Celtic Dragon

by Amy Cecil

  Coming up for air and breathing heavily, I say, “Babe, we have to stop. If we don’t, then I won’t be able to stop … and this isn’t the place.”

  “And my brother will kill you.” She giggles.

  “Exactly.”

  I pull her in tight against me and she snuggles up close. We sit there in silence for a few minutes, then she asks, “Is there a girlfriend in Belfast?”

  “Nope, you’re my girl,” I reply. Where is she going with this?

  “Old girlfriend?”

  Damn, she’s as sharp as her brother. How the fuck do they know so much without anyone telling them anything? I ask myself. “Yes,” I answer her honestly but I don’t elaborate. I figure if she wants to know more, she’ll ask. I’m not gonna lie to her, but I’m not gonna give her more than she asks for, either.

  “Will you see her?”

  “Probably, but not because I’ve gone looking for her.” Again, I give her another honest answer.

  “Did you love her?”

  “Ari … yes, I did, but that was a long time ago. We are different people now and I’ve got you. I don’t want anyone else. When I met you, I knew you were the love for me.” She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “Ari my heart is and always will be yours. Nothing, not even an old girlfriend, can change that. I love you.”

  “I love you,” she says. I squeeze her tight as we both sit and enjoy the silence that has taken over the house. I really hate leaving her, but I know this has to be done. And so help me, I’m not about to give up what she and I have. I’m going to make damn sure that I do everything in my power to bring both her brother and myself home.

  Chapter 3

  Emma

  What in the hell is wrong with me? These damn hormones! I sound like a whiny baby every time I talk to Cade. Maybe it’s a good thing that he’s leaving so he doesn’t have to see me this way. Hopefully by the time he returns I will be in a much better frame of mind. Damn hormones!

  After Cade got dressed and we both have our morning coffee, he leaves. He says he has “club business” to take care of and indicates that he will be spending most of the day with Hawk and the boys.

  I know there’s a lot happening with the club, but the timing of all of this isn’t good. I know that Cade is worried. He’s torn about leaving the club with all these changes happening and helping Rebel. But I remember how well Hawk handled things in Cade’s absence before—I’m sure that once he and Cade talk, Hawk will be able to put Cade’s mind at ease.

  I wonder, will we ever get to a point when everything is settled and we can just live? Even as I ask myself this question, I already know the answer. Most likely, we will not. Welcome to the wonderful world of bikers.

  Honey is still staying at the house with us and it’s really nice having her around. Cade and I have both assured her that she can stay until the new clubhouse is finished. We even went so far as to offer her a job here, which I’m really hoping she will take. She is an awesome cook and spends a lot of time keeping the house neat and clean. Since my job allows me to work from home, this gives me more time to spend on work and that works for us both. We’re really starting to become close and I really enjoy her company. Not to mention that I’m learning so much “old lady” stuff from her.

  Ari has decided to head back to school and finish out her last semester, but with Rebel leaving for Ireland I wonder if her plans will change. Honey has planned a going away dinner for her and the boys tonight and I can hear her rustling around in the kitchen and humming as I come down the stairs.

  “Hey girl,” she says as she sees me enter the kitchen.

  “Hey. Can I help you with anything?” I know she’ll say no, but I feel compelled to ask her anyway. I always feel so helpless when she’s working so hard.

  She smiles and replies, “No love, I’m good. But thanks for asking.” She continues with her preparations and begins to hum again.

  As I watch her, I can see that she is in her element in the kitchen. She really enjoys cooking, but then again, I always knew that. Something else is making her happier than normal. After several minutes of watching her joyous demeanor, I’m sure there is more to her humming than just cooking. Not knowing is driving me crazy, so eventually I just have to ask her. “Ok, Honey, what’s going on?”

  She stops humming and looks up at me in shock at my outburst. “Nothing,” she says defensively.

  “Don’t tell me ‘nothing’, girl. You’re humming! You never hum!” I say.

