I pushed the button and locked my newly acquired SSC Ultimate Aero. It was dark now and I had finally returned to the clubhouse everyone was staying at. I had thought about taking off and heading home, but I didn’t really want to. Sure, I didn’t like my brothers, but they still were good to have around.

The door creaked as I pushed it open; I was already prepared for the screaming and yelling I would be getting from them; but, to my complete surprise, the club lounge room and bar area were empty.

I had left my phone in the room I slept in last night, so I made a beeline for it. Luckily, I kept my license and cards in my boot; otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to buy that car. Well I didn’t buy it; I made a call to dad at the car yard and he took care of the financial part.

Slipping into the room and scooping my phone up from the bed, I was sure my eyes had doubled in size when I saw that I had no missed calls or messages.

Not one of them called wondering where I was.

Biting my bottom lip, I realized that maybe I had caused more damage than I had thought. I sat on the edge of the bed. Sure I was angry with Jax, hell I could throttle him, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to fail.

It had taken me all day to calm down and to stop planning different ways to inflict a lot of harm.

I my phone, and slowly scrolled down the numbers. Finally, I settled on Troy’s number and pressed dial. I totally wasn’t calling Jax; I was way too stubborn for that.

“Amber?” Troy’s voice actually sounded shocked; who knew he had it in him.

“Where are you?” I cut right to the chase.

“Out. Now where the heck are you? Do you know how long we have been looking for you?”

“Looking for me eh?” I couldn’t stop my voice from sounding amused.

“Where are you?” His voice had now turned into a low growl but I had to admit it was nice to hear that they cared enough to be looking for me.

“At the clubhouse.”

“What… ours? Back home?”

“No, the Deadly Dozens. You know… where I am meant to be staying.” I rolled my eyes. Did he actually believe I would take off back home? Well, I guess I did think about it but I’m not that much of an attention seeker.

“Oh, well stay there,” he ordered, and I heard whispers in the background like a few others were listening in on the conversation.

“I wasn’t planning on going anywhere,” I announced. I hung up. Falling back into the bed, I smiled slyly. I wondered how far the boys had made it on their way back home, in their effort to find me.

***

It was late when I heard a roar of engines pulling in. I knew that the Deadly Dozen must be out on a ride, considering not one of their bikes could be located and not one member had disturbed me all night; there obviously weren’t any members around.

I swung around on the bar stool, waiting for them to make their entrance. I heard the door being forced open abruptly and I gulped the last shot I had lined up, just in time; they all walked through the passageway.

“Glad you are nice and fucking comfortable,” Cole snapped at me, with a look of complete anger as he threw himself down in an armchair.

“Where have you guys been?” I smiled cheekily. “I have been waiting for hours.”

Not one answered; Adam was already behind the bar pouring himself and Tyler a drink. Troy was taking a seat next to Cole, but not one seemed to want to answer.

“Coolies, well I might as well go to bed now,” I said as I slowly got up from the bar stool.

“Don’t you bloody well dare!” Cole pointed a finger at me. “Sit.”

“Why?” I frowned, sitting back on to the stool but then the door opened again, and within seconds, Jax’s figure stood in the door frame. I quickly glanced in the other direction, and attempted to put my business face on.

“Found her,” Cole’s rough voice spoke to Jax.

“Yeah, Troy called,” Jax grunted.

So the room was completely silent, and filled with complete awkwardness. Sighing, I finally lifted my head up and met Jax’s dark eyes, which happened to be staring directly at me.

I just had to keep my head strong, and I was relying on the little strength I had within me to keep myself strong.

“Figure your problem out?” My voice was hard.

Jax grunted, but didn’t break eye contact.

“The deal is off,” Cole spoke up, but I didn’t turn to look at him. I was afraid if I broke eye contact now, I wouldn’t have the strength to reconnect.

“Wouldn’t deal with a stranger?” My voice was still cold and empty towards him.

“I think you know the answer,” Jax growled.

“I’ll do the deal.” I said, swallowing my pride. “For my brothers,” I added that fact quickly. I did not want Jax thinking I was doing it for him.

“You would do that?” Troy grunted.

“I’m only doing this because of you guys. If it was just for anyone, I wouldn’t even consider it,” I snapped, shooting a quick glare at Troy. “Take it or leave it, either way, it doesn’t affect me.”

