The helmet flattened her bouncing curls before she closed the clasp. What she found really cute was when Happy checked again whether the helmet was sitting properlyᅳ as if she, as the daughter of a biker, had never worn a helmet before. Still, she was smart enough to know that he only did this because Tig was her father and if anything would happen that Tig would rip his head off.

"Hold on tight, okay? We don't need anything to happen to you", the killer ordered sternly before getting on his bike, waiting until Sage sat down behind him.

Using his shoulders to hold on to, she swung one leg over the bike and scooted around until she was sitting comfortably, her arms immediately finding their way around his waist. She wasn't afraid to ride on a bike, but after a little accident with her best friend ages ago, in which luckily nothing happened, she had still developed a certain respect.

"I'm ready", she called over the engine Happy had just started. And just a moment later he was driving down the small hill that led away from her apartment.

She still didn't really have time to take a break from her work, and she didn't feel like riding around eitherᅳ but she had to admit that it was nice to ride on a bike again. With the exception of Tig and Jax, no one had taken her with them before because the members didn't let everyone ride bitch. She was all the more surprised that Happy took her with him without a problem.

And it could be worse than sitting behind someone like Happy. Admittedly, she enjoyed feeling his toned abs under her grip more than she should and the desire to slip her hands under his shirt was hugeᅳ and yet she knew her limits and luckily had some self-control.

But would it hurt to have a little fun with someone who was that attractive? Non-binding sex never hurt anyone. She wouldn't fall for someone who was allowed to cheat while on tour or someone who couldn't stay faithful. Of course Happy could be different, not a man whore like Jax.

Yes, that's exactly what Prince Charming was. A man whore. And she would say it to his face, but in her eyes, Jax wasn't worth continuing to destroy herself. He was happy with Fawn and she would eventually find happiness with someone who would appreciate her love, devotion and support.

After about an hour they arrived in Tacoma and Happy parked his bike in front of a building that looked similar to the clubhouse in Charming and yet seemed so differentᅳ more comfortable. Maybe it was because it was a bit remote with a forest at the back and only a few houses around, while the clubhouse in Charming was right next to the streets.

"I'm just packing a few things, you can wait at the bar. If you need anything, let a prospect know", Happy explained, who was sure that Sage would find her way here. "Give me twenty minutes."

He then tilted his head to the side to indicate that she should follow him after they both got off the bike.

"Okay sure", she replied with a slight shrug and looked around the area, which she really liked. Although she had lived in Washington for years, she had never once been to Tacoma. In general, she has never been to any part of Washington other than Seattle. "But I can also wait outside, it's not too bad here."

"No, you wait inside", Happy told her, holding the door open for her.

"If you say so." Humming, she walked through the door. Just like in Charming, the smell of cigarette smoke, leather and booze hit her. However, it smelled less like cheap pussy here and she only spotted two scantily dressed womenᅳ which was definitely a good thing. "Not so different from Charming, I like it."

"It's not really any different. Sit down." With one hand resting against her lower back, he gently pushed the redhead towards the bar and ordered the prospect, who was no older than in his mid-twenties, to bring Sage something to drink.

"Thank you", she called after the slightly younger man after he hurried into a small side room. "It's pretty empty, though. How many members do you have here?", she looked up at Happy with curiosity in her eyes, watching him getting a beer from a small fridge next to the bar.

"Less than in Charming. But enough to keep the Charter", he said after sitting down next to her before opening his beer. "Most of them are probably out or at home right now."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "So people here don't spend all their free time here?"

"Depends." Happy shrugged, his gaze focused on the redhead. He tried not to look at her too often and kept his focus on her faceᅳ but he found it hard not to check her out. "Those who have a family are mostly at home, but are still there when they are needed."

"That sounds great", Sage had to admit, just sighing softly. "It's different in Charming, or at least it was. Ope was never really with his family, Jax was hardly at home either. All the other guys spent most of their time at the clubhouse. At least my dad tried to spend enough time at his girlfriend's house."

"I still can't believe Ima managed to become an Old Lady." The slightest grin crossed Happy's face, making Sage laugh.

"I have to admit, I was really shocked at first. But it seems to be a good fit for both of them. The relationship lasts longer than we all expected." She politely thanked the prospect, who put a cold glass of cola in front of her and went back to do whatever he did before.

"No shit, we even bet how long this will last", smirking, Happy took a sip of his beer and swirled the bottle around in his hand. "But apparently Ima is doing pretty well as an Old Lady."

