Eight
EIGHT
HARLEY
While I wait in the old, dimly lit warehouse, standing by a rusted metal pillar, I think about the men who are about to arrive. I can’t deny I’m excited to see Hadrian. He’s always had this effect on me. When I was sixteen, my feelings for him, a combination of affection, lust, and something far deeper, grew stronger as I got to know him. There was nothing I could do to stop them.
The air is thick with the scent of oil and dust as I watch the three men enter. They saunter in, taking up the space as if they own it.
Hades is first. He offers me a nod, and I immediately recognise the lad who came to my father’s home all those years ago. He may be older, but he’s still as handsome as he was back then, even though he never gave me the same butterflies that his twin brother did. His hair is shorter than Hadrian’s, but his eyes are just as dark as the night, and his angular jaw with a trimmed beard matches his twin’s. And like his brother, his tall frame moves with a predator’s grace.
Hades is closely followed by a man I haven’t met before. This must be Racer. His leather jacket creaks with every step, and a cigarette dangles from his full lips. He’s about six feet with a lean but muscled frame. His dark hair is a contrast to his pale skin, and his chiselled jaw ticks as he smokes. Dressed in leather and denim, he’s exactly how I’d expect a biker to look. With green eyes that are like endless pools, he stares at me for a moment before offering a nod.
And then there’s Hadrian, his presence commanding, even in the shadows. The moment my gaze lands on him, my heart jolts against my ribs. I feel like an awkward teenage girl who fancies the most popular lad in school.
Taking charge in my father’s absence is a heavy mantle, but I wear it with pride. I step forwards with confidence, nodding to each of the men in turn.
“Thank you for coming,” I begin, my voice steady. “We have a lot to discuss, and time isn’t on our side. Gordon is on his way here to sort out a new delivery that’s due to arrive.”
Hades leans against a stack of crates, crossing his arms over his chest. “What’s the plan, Harley?”
I take a deep breath, glancing at Hadrian before continuing. “It seems that someone is diverting our shipments before we can distribute them to our buyers. I have to assume whoever is responsible wants to take over my organisation. I don’t know who it is, but I would put money on Gordon working with them. He hates that I took over the running of the business when my father fell ill. He wanted to be the boss, but Da asked me. It means I can’t trust anyone outside this room, and it also means my father’s life may be at risk.”
Racer exhales a cloud of smoke, his expression unreadable. “So, what’s the play?”
“We need to find out who’s behind this,” I say, sweeping my gaze over all of them. “My father’s safety is the only thing that matters to me right now. I don’t know how to go about making the necessary enquiries without Gordon finding out and putting Da’s life at risk. Gordon watches me all the time.” Even when I’m with my father in his office, the arsehole finds a reason to be there too. “This involves my organisation, so before we proceed, I need to know you’ll follow my orders. We’ll come up with a plan together, but I have to be the one in charge.”
Hades’s eyes narrow, but he nods. “Aye, you’ve got my support, Harley. I’m in.”
Racer takes a drag on his cigarette, then flicks the ash to the floor. “Aye. I’ve got yer back. Just tell me what needs doin’.” I thought Racer was from Ireland, but his accent sounds like he comes from Manchester. I wonder briefly how he found himself in Belfast.
Hadrian steps forwards, meeting my gaze. “You know I’m with you, Harley. Whatever you need, darlin’.” His tone is deep, commanding, and reassuring, and I feel a flicker of relief. “I’d also like to speak to your father. I want to set a few things straight.”
I nod, my nerves settling as I look up at him and smile. “Thank you. All of you. I’m not sure what we’re going to find when we start digging, but if it will save the organisation and my father’s life…”
“Harley, we’ll get the cunts, and we’ll kill them all if it means keeping yer da and you safe.” Hades tells me. We never really talked to each other when he was working for my father, but I can see the concern in his gaze as he looks at me. He does care about me, and that means a lot.
We gather around the old wooden table that Gordon usually works at, and spreading out the map I’ve brought with me, I point to several marked locations. “This is the port where the shipments arrive, and these are the locations of the warehouses we use to store the stock before it’s sent across the country.”
I hand each of them a copy of the map. I’m hoping that by concentrating on the port and warehouses we’ll get a better insight into how and from where the goods are going missing. I know the three men are here to find out what’s going on with their club’s shipments, but everything seems to be linked, so by working together, we should all get the answers we need.
“If we need help, you mentioned we can call on your brothers?” I confirm with Hadrian.
“Aye,” he responds. “They can be here in a few hours, if need be, but let’s see what we can find out before we involve them.”
“Of course.” I straighten and look at each man. “Shall we do this?”
They all nod, absorbing the details on the printouts I’ve given them.
“How do you want to proceed?” Hadrian asks, glancing at me.
