The following days felt like a blur. After the confrontation with Tara at the clubhouse, Chloe had expected things to settle down, but the tension seemed to linger in the air. Tara avoided her as much as possible, not even acknowledging her when they crossed paths. Chloe didn't mind; she wasn't here for approval anymore. But the silence between them spoke volumes.

It wasn't just Tara. There was a weight in the air whenever Chloe walked into the clubhouse, a subtle shift that reminded her of where she stood. Some of the men were still wary, unsure of her place in this world, while others treated her with the same casual indifference they did with everyone else. But there were moments—small ones—when Chloe could feel the eyes on her, the whispers that didn't quite fade away.

Despite it all, she wasn't backing down. She had made her decision. She was here for Jax, for herself. And she wouldn't let anyone—least of all Tara—make her feel less than.

It was a late afternoon when Jax invited Chloe to meet him at the clubhouse for dinner. She had been working on school plans all day, and the familiar thought of seeing him, of escaping the chaos of her family's expectations and the undercurrent of tension in her life, was something she looked forward to.

The ride to the clubhouse was short, and by the time she arrived, the sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the parking lot. Chloe parked her car and made her way inside, feeling a familiar calm wash over her as she entered. She was no longer the outsider. No longer the "perfect little sister" or the naive newcomer to this world. She was Chloe Hale, standing in the eye of the storm.

As she pushed open the door to the clubhouse, the sounds of laughter and conversation hit her. She spotted Jax across the room almost immediately. He was talking to Bobby and Opie, but as soon as his eyes met hers, his expression softened, and he excused himself from the conversation.

"Hey, Sunshine," Jax said, a slight smile on his lips as he approached her. "You look good."

Chloe couldn't help but smile back, the warmth of his words making her heart flutter despite everything that had happened. "I'm glad you think so," she teased, her voice light. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a strength in herself now that she had never felt before. Being with Jax had brought out parts of her that she didn't know existed, and now, more than ever, she was starting to feel comfortable in her own skin.

"You ready to eat?" Jax asked, slipping his arm around her waist casually, pulling her closer as they walked toward the kitchen.

"I'm starving," Chloe replied. "But first, I need a drink. You're going to need to help me forget the chaos of the day."

Jax chuckled, nodding toward the bar. "That, I can help with."

Dinner was quiet at first, just the two of them sitting at the bar, enjoying each other's company. The club had settled down for the evening, with most of the members heading to the back room for the usual chapel session. Jax, however, had opted for a quieter evening with Chloe. It felt like a moment of peace in a world that was anything but peaceful.

Chloe swirled the ice in her glass, the cool clink of the cubes the only sound between them. "So, what's the deal with Tara?" she finally asked, her voice carefully neutral, but the question had been weighing on her mind for days.

Jax sighed, looking down into his drink. "You know how it is, Chloe. She's been through a lot. It's not just about you or me. It's... everything. She's always been protective of what she's had with me, and right now, I think she feels like I'm moving on too quickly. It's complicated."

Chloe's fingers tightened around her glass, but she didn't interrupt. She understood what Jax was trying to say, but it still stung.

"I didn't ask for this, Jax," she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper. "I didn't ask for her jealousy, for the tension. I didn't ask to be the 'other woman' in her eyes."

Jax reached across the bar, taking her hand gently in his, his thumb brushing over her skin in slow, soothing motions. "I know, baby," he said softly, his eyes meeting hers. "I know you didn't. This is between me and her, not you. But you've got to understand—it's not about you. Tara's got her own demons she's still working through. It's not an excuse, but it's the truth."

Chloe nodded, trying to calm the simmering frustration inside her. She wasn't angry with Jax. She was angry at the situation. At herself for being dragged into a fight that wasn't hers. And at Tara, for making her feel like she had to defend her place.

"I just... I don't know if I can keep doing this, Jax. I don't want to be the one who's always caught in the middle of your world. I want to be with you. I want to be us. But not like this."

Jax's face softened as he took a step closer, his hand reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You don't have to keep doing anything, Chloe. You just have to be yourself. I'm not going anywhere. And I'll handle the rest."

Chloe took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her words settle between them. She wanted to trust him. She wanted to believe that she was more than just the girl caught in the crossfire. And with Jax, maybe—just maybe—she was starting to see a future.

"Alright, then," Chloe said with a little smile, feeling the tension slowly start to lift. "I'll give you this one, Jax. But if Tara keeps giving me the stink eye, I swear, I'm going to give her a run for her money."

Jax laughed, a genuine, warm sound that made Chloe's chest flutter. "That's my girl," he said with a grin. "I like the fire in you."

The evening passed slowly, but when it was time to leave, Chloe felt the familiar unease creeping back into her chest. Jax had promised to handle things, but Chloe knew that wasn't the whole truth. Things didn't just "go away." They lingered. And the tension with Tara? It wasn't going to vanish because they had a good evening together.

As they stepped outside into the cool night, Jax's hand found hers again, his fingers interlacing with hers tightly, as if grounding her in the moment. The streetlights cast long shadows as they made their way to the bike, but the world outside felt so different now. So distant.

"I'm not afraid of her," Chloe said suddenly, her voice strong.

Jax looked over at her, his eyebrows raised in curiosity. "What?"

"Tara," Chloe said, her voice steady. "I'm not afraid of her. I've dealt with worse than this. I can handle her. And I'm not letting her make me feel like I don't belong in your world."

Jax stopped walking and turned to face her, his expression softening. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"I do," Chloe said with conviction, meeting his gaze without hesitation. "I know where I belong. And it's with you."

Jax smiled, his eyes filled with pride and admiration. "Good. I'm glad you know that, because I'm not letting you go."

And in that moment, Chloe knew that no matter what happened, no matter what Tara or anyone else said, she had made her choice. And she wasn't going to let anyone—especially Tara—take that away from her.