"The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything." — Frank Sinatra
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Chapter 8
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Maggie

"Do you have your taser?" Jax asked, tightening the collar of my jacket. "And, the pepper spray, don't forget the pepper spray."

"Yes, I have it all," I grumbled, smacking his hands away. "And, I never forget the pepper spray."

"Right." A sigh fell as he shook his head. "Out of all of the crazy shit you've done, this one might be the worst."

"Yeah, you're telling me." I massaged at my temples at the reminder. "Who would've known the mayor's bastard would be the one to catch me?"

Jax chuckled, though it was weak. "The mayor's bastard," he murmured to himself before looking to me. "Is he even really a bastard, or is that like your kinky nickname for him or some shit?"

"First off: there is no kinky name because there is none and will never be, any type of kinkiness with him." Wiping the disgust from my tone, I added with a shrug, "And, rumors say that he's mayor Ryan's secret baby or some shit. Except, it became not so secret when his assistant leaked Luke's existence."

The blogs were all over, but most of them were taken down by—if I would guess—Mayor Ryan himself, but he couldn't get them all. Of course, I had to do some digging when it came to Luke. I couldn't just walk into war with no ammunition.

Jax nodded, chuckling at the information. Just as I opened my mouth, he shoved a warm pancake right in. I rolled my eyes but chewed anyway, taking the rest out by my fingers.

"If I have to be his fucking employee for the next two years, I'm going to remind him every single minute of his cursed parentage," I grumbled, snatching another bite from the pancake. "Every. Single. Minute."

Jax turned, forking through his eggs. He paused to point a finger at me. "No, you won't. As much as I hate this for you, be grateful that he hasn't called the cops. And, by be grateful, I really mean watch that mouth of yours before he takes it and uses it as an excuse to throw your ass in a jail cell, Mags." His eyes narrowed in warning as he turned back around.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." I sighed out, grumpily. "I can't help it, though. It's not my fault he's such a sensitive little—"

"Maggie," Jax hissed in warning. "I'm serious. You need to be careful. The man's an ass, but you'll have to tolerate him if you want to stay out of prison."

"Yeah, well..." I tossed the rest of the pancake back, and stood up from my chair. "Those two choices are looking pretty freaking similar about now."

I barely even got any sleep last night, so I was running off a monster energy drink, for now. I wasn't even sure what time I'd be back home, but I would need energy, and lots of it to survive these next couple of hours.

Jax was just as nervous, but he was handling it better than I was. When I told him about the deal Luke and I made, he didn't flip as I thought he would. Besides cooking enough breakfast for a village, and spending all last night deep cleaning the oven, he was doing pretty good.

"Okay," Jax huffed out, thumbing a hand through his black locks. Once that hand fell, it grabbed and shoved a bag into my arms that was so heavy, I nearly dropped it. "I packed you some of those pinwheels you loved, a shit load of chips, candy for your sweet tooth, another energy drink and—"

I sighed, and placed the bag down to grab his hands. "Jax." His worry filled eyes fell to mine. "I'm going to be fine, okay? I'll probably just be covered in rich boy guts when I get home, but still alive, nonetheless."

Jax stared right into the depths of my soul with uncertainty. After a moment, he sighed, pulling me into a hug by the back of my neck. I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head, before releasing me.

I clung to his wrists, attempting a smile. "Let's go." I narrowed my eyes at him carefully as he stilled.

Oh, no.

Though the doubt still weighed on him, he chuckled. "Hold on..." With cupped hands, he shut his eyes, inhaling a breath before opening with, "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions."

I groaned, immediately releasing him. "Stop it, Jax." I should have just went straight to the car. "You stop it, right now."

Jax loved dramatics, since he loved to be seen and to make others see him, though it wasn't hard. He was a ray of sunshine without even trying. Ever since we were kids, he loved to act, to be in front of people and give them a reason to awe. At our college, he was majoring in both psychology and drama, and somehow managed both majors, perfectly.

I couldn't relate. I could barely even handle one major without wanting to snort a line of coke.

I could hear Jax right on my heels. "Once it's on, dear baby sister, it can never be turned off." At his high note, I cringed, and sped up my steps. By the time I reached the door, his voice was raised to echo across the room, "No longer mourn for me when I am—" I slammed the door so quickly, I nearly popped my wrist out of place.

Despite everything, I still laughed. I was more than grateful that I was still able to hear my brothers' poetry, to eat his food, to go and see his plays. I just wished I wouldn't have had to make a deal with the devil himself in order to keep it.

Even though Luke gave me the money for my car, I didn't have enough time to go and pick up the parts. Thank fuck I wouldn't have to waste money on a mechanic, since I was technically one myself.

I didn't want to take Jax's car, and leave him stranded if he got off early, though. With his job, he usually stayed much longer than scheduled. He was driving me today, and he should be off in time to pick me up. If not, then I'd just call Xander, and if he wasn't able, then I'd walk. Anything that got me away from Luke the quickest was fine.

After what seemed like forever, Jax was descending the steps to our apartment. We didn't have many neighbors, but the few that we did have waved, and spoke to Jax without hesitation.

I rolled my eyes, and honked the horn so loud, the people jumped. I didn't have time for this. Jax wore a knowing grin, before flipping me off.

When he got to the car, the door thumped after him. "Calm yourself, woman. I'm here."

I rolled my eyes. "I would have gone through a mid-life crisis had you taken any longer."