“It doesn’t matter, the deal’s been called, and it’s off.” Jax moved from the doorframe and to the bar, stealing a shot glass from Tyler and downing it.

“I can call them and change that.” I said, meeting Jax’s eyes as they wandered back in my direction. “There are a few other considerations, however.”

“And they would be?…” Troy cut in.

“One, don’t ask questions about my background with them. You have no right; I’m not a member of your club.”

“Sounds like a fair deal to me.” Tyler said me with complete seriousness. “Considering she could be asking a fee for doing it,” he added.

“Yeah, good one idiot, encourage her to ask to get paid,” Cole snapped at him. “It comes out of his share, seeing as he’s the idiot who brought it up,” he added.

“HEY!” Tyler flew back at him.

“The money doesn’t matter,” I shouted over both their voices. “You guys are family.” That silenced all of them.

“So, you’re doing it for them and no other reason?” Jax’s face was wiped of emotion.

“There is a second condition.” I stepped down from the stool and looked Jax solidly in the eye. “I don’t have anything to do with you. All my dealings go through Troy and he can pass them on to you.”

Jax’s eyes narrowed, and he growled, “Fine, like I give a fuck.” There were a few grunts from around the room and it seemed like my brothers tended to disagree with what he said.

“If I don’t have to deal with a whiney bitch, it works for me!” Jax snapped at them all, acting as if I wasn’t in the room.

“This is why I don’t want to deal with you Jax, you’re so moody.” I rolled my eyes. “Really don’t cope with rejection well, do you?”

Jax gave me a narrowed look, as if tempting me to keep going. Little did he know I was tired and really didn’t have it in me to keep fighting with him.

“So, new car?” Adam spoke up, cutting the dead silence that had coated the air for a few moments.

“Yep, seeing as I am sticking around…” I spun on the bar stool, looking at Adam and having my back to Jax now, “got sick of the bike, well… the rider.”

Adam shook his head a little, knowing I was having a go at Jax. “You know you have other bikes you could get on the back of?”

“Or I could just drive my car.”

“You’re driving with the service vehicles then, at the head of the pack,” Cole grunted behind me.

“Like I expected to be in your silly line up Cole,” I shot over my shoulder. “Just in case you didn’t hear, I brought a car, not a bike.”

Boys. All Cole cared about was me ruining his special line up. Who really cares who they ride next to anyway? It is simply an ego thing.

***

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

Maybe.

No. Fuck it. NO

This was the continual battle that went around and around in my head, while staring at the door of Jax’s room. I sighed, biting my bottom lip. I had to get a grip.

AMBER, GET A FUCKING GRIP, I yelled at myself, and then brought my fist up and knocked softly on his door.

It was the early hours of the morning. We’d only gone to bed a few hours ago, but willing to hit the road early but I couldn’t sleep. Jax just kept running through my mind and I had questions that needed answers. For one, what the heck was he doing with Mai?!

I brought my fist back up, ready to knock again, when the door slowly opened. Jax was holding a cigarette in his mouth; clearly, I wasn’t the only one not sleeping.

“Can we talk?”

Jax looked me in the eye for a split second before widening the door and letting me in.

“What?” he grunted as he closed the door.

I pushed the few empty beer bottles to the other side of the bed, and took a seat. Jax went back to where he most likely was previously sitting; in an armchair just near the side of the bed.

“What’s the go with us? You belittled me in front of everyone this morning and the other night you were all over that Mai chick. And don’t you dare say she wasn’t anything, because I know she means something to you or you wouldn’t sleep with her every time you’re in town.”

“The old man tell you that?” Jax butted the cigarette out in the ashtray and reached for his beer, carefully studying me as he did.

I arched an eyebrow. Who I got the information off really didn’t matter.

“Mai is Mai. You don’t really care about her,” he said.

“Yeah I do actually. I sorta have a problem with my boyfriend running around with other women.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t be your boyfriend anymore then.”

I froze. Well, that was as blunt and as cold as he could get it.

“You’re breaking up with me?”

“I don’t have time for petty drama.” Jax slipped from his bottle. “Like this right now.”

“You’re breaking up with me?” I repeated.

“Never took you as the dumb type Amber.”

What could I say to that? I cared for him and he was breaking up with me like this!

“Why?” I couldn’t believe I was letting myself ask that question, but I needed to know.

“What you did this morning just showed me how immature you are.”