"She does", the redhead nodded eagerly. "She's really serious about my dad. She only does porn with women, usually only with a certain colleague. And otherwise she does her best to support my dad. Plus, she really sincerely tried to get along with my sisters and me."

"Are you getting along with her? I mean, she's only about two years older than Dawn, right?" Happy asked, genuinely interested, which Sage noticed.

"Yeah, she's only a few years older than all of us, but honestly, does age really matter?" As long as everyone was an adult, in her eyes age didn't matter. "And yes, Dawn and I get along pretty well with Ima, she usually joins when Dad visits."

"Only Fawn has a problem with her", Happy figured. "Don't get me wrong, but your sister isn't exactly easy."

A bitter laugh left Sage's lips, her gaze now focused on the glass in her hand. "You don't have to tell me. I know how disgusting Fawn can be when she has a problem with someone. I'm surprised Ima has so much patience and hasn't punched her yet."

"Sounds like you don't have the best relationship with Fawn either", Happy remarked quickly, and he didn't even have to be observant to recognize the bitterness in Sage's tone when she spoke of Fawn.

"Nope." She tried to smile, but it seemed more strained than sincere. "But that doesn't matter. Dawn and I are inseparable and Fawnᅳ well, she's Fawn."

"What happened?", he asked, but Sage just waved him off.

"You don't know what happened? Even though you've been in Charming for years?" Not that Sage was surprised, Fawn always tried to hide scandals and make herself look like the good one.

"No", he answered honestly, frowning questioningly. "At least no one mentioned anything. I only know that you were Jax' Old Lady once."

"I'm not surprised", Sage said bitterly, her shoulders slumping. "I bet Fawn made sure no one talks about it anymore, including Jax."

One thing quickly became clear to Happyᅳ Fawn was apparently the one who must have destroyed something and even if Happy wasn't a curious person, he was dying to know what happened back then. In any case, it must've been something big if Sage had left her hometown because of it.

After a moment's hesitation, he asked again anyway. "What happened between the two of you?"

"It doesn't matter, really", Sage gave him a weak smile. She didn't want to risk having an emotional outburst in front of someone like Happy. "Maybe you'll find out about it at some point. But it's not really important. Things have happened, I can't turn back time and to be honest, I don't want to. I'm happy to be here in Seattle with Dawn and that's all that matters."

"Okay. As long as you can get over it." Happy didn't want and wouldn't force her to tell him what happened. Maybe he would hear it from someone somedayᅳ maybe even from her. But at the moment he was honoring her wish not to talk about it.

"Holy shit." Sage's gaze slid to a tall, slim man who was entering the clubhouse, a wide smile on his face. "Sage? I can't believe it."

"Yeah, that's me", the redhead replied, still somewhat reserved. She didn't yet know how the man knew her. "I'm sorry, but do we know each other?"

"No", the man, who was about mid-sixties, laughed and pulled up a chair. "I mean, I know you, but you probably don't remember me anymore. I'm Lee, the Pres here. And the last time I saw you was when you were around three years old."

"Oh wow", Sage chuckled. "It's been twenty-four years and you still recognize me?"

Lee shrugged, his lips curled up into a smile. "You still have the same face, just older and a lot more mature. What brings you here? And why aren't you in Chamring?"

He had also been informed that the Charter in Charming had a major lockdown, which meant that all the family members of the members should be there.

"I didn't want to go to Charming and I stayed stubborn", she said with a sigh while pushing a curl of hair behind her ear. "And since Happy was apparently in Washington, he was assigned to play babysitter."

"Not a damn babysitter, woman", Happy grumbled from his seat, finishing his beer he got up, looking at Lee. "I'll stay with her for the next few days. But maybe she'll have to stay here for a few more days after that."

"I see", Lee said thoughtfully, rubbing the tip of his thumb over his freshly shaved chin. "She can stay here any time. Don't you think it's better if she stays here right away?"

"Sure, but she doesn't want to", Happy said as it was. "I'll be right back. Maybe you can keep her company while I pack my shit."

"It's not that I don't want to", Sage chimed in defensively, her tone firm. "But I have work that I can't just neglect", she then looked at Lee with a warm smile. "I hope you understand that."

Lee, in turn, just shook his head with a grin. Sage was definitely Tig's child, who didn't let anyone tell her anything and could get her way. "It's okay. Normally nothing should happen when Happy is with you. But if he thinks it's safer here, you come here, you hear me?"

Apparently she had no choice if Happy really insisted. Part of her understood this, the other part was just a bit stubborn. Relenting, she finally shared a look with the two men and nodded.

