Page 33 of Spook’s Honor

“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?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Axle and I wanted you both to know, so that you know to keep vigilant. I’ll speak to Jake and get all the information I can from him. It may be that we’re overreacting and it’s not the same family. It could all be a coincidence.”

Honor’s lips tighten. “But you don’t believe in coincidence.”

I shake my head, my eyes catching and holding hers. “I don’t, baby. I’m sorry, but I have a feeling that this isn’t random.”

Angel leans over the breakfast bar and grips Honor’s hand. Her focus is on me. “What do you need us to do?”

I breathe a sigh of relief that they’re willing to work with me. “Don’t go anywhere alone. Stay armed and vigilant. Try not to leave the clubhouse grounds until I find out what’s going on.”

Angel nods. “We’ll have to let Siera and the girls know. I don’t want them in danger.”

Axle cups Angel’s cheek, tilting her face to his. “We won’t let anything happen to them. We’ll move them here if we have to. For now let’s bring them, Jake, and North up to speed. We’ll let Spook do his thing and check Milo Mulally out. We’ll ask Jake if he knows him. Then we’ll make a game plan.”

Angel's lip quivers, and tears fill her eyes when she looks at us. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “It’s all my fault.”