AFTER THE RAVEN-HAIRED woman finally parked her car on the side of the road, Tessa melted into the seat for a short moment and let out an exhausted sigh. Tiredness was written all over her face and her head was throbbing. She carefully raised her hand to the small gash above her eyebrow and winced in pain as her warm fingers came into contact with the open wound.

The blood was dry, but there wasn't a crust over the wound yet. Tessa was lucky, it was really just a small injury that could have been much worse. She had already roughly wiped away the blood from under her nose, but it started to drip every now and then during the drive to Charmingᅳ as it did again now.

"Oh come on!" She groaned in annoyance while she reached with her right hand in the glove compartment, taking out a pack of tissues.

"Fuckin' asshole", Tessa cursed under her breath as she also fished a small mirror out of her bag on the passenger seat and then wiped off the dripping blood.

After two minutes the blood finally stopped running like a waterfall and Tessa wiped the red liquid from her skin as best she could with the dry tissue, irritating her skin a little. Her lips formed into a thin line as a new wave of anger ripped through her.

She looked like absolute shit. And not knowing if her nose was broken or not pissed her off even more. But that wasn't important at the moment. Maria Lowman was worse and her only request to Tessa was that she would tell Happy where she was.

The drive hadn't taken long; Tessa had reached her without any problems. Because of her father's many moves, Tessa probably knew almost half of California by heart. All she had to do was ask a passerby where the clubhouse was because she had never been here before.

Happy may have been her stepbrother, although Tessa thought that was an exaggerationᅳ after all, her father had only been with Maria for three years, not even married, and she only saw Happy at Christmas, Maria's birthdays or when he brought her money for her meds. And when he stopped by unannounced Tessa was usually at work and not even home. Which meant Tessa and Happy saw each other maybe five to seven times a year.

It was almost  impossible to build a bond with her “stepbrother”. Which didn't mean she didn't like him. Happy was never really talkative, but when he exchanged a few words with her, he seemed to really want to get to know more about her.

Full of worry and guilt, Tessa finally slipped out of her old, beat-up BMW and hurried through the large gate that was open. At least she didn't have to ring the bell or anythingᅳ that would've made shit much more awkward.

Her gaze swept through the crowd to scan for Happy. She pushed her way through cheerful people who were all in partying and drinking, and every now and then she caught women giving men head or sitting half-naked on their laps, their tongues almost in the men's throats. This was definitely a special party, Tessa could tell.

The music only blared louder as she entered the clubhouse, making her headache ten times worse. Normally the smell of nicotine and alcohol didn't bother her. She had already thrown one or two parties herself. Only the smell of cheap pussy made her wrinkle her nose.

Slowly frustration began to creep in as she barely made it through the room, as crowded as it was and Happy was still nowhere to be seen. Every now and then she felt hands on her as, which she ignored with a roll of her eyes and continued searching.

Only when a man with blonde, slicked-back hair and piercing blue eyes stood in front of her did she stop and look at him. The blue/white checkered flannel shirt was buttoned and his kutte rested over it.

Tessa's eyes studied the patches until she finally spotted the one that told her that the guy in front of her probably had the say here as Pres.

"Can I help you, darlin'?" Tessa was somewhat surprised by the friendliness in the tone of the still unknown man. There was also a small smile on his lips, but skepticism reflected in his blue eyes.

"Probably, yeah", she nodded eagerly, hoping the guy would be able to tell her where Happy was. "I'm looking for Happy. Is he here?"

She had to lean forward a little and still almost yell at the man so that she could drown out the music. "I have to talk to him, it's important!"

"Yeah, Happy is here", the blonde nodded, who now became even more skeptical. A woman looking for Happy? Didn't happen a lot.

Only now, when he really looked at her, did he notice the gash over her eyebrow and the red discoloration under her nose. "Hey, are you okay? My wife is a doctor, she could give you a quick check up."

Tessa slowly started to get nervous. Plus, she was never a patient person and this situation was testing her patience even more. "No, I'm okay. Please..I really need to talk to him. Where is he?"

"Uh, probably in his room." Sheepishly, Jax rubbed the back of his neck with a clearing of his throat, knowing that Happy had disappeared in the back with a blonde earlier. "It's best you wait here until he comes back, he's not alone."

"And?" Tessa took a deep breath and almost rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't give a shit if he's fucking someone's brains out right now. His mom is in the hospital and she wanted him to know about it. So please, please can you just take me to him?"