"But only if there really is no other choice." Sighing, she tapped her fingernails on the counter. "And only then."

"You'll have a lot of fun the next few days", Lee winked at his former SAA, who only grumbled and left to pack a few things.

"He'll get used to it", the redhead chuckled in amusement as she watched Happy head towards the dorms, her eyes clearly examining him. Lord, he's hot.

"Does he have a choice?" Lee replied, just as amused, and asked a Prospect to bring him a beer. At first he didn't say anything about Sage's look, which he could clearly identify. Who knows, maybe Happy would eventually find his match.

"Nope, he has no choice." A sweet smile spread across Sage's face, contentedly sipping her coke while Lee engaged her in conversation to keep her company until Happy would return.

ᚔ

She almost fell asleep again on her couch, the movie playing on the TV was nothing more than background noise. As always, she needed noise to fall asleep. Be it the television, music or the cars outside. Sometimes it even helped her when the neighbors below her had an argument again.

But today she had less trouble falling asleep, which was because she wasn't alone. Ever since she was little she had hated sleeping alone, so she had always shared a room with Dawn. Luckily, the oldest Trager never had a problem sharing a room with Sage. Only Fawn always had her own space and wanted her space.

"You should go to bed", Happy rasped from the other side of the emerald green couch.

For about half an hour he had been watching her from the corner of his eye and had put a blanket over her. It was much cooler in the apartment at night and he didn't want her to catch a cold. He didn't know why he cared, probably simply because she was Tig's kid, who was his closest friend besides Lee and Kozik.

"What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes sleepily and straightened her back. Smiling, she looked at the grey blanket in which she wrapped herself even more. "And thanks for that", she added in a murmur, her face half buried in the blanket.

"Eleven o'clock", he let her know, leaning forward a little to rest his elbows on his legs, then he studied her discreetly.

Even without makeup and with her red curls thrown into a bun, she looked pretty. A few strands had come loose from the bun and were falling over her in freckles covered face. His type was usually cheap and blonde, just anything that he could fuck quickly. Sage was one of the first women he had looked at for more than two minutes and really memorized the details.

"Oh, so late", she murmured, then she glanced at the tv, but she immediately turned her head away again. If she couldn't handle any genre, it was horror, certainly not splatter. "That's disgusting", she said laughing after watching a guy gutted another one from the inside out.

"Sorry." With a smirk, Happy grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. Apparently she couldn't stand blood and goreᅳ so she was the complete opposite of him. "I thought you were sleeping, that's why I switched."

"It's okay", Sage assured him, also smirking. "You can keep watching, I'm going to bed anyway...I have to get up early tomorrow."

Happy nodded curtly. "If you notice anything, I'm right here."

"You should get some sleep too", Sage pointed out, not a fan of anyone staying up all night only for her safety. "What's going to happen? If you're tired, you won't be much help."

"I've been awake longer in my life already, little girl. I know what I'm doing", he assured her. Still, he secretly liked that she was paying attention to the little things and cared for other people.

Happy watched as she peeled herself out of the blanket, swung her legs on the floor, and hoisted herself up. She then tilted her head to the side as she looked down at him. "Come on, my bed is big enough. And I won't accept a no."

Fuck. He couldn't do that, right? She gave him that look he knew too well. She was literally undressing him with her eyes and he was doing the same with her. Was she really looking for more? Did she just want some fun? How would he be able to resist a woman like her? She was Jax' ex-girlfriend, Sage was a taboo for him. And that's what made the redhead even more interesting.

"That's not a good idea", he croaked, his voice an octave lower than usual, which only made him more irresistible to Sage.

"Nobody has to know about it", she purred, the sweetest, most innocent smile forming on her lips. She needed closeness, whether just to cuddle or sex. And if she had someone like Happy here, she had to make her move, right?

The SAA hesitated for a long moment, his dark eyes always on the redhead as she patiently held out her hand. Oh, fuck it. Smirking, he stood up, but instead of taking her hand, he immediately lifted her onto his hips, his hands under her ass to hold her up and support her.

"That's how I like it", she whispered against his lips before she captured his with hers and sighed pleasantly into the hard kiss after his tongue slipped between her lips and started to explore her mouth.

ᚔ

authors note; things happen fast here, I know. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna make it unrealistic and let them jump into a relationship right away, don't worry! But a little sexual tension can't hurt. 😌
Smut is in the next chapter by the way!
I hope y'all had a beautiful Christmas. 🎄