Chapter 11
BUTCHER
Irode my bike to the meeting point in the early hours of the morning. When most were asleep in their beds sleeping the sleep of the innocent, the underbelly was doing their work.
Two sides of a coin. Those that worked long hard hours for a pittance and were happy doing that, then there were those that did a few hours work, made millions and weren’t happy. They always wanted more.
More money, more possessions. Greed and corruption ran the world, and it had for centuries. I didn’t imagine it would ever change. At least not in my lifetime.
The only thing I could do was keep my family safe, and I’d do that any way I had to.
I didn’t like it, but I was part of the underbelly, so I understood better than most that not all men that worked here were bad. Some had no choice, and others were doing their best to clean it up one soul at a time.
Aiden Kelly was such a man. If I had to say I had a friend, it was Aiden.
Not that we advertised it. He was the eldest son of one of the wealthiest, most corrupt, sick men I’d ever known.
I’d have sliced his throat long ago and dumped his body, but I also understood that Aiden had sisters in that house and he needed to be careful how he navigated change.
He was making changes; I had no doubt. They were slow, but they were happening.
“We really need to find somewhere better to meet,” I mutter, stopping next to him.
“Getting soft Butcher,” he chuckles. “Not happy with our salubrious setting? The rats don’t mind.”
“Under a bridge is a fucking palace to the rats, Aide. Why the rush meeting?”
He sighs and swipes a hand over his face before rubbing tiredly at his eyes.
Aiden Kelly is a big man, well over six feet of pure muscle that most days is clothed in specially made suits to fit his large frame.
He’s got a head full of red hair that he keeps cut short, with a beard to match.
I’d heard some of the women in my family swooning over him, so I assumed he was what women liked.
What did I know? To me he was Aiden, the man who sent me names of men that needed to be punished, and I considered the man a friend. In this world that didn’t happen often.
“The girls overheard my dad making plans to marry Kara off to the motorcycle club he wants to do business with.”
“The Queens Wraiths in Southampton?”
“You know them,” he turns to look at me. I’ve got his undivided attention now. Aiden didn’t fuck around when it came to his sisters.
“No” I shake my head. “Liam pointed them in our direction, but you know we don’t deal in the type of guns and ammunition they want. We’re strictly old school. Uncle Sean asked me to check into them this afternoon.
Pausing I scan the area. “I can’t find anything shady on them. They seem okay on the surface, but you know motorcycle clubs. They’re good at hiding shit, and how they treat their women differs from club to club.”
“Feck,” he whispers, “Kara’s too young, and I don’t want my sisters sold off like cattle. We’re working on getting them out but it’s taking time weeding the fuckheads out and cutting off heads one at a time.”
“Not being funny my friend, but you’re going to have to step your timeline up.
But-” I pause and consider my next words, “I told Uncle Sean that they could stay in the house over the road from mine if I didn’t find any scut on them.
So far, I haven’t. As a favour, I’ll keep an eye on them and let you know my thoughts when they arrive. ”
Tension eases from his shoulders, “Thanks Butcher.”
“Don’t mention it. Get the girls out Aiden. I don’t care how… but you get them out.”
“I will,” he promises me. I look sceptically at him. “I will, we already have a plan,” he says firmly.
“Good,” I clap his shoulder, “If you need help, reach out. Now was there anything else?”
“Aye,” he replies, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a file, “I know there’s not much time, but can you deal with this guy? You’ll see why when you get a load of the pictures.”
I clench my jaw in anger when I see them before exploding. “Jesus fucking Christ! What the feck is wrong with this world?! I’ll do this one for free Aide.”
“Thank you, my friend. I couldn’t look his parents in the eyes if that sick feck got off scott-free to do it again. I hate our justice system, Butcher.”
“Me to Aide, me too. Rest assured he won’t be doing it again, but we do need to have a discussion about the business.”
“You want out?” Aiden guesses.
“I do,” I agree, “I can’t keep leaving my girls only to go back to them with blood from the filth we execute on my hands.”
Aiden eyes me with surprise, mouth slightly agape before he snaps it shut. “You’ve made a move. About bloody time.”
Embarrassed, I rub a hand over the back of my neck, “Only tonight, it’s new. I don’t want this world touching them, Aide. They’re pure sunshine and goodness, and this world is dark. I don’t ever want their light to diminish because of it.”
