by Jill Shannon
They arrived at the clubhouse, and Hunter guided her inside. They stopped by the bar, and Hunter ordered two cups of coffee. Handing her one of them, he assured her, "We will figure out what's going on, princess. Try not to worry." Taking their coffee with them, Hunter placed his hand on her waist as they walked to the stairs letting everyone there know she belonged to him. They didn't have long to wait before Judge granted them entrance to his office. Yankee and Viking were already seated in front of Judge's desk. Hunter led her to the vacant chair next to Yankee while he stood by the desk. "Thank you for coming. Brothers, this is Willow Lawson. Her boss seems to have gotten into a jam, and he needs our help." Willow gave a hand wave of acknowledgment. "Willow, you know Judge. This is Viking; he's the Sargent of Arms, and Yankee is the Vice President."
Hunter reported everything he'd learned about Charles Andrews to the group. "Now, for the real reason we are here." He locked his eyes to Willow's when he voiced his next statement. "Alex and Jax are not who they say they are. Alex's real name is Javier Barajas, and Jax is Lorena Soriano. Both are involved with the Zapatero Cartel. And both are on the no-fly list." Swinging his gaze to Judge, he said, "This is not a club matter, and I would understand if the club doesn't back me. But I'm hoping that after I tell you what I've found, you will want to help."
Each man shifted in his seat, hearing the name of this particular cartel. They were an established cartel in the United States. Arriving in Miami from South America in the late nineties, they quickly began making a name for themselves, not stopping until they became the largest heroin distributing organization in Florida. In two thousand ten, they incorporated opioids into the distribution, killing anyone who got in their way. They made sure everyone knew the consequence was death if you crossed them, but that was nothing compared to those who betrayed them. Those punishments were pure torture and meant to be a reminder that once you were part of the cartel, your family was as well. "Apparently, Alex and Jax owe the cartel a lot of money for a drug deal that went wrong. The cartel's men who were with them were killed, and Alex and Jax disappeared. Somehow, the two of them have eluded the cartel since then. They must have thought after being off the radar for so long, it be would all right to surface back in the U.S., and why they picked the Keys to do it is beyond me."
"So, what does this have to do with Charles?" Judge questioned.
"I checked with a few of my sources down in Florida, and they told me that drugs are now not the only thing the cartel is into these days. It appears that they have now gotten into the game of human trafficking." Hunter handed Judge the paperwork he had brought. Amongst the pages were photos of canisters, trucks, and boats jammed with women. Some alive, some dead. "In the note Willow received, Julie mentions a boat. I'm thinking that Alec and Jax are blackmailing Charles into purchasing a boat for them to transport women for the cartel. Plus, knowing that Charles was driving here for your party made it easy for them to avoid the airlines."
"But," Judge began to speak, "that would mean the cartel is doing business somewhere close to Demons' territory." He looked at Hunter. "Do you know where they are getting the boat?"
"I have none of that information. I have to somehow get Charles alone and find out what he can tell us."
"I think I can help there." Willow spoke up in a timid voice. "I could arrange a lunch with them, and you could be my date."
"That might be risky, knowing they are watching him like a hawk," Yankee spoke up.
"Yeah, but they don't know we are watching them," Viking countered.
"I did speak to Charles the other night about a proposed business venture. I'm sure one of them overheard the conversation. That might be an easier lunch to pull off." Hunter looked at Willow, continuing. "In that case, you would be my date." Turning back to the group, he said, "What do you think?"
Judge rocked forward in his chair, leaning his elbows on his desk. Pointing his finger at Hunter, he told him, "Find out what the hell is going on from the horse's mouth himself. Then, when we know what we are dealing with, I will make the decision to involve the club or not." Shifting that same finger in Viking's direction, he further stated, "Make sure they both have someone watching their backs until this shit gets settled. I don't care if they are prospects or patched in members, stress the importance of their responsibility. I don't want to find any Demons buried in the sand up to their neck. Have I made myself clear?" Judge's voice was stern, but there was also a hint of concern for his brothers.
