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CHAPTER 23: PART II

JAX POV

It had been 2 goddamn weeks since Scarlett left me standing in the parking lot of the clubhouse, watching as she sped off away without even a glance back. The weeks that followed were a series of disasters and mental breakdowns from Val, the rest of the brothers not knowing what to do. Although they were apparently used to Scarlett taking off, they had never seen Val like this and it was putting everyone on edge. I had been taking care of most of the club business since Val was permanently nursing a bottle of whiskey.

We were outside having a cigarette, Val trying to call Scarlett despite it going straight to voicemail the last 100 times he tried. He sighed angrily, throwing his phone at the wall and watching it shatter. He got up, throwing his chair over and digging his hands through his hair.

"You gotta find her man." He wasn't looking at me, and naturally I assumed he was talking to someone else until I realized we were the only ones sitting outside.

"Me?" my voice didn't hide my surprise.

"Yeah." It sounded like it pained him to say it.

"Out of all people, you want me to go look for her?" I couldn't deny that I was itching to see her, to at least know that she was ok, but after all the times Val had told me to stay away, now that I had chosen to listen he wanted me to go on a search party?

"I don't know man. She won't even turn on her fucking phone. I don't know why, but she'll listen to you."

"Me?"

"Jesus Christ, do I really need to say it again? It hurt enough the first time." He groaned and I chuckled.

"I'm flattered, but I don't think she'll listen to me man. I'm pretty sure she hates me too, actually." I remembered the look that crossed her face at the motel when I basically told her she wasn't worth getting into trouble for. The words left a sour taste in my mouth, knowing that I didn't mean them. Seeing her after she came back from the clubhouse ignited something inside me. I wanted to take care of her, I wanted her to be okay and know that I was the one who helped her.

But another part of me forced visions of that night into my head every time I looked at her pain-filled eyes. I saw myself riding through the parking lot, watching her brother coming out of the clubhouse, seeing the president patch on his cut and knowing he was my target. I made the mistake of looking into his eyes as I pulled the trigger, the same look that haunted me every time I shut my eyes. That made it easier to walk away from her, knowing that I was the source of all her pain.

"I know Scarlett. I know she never would have went back to that hotel if you weren't there. And I'm not saying that I'm ok with it, but I need you to do this. I need you to bring her home." His eyes were fixed on the ground as he forced the words out. I sighed and grabbed the bottle, taking a long drink.

"You better get your shit together if I'm going. I've been taking care of everything for the past two weeks." He just nodded and got up, giving me one last look.

"Just bring her home. Don't come back without her, Jax. I mean it."

I was gone the next day, heading to King's County. I asked some of the club girls if they had any idea where she would go and they told me the only time she left town was to go see Ace King, Domenico's brother. I didn't bother knocking on the door of the King's clubhouse, I barged in and was greeted with a gun pressed against my temple.

"Hey, easy big guy. I'm here for Scarlett." When her name left my mouth, I was shoved up against the wall. I groaned as he smashed my face against it. This guy was fucking massive.

"What do you want with Scar?"

"Valentino Rossi sent me to find her, to make sure she's ok."

"You the reason she came here all fucked up? Cus I'll end you right here, right now. I don't give a damn about whatever club you come from." I was shocked to see how protective of her this guy was. I guess she just had that effect on people.

"No man, I'm just here to see if she's ok. She won't answer her phone, the prez is worried." The guy backed off me, nodding his head to the stairs.

"Third room on the left." He watched me as I moved toward the stairs, glaring at me. Dom was walking down the hall and when he saw me he quickened his pace, going into the room that I was headed for. I barged in, not caring if the door smashed Dom in his stupid face. When I saw her standing there with nothing but a white towel, I lost it. I don't know why I was so angry, but I only realized what I had said when it was too late. I didn't even get a chance to apologize before she locked herself in the bathroom. I had seen her for 2 minutes and I already fucked everything up.

When I heard the familiar sound of glass shattering, I knew her temper had got the best of her, like usual. Then she came out, her hand full of blood and her body barely covered by that tiny black dress. She touched my chest and it took everything in me not to shove her back into the bathroom and bend her over the sink. She looked sexy as hell when she was pissed off at me. There were so many things I wanted to say to her in that moment, but she was gone after I barely got 2 words out.

After I watched her drive away I managed to get where they were going from the big guy who almost put a bullet in my brain. I lost her for most of the night and when I found her I knew something was up. I saw the blood on Dom's shirt, the look of pain in her eyes that I knew meant she was thinking about her brother. I saw her drag that poor prospect into the back rooms. I knew exactly what she was doing. I knew my time with her was limited, that she would find out that I was the man who ruined her life. I could only hope that she would kill me.

I forced her to ride with me, remembering my promise to Val. Feeling her on the back of my bike had my heart feeling like it was going to jump out of my chest. I felt her moving around and her hands were replaced by a pair of white Chucks. I looked over my shoulder at her, curious to see what exactly she was doing.

When I saw the look on her face I knew I was done for, I knew in that moment that I could never stay away from this girl. Her head was tilted back, her hair messed up from the wind, but she had this smile on her face, one that I had never seen on her before. She looked so fucking alive and it did something to me, something that left me wanting to do whatever it took to keep that smile on her face.

I knew I could never take back what I had done that night, but maybe the only way I could ever earn forgiveness was to help her heal, to make her feel alive again, and I knew I would do whatever it took.

I ignored the voice in the back of my head telling me this was a bad idea, that it would only fuck both of us up more when she inevitably found out.