CHAPTER 12
SPOOK
We’d had a late night going over Honor’s vehicles. I have to admit, I wish I could have met her dad. She’d given Axle and North the schematics and detailed information on what was used to make the hidden compartments.
Then there was the way she competently took apart the weapons, cleaned them and put them back together before dry firing them.
Fucking hot.
Who would have thought that my hippy looking fairy would know how to handle weapons the way she did. She’d told me, but until I saw it, I almost hadn’t believed her. Even with knowing Angel and Siera.
I couldn’t wait to see her in action. I’d take her to the range we had at Hit It. I also needed to get her a tracker. Mason and Reed were covered. I had trackers in all their shoes, but so far, I hadn’t given one to Honor.
I needed to rectify that today.
***
Given the time spent with Honor lately, I need to catch up at my business, not that I would have had it any other way.
Sitting at my desk at Hit It going over an op that we’ve completed, there’s nothing I love more than invoicing Uncle Sam for the privilege of using my teams. Not that you’d know it was them paying with the amount of shell companies the payments go through.
I didn’t care, as long as my operatives got paid.
My phone vibrates on the desk. Picking it up I look at the screen, my gut tightens.
Maverick’s called Church. That in itself isn’t unusual, but we had one yesterday.
This can only mean one thing. Trouble.
Trouble that I know nothing about. It’s not like him not to fill me in, which means it’s personal.
Leaving my office, I don’t waste time going to my bike, swinging a leg over, I start her up, peeling out of the parking lot. I get to the clubhouse in minutes.
The first to arrive at the door of the room we use for Church, I put my phone in the cubby with my name on, then key in the code for the door, opening it.
I leave it open for the rest of the brothers as I take my seat, tension already creeping in, and wait as the brothers file in. Roman drops into the chair beside Axle, but I barely register it. My focus is locked on Maverick.
I know something’s wrong because he isn’t looking his usual laid-back, devil-may-care self. That alone puts me on edge. Maverick only gets like this when shit’s about to go sideways.
I know most write him off as a rich biker, playing at being President of a one-percent motorcycle club. That would be their mistake.
Maverick is deadly when he has to be, but he’s also good at smooth-talking.
I can’t help but wonder what’s going on. He’s not meeting my eyes and I have a gut feeling it’s got to do with me or Honor.
Waking up with her in my arms is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I fucking love having her in my home, in my life. Living with me and the boys.
She spends time with Angel and Axle, but most of her focus is on me and the boys. Honor belongs with us, and I’m not sure how I lived so many years without her.
My thoughts are interrupted by the loud crash when Maverick grabs the pipe and taps it to the plough disc calling for Church to start.
“Church is in session.”
The tone in his voice has every man at the table straightening. He doesn’t use that voice often, but when he does, shit’s already gone sideways.
His gaze sweeps the table, then lands on Axle before they skim to me.
“Had a call this morning about cleaning some money.”
I’m surprised. The cleaning of money has nothing to do with me. I take care of the government contracts and vigilante side of the business.
“Okay,” Axle replies. Already I’m not liking where this is heading.
He hesitates. That’s when I know. It’s not going to be good news. Maverick doesn’t hesitate for anything not when it comes to business.
“It was the Irish.”
The room stills, and ice floods my veins. The motherfucking Irish. Why did I think they were dead and buried? Why were they resurfacing now? After all these years. Now that Angel and Honor were happy, living their lives with us.
My gaze meets Axle’s when he grinds out.
“No!” At the same time as I snap, “Fuck no!”
Maverick lifts a hand in understanding, “Told him no, but I don’t think he’s going to go away.”
“Then we make him,” I snap, leaning forward, finger jabbing 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 can see he’s furious but hiding it from the brothers. He’s my President, but first and foremost he’s my best friend. I know he’s angry and there is no way he’d agree to anything that would harm Honor.
“I agree, and I offered to put him in touch with one of the other chapters. He wasn’t interested. He wanted to come here, but I declined.”
He pauses, then adds, “Milo Mulally won’t go away. I know the type. So either we make him go away… or we meet him and find out what he wants.”
Axle and I share a look. I’m furious and I know he must be too. He’s only just got Angel back in his life. And now Honor. The daughter they lost years with because of the Irish.
There’s no fucking way I’m letting anything even sniff in either of their direction.
“Oh, I’ll meet him alright,” I snarl. “He won’t know what hit him.”