"Oh shit, is she okay?" Jax's embarrassment was suddenly gone, his expression now filled with worry. Then he made a slight movement of his head and motioned for Tessa to follow him.

Happy would strangle him with his bare hands if he stopped someone who was supposed to deliver a message from his mother.

He knocked on Happy's door, loud enough to drown out the exaggerated moans of the woman who was probably in the room with Happy.

"Hap! Here's someone for you", the blonde shouted over the music and the moaning.

"They can wait", they heard Happy holler back, slight annoyance evident in his tone as the moaning stopped.

"It's important, man. Someoneᅳ" Tessa didn't even let Jax finish before she turned the doorknob and stormed into the room.

"The fuck, Tessa?!" Happy barked at the young woman. He pushed the blonde away, who was kneeling on all fours on his bed, and pulled up his jeans that were still hanging on his legs.

"I need to talk to you", she said firmly with her arms crossed, not really impressed by the scene.

She had seen a naked woman often enough. In the locker room at school when she was still in cheerleading training, when she was trying to figure out if she liked men or women as a teenager, and she was a woman herselfᅳ so the sight was nothing new.

"I was so close!" The blonde let out a theatrical whine, her words slurred. "Can't she wait? I don't care if she's watching."

"Shut up and get out", Happy barked at the blonde while he put on his shirt and then angrily picked up the few clothes the blonde had, who had just staggered out of his bed.

Tessa could tell that Happy didn't have much patience when he pushed the blonde half-naked out of his room. Now that he was standing directly in front of Tessa, he also noticed the injuries on ger face. He looked at her intensely before giving Jax a quick look.

"Can you close the door behind you?", he asked his Pres, who nodded curtly.

"Let me know if you need anything", with these words Jax closed the door behind him and gave the two of them a moment alone.

"What happened?", the SAA asked immediately as he took Tessa's chin between his fingers and carefully turned her head to the side, assuming  she was here to ask for his help. And he would help her. "Who did that?"

The two may not be super close, but that didn't mean he didn't care about Tessa. She belonged to his family, simply because his mother was so enthusiastic about the young woman. Every time he visited, his mom raved about how nice and helpful Tessa was, what a great support she was in everyday lifeᅳ even for that alone, and because his mom had grown fond of her, he wouldn't let anyone hurt her without having to face the consequences.

However, he hadn't expected what he was about to hear. And the news made his blood boil when he listened to Tessa's next words.

"My dad. He knocked me out so I couldn't call the cops on him", she explained quickly, her words almost falling over each other. "When I got home from work..he was on top of your mom, pinning her down. He punched her in the face. And then again and again until there was only blood left. She was unconscious at one point. I swear, if I would've known that he would do something like that thenᅳ",

Her breath hitched in her throat before she let out a sob as she felt the guilt crawling back in again. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop himᅳ I really tried but then he knocked me out! When I woke up, Maria was awake for a moment but too weak to get her phone. Apparently she caught him putting her stash of money in a duffel bagᅳ that's all she was able to tell me before she passed out again."

Happy's hands balled into fists, his vision darkening. With a passive-aggressive huff, he opened a hand and ran it across his face before snatching his kutte from the chair behind him before throwing it over his shoulders.

"Where is she?", he asked, his voice shaking with anger.

Even Tessa shifted uneasily, swallowing the lump in her throat. It took a lot to scare her, she's been through enough shit with her father. But she had never seen a look as dark as Happy's.

"At the hospital in Bakersfield. All I know is that she needed surgery because of her nose and that her jaw was broken. They didn't tell me more", the dark-haired woman said meekly, something that wasn't like her at all. But the situation at the moment was anything but pleasantᅳ especially because it was her father who made the mess.

"I'm really sorry, Happy", she apologized again in a whisper, kneading her hands.

"Not your fault", was all he said quickly before letting out a soft grunt. Happy shoved a gun into the waistband of his jeans, his knife also hanging from his belt a moment later. Then he shoved his cell deep in his pockets after checking the time.

Not surprised but still somewhat excited, Tessa watched the weapons Happy holstered, wondering what he planned to do with them. Well, if she was honest she could guess what he was up to. It was no secret that his mom was the most important person in his life and her dad hurt that person.