Jax shook his head with a chuckle, starting the car. Finally, I clicked the seatbelt shut to secure me to the seat.

A part of me had always been envious of my brother. We were twins, shouldn't we be a bit more alike? That was what I had thought for so long, but the more time went on, the less I believed it. He was amazing, spectacular even, with people.

With a stranger, I couldn't even hold a conversation for more than three minutes without them growing bored of me, or Vice Vera. After so many years, though, I'd accepted it, and just let Jax do the talking.

And, that he did. So much, that I thought my ears would burst. The man could make conversation with a tree if you let him.

I planted my head against the window. "Jax," I groaned out. "If you don't shut the hell up in the next thirty seconds, I'm going to rip your tongue out, and glue it to your forehead, kay? Kay."

"Oh, come on." Dangling a silly grin my way, his hand patted at my head until I smacked it away "You know you'd be so lost without me, or any of my stories."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't attest to it. It was more than true.

"Take a right when you get to the stop sign," I directed. I glanced at the time on the radio. 7:03.. Surely, being three minutes late wouldn't send the bastard into hysteria.

I went ahead, and unbuckled my seatbelt once I saw the sign to the street. "It's the building with the silver Maserati in front." I rolled my eyes at it, simply because it didn't belong to the right person. That bastard didn't deserve something so nice.

Jax began to slow the car, his eyes stuck on the Maserati. "Shit," he whistled out. "You know, if he ever offers to pay for your services, I want you to remember what—"

I whipped my head at him in shock. "Jax," I hissed. "I don't care how much money he has or offers, I will never and I repeat never, ever let Luke Vaudest touch me, again." The very thought made my stomach churn with disgust.

"Never? Not even to get your brother a mansion before he turns twenty-one?"

I glared at him in all seriousness. "Only in my fucking grave."

Jax gave a half-smile. "Fine."

I jerked a glare over him. "Quit that."

"Quit what?" he smirked.

"Quit doing that..." I waved a hand over his expression. "That face that you make when you act like you know something I don't."

"I always know something you don't."

I rolled my eyes; he could think whatever the hell he wanted to think. "Whatever."

Another thing about my brother was that he was a hopeless romantic. Jax had always found love in anything, and in anyone, despite most of them being a lost cause or a temporary distraction.

There was a man now, though: his boyfriend Tony. They'd been dating for the past year, and as doubtful as I was that it would last at first, that doubt grew into nothingness as time went on. Tony brought out something in my brother that no one else had achieved, and Vice Versa. The two were a happy, healthy pair that couldn't be torn apart by anything, now.

As happy as I was for Jax, though, he could keep his romantics to himself. Even if I weren't dating Xander, there was no way in hell I'd ever even consider Luke.

Even if we were the last people on this planet, the mayor's bastard still wouldn't be on my list.

There were a few times, a few weeks and months after our hookup at the party, where we kissed. It didn't mean anything.

Luke had been egging the shit out of my nerves, always teasing and poking fun of me after we fucked, and to get him to shut up, I kissed him. It worked, and at some point, he had kissed me a couple of times to shut my insults down. It honestly was just that: a kiss. Every time, though, we pulled away before it got too much, because it couldn't and it wouldn't ever be more than that.

This was just a convenience, too. I would work, and fix the damage I caused, then move on with my life. I may not come out mentally sane, but as long as I stayed out of prison, then I'd take what I could.

I glanced out the window with a sigh; I wished I'd never even heard of a freaking Langley street, now. "Here goes my fucking will to live."

Jax chuckled, nodding at the building. "Text me as soon as you're done, okay? If I can't get off early, I'll—"

I shook my head, immediately. "Don't you dare lose any money for me, Jax. I'll be fine. You'll probably get off early, anyway." I knew that to be a lie, but I didn't want him missing out on any of the tips at work for me.

He nodded, and with a sigh, pulled me in for another hug. I returned it with the same shirt, then pulled away. I caught a glimpse of worry in his expression before I pulled the door open.

"Hate you," I smiled, stepping outside.

"Love you more," he responded, flipping a middle finger to me.

I laughed in return, stepping back so that wouldn't run over my foot. With a huff, I watched him drive off down the street. A part of me contemplated turning into a track-star, and catching up with him.

"You're late."

I squeezed my eyes shut at Luke's voice. God, how I hated it. How I hated him. He was nothing but an arrogant, ignorant, self-centered, spoiled—

I jerked around to face him, painting one of the most picture-worthy smiles on my face. "Sorry. I had to—"

Luke was only a few feet away, arms crossed and gaze in a glare. "I don't care what you had to do, other than be here on the time that we agreed." His lips pulled into a half-smirk. "There goes a mark."

"For being five minutes late? Are you serious?"

"Five minutes that could have been used for something productive, if you had been on time," he shrugged off. "That money I gave you. You should have enough left over for a watch if that'll help you keep up with the time."

I tilted my head up to the sky, fully squeezing my eyes shut. "You can shove that watch up—"

"Another mark."

My eyes snapped open to glare at him. "I didn't even—"

His head tilted at me, the challenge evident. "You want another?"

Maybe I should just take the jail sentence.

A devilish grin flashed across his face before he flicked his head over to the building. "Come on." Without waiting for a response, he turned. "You have work to do."

I glanced between the door, and the road. I could book it, right now, maybe even catch up to Jax.

What would I do after that, though? Luke would surely have the cops right on my ass.

It was a done deal. I was stuck here.

I sighed, and picked up my feet to match up with his. "I can't wait."