Page 58 of Jax

He whirled around to see Mia standing in the doorway, clutching a gun in her trembling hands. His heart clenched at the sight.

"Babygirl, what are you doing here?" he exclaimed, concern etched on his face.

Mia's green eyes blazed with determination. "I couldn't let my Daddy fight all my battles for me," she said, her voice shaky but resolute. "And I couldn't let you do this without telling you I love you too."

Before Jax could respond, a menacing chuckle filled the air. Chad, Mia's abuser, stepped out of the shadows, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"Well, well, if it isn't little Mia," he taunted. "You think you can take me down?"

"Damn right I do," Mia spat, raising the gun. Her finger trembled on the trigger, but her gaze never wavered.

"Go on then, shoot," Chad challenged, inching closer.

"Back off, Chad," Jax growled, tensing to intervene. "Mia, you don't have to do this. I'll deal with him for you."

But Mia had made her choice. With a burst of courage, she pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out, deafening in the confined space. Chad's eyes widened in shock before he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

"Got him," Mia whispered, her voice a mix of disbelief and fierce pride. She looked up at Jax, tears glistening in her eyes. "I did it, Daddy."

"You sure did, babygirl," Jax replied, pulling her into a protective embrace. "You're so strong. I'm so proud of you. Now, we'd better get out of here before the cops find us."

Jax's fingers flew over the security room controls, methodically erasing all traces of their presence. With each deleted frame, a mixture of satisfaction and unease churned inhis gut. They'd won, but at what cost? Viper's taunting words about Chloe echoed in his mind, an incessant, maddening whisper.

As he reached for the last tape, something caught his eye. There, tucked away in the corner of a dusty shelf, was a single VHS tape. Unlike the others, this one wasn't labeled with a date or location. Instead, a single word was scrawled across its spine in faded black marker:

"Chloe"

Jax froze, his hand hovering inches from the tape. The world seemed to narrow, all sound fading away except for the thundering of his own heartbeat. He stared at that name—his sister's name—feeling as though he'd been punched in the gut.

Viper was behind it. Somehow, Viper was behind her disappearance and death.

With trembling fingers, he reached out and grasped the tape. It felt heavier than it should, weighed down by years of questions, guilt, and unresolved grief. Jax turned it over in his hands, searching for any other markings, any clue to its contents. But there was nothing else.

He knew that whatever was on the tape would be heavy viewing. He'd watch it, but not today.

As he stepped out of the security room, Jax's resolve hardened. He'd come here to save Mia and the other girls, to bring down Viper's operation. He'd accomplished that. But now, a new mission was taking shape—one that had been years in the making.

As they climbed into the car, Jax could feel Mia trembling beside him. Her fingers dug into his arm, seeking comfort and reassurance. He pulled the car onto the street, pushing the accelerator and leaving the chaos behind them.

"Open the sunroof, Daddy," Mia said suddenly, her voice shaky but determined.

"Are you sure, babygirl?" Jax asked, casting a glance at her.

"Please," she insisted, her eyes pleading.

With a nod, Jax opened the sunroof, and Mia hoisted herself up, letting the wind whip through her hair as she stuck her head out. A whoop of pure joy escaped her lips, echoing through the morning air.

"YEAH! WOO!" She yelled, embracing the freedom she'd fought so hard for. The sound of her laughter warmed Jax's heart, filling him with a sense of deep satisfaction.

"Damn, babygirl, I never thought I'd see the day you'd be this happy," he thought, a grin spreading across his face as he drove faster, leaving their past behind them.

"Neither did I, Daddy," Mia shouted over the rush of wind, her eyes alive with newfound hope. "Neither did I."

Chapter twenty

Mia

Mia's eyes fluttered open,the unfamiliar surroundings of Jax's Chicago loft apartment greeting her. She stretched in the comfortable bed, smirking at the masculine décor—exposed brick walls and dark wood furnishings.

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