From Greasy Queen To Polished Power

of their last night. Ava had stayed, a final, raw goodbye that felt more like a habit th

ully neutral. "So, we're clear?

rl in ripped jeans and a Ramones t-shirt, eager t

twenty-year-old, Jax?" s

his is it. Maybe lay off the whiskey for a bit,

htened something in her ches

lea

r arm, his grip surprisingly strong. "Hold u

her arm, then up at his

spirit he'd both admired and trie

s particular storm s

ng about the weather. He

a hand through his

he counter. He glance

up?... Yeah, I'm here... Okay, okay, calm dow

d back to Ava, a new

k it's better if you two..

t, or even process, he

d on up when you get

"She's... not complicated. You're a smart woman, you'll understand. She'

ife where she'd been his queen, his old lady, styled

ng. Jax went

l and hesitant, her eyes wide. She

oice soft. She saw Ava

ily's shoulders. "Lily,

a small, ne

ng. She fumbled for i

er voice tight with distress. "What?

nderson is saying I'm late on rent, he's threatening

on't worry. I'll handle it." He glanced at Av

arm protectively around h

in the loft, the echo of "sw