Other Side of the Tracks

Chapter 34

"So what are you gonna do?" Mickelson asked as he and Julia huddled in her office trying to plan.

"About Lin?" She laughed ruefully. "Fuck if I know," she shrugged. "That was always Charlie, and then Jax, I never had to make those calls."

Slinking down in the chair he nodded slowly, thinking over their options, before adding something to his earlier question. "And Jax?"

"Fuck. Him." Julia spat hatefully. "I know it was an issue between us but he went and said that shit to Lin. It opened me up for so much extra torment in a million ways. He comes around here and I want him gone as soon as possible."

Maybe she was being dramatic by using such vocabulary, Mickelson surely thought so, the problem was unmistakable though. They both knew Jax had done serious damage professionally and personally and she wasn't forgiving that.

"Good to know," Mickelson chuckled. "You know he's part owner, Julia. You can't keep him out."

She paused before speaking, not really thinking of that very large hurdle, before simply shrugging. "I don't want him in my office, or anyone telling him if I am here, ever."

"That might be easier to manage," he winked. "Look, I'm no Jax Teller but if I were you I would sit back and wait."

"Wait?" Her lips parted slightly as she looked at him in shock. "Why? How does that make sense?"

"The head wasn't an actual attack," he started, "It was a message. You two talked, you said your part, and now you wait."

"Wait for him to either lay off or...kill me?" She asked, slightly amused and afraid but more intrigued than anything. "I mean, I guess," Julia shrugged.

"He won't touch you," Mickelson assured her. "Obviously we're gonna be on the defensive. Up your guys at the docks and here at Diosa and, Julia, stay on your goddamn toes when you're alone."

"I'm always on my toes," Julia reminded him. "Maybe you're right, we'll just see how it plays out."

There was a knock at the door and Mickelson popped up to answer, since it was his job, finding Jax standing in the hall. His face twisted, angry and jealous, but Mickelson didn't flinch.

"I'm not gonna give you some bullshit excuse," he said in a friendly tone. "She doesn't want to see you."

Glaring at him, Jax shifted his footing before peering into the office. "What are you doing here?"

"Working," he shrugged.

"Jax," Julia sighed, "Go home."

"Ya mind?" Jax growled at Mickelson as he gestured passed him into the office.

"I do, unless Miss Barosky says otherwise."

Julia shook her head, even though neither of them could see her, and slowly rose to her feet. "Let him in."

Jax smirked as he pushed by Mickelson and stepped confidently into the office. "Why don't you give us a second?" He said condescendingly.

"Please," Julia said sweetly. "This will just take a second."

Mickelson nodded and closed the door behind him leaving Julia and Jax to talk privately.

"I'm sorry," he said sadly. "I didn't do it to sabotage you, Jules, it came out when I was trying to get him to back off you."

"You have that little control over your words?" She asked calmly. "And I don't need you to get him off my back. Christ, Jax, I'm scared of what you'll say next."

"Nothing," he said earnestly.

"You're turned off by me in that light, right? When I have to do that shit, the shit I hate, you aren't attracted to me. It's the opposite, you hate it."

"Yeah," he hung his head. "I do."

"Alright then," she shrugged and swallowed back a sob.

"Jules," he pleaded.

"No," she laughed ruefully. "I want to do this, I'm starting to enjoy the job, and you don't like it. You find me unattractive. So, Lin aside, I don't want a relationship like that. Right person," she shrugged, "Wrong time."

"All that shit was for nothing then?" He snapped. "I got you here," he moved his arms to gesture to her office. "I did your dirty work.

"Fuck. You." Julia glared at him, in awe of his boldness, and shook her head. "I killed Charlie and Ryan and fucking Clemmons. I got myself here, you may have helped Jax, but this is not because of you. Now get out."

"I love you," he growled. "I thought I finally found someone who got it but it's business."

With her eyebrows raised she rolled her eyes as he cried to play innocent and sorrowful but she knew, even if he felt that way, he was simply trying to guilt her. "Get all that melodrama out?"

Jax scoffed and left, his swagger marked by his anger but far from showing his emotion or heartbreak. Mickelson watched Jax leave before stepping back into the office without knocking.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," she lied. "I'm heading out for a few days. I'll be at the beach house."

"Alone?" Mickelson asked with concern. "You sure that's smart?"

"Please don't question me," she groaned. "Call me if anything happens and only if anything happens. I'll be home by Monday."

--

Before Julia could even arrive in Crescent city, Lin was planning his next push for domination and it was brutal but that was the furthest thing from her mind. She couldn't stop obsessing over Jax and if she had made the right decision. She loved him, desperately, but she wasn't ready to give it up and he clearly couldn't accept it so, she felt separating before they started to hate each other, was for the best.

Tossing her bag on the couch she inhaled deeply, the smell of the ocean air relaxing her body instantly, and began to pull her clothes off for a shower. Strutting into the bedroom, she grabbed a towel from the closet and headed to the bathroom. She opened the vanity and pulled out the old toothpaste, tossing it in the bin, before opening a new tube. When she unscrewed the cap the minty scent hit her, somewhat stronger than usual, and Julia began to retch.

"I'm too goddamn stressed," she groaned and decided on a bath instead. Before she stepped into the water she ran out into the living room to get her purse. Snatching it from the couch she hurried back to the bathroom and grabbed her phone. As she pulled it out her prescription flittered to the tile floor. She gasped, realizing the massive mistake she made while in the middle of such stress in her day to day, and reached for the paper. "I never refilled my birth control," she said quietly to herself noting the date on the prescription. It could have been a coincidence, of course, but the more she thought back on missed pills and her own body being so off, she began to panic. "Shit," she whimpered. Sinking into the tub she began to cry quietly.