“No need to explain Butcher. I get it. If I had a woman like yours, I’d do the same. I’ve got someone in mind, but you’ll have to train him to clean. Killing he can do but cleaning I’m not sure on.”
“I can do that, or you can put cleaners on the pay roll.”
“You know trustworthy ones? You’ve always done it all yourself.”
“That’s because I have trust issues,” I snigger, “and I like my own company. But yes, I do know cleaners we can trust. Let me finish this job then we can discuss it again when there’s not so much riding on our decisions. Maybe we can meet somewhere that smells better.”
Aiden laughs and I’m happy to see he’s not looking so worn down and exhausted.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he promises, turning to walk away.
I watch him scanning around us, making sure there’s nobody around that shouldn’t be.
I know he’ll have brought one of his men but as I’d introduced him to them, I knew what they were like and what made them tick.
He’s only gone ten steps when he turns back around and stares at me, surprising me with the next words he utters, “Thank you Andy. You’re a good friend, and I hope your lady knows how lucky she is to have you in her corner.
” He waves a hand, turns on his heel and slips into the darkness.
I rub a hand across my chest at the strange ache there. Like I said. The underworld is a strange place. You find brothers there when you least expect it.
But for now, I have to go and let my girls know I’ll be leaving again. I want this done before the Queens Wraiths arrive so that I can get the measure of them.
***
As expected, Mikayla pouted when I told her I’d be away for a few days. But Moira, my a chroí, the way she looked at me gutted me in a way I hadn’t expected.
“You’ll be careful, won’t you?” She looks at me, eyes wide and worried, arms folded over her waist as if she was hugging herself. I’m not sure why. I’ve never told her what I do, but she wasn’t stupid and working for us she’d have heard things.
Taking a chance, I enfold her in my arms, lowering my forehead to hers as I make her a promise, “I’ll be careful, and I’ll be back before you know it. The crew will be here later today.”
My heart stutters in my chest when her arms wrap around me, and I nearly miss her whispered words, “Kiss me, Andy.”
She used my name.
Emotion filled me. It had been years since I’d felt all consuming love for someone, but from the moment I’d caught sight of Moira, I’d known. She was mine. It wasn’t in me to deny her, not when she asked so sweetly using my given name. Not Butcher.
Cupping her cheeks, I tipped her face up with my thumbs, searching her eyes—but all I saw was trust and affection.
Lowering my head, I pressed my lips to hers in a soft, exploratory kiss. Her lips parted beneath mine, and when her tongue shyly flicked against mine I pulled her into my body, deepening our kiss the way I’d imagined doing for years.
Her warmth melted into me, and the world seemed to narrow to the gentle brush of lips against lips, and each inhaled breath.
I lingered there, savouring the moment. The kiss grew, unhurried and tender, as if we had all the time in the world and nowhere else we needed to be.
And I cursed the fact that I had to leave.
With one last soft kiss, I drew away. Moira’s eyes flutter open and she smiles.
“To be continued.”
“To be continued,” I agree. “I wish I didn’t have to go. It’s just for a few days.”
“Are you trying to persuade me or you?” Moira chuckles.
“Both of us aghrá,” I groan, giving her another quick kiss before I call to a still sulking Mikayla. “Are you going to sulk, or are you coming to say goodbye?”
Mouth drooping, she slinks over to me. So much attitude in her three-year-old body. I bite my lip to stop my amusement from showing. When I glance at Moira, she’s doing the same. Her eyes are full of laughter when they meet mine.
Sinking to my knees when Mikayla gets to us, I draw her into the circle of my arms. “Hey sweet girl, I’m only going to be away for two days.” I hold up two fingers to show her. “I need you to help your mammy with Wolfie, can you do that for me?”
She nods her head, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing. “Don’t like you going ‘way.”
“Ah, baby girl,” I press my lips to her curls. “I don’t like it either.”
Standing up I take her with me, hugging her one last time before passing her to Moira, kissing each of their heads. “I’ll see you both in two days.”
I know that if I don’t leave now, I won’t want to.
I get on my bike and start it up. My eyes meet theirs before I put my helmet on and close the visor.
Backing my bike down the driveway, I wave once before I ride away, passing a few of my crew as I do. They’ll keep watch on my girls while I’m gone.