Chapter 2 - The Weight of Iron
Jax’s knuckles turned white as he gripped Clara’s white blazer. The afternoon heat radiated off the black luxury SUV, turning the vehicle into a suffocating oven. Inside, the muffled cries of little Chloe grew fainter, replaced by desperate, shallow breaths against the tinted rear glass.
"Open this door, Clara," Jax growled, his voice dropping into a dangerous, gravelly register that made several onlookers back away. "I am warning you. My patience ran out ten years ago when you let them take the fall for your corporate theft."
Clara didn't flinch. Her gaze remained chillingly detached, a stark contrast to the frantic energy vibrating through Jax’s massive, tattooed frame. She adjusted her lapels, smoothing the fabric where his fists had creased it.
"You always were too emotional, Jax," Clara said smoothly, her voice carrying easily over the hum of downtown traffic. "Prison didn't teach you control, did it? It just made you louder."
"Clara!" Jax roared, shaking her slightly. "She is your daughter too! Have you lost your mind?"
"My mind is perfectly clear," Clara whispered, stepping closer so only he could hear. "You think you can waltz out of federal custody, sign away your parental rights, and pretend you still have a family? Chloe stays locked inside until you sign the asset transfer papers. Every last share of your offshore accounts, Jax. Do it now, or watch her suffocate."
Lily clutched her toy stethoscope tighter to her chest, her big blue eyes darting between the angry adults and the terrifying black vehicle. She didn't understand the legal threats or the corporate greed, but she knew the little girl inside was running out of time.
Jax looked from Clara’s unyielding face to the dark tinted window. Through a tiny gap where the front window was cracked an inch, he could see tiny fingers pressed against the glass. Chloe was going limp.
With a guttural cry of pure anguish, Jax released Clara and lunged toward the front passenger window, ignoring the security cameras overhead, and smashed his bare fist directly into the reinforced safety glass.
Blood poured from his knuckles, mixing with the scorching dust of the pavement, but the glass merely cracked, holding firm against his fury. Clara stepped back, a triumphant smirk finally breaking her icy facade as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a heavy gold-plated key fob.
"Fool," Clara murmured, holding the keys just out of reach. "You just handed the police all the probable cause they need."
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Jax stared at the blood on his hands, chest heaving, before his eyes locked onto the approaching flashing red and blue lights of local squad cars turning the corner.
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