  She begins to laugh and then says, “Am I that transparent?”

  “Yeah! So what’s up?”

  “Do you really want to know?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know. Silly girl, you’ve become a good friend. If something is going on with you, of course I want to know.”

  “Well, I think things might be getting better for me in the relationship department,” she says, a huge smile adorning her face.

  “Oh my God! Did Hawk finally admit that he has feelings for you?” I ask excitedly.

  Another look of utter shock cross her face as she asks, “How did you know?” She pauses, then says, “I mean, what makes you think Hawk has feelings for me?”

  “Oh come on, really? That man is so smitten with you it’s written all over his face. I’ve been waiting for him to make his move. I’m guessing that he finally did?”

  “Well, he didn’t really come out and say he had feelings for me, but he did invite me out to dinner on Saturday.”

  “Really?”

  “Really,” she replies, sounding almost relieved.

  “It’s about damn time! I’m so excited for you!” I squeal. Hesitantly, I add, “You did say you’d go, didn’t you?”

  She laughs. “Of course I did! I may be foolish sometimes, but I’m not a fool.” She pauses and then asks, “Can I tell you something?”

  “Of course,” I reply.

  “When the club first took me in, it was Hawk who was always there for me. He and I became close and I always hoped that there would be more than friendship between us. But it never happened. When Ice started to take an interest in me, I had pretty much given up on Hawk.”

  I still find it unnerving when Honey talks about Caden before I came back. Sometimes, her words make things between them seem so intimate, they pierce my heart like a small dagger. I have to remind myself that he and I had a past life separate from each other. It was all in the past and obviously that part of their history is over.

  Honey continues, “I knew that if I started a relationship with Ice, Hawk would back off. These boys don’t mess with another brother’s woman. I mentioned to Hawk one night that Ice had expressed an interest in me and he told me to go for it.” She shrugged. “I took that as him saying that he didn’t want me. Looking back now, and knowing more about the club and the loyalty between the brothers, I realize that he was just stepping down for his prez.”

  “So, it was Hawk that you wanted all along?” I ask hopefully. In that moment I realize that this is what I want to hear from her. That she is no longer in love with Cade or even that she never was.

  “At the time, yes. But as you know, I did fall in love with Ice,” she says hesitantly. And there it was. Not really the response I was hoping for, but I really didn’t expect anything different. She was hesitant to tell me this, but I really think that if we talk about this stuff it will help break down the walls of jealousy that still linger between us. We have both come a long way from the first day I came back to Cade and our friendship is only getting stronger.

  “When Ice and I started dating, if that is what you want to call it, Hawk backed off completely. I even lost the friendship that we had built. Then you came into the picture.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, Emma, don’t be. At first, as you know, I was hurt and very jealous of you. But as time moved on and you and I became friends, I realized that it was always Hawk that I had wanted. During those early months, he and I developed a bond. I’ve always
loved him, deeper than I could love any other man. I am really looking forward to our date next week.”

  “I think the feeling is mutual. I really do. I have watched him with you and it is so obvious. He chooses your company over anyone else.” I pause. “I hope it all works out for you.”

  “Me too!”

  “Hey, we need to go shopping next week before your date. Get you a killer outfit, get your hair and nails done, the works!” I suggest.

  “Oh, I wish I could, but I really don’t have the extra funds. Since the clubhouse burned down, I’ve lost a lot of money from tips from the bar. Things will pick back up when we move into the new clubhouse, but until then, I need to watch what I spend.”

  “I’m sorry, Honey. I didn’t realize.” I pause and then ask, “Will you let me treat you? It would mean the world to me if you would.”

  “Why? Why would you want to do that?” she asks, surprised.

  “Well, there are a lot of things that you may or may not know about me. First of all, my family is loaded, which practically guarantees that I’ll always have money. I have two trust funds and I earn a living. I know it sounds snooty, but money has never been a problem for me. I’m not one to spend money frivolously, but if I can spend some money on a friend to cheer her up or make her day, I’ll do it. So, what do you say? Will you let me treat you to a girl’s day out?”