"Much appreciated, brother. I will keep you informed. As soon as I know, so will you." He pulled his phone from his pocket and retrieved the business card Charles had handed him. He dialed the number and waited for a response. After five rings, the phone went to voicemail. Hunter left a message requesting to arrange a business lunch with him and his lovely wife. Hanging up the phone, he commented, "They are probably screening his calls. We'll wait an hour and try again if they haven't called back."
Willow had sat in the chair, drinking her coffee, and listened as Hunter had told her to do. She was glad she had, because everything that had been described about the situation her boss had gotten into was a little mind-blowing. Willow knew this kind of shit happened every day, but she never in her wildest imagination would have thought she would actually know an arms smuggler or people involved with a cartel. Running all the information over in her mind, she focused on the boat, speaking up, "But I still don't understand why they need Charles to get the boat?"
"Beyond the fact that he has the money to purchase it, he knows how to sail under the radar of the D.E.A. and the Coast Guard," Yankee explained, having his own experience with smuggling.
Sitting straighter in her chair, she looked at Hunter. "But you said he smuggled guns, correct?" She waited for confirmation before questioning him. "And you think the cartel is trafficking women." He gave another nod of his head. "Then how is he supposed to figure out the spacing for a person instead of a gun crate?"
Hunter didn't have the heart to tell her, but it needed to be said. "Princess, the women they are selling would easily fit into a gun crate." Just then, his phone rang. Looking at the number, he let them know it was Charles before he picked up. "Mr. Andrews, so nice to hear from you. I know you are in town for only a few days and I really would like to meet with you about the business idea I have. After you hear my proposal, I'm sure you're going to want to get on board with it." Hunter was listening to Charles's response. "This afternoon would be great. The more time you have to think about it, the better my odds of you agreeing are." Hunter again went quiet. "One thirty at the Cypress Room. See you then."
Willow's stomach dropped, and tears filled her eyes. "There are some sick fucking people in this world." Wiping the tears from her eyes, she asked Hunter, "Would you mind driving me home? I'd feel more comfortable in my own clothes." Willow got up from her chair and addressed the other men in the room, "I know you don't know Charles like I do, but believe me when I tell you he is not a smuggler, not anymore at least. And I would appreciate any help the Celtic Demons can give." She looked at Hunter and told him, "I'll wait for you in the hallway. I'm sure you need to talk to your brothers alone."
They waited for the door to close behind her. "I'll be waiting to hear from you, Saint. We'll decide once we have all the facts." Judge stood from behind his desk. "You know I need to tell Skylar. She's not going to be happy, and that's all on you, Saint," Judge stressed to him.
"I'll make sure Willow says something to her, so she's not blindsided. We done?"
"Yeah, we're done. Viking will have men in place when you arrive at the restaurant just in case." Judge sifted the paperwork and photos on his desk. "Viking, get a tail on Alex and Jax as soon as you leave this room. I want to know every move they make from here on out."
"I'm on it, Judge." Viking stood from his seat. "Come on, brother; let's go collect your woman and have a beer before you leave." He smacked his hand on Hunter's shoulder and led him out the door.
Judge and Yankee remained beh
ind. "Judge, you sure you want to involve the club in this? We just got things back together after dealing with the Italian mafia. You join this fight, not only are you dealing with the cartel, but you also end up dealing with the Irish mafia." Judge gave him a questioning look. "You think they aren't going to be pissed that one of their mules is being exploited because of the cartel? And if Saint contacts his mother, even though they haven't talked in a while, she will not hesitate to help her only son." Yankee threw the thought out there.
Judge took a minute to think about what Yankee had said. "I think having the Irish mafia at our back in this situation might not be a bad thing. The cartel, that's another story. So far, they have kept their shit away from Demon territory. But hearing about their new endeavor, I'd rather know the enemy knocking at my door instead of having it kicked down in the dead of night." Judge walked around his desk as Yankee rose from his chair. "Let's wait and see what Saint comes back with, and we'll go from there. In the meantime, let's go get some air. I do my best thinking on the road."
