A/N: To say that I was overwhelmed by the reception for this story would be an understatement. Thank you all so very much for reviewing and liking this story. I hope to make you all proud. This is more of a filler chapter. Once I get done Maintain the Pain, I will be able to put out more chapters for this story. Thanks again.
Leylani tried to avoid it as much as possible but she couldn't ignore it any longer. She needed to get things done which meant that she had to venture out of her bedroom. She heard noises downstairs letting her know that both men were up. She didn't feel bad for almost shooting Happy. He shouldn't have scared her like that. Her nerves were already fried to all hell and strange men lurking in doorways at three in the morning did nothing to make her feel better.
With a sigh, Leylani opened her bedroom door. She walked down the steps on search of some much needed caffeine. When she walked in the kitchen, she saw Jax sitting there nursing a cup of coffee while looking at her intently making her uncomfortable.
"Uh…morning." Leylani said.
"Teller." Leylani pulled her eyebrows close together at Jax's one worded response.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jax smiled as he placed his coffee cup down and leaned back in his chair.
"You were going on last night about strangers being in your home and you don't even our last names. My last name is Teller. Jackson Teller." Leylani nodded as she moved towards the counter to pour her own cup of coffee. She sat down across from Jax and looked around.
"Where's the other one?" Jax smirked at the anger laced in Leylani's voice.
"He took the dog out." Leylani groaned to herself. Great, now my dog is fraternizing with the enemy.
"So what's your plans for today?" Jax asked.
"I guess I will start packing. I will take the things that I need and important shit can go in the storage. Every thing else will stay because I have every intention of coming back home. This Charming shit is just temporary."
"We are just trying to help you darling."
"At what expense? Look, I'm not trying to be ungrateful but my life has completely turned upside down the past month and there is nothing I can do about it. I don't like not having control over my own fucking life. I have worked hard to have this. To have a little corner in this world that belonged to me only. I'm a loner by nature and now? Now I have to move to strange town with strange people and trust that they will able to protect me."
"Morning." Leylani shut her eyes at the sound of the deep raspy voice. She opened them when Scuttle nudged her knee with his nose. She smiled as she reached down to pet the dog before getting up to refresh his bowl with food and water. She ignored Happy as she went about her mission.
Even though Happy was pissed at her little stint last night, he had to admit there was a part of him that was amused and intrigued by her. Not many people, men or women, would dare talk to him the way she did last night. The fact that she was willing to get in his face without any regards to what could happen to her was a bit of a turn on.
"I see you're still packing." Happy remarked when Leylani bent down to set the bowl on the floor and he saw the gun poking out from her back.
"Did you think I wouldn't be?" Leylani asked with a bit of an attitude.
"Alright you two." Jax spoke up before the pair could have another pissing contest. While he would want nothing more than to have a good laugh, there were things that need to be done so one of them had to act like an adult. "Leylani, do you mind if we borrow your truck? I noticed a storage unit about five miles down the road. We can pick up some boxes while you start going through your shit."
Leylani's phone rang and she looked at it before quickly hitting the ignore button. Her wide eyed expression wasn't lost on either man, even though it was only there for a brief second.
"Uh, yeah that's fine. Let me get you the keys."
30 minutes after Happy and Jax had left, Leylani found herself on her hands and knees looking for her favorite pair of tan cowboy boots. She didn't have a whole lot of things that held sentimental value so most of the things she was getting together were general things that she would need in Charming.
She had packed her normal attire of jeans, tank and tees and about twenty pairs of boots. She threw in a few jackets and one dress just in case. Now she was determined to find her cowboy boots. They were a gift from Honey when Leylani turned 18 and she cherished them. They were also the most comfortable pair of boots that she owned. Leylani heard a car pull up but she didn't move from the closet. She figured that it was just the boys coming back and the front door was unlocked so there was really no reason for her to get up.
She briefly heard footsteps and she yelled that she was upstairs in her room.
"Lani" Someone said in a sing songy voice that made chills run up and down Leylani's spine. She knew without even turning around that it was Joey behind her. She slowly stood up and put on her best smile.
"Hey babe." Her whole face slammed to the right at the impact of Joey's hand connecting with her face.
