Chapter 2 - Shadows at the Door
Jax immediately stood up, his massive frame shielding the boy from Vance's predatory gaze. "Get out of here, Vance," Jax barked, his voice dripping with venom. "This has nothing to do with you or the club."
"Oh, but I think it does," Vance sneered, taking a slow step forward, his boots thudding against the dusty floorboards. "Anything that matters to you becomes our business. You stole from us three years ago, Jax. You thought you could hide in this pathetic little town, but now it seems you've brought your own vulnerability right to our doorstep."
The young boy, sensing the danger, shrank back against the counter, clutching the folded paper to his chest. Martha quietly reached under the counter, her hand finding the emergency button, but Vance's sharp eyes caught the movement. In a flash, he drew a heavy pistol and aimed it directly at Martha. "Don't even think about it, lady," he growled.
The air in the diner turned ice-cold. The other patrons sat frozen, terrified to make a sound. Jax slowly raised his hands, his eyes locked onto Vance's gun. He had spent his entire life running from conflict, but looking back at the terrified boy behind him, he knew he couldn't run anymore.
"What do you want, Vance?" Jax asked quietly, his eyes burning with an intense, deadly focus.
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"I want what you took," Vance spat. "And if you don't give it to me by midnight, I'm taking the kid instead."
Vance lowered his weapon with a cruel laugh, motioning for his men to retreat out the door. As the heavy doors swung shut, Jax turned back to the boy, his mind racing. He looked down at the boy's shoes, noticing the worn soles and scuffed leather. He needed answers, but time was rapidly running out.
