Butcher shakes his head, but I can tell he’s amused. I’d learned to read the stoic man over the last year.
He turns, walking to the front door. I follow along behind him, wrapping my arms around my waist as he opens the door. Wolfiesits next to me, leaning against my side as if he knows I need comfort. Unwrapping an arm from around myself, I rest a hand on his head.
Butcher looks at us and something passes over his face before he hides it.
“A few of my crew will be staying over the road if you need anything. I’ll be gone for three, maybe four days at the most. Wolfie will be okay at home while you’re at work.”
“We’ll be fine. Take care while you’re away,” I reply. “And I’ll look after your boy for you, I promise.”
His gaze softens before he bends and pats Wolfie. Standing, he surprises me when he leans forward and presses his lips to my cheek.
“See you soon, milseán.” Then he’s gone, leaving me in the doorway with my hand raised to my cheek, touching the place that he kissed.
When I hear his bike start next door, only then do I close the door and Wolfie and I make ourselves comfortable in the lounge.
***
After that night, he never again had Jess and Sean look after Wolfie when he went out of town.
I don’t mind. I loved Wolfie, and I wasn’t lying when I said he kept Mikayla out of trouble. From the minute she’d started walking she was into everything. She may look like me, but her nature was not mine.
I’m not sure where my wild child came from, but a wild one she was.
CHAPTER 9
BUTCHER
As I sliced my knife across the latest paedophile's throat, I contemplated why this wasn’t satisfying me anymore. I hated going home to Moira and Mikayla after ridding the world of scum. I didn’t want to taint them with the filth that I dealt with.
They were all sunshine and goodness while I was darkness and death. It was getting harder and harder to stay away from them. Every time I left Wolfie with her. I kissed her cheek and walked away craving more. Maybe it was time to train someone else up that could take this over from me.
It would have to be someone I trusted and therein lay the problem. I didn’t trust many, and this job wasn’t for everyone. Even my crew looked at me slightly differently. They understood and they’d killed, but never like this.
It didn’t take me long to cut the latest one up and dispose of his body. I had a few friendly contacts in the farming industry, and they never even knew when I made a deposit. Better for everyone when it comes to deniability.
I was careful, never leaving any prints or fibres behind. I used stolen cars to transport the bodies to the kill houses, of which I had several. All in remote places, and all easy to clean. Never under my name but under shell companies. I did everything I could to keep off the garda’s radar, although I’m sure some knew about my extracurricular activities. None of them cared enough about paedophiles and rapists going missing to do anything other than a cursory investigation.
After disposing of the body, I ditched my latest ride, setting it on fire on waste land where I’d hidden my bike. Starting it up I rode to the airport, switching on my phone. When I arrived there, I checked through the messages from my crew, smiling at the updates and the picture of Wolfie and Mikayla playing on the lawn in front of our houses with Moira in the background laughing. The turmoil in me settled as soon as I saw them and the message.
They’re good, bossman. No problems to report.
I didn’t bother replying, I never did. They were used to me, so none of them expected a reply.
Happier now that I knew my girls were okay, I started up my bike and rode to my uncle and aunt’s house to check in on them. They’d arrived back today.
Using my key, I entered the house and followed the sound of their voices to the kitchen. A few of my cousins were also there. I nodded at them before greeting my uncle and aunt. Kissing my aunt on her cheek, I allowed her to take my face between her hands and study me. Whatever she saw there made her frown, but she didn’t mention anything.
“Sit, Andy, I’ll get you a cup of tea.”
“Thanks Aunt Jess,” I say and do as ordered by the diminutive woman.
“Everything okay?” Uncle Sean asks as he looks at me over the rim of his mug.
“Aye,” I reply, taking the mug my aunt hands me.
“We’ve got company arriving in the next few days, an MC from Southampton. Liam sent them to us. They’re looking at doing business with Kelly.”
I grimace. I hate the man with a vengeance, and if it wasn’t for Aiden I’d have taken him out long ago.
