Sarah’s hands trembled as she turned her key in the lock. The coffee shop conversation with Jax had left her mind spinning, and now she needed answers. Real answers.
She found her mother in the kitchen, methodically washing dishes like she always did when she was anxious.
«Mom,» Sarah said firmly. «We need to talk. About Jax.»
Linda’s shoulders stiffened, and the plate she was washing slipped back into the soapy water with a splash. «There’s nothing to talk about,» she mumbled, but her voice wavered.
«I know that’s not true.» Sarah pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. «I just talked to him. He told me about Uncle Mike.»
Linda dried her hands slowly on a dish towel, her back still turned. The kitchen clock ticked loudly in the silence between them. Finally, she turned around, and Sarah was struck by how tired her mother looked, how the weight of whatever she’d been carrying seemed to press down on her shoulders.
«I never wanted you mixed up in any of this,» Linda whispered, sinking into the chair across from Sarah. Her hands twisted the dish towel nervously. «That world… It’s dangerous, Sarah. So dangerous.»
«What world, Mom? Please, just tell me the truth.»
Linda took a deep, shaky breath. «Your Uncle Mike was involved with the Hell’s Angels, deep into it. And Jax? Jax was like his right-hand man. They protected us, protected me, when things got rough.»
Sarah leaned forward, her heart pounding. «Protected you from what?»
«Other gangs, people who wanted revenge, people who—» Linda’s voice cracked. «There was always someone, always some threat. Living like that, constantly looking over your shoulder, it does something to you.»
Tears welled up in Linda’s eyes. «When Mike died, I knew I had to get out, had to keep you safe. Jax, he wanted to help, to keep watching over us. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t let you grow up in that world. So I cut all ties, moved us away, started fresh.»
Sarah reached across the table and took her mother’s hand. «Why didn’t you ever tell me?»
«How could I?» Linda wiped her eyes with her free hand. «You were so young, so innocent. I wanted you to have a normal life, without fear, without—» she gestured helplessly «—without all of that darkness hanging over you.»
Sarah squeezed her mother’s hand. «But, Mom, keeping all these secrets, it didn’t protect me. It just left me in the dark.»
Linda nodded slowly, tears streaming down her face. «I know that now. I was so scared of losing you the way I lost Mike that I… I went too far, tried too hard to keep you safe.»
A knock at the door made them both jump. Sarah stood up, wiping her own eyes. «I’ll get it.»
«Sarah, wait,» Linda started, but Sarah was already heading to the door.
She opened it to find a man standing there, tall, with graying hair and hard eyes. She recognized him as one of the men from the car that had confronted Jax that night. His presence made her skin crawl.
«Sarah,» he said, his voice low and gravelly. «I need you to listen carefully. Stay away from Jax. He’s not the protector he pretends to be.»
His eyes flicked past her to Linda, who had appeared in the hallway.
«Some of us haven’t forgotten what happened to Mike, and we haven’t forgiven.»
Sarah sat at her kitchen table long after her mother had gone to bed, the stranger’s warning echoing in her mind. Stay away from Jax if you know what’s good for you. The words made her stomach twist into knots.
Linda had spent the entire evening pacing, checking the locks repeatedly, and peering through the curtains. «Promise me you won’t see him again,» she’d begged, her face pale with worry. «You don’t understand what these people are capable of.»
But Sarah couldn’t shake the feeling that Jax was different. The way he’d protected her that night, the genuine concern in his eyes—it didn’t match her mother’s warnings. She pulled out her phone, looking at the number Jax had given her at the coffee shop. Her thumb hovered over the keys.
The next morning, Sarah’s head felt heavy from lack of sleep. She’d tossed and turned all night, torn between her mother’s fears and her own curiosity. Linda hovered around her more than usual, making excuses to stay home from work.
«Mom, you can’t watch me every second,» Sarah finally said, frustration creeping into her voice. «I’m not a child anymore.»
«You don’t know what you’re dealing with,» Linda insisted, wringing her hands. «These people, they hold grudges for decades. They never forget, and they never forgive.»