"Yeah, after this meeting, I could use a ride as well," Yankee agreed.
The ride to Willow's house was a somber one for the both of them, with each thinking in their own heads on how to fix the problem before them. "Would it be okay if we went to lunch on the bike?" she asked, thinking it would be more like Hunter to arrive on his bike.
"I had the same thought. It's way too nice a day to be riding in the cage. You go get changed, and I'll be back to get you at one o'clock." They had pulled to a stop in front of the house. Hunter reached over, placing his hand on her neck, pulling her to him. Pressing his lips to hers, he let her know he would help her make things right. "Go get changed. I'll see you in a little while." She opened the door and got out, but before she could close it, he said, "We'll fix this, princess. Now, wipe the sad face away and give me one of your beautiful smiles. We wouldn't want anyone thinking you didn't enjoy my company last night." He gave her a wicked grin.
She knew he was teasing her, but he did have a point. She didn't want to forget the incredible night they had spent together. So, before she spoke, she flashed him a stunning smile. "I agree. I think I will focus on our night until I can't." She started to close the door but grabbed the handle before it shut. "By the way, I am going to let Luca know what's going on." Hunter was about to disagree with her, but she cut him off. "No, if the Celtic Demons can know, so can Luca. I trust him with my life every time I dive," Willow pleaded her case with her expressive blue eyes.
His expression said he wanted to argue with her, but his understanding won out. "Fine, but only Luca, and make sure you are not overheard by anyone. The fewer people who know, the better for the Andrews."
"Thank you, Hunter. Not many men would be willing to do what you have already done."
It was his turn to grace her with his handsome smile, telling her, "Well, every princess needs a knight in shining armor riding in to save the day. Except I wear a cut and ride an iron horse." He handed her the bag of clothes.
She laughed at his comment. "I'll be ready when you get back," was the last thing she said before closing the door of the car and heading to the house. She waved goodbye as he drove away then entered the house. It was close to noon when she walked through the door, finding the house oddly quiet. "Hello, anybody home?" She walked into the living room and then the kitchen. Finding each room empty, she headed toward the den. As she got closer, she could hear muffled voices. Walking into the room, she glanced around, still seeing no one but hearing voices. She walked further into the room and looked out the back window to find her family outside, having fun and barbequing by the pool. For that brief moment, Willow understood pure fear. If she and the Demons helped Charles and the cartel found out, would they slaughter her whole family? Her thinking immediately went to the far dark side. She banished the thought from her head and made her way out to the deck. "Afternoon, everyone, thank you for my party last night. I really did have a fun time, even though I didn't want to admit I was turning thirty."
Her sisters were lounging by the pool. Her mom was playing in the water with her grandchildren. Lastly, Dad and Luca had their heads together down by the filter. They all acknowledged her presence, all also commenting at one time about the party. Then they returned to what they were doing. Willow smiled at how normal this all was to her.
Luca left her dad and was now standing by her side. "So, Chica, how was your night?" he whispered close to her ear.
She reached for his hand and began dragging him behind her, yelling over her shoulder, "I'll try to be home for dinner, but don't count on me." When they had reached her room, she pulled him inside and slammed the door.
"What is the matter with you? You can't honestly be telling me you and biker boy didn't hit it off last night?" He plopped down on her bed.
"No, last night with Hunter was freaking great. Are you kidding me?" She gave him a face that said, 'don't be an idiot.' "No, this has to do with our boss and those two fucking liars."
Lounging back on her bed, Luca watched as she scrambled around the room throwing clothes in his direction. "What are you talking about, and why are you running around like a chicken without a head?" he questioned her.
She stopped dead in her tracks, concern on her face and two fistfuls of clothes. "It's Charlie. He's in trouble, big trouble." A tear slid slowly down her cheek.
Luca got off the bed and went to her, wiping the tear from her face. "What happened?" All joking ceased.