“Racer and Hades, if you can keep an eye on the port while Gordon is occupied here, Hadrian and I will scope out the warehouse closest to my father’s house, and then Hadrian can have a chat with my da.” I reply. “We need to stay in communication. And if anything feels off, we regroup immediately.”
Racer grunts in agreement. “Sounds solid. When do we start?”
“Now,” I say, my voice firm. “We need to move quickly before the fuckers who are doing this have a chance to cover their tracks.”
The meeting breaks up, and we head our separate ways. Hadrian stays behind for a moment, catching my arm as I turn to leave. “Are you sure about this?” he asks quietly. “We can handle this. You can sit it out and wait with yer da in the house.”
I meet his gaze, my eyes unwavering. “I have to do this, Hadrian. I don’t have a choice. My father’s life is at stake. My family’s future is at stake. And I’m certainly not sitting in the house while you’re out there risking your life.”
He nods, squeezing my arm gently. “You’re stubborn, but I understand how you feel. I’ll be right by your side, Magpie. I’m not walkin’ away this time.”
I give him a small smile. He chose to leave before, but this time, he’s promising to stay, and that means so much to me. I feel a surge of determination. We have a plan, and with these men by my side, I know we have a chance.
It’s late afternoon by the time we park up a few streets away from the rundown warehouse on the outskirts of town, and making the rest of the way on foot, we keep to the shadows. The air is thick with tension, every sound magnified as we move.
We slip inside the warehouse, moving carefully through the dimly lit space. It’s filled with old crates and machinery, a perfect place for illicit activities. Splitting up, we search for any signs of recent use or hidden stashes.
I find a stack of crates pushed against the far wall with their contents concealed under a dusty tarp. I pull it back to reveal a cache of weapons and a few sealed, unmarked packages.
“Hadrian, over here,” I call softly.
He joins me, his eyes locked on the items in front of us.
“This is interesting,” he murmurs, pulling out his phone to snap a few photos. “We need to find out where they’re going to. These items aren’t stamped with your organisation’s mark, so they can’t be linked back to you, which means you’re losing money. I have a feeling the other warehouses will have similar stashes, and some of those will be shipments that would’ve been destined for the Royal Bastards.”
I nod, my mind racing with possibilities. “Let’s keep looking. There might be more to find here. There’s also a backroom that’s used as an office.”
We sift through the crates, finding a few documents and shipping labels. It’s not much, but it’s a start. As we work together, I can’t help but be impressed by Hadrian’s calm professionalism.
“Got something,” he says, holding up a piece of paper. It’s a shipping manifest with dates and locations that don’t match any of the buyers we supply. “This could be a useful lead.”
“Aye. With a bit of luck, it could lead us to whoever the fuck is responsible,” I say, glancing at him. “Let’s get out of here before the fuckers come back. I suspect this shite will be leaving the warehouse later tonight.”
We slip out of the warehouse, our movements stealthy. As we make our way back to the car, I scan our surroundings, just in case we’re being watched, but see nothing out of the ordinary.
“You know, I’m proud of you,” Hadrian says as he drives us through the streets to my father’s house.
“What? Why?” I look at him, wanting to know the thoughts that are currently racing through his mind.
Hadrian’s always been reflective. In the past, when I’d ask him something, he’d never answer immediately. His response would always be well thought out and filled with passion for whatever subject I was questioning him about.
“I’m proud because you’ve taken on the role of boss without any hesitation, and you’ve been very successful at it. I wanted you to escape this life, but that was because I thought you were too innocent to cope with the shite that comes with it. You’ve proved me wrong.” His voice is filled with a gentle pride that makes me smile.
“Working for my father’s organisation wasn’t the path I wanted to pursue, but the focus it gave me after you left was very welcome,” I tell him honestly.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers as we slowly pull into the street where I grew up.
“You don’t have to apologise. I understand, and I’m okay with it. I told you.” I glance at him for a moment.
“I know, but I do regret hurting you.” He turns my way and takes my hand. “I will make sure you and your father are safe. Nothing is going to happen to either of you.”
“Thank you.” My response is barely above a whisper, but Hadrian nods with a smile.
Once we’ve parked up, we exit the vehicle and head for the house. I know Gordon won’t be here this evening, so Hadrian will have time to talk to my father.
Inside, I turn to Hadrian and say, “You go up and see him. A word of warning, though, I haven’t told him that I suspect we have a traitor in the organisation or that Gordon may be responsible. I didn’t want to bother him until we had more proof, so I am not sure how he will react when you tell him. You know where his private living room is. I’ve got a few errands to run. I’ll take one of the other cars.”
“Take care. I’ll catch up with you later,” Hadrian tells me, and for a split second, I’m sure he’s going to lean in and kiss me, but he doesn’t, and I can’t deny that I’m disappointed.
I know I should be focused on the investigation right now, and I don’t know if there’s even a chance for us in the future, but I’m holding out hope that there may be.