But Sarah had already made up her mind. During her lunch break, she texted Jax to meet her at Wilson’s Point, a quiet overlook above the marina where old fishing boats bobbed in the water. It was public enough to feel safe, but private enough for a real conversation.
Jax was already there when she arrived, leaning against the railing. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across his weathered face.
«I was hoping you’d reach out,» he said quietly.
«Tell me everything,» Sarah demanded, her voice stronger than she felt. «No more hints or half-truths.»
Jax’s expression darkened as he gazed out at the water. «Your Uncle Mike wasn’t just any member of the Angels. He was rising fast, making waves. But there was another guy, Dante—’The Viper’ Moreno—who didn’t like being overshadowed.»
Sarah wrapped her arms around herself, feeling suddenly cold despite the warm afternoon.
«Dante set Mike up,» Jax continued, his voice rough with old pain. «Made it look like he’d betrayed the club. Your mother, she knew too much. She was there the night everything went wrong. That’s why she ran.»
«And this Dante,» Sarah whispered, «he’s still out there?»
Jax turned to face her, his eyes intense. «He’s more than out there. He’s back in town, and he’s got unfinished business. Those men who’ve been watching you? They’re his people.»
Sarah felt the blood drain from her face as the pieces clicked into place. The strange cars she’d noticed following her. The shadowy figures outside the café.
«I can protect you,» Jax said firmly. «Both you and Linda. But you have to trust me.»
Sarah gripped the railing, her knuckles white. Her mother’s warnings warred with Jax’s sincerity. The truth about her family’s past was finally unfolding, but it was darker than she’d imagined. Could she trust Jax, knowing he was part of the world that had gotten her uncle killed? Or was her mother right? Should she run as far as she could from all of this? She looked up at Jax, searching his face for answers, but found only more questions.
The weight of the choice pressed down on her like a physical thing, making it hard to breathe.
Sarah’s phone buzzed on her desk at work, displaying an unknown number. Her stomach clenched as she answered. Nothing but heavy breathing came through the line, followed by a click.
Three calls like this had come in since morning. She tried to focus on serving customers at the café, but her hands trembled slightly as she poured coffee. The bell above the door chimed, making her jump. Just another regular customer, she told herself, forcing a smile.
During her break, she checked her phone again. A new text message waited.
Your Uncle Mike thought he was untouchable too. Look what happened to him.
Sarah’s breath caught in her throat. She deleted the message, but another one came moments later.
The Viper never forgets.
«Hey, you okay?» her co-worker Amy asked, noticing Sarah’s pale face. «You look like you’ve seen a ghost.»
«Just not feeling great,» Sarah managed, tucking her phone away. She couldn’t tell anyone what was really happening. Who would believe her?
The rest of her shift crawled by. Every customer who walked in could be watching her. Every motorcycle that rumbled past the café made her heart race. When closing time finally came, Sarah practically ran to her car.
At home, she double-checked all the locks and drew the curtains tight. Her phone buzzed again. Another unknown number.
Pretty apartment you’ve got. Blue curtains look nice from the street.
Sarah’s hands shook as she peeked through the curtains. The street looked empty. But someone was out there, watching. She could feel it. Two more messages arrived while she tried to heat up dinner.
Ask Jax about the night your uncle died.
Or better yet, ask your mother why she really ran.
Sarah couldn’t eat. She paced her small living room, jumping at every sound from outside. Around eight, someone knocked on her door. Her heart nearly stopped. But it was just Mrs. Peterson from next door, asking to borrow some sugar.
After Mrs. Peterson left, Sarah noticed another text.
Time’s running out. Stay away from Jax. Or else.
She took a hot shower, trying to calm her nerves. The water helped a little. But when she stepped out, she heard something that made her freeze. A sound from the living room. Sarah wrapped herself in her robe, heart pounding. She crept down the hallway, phone in hand, ready to call 911.
The living room was dark. But even in the dim light, she could see what they’d done. Her breath caught in her throat. Everything was torn apart. Couch cushions slashed open. Papers scattered everywhere. Photos knocked off the walls. But nothing seemed to be missing. Her laptop, TV, and other valuables sat untouched.