Chapter 7 - Fractured Trust
Jax pushed past Martha and Big Jim, rushing back into the warmth of the diner. The boy wasn't on the floor; instead, he was slumped against the counter stool, his breathing shallow and erratic, clutching his old jacket around his chest as if trying to ward off a sudden, deep chill. Martha hurried behind the counter, grabbing a glass of water and a damp cloth while the surrounding bikers awkwardly looked away, uncomfortable with vulnerability and sickness.
""Hey. Look at me,"" Jax said, dropping heavily onto his knees beside the stool so he was eye-level with the child. The boy’s big hazel eyes fluttered open, losing their sharp focus for a terrifying second before locking onto Jax's tattooed forearm. ""I'm right here. You're okay."" The kid managed a weak, fragile nod, his pale lips parting as he tried to speak, but only a faint whisper escaped.
""Walked... walked all the way from the bus station,"" the boy whispered, his fingers weakly grabbing the sleeve of Jax's leather vest. Jax felt a lump form in his throat that no amount of whiskey could wash down. The kid had walked miles along the interstate highway just to find a ghost on a faded piece of paper. He hadn't eaten a proper meal, and the old jacket offered zero protection against the bitter mountain winds blowing through the valley.
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Big Jim stepped up behind Jax, looking down at the frail child with a softened expression that he rarely showed anyone. ""Damn it, Jax. He's got your stubborn streak, walking till he drops,"" Jim muttered, pulling a thick flannel shirt off his own back and draping it over the boy's shivering shoulders. ""We can't leave him here, and we sure as hell can't take him on the bikes like this.""
Jax carefully lifted the boy into his arms, feeling how impossibly light and fragile he felt against his broad chest. The kid buried his face against Jax's leather vest, his breathing finally steadying. Jax looked up at Martha, making a silent decision that would cost him his freedom, his club, and his entire way of life.
