Page 32 of Spook’s Honor

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?”