"You fucking whore." Leylani had prided herself that she never cried during these situations. She slowly moved her head back so that she was facing him. "Who the fuck are the two guys that were here last night? Are you fucking around on me? I swear to God Leylani, I will slit your fucking throat." As if to emphasis his point, Joey grabbed Leylani by the throat and pinned her to the wall.
"They are just helping me with something."
"With what?" Leylani felt herself start to get dizzy as he pressed his fingers further in her neck. She looked to her left and saw a vase.
"They work with a clinic in San Diego and were referred to me. They were just here to pick up their order." Joey released Leylani and she coughed a few times as she struggled to breath. Before Joey could make another move, Leylani grabbed the vase and smashed it over his head. She frantically ran down the stairs and out the door.
She was so busy trying to escape that she ran straight into what felt like a wall. Well, a wall with arms because before Leylani hit the ground someone reached and grabbed her. She looked up to see Happy holding her with a questioning gaze.
"Joey." That was all Leylani could mutter before her legs started to give out on her. She was so tired, mentally fucking exhausted and she knew that at some point she would start to break.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Jax and Happy looked towards the door and back at Leylani who had a death grip on Happy's biceps as if he pulled away she would no longer be safe.
Happy moved her behind the truck and Scuttle quickly ran behind her. Jax and Happy pulled out their respective guns and headed for the door. "WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU? I'M GOING TO KILL YOU" Jax and Happy realized the noise was coming from the back of the house. They moved quickly and just as Joey was turning the corner to go down the hallway towards the front door, Happy smacked the man across the face with the butt of his gun. When Joey hit the floor, Happy placed a boot on his neck making it impossible for the man to move.
"Go get the girl." Happy commanded and Jax hurried back outside. When Leylani walked into the hallway, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Who would think that the man she almost shot less than twenty four hours ago was now playing the role of her knight in black leather.
"Who is he?" Happy demanded to know.
"He's name is Joey Polizzi. We were sorta of dating."
"How the hell do you sort of date someone?" Jax wondered out loud.
"I've been trying to break it off with him but he knows about the scripts." Leylani moved a strand of hair from her face. "He said if I didn't spilt the money with him, he would make sure that the Peckerwoods found out where I live. I didn't have a choice."
Happy looked down at the man who was turning an interesting shade of red. He looked back up to Leylani. "He the one that did that to you eye?" Leylani paused before finally nodding.
Happy pulled his knife out and leaned down towards Joey. He placed the knife on Joey's throat. "You get a hard-on by putting your hands on women?"
"This ain't your fucking business." Joey spit out. Leylani watched with wide eyes as Happy pressed the knife a little harder into the man's throat and gave him a sinister smile.
"Hap." Jax warned Happy as if trying to stop him.
"You come to this house or anywhere near her again, I will fucking kill you. Understand me?" Joey nodded as much as he could given his current situation. Happy released the hold on him and Jax grabbed Joey's wallet from his pants pocket before tossing him outside.
"I'mma call Juice and have him run this douche bag through the system." Jax pulled out his phone and left the room, leaving Happy and Leylani alone. Happy watched as Leylani closed her eyes and leaned on the wall.
"You alright?" Happy asked and Leylani popped her eyes open and looked at Happy as if seeing him for the first time.
"Yeah…Yeah, I'm okay." Leylani cracked her neck in order to ease some of the tension. She walked slowly to Happy and stood on her toes to place a soft kiss on Happy's cheek much to the surprise of both.
"Thank you Happy." Leylani spoke with all sincerity. Happy was taken back for a moment. This was the same woman who almost blew a hole in him less than 24 hours ago and now she was standing in front of him looking like a wounded puppy. Happy knew there was more to her than what was on the surface but he didn't think he was going to see some of her layers so soon.
"How long has he been putting his hands on you?"
"This was only the second time. He thought with Honey dead, it was his chance to get rich." Leylani sat down on the couch and put her head in her hands as she tried to control her beating heart. She jumped up slightly when she heard Jax enter the room.
"I just talked to Clay. Pack whatever you need. We are heading back to the compound tonight."
"What about the scripts?"
"Clay is sending the prospects up here to watch the merchandise and then we can move it tomorrow but there is no way in hell you are staying here a moment longer." Leylani wanted to protest but she knew Jax was right. Instead she stood up and headed towards the bedroom, trying to envision what Charming was going to be like.