  “You would really do that for me?”

  “Of course I would. What is the point of having all this money if I can’t spend it to make a friend happy?”

  She laughs. “It’s a date!”

  “Woohoo!” I exclaim. I have not had a girl’s day out since Brianne! Suddenly, I’m reminded of what Brianne went through. The sadness of what she has endured consumes me. My heart breaks for my bestie … I can only hope that I will be able to visit her soon.

  “Emma, are you ok?” Honey asks.

  “Yeah, I was just thinking that the last time I had a girl’s day out was with Brianne. It just makes me sad to think of all that she has endured because of Cade and me. Mark would never have targeted her if she weren’t connected to me. I feel so guilty knowing that she is addicted to drugs and lying in a hospital bed totally out of it because of me.”

  “Can you go visit her?”

  “Cade says not yet. Apparently she is going through a detox right now and isn’t herself, so to speak,” I say.

  “Oh, I see. I’m all too familiar with the whole detox thing. It’s rough. I’m sorry.” She pauses and then adds, “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to go with you when you do visit her.”

  “I would love that. I think I’m going to need all the moral support I can get, especially with Cade being gone. He said Hawk will be monitoring her progress while he is in Ireland and that Hawk will let me know when I can go see her.”

  I’m so glad that Honey volunteered to go with me to visit Brianne. After my talk with Cade last night, I was really worried about visiting her alone. Now that that problem is solved, maybe I can try to concentrate and get some work done.

  “Honey, if you are sure you don’t need any help, I’m gonna try to get some work done.”

  “Absolutely, hun. You do what you need to do.”

  I grab my laptop and set it up on the open spot on the counter, get myself a glass of tea, and settle myself in to an afternoon of work.

  Chapter 4

  Caden

  Not long after I arrive at Betty’s, I hear Hawk’s Superlow 1200. It sounds like a fucking weed eater. I stand out front and wait for him as he parks his bike right next to mine.

  “When you gonna get yourself a man’s Harley?” I rag him as he dismounts from his bike.

  “What the fuck you talking about? There’s nothing wrong with my bike,” he says defensively. Then he adds, “And you think that Fat Boy you ride is a man’s bike?”

  “No, Hawk, I don’t think. I know. Bigger bike, bigger engine, more power. Need I say more?” I state smugly.

  “Fuck you, man!” he says. I can tell he’s pissed at me, but I can’t help it; he does need a better bike. At least it’s a Harley and he’s not riding a pussy bike like a Honda or a BMW.

  “Hey, watch it! Is that any way to talk to your prez?” I tease. I put my arm around him and say, “Come on man, tell me how glad you are that I’m back. Go ahead, you can tell me.”

  “Fuck you!” he says again. But I know it’s just an act; he’s glad as hell to have me back. He’s my best friend and we’ve both been through a lot of shit together.

  We walk inside, give our hellos to Betty, and go straight upstairs to the little office she’s provided us until the clubhouse is finished.

  As Hawk closes the door behind him, I plop myself down in one of the chairs at the table. He walks over to the table and joins me. “So what’s going on?” he asks.

  “Like I said last night, Rebel’s family …” I pause then add, “hell, my family is in trouble.”

  “Your family?” he asks.

  Oh shit, he doesn’t know. “Rebel’s mom and Ace were brother and sister. So I guess that makes Reb and me cousins.”

  “Damn. Will the Jackson family drama ever end?” He laughs.

  Now it was my turn to say, “Fuck you, Hawk.” He continues to laugh and after a few seconds, I can’t hold the laughter in either. “It’s like a fucking soap opera!” I add and we laugh harder.

  I have to admit it feels damn good to have a good laugh. We haven’t had much to laugh about lately. But we’ve got business to attend to, so I continue, “Anyway, Rebel and I and some of the guys are going to Ireland.”