I could have fought him, told him my point of view and how I felt. But what was the point? I would be fighting for someone who didn’t want to be won. I got up from the bed slowly, mainly because I was still in shock. I couldn’t say I had experienced this before. I was usually the one to end things, not the other way around.

“Amber?”

I turned around, the door knob already in my hand, ready to be twisted.

“Keep your shit together while on this ride. Don’t be crying or moping around.”

Chills overtook my sadness, and I narrowed my eyes at as I replied, “You’re not worth a single tear Jackson.”

Closing the door behind me, I gritted my teeth, trying to stop myself from going back in there and punching him raw for how he had just treated me.

“Amber?”

I looked down the hall with wide eyes, seeing Tyler standing there, fully clothed.

“Hey!” I kept my voice low, and I knew there was tears filling up my eyes, as much as I fought them.

“What’s wrong?” Tyler went to move forward towards me and I raised a hand to stop him.

“Nothing. I just found out that you guys were right. Night Tyler.”

I turned away quickly and walked fast to my bedroom. My brothers were right! Jax was a user. Nothing more than a man who sleeps with one and then moves to the next. He wanted me, he got me, and then he dumped me.

As cold as it sounded, why had I ever expected different from him?

***

“Morning.” Troy greeted me as I walked outside, pulling my sunglasses down quickly, blocking the sun.

“Morning.” I muttered back, heading in the direction of the car. “I made the call, everything is set,” I added, before opening the door and slipping into my car. “The deal is set for tomorrow night.”

We had a few hours’ drive to the town over, and the deal was meant to be tonight, but tomorrow night was as good as any. Troy nodded his head understanding what I meant. The deal was in place; now all we had to do was deliver.

I fiddled with the radio while the boys straddled their bikes. A knocking on my window got my attention.

“Here, the channel is all set.” A prospect said, handing me a small hand-held radio. “Jax has the ear piece, and we have the other one.”

I nodded my head while placing the hand-held in my console and winding the window back up. I guess it was a smart idea to keep in contact. Finally, the bikes roared to life, and slowly they took out the drive, followed by me and then the prospect van. It was the van’s job to mind the scanners and police scanners, making sure we have a safe police-free ride to our destination, and I hoped the ride went smoothly. The sooner I was away from Jax, the better.

***

I glanced at the clock on the dash. We had been driving for over an hour. I looked back up at a sight I was already sick of - the line of bikes.

“Jax, cops ahead, slow down,” came from the little hand-held, which was sitting on the console. I got nervous as I waited for Jax’s rough voice to come over the radio, but it didn’t come. The prospect called it again, but still no answer, and I heard the tension in the prospect’s voice.

Picking the hand-held up, I held the button down. “How far off are the suits?” I asked over air.

“Not far. Jax’s ear piece mightn’t be working,” the prospect shot back with panic. “We have to get them to slow down.

The highway was dead, and the boys were over the speed limit by a lot; we all were, but the speed wasn’t what was concerning me… it was the fact the boys were riding with illegal guns.

“What should we do?” the prospect asked me. He was buckling under the pressure of the situation.

I knew the cops wouldn’t be far off; I could see a bunch of trees far ahead, which would be the perfect place to hide. The road was dead ahead, with no oncoming traffic.

Sliding into the right lane, I put my foot to the floor. This was meant to be a fast car and I was about to put that to the test. The car jumped to the challenge, and I flew past the boys, who clearly weren’t going as fast as they could be going; most likely due to what they were carrying.

I knew they would be all thinking about what the heck I was doing, but their question would be answered soon. I put enough distance between me and Jax before sliding over and overtaking them. I kept the foot down as I approached the trees. I had just passed the trees when the highway parole car came flying out after me.

Slowing down, I came to a stop on the side of the road. I knew I was about to cop a lot of heat for this, especially with my track record, but my heat would be nothing compared to the trouble the boys would have been in.

I was out of the car and up against the bonnet, with a policeman handcuffing me when the boys finally passed. The cop’s hadn’t even asked me for my license, arresting me straight off. The boys were looking in my direction as they slowed slightly.

I was pulled back to the cop car and pushed into the back seat. I watched the boys keep moving, and I hoped someone would pay bail to get me out.

Well if they didn’t, the deal would be dead in the water. Looks like I would be making a phone call to dad, after all, he was the only man I could rely on.