Page 40 of Subtracting the Heart

“Congratulations,” Cade said, the phone on speaker.

Jax laughed. “Chére, I didn’t do a damn thing but offer the team moral support and advice as I could. How are things at home? You guys watch the game?”

“Yeah, we did. Actually, Miss Winnie, Cleve, and Griff came over with food. We have chicken wings for you in the fridge, along with some baby back ribs and potato salad. The food is incredible,” Ford said.

“Well, I hope you’ll keep me a plate because we can’t get out until tomorrow. Don’t let those damn boys eat all the good stuff.” He laughed, but there was silence on the other end of the line.

After that, Cade and Ford were in a hurry to end the call, making him very suspicious that something awful had happened. Hopefully, it wasn’t an issue with Cade’s case. If they had to move to a country where they didn’t extradite to the US, Jax was up for it. He wouldn’t allow Cade to go to jail for something so fucking stupid as trying to get the boys’ clothes back for them and keeping seven days’ worth of food from going to waste.

After they shuffled through the snow and onto the plane, Jax settled into a front seat, grateful for the extra legroom. He handed his crutches to the flight attendant and settled back in his seat to nap. Being trapped in a hotel banquet room on New Year’s night with a bunch of horny football players had been nerve-wracking, to say the least.

Everyone, including him, wanted to get home. When they found out they weren’t leaving that afternoon, everybody was pissed and proceeded to drink like fish, including Tony O’Brien and Beau Richelieu. They’d all slept until noon, knowing the airport wouldn’t be open until three that afternoon.

When Tony sat down next to him, Jax sighed. He wanted to sleep off a headache. “Jax, I had the club’s lawyers investigate this business with Kenneth Shaw and it seems as if the man’s left the country with all the donations made to fund the shelters. Six of the ten shelters he runs around the city have been closed after being reported to have been brothels instead of shelters. From what the club lawyer found, somebody called Crime Stoppers and left a credible tip. They have no idea who it was so we’re no better off than we were.”

“Shit sakes. Why are people so fucking horrible? I’d like to strangle the bastard, and if I ever see him, I’ll be arrested. You better come bail my ass out,” Jax tried to make a joke to keep his blood pressure from rising to feed his pounding head.

“Speaking of arrests, fight Cade’s as hard as you can. If that asshole has left the country, then the properties are abandoned and forfeited for taxes, or so I’m told. Anyway, everyone who contributed to the program got screwed out of a lot of money.” Tony’s comment was the last thing Jax wanted to hear.

“You think I can get the boys’ clothes back from the cops? I mean, with everything that’s come and gone, they should at least have their clothes, right?” Jax was determined to help in some way.

“Sure. Have Mitch Ross call the team’s lawyer and let the two of them work it out. It’s a damn shame because those places were good for kids who had already been shit on. God only knows what will happen to them if they don’t have a place to stay.” Jax nodded as Tony hopped up and took a seat in the back with Beau.

When Hans Linder boarded, he looked at Jax and pointed to the seat. Jax sighed. “Sit.” The kid’s face lit up before he stowed his computer bag in the overhead compartment and sat.

“Thanks for the support and kick in the ass you gave me yesterday during the game, Jax,” Hans said.

The kid had seemed to be freaking out during the second half, so Jax took him aside, slid off the headphones and mic he was wearing to communicate with the other coaches, and gave Linder a serious “get your head in this fuckin’ game” talk while shaking him by his chest pads. The highlights showed it as they commented on how Jax was still supporting his teammates, but he wished they’d have missed the shot.

“What was going on with you?” Jax asked. “You were fine during the first half and then after halftime, you fucking lost your shit.”

“My, uh,dateI told you about the other night, I got a text. It freaked me out. I’m not strong, Jax. I’m not like you. I don’t think I can…” Hans scanned the nearby seats to see who was listening.

“Listen to me, kid, don’t take your damn phone with you to the stadium if you can’t leave it off or in your locker. Your job is to play the fuckin’ game without any influences except for your brothers on the field. Let me check with my guys to see when’s a good night to have you come over for dinner. We’ll send the kids out for pizza, and you, me, Cade, and Ford will talk. They’re much better at love-life advice than me.” Jax patted the kid’s hand that was holding tightly to the arm rest.

Hans stared at Jax with wide eyes. “You have kids?”

Jax laughed. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain it to you when you come over. I’ll be at the stadium to work out in the meantime, and I’ll figure out a day for you to come over. We’ll have a nice meal, okay?”

Jax patted Hans’ hand before slipping in his earbuds and pushing back his seat to close his eyes. He listened to some Kenny Chesney and Blake Shelton as a mellow feeling settled into his bones until the plane finally landed in Chicago.

Glancing out the window, Jax sneered at the sight of as much snow as they’d left in Minneapolis. He was sure the boys were stir-crazy, so he vowed to go online and find some sort of activity they could do indoors—maybe get some additional equipment aside from what they had in the home gym? With some planning, they could probably build an indoor court down there. It could work.

After being helped down the plane stairs by Linder, Jax made it to the Signature terminal lobby, seeing Ford waiting for him with a happy grin. Jax hobbled over to greet him, relieved to be home. “Hey, baby. How y’all handlin’ the snow?”

“We’re lucky in our neighborhood because we pay out the ass for extra services. How about yesterday?” Ford went to retrieve Jax’s bag from the cart.

They made their way, slowly, to the Hummer. Jax laughed because as much as Ford and Cade bitched about the vehicle, it did come in handy on occasion. Before Jax knew it, they headed home, and he wanted to know what he missed. “What did the boys say about the game?”

“Boys? Um, yeah, they loved it. The team pulled it out, but you were there pushing them. I wish it was a home game. Have you thought about the music yet for next weekend? You’re home, right?” Ford’s lighthearted attempt at putting Jax at ease sent up red flags.

“Well, I’m kinda pushin’ that to Denny Walker because I’m going to lobby for him to be the defensive captain next season. I’m not going into free agency. I told Cade about this before, but I just realized that you and I haven’t had the conversation yet. For that, I’m sorry.

“I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret, I swear. I just… Well, I said I’d give my all this season and then I’m out. With the leg, I’m sure that decision has been made for me, but I want to retire from Chicago. I’ll have to show my face at training camp so I can fulfill my contractual obligations. I’ll work out with the guys over the break after I get my cast off, but I’ll start scouting a place for my gym.” Jax glanced through the front windshield to see they were on the block where they lived.

Ford pulled into the driveway and turned to him with a smile. “I’m glad. We miss you when you’re gone, though I’m sure you’re going to travel for as long as the team is in the playoffs, right?”

Jax pulled Ford’s right hand to his mouth to leave a soft kiss. The man smelled incredible, and suddenly, Jax wanted to change the subject. “Yeah, maybe. So, I got the picture of the two of you in the tub on Saturday night. How did it go?”

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