Maverick pinches the bridge of his nose. He’s weighing it up. Reputation versus risk. Business versus club brothers and their Ol’ Ladies. I know him though, it will be brotherhood and family all the way, but he’ll want a vote.
I already know where I stand. Honor first. Always. Because without her, my boys and I have nothing.
Axle taps the table. “Spook.”
I drag my attention from Maverick to him. His face is pale, and I can see this news is taking its toll. The memories of not having Angel with him all those years because of these fuckers and her father must be eating at him.
“We’ll have to tell Angel and Honor. And Jake.
They’re not stupid. Angel’s been on the run before.
I’m not letting her go through that again.
” His voice is calm, but there’s steel under it when he reminds me.
“Angel’s trained. Jake made sure of it. Same with Honor.
Her father didn’t raise her to be helpless. You know this.”
I do. Doesn’t mean I like it. Doesn’t mean I won’t burn the world down before I let anything touch her.
He turns to Maverick. “Set up a meet away from here. He doesn’t come to our town. But,” Axle holds up his hand when Maverick goes to interrupt, “if we don’t like what he says… Spook handles it.”
Damn right I do. I’d blow that motherfucker to smithereens before he touches any of ours. I’m furious. My blood is boiling, but I’m also aware that I’m terrified. I’m not sure I’ll survive if I lose Honor. And I damn sure know that Axle won’t survive losing Angel again.
Axle continues, “I’m not having my Ol’ Lady and daughter live their lives in fear. The Irish have taken too much from us already.”
Silence settles heavy over the table. I hold Maverick’s gaze. Let him see exactly where I stand. I’m not compromising and there will be no second chances.
“What Axle said. They’re not getting a foot in here. Why now? This should all have been done when Angel's dad was killed. What’s his game?
Maverick shakes his head, “I don’t know. But I don’t like it.” He exhales slowly, then nods. “Okay. I’ll set it up. We meet him on neutral ground. And if we don’t like what he has to say…” A dark look crosses his face. “We take care of him.”
He looks around the table. “Brothers? Are we in agreement?”
“Aye!” The shout is unanimous. It hits me hard, right in the gut.
Axle, Maverick, and I share another look.
Fucking love this brotherhood.
Church ends, my gut is roiling. I need to get my eyes on Honor. I don’t hang around, I go straight home.
Walking into our house, I hear Honor in the kitchen and then Angel’s laugh. They're both here. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I send Axle a message.
Me: My house.
Axle: On my way.
Honor and Angel are sitting at the breakfast bar, coffee cups and cake crumbs on the plates near them. I glance at the clock on the wall and know that the boys are down for a nap.
I try to clear my face, but Honor’s not an idiot and she reads me right away.
She stands. “What’s wrong?”
Angel tenses at her question.
I don’t reply, instead I draw Honor into my arms and bury my head in the crook of her neck, taking the first deep breath since Maverick gave us the news.
Her familiar, vanilla scent envelops me, and the tension in my shoulders eases as she runs her hands up my back to my neck, her fingers ruffling through my hair.
She doesn’t speak. When I’m calmer I lift my head and look into her concerned, blue eyes.
“What’s happened?”
I hear a boot scuff on the porch. “Axle’s here, let's wait for him, and then we’ll explain.”
Angel jerks in her seat, turning her head, her face pales when she sees Axle. The tortured look in his eyes guts me. My brother has gone through so much. Losing the love of his life, missing out on knowing about Honor and seeing her grow up.
We’re all finally happy and now the Irish mob has raised their head again. After all these years. I can’t help but wonder why.
Resting my lips on Honor’s temple for a minute, my breath ruffling her hair, I close my eyes.
Now that she’s in my arms I’m thinking more rationally.
I know what I have to do. Pressing my lips to her temple, I ease her from my arms, and gently push her towards the stool she vacated when I walked in.
“Sit, baby. Axle and I’ll explain.”
Axle does the same for Angel but keeps his arm around her. I can see she’s freaked, but she’s holding it together. Fucking phenomenal women we’ve found.
I sit on the stool next to Honor, gripping her hand. “Maverick called an emergency Church today.” I pause as they both focus their attention on me. “It was about the Irish mob.”
Angel hisses as she exhales, her knuckles grow white, as she clenches her hands.
“Why now? They’ve been gone for years. Do you think they know about us?”