"Look, Happy", she began carefully, clearing her throat to ease the lump in her throat. "I know you're angry and you have every right to be, but please don't hurt my dadᅳ not yet."

Happy's head shot to the side, looking at the young, petite woman in disbelief and almost offended. "Give me one fucking reason why I shouldn't hurt him", he snarled at her before looking around again. "We can go. I want to know where Mike is after I checked on Ma."

"I can't give you a reason, really not. He deserves everything that's coming for him. Butᅳ" with slight desperation in her brown eyes, she grabbed Happy's arm as he was about to open the door. "He has something that belongs to me and I have to get it back before you riot."

With a scoff, Happy pulled his arm out of her grasp. "I like you Tessa, and it's not your fault this shit happened, it's on your old manᅳ but don't ask me to spare him. Nobody beats the shit out of my mom and gets away with the whole thing."

"And I understand that! Man, you can do whatever you want with him, I don't give a fuck, but please only when I have what's mine back. And I need him alive for that", she stubbornly insisted. Tessa wasn't the type to plead, but in that case she would even fall to her knees. "I need him alive for a little longer. Please Happy."

"Sorry Tessa, can't do that." Happy shrugged nonchalantly, nothing but emptiness and the desire for revenge in his misty eyes. "Whatever he got from you, you'll probably have to give it up. Because I'm going to kill that bastard and you're going to tell me where to find him."

"Fuck!" Tessa ran her splayed fingers through her long, black hair as Happy slammed open the door and stormed out of the room.

Without a word she followed him, hurrying after him. She also wanted to know what was wrong with Maria and once she was in the hospital she might have another chance to persuade Happy to let her father live a little while longer.

"Who was that?" Tig asked curiously, his eyes glued to the young woman who stormed out of the clubhouse behind Happy. "Someone he knocked up?"

"Nah, just his stepsister", Jax waved his hand before he put a cigarette between his lips.

"That didn't answer my question." Tig's curious gaze now wandered to the blonde, around whom a cloud of smoke had formed.

Juice frowned in amusement, refilling his shot with the bottle of Whiskey sitting on the table next to the ashtray. "Really? It's his stepsister, man."

"Yeah, and? The two aren't related." As if he were the normal one, Tig just shrugged his shoulders.

"Still, man. It would be still weird", Jax said with a grin. "Although nothing about you surprises me anymore."

"Oh yeah?" With a mischievous grin, Tig leaned over the table, his upper body supported on his arms. "Who was about to shag his half-sister and risked giving Gemma a three-headed grandkid?"

"Jesus, you weren't even there. How do you know about that?" Jax asked with a laugh after being taken back for a moment.

"Oh, you know, we're worse than gossiping schoolgirls Gemma once said", Bobby joined the conversation amused, turning his bottle in his hand. "But Tig isn't entirely wrong."

"Shut up, man", Jax chuckled. It was only a matter of time before Tig found out about what had happened in Ireland back then. "Okay fine, this definitely would be less awkward than me almost shagging my half-sister. But, his stepsister is here because of his mom. Said somethin' about her being in the hospital."

"Uh yeah, no doubt", Tig snickered before taking a sip of his beer. "But hey, we all do questionable things sometimes, don't we?"

"I bet you do all the time", Juice muttered, still loud enough so they could hear it over the loud music, earning himself a slap against the back of his neck.

"Huh? What did you just say?" Tig asked with a snicker. "You'd be surprised how well behaved I can be."

"Don't start bullshitting us", Jax said with his infamous Teller grin. "We all know how fucked up it must look like in your head."

The man with the black curls shook his head, acting offended. "Y'all just don't know how to have fun!"

"Yeah, sure", Bobby snorted a laugh before his expression turned serious again. "Did she say anything else? Is Happy's mother okay?"

"Don't know." Jax exhaled loudly, putting his cigarette out in the already full ashtray on the table. "I hope so, we all know how much Hap cares about his mom."

"Yeah", Tig sighed, shaking his head. "I think it would really throw him off if something would happen to her."

"Probably", the blonde agreed with a frown. "I'll give him a call tomorrow if we don't hear anything from him until then."

"We will, brother", Chibs agreed, his scottish accent overpowering the music. "And if something actually happened, we're gonna be there for Hap."

All five guys sitting around the table agreed with a silent nod, hoping that Happy's mother was okay. But for tonight, they enjoyed the rest of the party. There wasn't much they could do anyway.

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