Epilogue
Axle
My gut tightens. Maverick’s called church, which in itself wasn’t unusual, but we’d only had one yesterday.
That could only mean one thing. Trouble.
Sitting next to Roman, we wait as our brothers file in. Maverick isn’t looking his usual laid-back, devil-may-care self. Which makes me nervous.
Honor has been with us for a few weeks now. She’s working as a nanny for Spook, spending time with Angel and me, getting to know us.
When all the brothers are seated, Maverick rings the plough dish. “Church is in session.” When he uses that don’t fuck with me tone, the brothers sit up and listen. It’s not one he uses often, but when he does, we know something isn’t right.
He scans around the table, and his gaze stops on me. “Had a call this morning about cleaning some money.”
“Okay,” I nod, wondering where this is going.
He hesitates, “It was the Irish.” My entire body stills, and coldness seeps through my bones.
“No,” I grind out. Just as Spook growls, “Fuck no.”
Maverick holds up his hand, “Told him no, but I don’t think he’s going to go away.”
“Then we make him,” Spook leans forward, drilling his finger into the table. “He can go to one of the other clubs that clean money. He doesn’t need to do business with us.”
Maverick snorts, “I agree, and I offered to put him in touch with one of the other chapters. He wasn’t interested. Wanted to come here, but I declined. Milo Mulally will not go away. I know the type. So either we need to make him go away, or we set up a meeting with him to find out what he wants.”
Spook and I share a look. If I’d had any doubt he had feelings for Honor, they were put to rest by the feral look on his face.
“Oh, I’ll meet him alright,” Spook snarls. “He won’t know what hit him.”
Maverick pinches the bridge of his nose.
He’s stressed and doesn’t want to give in, but he’s also thinking about our reputation when it comes to doing business.
I can see it from his point of view, even though everything in me is crying out to pack up Angel and Honor and leave.
I know that this is the safest place for them.
Tapping the table I say, “Spook.”
He stops glaring at Maverick and turns to me.
“We’ll have to let Angel and Honor know, and probably Jake too.
They’re not stupid, and you forget Angel was on the run for a long time.
I’m not going to have her go through that again.
Angel’s trained, Jake made sure of it. Same with Honor, her father ensured she knew how to keep herself safe. You know this.”
Turning back to Maverick, I say, “Set up a meet away from here. He doesn’t get to come to our town.
But” I hold up my hand when Maverick goes to speak, “if we don’t like what he says, then Spook gets to do his thing.
I’m not having my Ol’ Lady and daughter live their lives in fear.
The Irish have taken too much from us already. ”
Spook looks at me, and I can see the resolve in his eyes. I relax. Nobody is going to touch either Angel or Honor, he’d make sure of that.
“Okay,” Maverick agrees. “I’ll set up a meeting with the Irish. And if we don’t like what they have to say, we’ll take care of it. Brothers?” he looks around the silent table. “Are we in agreement?”
“Aye,” a shout goes up. Fucking love the brotherhood.
The End