

Jax's eyes narrowed, "Stop. This ends here. There is nothing that's gonna pull her out of the life, I tried, trust me. If you keep pushing this you will regret it. I promise you that, Henry."

--

*The Next Week*

"Julia?" Colette didn't knock. "We have a problem."

"What is it?" She looked up from her desk with surprise.

"Jasmine and Pamela never came back last night. They had dates but never called their check-ins and no one can find them now."

"Shit," Julia hissed. "Call the cops."

"The cops?" Colette hesitated.

"We're all legal here, 100%," Julia snapped. "So, unless there there's something you're hiding, call the cops and file reports."

Colette nodded and, the moment she stepped out, Julia called Jax. 

"I was just about to call you," Jax sighed.

"Why? What happened?"

"Found two of your girls, tied up and smacked around, outside the clubhouse this morning."

Julia sighed with relief. "They're okay?"

"Yeah, they'll be fine," he stepped away from the others. "You okay? You sound upset?"

"I'm very upset," Julia admitted quietly. "Fucking Lin, Jax, you know it's Henry Lin."

"We don't know that but I'd bet anything that it is," he growled. "Don't react yet. Get more information cause if it isn't Lin and you go at them it'll kill people, Jules."

"Alright." She knew he was right even if she didn't like it. "I'll send Colette to pick them up. Then, I'll look into it and get back to you."  Julia composed herself before she hurried out of her office and back down to Colette. "Did you call?"

"No," Colette replied. "Had to clean up a few things first."

"Clean em' up and anyway and don't mix Diosa in with that shit again. Not with my name on the paperwork. Got it?"

"Got it," Colette said darkly.

"The girls are fine," Julia assured her. "Go pick them up from the clubhouse, Jax found them this morning."

Colette smiled, hiding her excitement behind her hair, and left without another word. Grabbing the appointment book, Julia scanned the names and looked up at Kiki with fire in her eyes.

"Who the fuck allowed Clark Kent and Lois Lane to make appointments?"

"They said it was because they're married and didn't want a paper trail," she said defensively.

"Are you fucking stupid? You MUST be," Julia spat. "You're fired, Kiki. Get. Out."

"Julia, I'm sorry," she pleaded.

"You're lucky those girls aren't dead or I'd do the same to you," Julia growled. She wouldn't but she couldn't admit that, even if they assumed it."

"There's a problem at the docks," Kat called out from the bar. "Mickelson said he needs you down there."

"Jesus," she slapped the book back down. "Tell him I'm on my way."

--

When Julia arrived she found Mickelson with two men she didn't recognize. Feeling her anxiety rise she slapped on a brave face and charged toward them.

"What's going on?"

"These guys said you rented this space out to em' last week," Mickelson explained.

"Are you Harriet Lynn?" The one man barked rudely. "Guy said a chick ran the docks."

"Lynn?" She laughed, her rage boiling, and shook her head. "As in L Y N N?" They nodded "Sorry boys, you were duped. My name ain't Lynn and you're not welcome on my docks." Julia knew it was Lin's way of letting her know who had been toying with her business and she wasn't happy.

"Then where's our money?" The second man growled. "We paid two months up front to set up this spot."

Julia rolled her jaw and peeked in the doorway. "I don't allow cut and bag operations here anyway," she shrugged. "So, pack up and get moving."

"And what are you gonna do about it?" They both moved closer to her threateningly but Mickelson stepped in, gun drawn, and forced them back.

"You heard her," Mickelson snapped. "Don't make me force you."

"What about our money?"

Julia heard the question yelled at her as she hurried back to her car fighting off tears. She turned, her voice dark, and glared at them. "Go to Henry Lin, he's the one who took your money and lied about the space. Get your money from him."