  “Who else is going?” Hawk asks.

  “I haven’t decided yet. I plan to discuss it during church.”

  “So, why Ireland?”

  “Rebel’s parents are heavily involved in the IRA. They have been missing now for a couple of weeks. Rebel just found out last night and he thinks they may have been taken prisoner by British security forces. Even if they weren’t my family, I can’t say no. Rebel never asks for anything.”

  “Yeah, I get it. So what do you need me to do?”

  “What you do best, man. Run this club as I would. I don’t expect us to be gone long, I’m guessing it’ll be an in and out kind of thing.”

  “I don’t think it’s gonna be that easy, Ice. You’re talking about the IRA. This isn’t a bunch of outlaw bikers. This is an organization that has dedicated its life to a cause that’s bigger than they are. An organization that is so deeply entrenched in its country that you can never be sure who is and who isn’t IRA. You’ll never know who you can and can’t trust.”

  “You don’t think I know that?”

  “I don’t think you’re hearing me. The IRA is the largest and most active of the dissident republican paramilitary groups operating against the British. The attacks against British security forces are extensive and they don’t think twice about what weapons they use to achieve their end result. These guys mean business, Ice. They’re dealing with some serious shit. You could get yourselves killed,” he says. I can tell by the tone of his voice he’s genuinely concerned.

  “It can’t be that bad. I mean, all that stuff with the IRA ended years ago. Didn’t it?”

  “No, Ice, it didn’t. They’re radicals. They want their country back, all of it. It will never stop until England releases its hold on the north.”

  “We’ll be careful,” I say, shrugging off his concerns. Frankly, I’m finding it hard to believe that this is all still an issue. He doesn’t press the subject any more, so I continue to the business at hand. “I want you to get things moving with the Satans. I don’t want things to stop just because I’m leaving the country for a few days,” I say.

  “Got it,” he says shortly. I can tell he is frustrated with me. But he knows how to pick and choose his battles with me and he knows he will not win this one.

  “Also, you know what needs to be done with the renovations to the warehouse for the new clubhouse. You were the lead on that from the beginning so I�
�ll just leave it in your capable hands.”

  “Yeah, that’s coming along too. You should come out and see it before you leave. I think you’ll like it.”

  “I wish I had time,” I say. “But you know how it goes, there’s always something brewing.” I pause briefly and look over at my VP and best friend. “Will we ever just be able to be motorcycle enthusiasts again?”

  “I don’t know, man. Probably not. We’re bikers, Ice. We’re always going to be involved in some kind of shit.”

  “I know. I guess having Emma back and pregnant has caused me to look at things a little differently.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  “Oh, one more thing,” I say. “I need to you to keep tabs on Brianne’s recovery. I told Emma that once she gets through detox, she could go visit her. I’d expect you or one of the boys to go with her.”

  “Got it.” Noticing my tension, he says, “Hey, relax, bro. I’ve got this. The club, your girl, all of it. You know I’ve always got your back.”

  “I know. I just hate leaving right now.”

  “Everything will be fine,” he says reassuringly. I know he’s right, but after my conversation with Emma last night it seems now that I’m the one that can’t shake an uneasy feeling. I’m sure it’s nothing, but it doesn’t make it go away.

  We’re just finishing up on our conversation when we hear a knock at the door. “Come in,” I say.

  Rebel walks in. “Hey guys.” He looks at me and says, “I assume you have filled Hawk in on everything?”

  “I have. Just finishing up.” He nods and then I add, “You holding up ok?”

  “Yeah man, just anxious. I’ll feel a lot better once we get there.”

  “Reb, why don’t you fill Ice in on what he should expect?” Hawk asks. Rebel looks over to Hawk with a confused look on his face. I can’t tell if he is unsure of what Hawk wants him to say, or if he knows exactly what Hawk wants him to say but doesn’t want me to know.