Willow went on to explain about the note Julie had slipped her and what it said. About how she and Hunter had read it together, leaving out the part of how Hunter had found it. Then she told him about going to the clubhouse and the meeting with the Celtic Demons. "Right now, I need to get ready for lunch with Charles and Julie; we are meeting at one-thirty. You don't know how I'm praying that twiddle dee and twiddle dumb aren't joining us."
Luca sat back down on the bed, a bewildered look on his face. "Charlie Andrews? Are they sure they got the right man? Come on, Willow, look at him. Does he look like a gun smuggler to you?"
"What does a gun smuggler look like, Luca?" she threw back at him as she went about getting ready.
"All right, I get your point, but Charlie?" His voice rising in question. "They have to have the wrong man."
"I wish that were true. However, Hunter's mom confirmed it was him."
"What does Hunter's mom have to do with any of this?" Luca was even more confused.
Willow hesitated then told him, "She's basically running the Irish mafia in Ireland. Her resources confirmed that Charlie had been a mule for them, but that his debt had been paid in full. She definitely wasn't happy to hear the news that a Spanish drug cartel was using it against him."
"So, let me see if I have this straight. Charlie, our boss, used to be a gun mule for the Irish mafia. Alex and Jax, although not their real names, have a problem with the Zapatero Cartel organization. The Demons are on the fence about helping, and the Irish mafia is now pissed off at a drug cartel. Do I have all the players correct?" She nodded her head in agreement. "I left you alone for twenty-four hours, Chica. You were supposed to have fun, not get mixed up in an episode of some crime show." Willow gave him a look. "So, how did you arrange this lunch with Charlie?"
"I didn't. Hunter did; he said he wanted to talk to him about a business venture."
"Is that true? Because if they show up and he has no proposal, Alex and Jax are going to get suspicious."
"I don't think Hunter has thought that far in advance. He just said he had an idea he wanted to discuss with Charlie."
"Do you want me to come?" Luca asked.
"No, I think that would look more suspicious. I'll let you know what happens, but you have to keep it all to yourself. I promised Hunter that you would."
He came up behind her as she was fixing her hair in the mirror. He took the brush and styled her hair in a French twist. "You can always trust me, Chica. Try not to worry, I'm sure your man Hunter has a plan, and if he d
oesn't, he will certainly figure a way out for Charlie."
She turned and hugged him, saying, "Thank you, Luca. I needed to hear that." Just then, she heard Hunter's motorcycle pull up outside. Grabbing the bag she had thrown some extra clothes into, she rushed toward the door. "I'll talk to you later; have fun with my dad." She gave him a sarcastic grin and explained, "Hey, you were the one who wanted to get to know my family."
"Your parents are divine. I don't understand why you avoid them so much." He brushed his hands forward, shushing her out the door, "Go, I will keep an eye out around here for you."
She gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, "Thank you, Luca, I knew I could count on you." And then she was gone out the front door.
The ride to the restaurant took about twenty minutes, and Willow enjoyed every freeing minute. Hunter parked the bike, and they walked to the entrance in silence. He wore his usual pair of jeans, a black Harley shirt, work boots, and his cut. The picture Hunter presented was not one of an average businessman. Yet the attention he commanded had Willow imagining him in a boardroom dressed in a black suit, grey shirt to bring out his amazing eyes, and a black-tie. Going on Hunter's attire, Willow had dressed accordingly. However, her attire could have easily been mistaken as business attire. She wore a pair of black jeans, the white collared shirt Abby had brought her, and she'd changed from her boots into a pair of heels in the parking lot.
Walking to the hostess station when they entered, they learned that Charles and Julie had already been seated. Willow casually scanned the bar and dining area for Alex and Jax as they walked to the table. When they arrived, Hunter held the chair for her, shook Charlie's hand, then introduced himself to Julie. "Hunter Murphy, ma'am, a pleasure to meet you." His attention turned to Charles. "By the way, I recently found out we have a common friend," he mentioned as he sat in his chair, dropping the napkin in his lap, "Maggie wanted you to know she still remembers you."