Chapter 11

Christmas was quiet for the rest of the crew. It didn't take them long to get information on Ghost, he wasn't going to be back for awhile. He got a pretty big sentence, but Gordon doubted he would have to serve the whole thing. Ghost was smart, AJ thought differently though, he was clever not smart, there's a difference.

Jake's brother Jesse kept their minds off the problems they would be facing when they got back. The young man was eager to be a part of the crew, but they had all agreed that at 15 he needed some more time. Jake wasn't crazy about bringing his brother in anyway. Lilly seemed to be dealing with things ok, she had confided in Charlie that things had been tough with Ghost lately. The no contact rule applied to her as well so Lilly didn't know what she was going to do while Ghost was gone. She might wait for him, she might not.

Charlie, John, and AJ didn't discuss the arguments from the first day. Charlie didn't bring up what AJ had said about John not trusting them together. John didn't mention who was looking after her and AJ didn't bring up his feelings for her. As far as anyone could tell things were back to normal, but it had caused a small rift between Charlie and John.

The crew got back into town a couple of days before New Year's Eve. Charlie, Jake, and Lilly had gone straight to the club from the airport to check up on party planning. The renovations had been completed and the club would be opening with a huge party for the new year. Charlie ran over her check list again and again making sure every detail was perfect. She and John hadn't really spoken since their fight, even though they'd shared a room in Hawaii.

Charlie stood in her apartment the night of the party trying to decide on her shoes for the evening. It was going to be a long night so she wanted comfortable shoes, but it was an important party. She finally selected a pair of black stilettos and slipped on her dress. It was a silver sequin number with long sleeves and an open back. Lilly had actually picked it out for her several weeks ago. Checking her hair one last time she grabbed her phone and purse and headed to the club.

In the car, her phone started ringing. Charlie quickly picked it up as she pulled up to a red light. "Hello," she said into the phone.

"Charlie, we have a small problem," Jake informed her.

"What happened?"

"We hired the live band for the first couple of hours until the DJ takes over, well the pianist for the band is sick and they don't have a backup."

"Shit," Charlie whispered. "What are we going to do?"

"I have an idea. AJ can play," Jake said quickly.

"Did you ask him or is this just an idea," Charlie asked.

"I already asked him, but we figured we should run it by you first."

"Hey, if he can handle it and doesn't mind then I say let him do it," Charlie said firmly. "I'll be there soon."

...

Charlie entered the club through the back entrance, she got there before everything was in full swing. She carefully surveyed the bar area making sure everything was in place and that the bartenders had everything they needed. Lilly was at the hostess stand going over the list one last time. Jake and AJ were nowhere to be seen though. John and Gordon weren't arriving until later.

"Where are the guys," Charlie asked Lilly when she got the chance.

"I think they went upstairs," Lilly said pointing to the loft area.

Charlie quickly climbed the stairs and stepped into the loft. Jake and AJ were leaning against the bar at the back of the area, their backs to her, talking softly. Charlie smiled at them, she knew they were close, it was nice to see.

"What are you two talking about," Charlie asked as she moved closer to them.

Jake and AJ turned quickly surprised to see the young woman upstairs, especially since they had been talking about her. "Nothing," Jake said quickly.

"This and that," AJ said with a shrug. He stared at her for a moment taking her in, she always looked amazing, but tonight she seemed to glow. "You look amazing Charlie."

Charlie smiled at his compliment, "You don't look half bad yourself. Jake, is Jesse coming tonight?"

"He should be around here somewhere, I told the bartenders not to serve him. He just got out of juvy, no sense in getting him sent back already," Jake told her.

At that moment Jesse burst into the room grooving to the music that had started playing downstairs. "This is a great party Red," Jesse informed her.

"It hasn't even started yet," Charlie said with a laugh. "I'm glad you are enjoying it, pace yourself please."

"No problem sexy," Jesse replied.

Charlie rolled her eyes and glanced at AJ. "So you are all set to play piano for the first hour?"

"Yeah," AJ said with a nod.

"You do know how to play right? I mean I've never heard you play before so you can understand my doubts," Charlie pointed out.

"Have a little faith Miss Charlotte," AJ said tipping his hat to her.

"Charlotte? I thought your name was Charlie," Jesse commented.

"It is stupid," Jake said in annoyance. "She goes by Charlie because people will do business with a Charlie before they do business with a Charlotte."

"If this party goes according to plan she won't be in the business for much longer," John called as he joined them in the loft. "Boys, how are you baby?"

Charlie smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. John skimmed a hand down her back, he didn't miss the look on AJ's face as he did so. He kissed her on the cheek and stepped back to examine her outfit. "I like this dress, very nice choice. I think it's missing something though," he said as he pulled a small box out of his jacket pocket.

Charlie froze when she saw the size of the box. It was small enough to be a ring, but surely John wasn't going to propose right now in front of everyone. AJ and Jake eyed the box both wondering what this would mean for the crew if it turned out to be a ring. Charlie took the box out of John's hand and untied the ribbon he had placed around it. She glanced up at him for a moment before flipping open the lid.

Nestled inside the box was a set of earrings. Charlie gasped when she recognized them, her mother had a pair just like them. Delicate looking caresse d'orchidees par Cartier earrings, they were in the shape of orchids and made from white gold with paved diamonds. She didn't think they were her mother's but it didn't stop her from asking, "Are they hers?"

John smiled slightly at her before shaking his head. "I knew how much you loved them and your dad took your mom's pair, so I got you a pair of your own," he explained. "You like them?"

"Like them? John, I love them," she said as she removed them from the box and quickly put them on. "What do you think?"

"Perfect," John said before leaning in for a kiss.

"What's perfect," Gordon asked as he joined them upstairs.

"My present from John," Charlie said happily as she showed her earrings to him.

"You're spoiled rotten," Gordon commented. "I gave you a watch for Christmas, John bought you earrings, what's next? Do I have to buy you the matching necklace and bracelet for your birthday?"

"That would be nice," Charlie said as she glanced downstairs. Guests were starting to arrive for the party. "AJ, you are on. Make me proud."

Grabbing AJ's arm, Charlie kissed John once more before heading downstairs to get the party started on a classy note with a live jazz band, it would later lead into the usual debauchery of a New Year's Eve party, but for now the club was introducing itself as the new hang out for the rich, fabulous, and young.

...

As Jake, Charlie, and Lilly made the rounds making sure everyone was happy and having a good time, AJ and the band were busy entertaining everyone. AJ hadn't been joking when he said he could play. In a brief moment when Charlie had nothing to do she paused near the wall and simply watched. AJ was incredibly talented, the band was free-styling the songs, but the groove was perfect. The DJ was setting up to start playing music to get everyone dancing, but Charlie wished she could listen to the band all night.

She glanced upstairs and saw John, Gordon, and Jake looking down surveying the party. John caught her gaze and smiled before turning back to his conversation. The band wrapped it up, the DJ gave everyone a moment to applaud before starting up his selection. Charlie followed AJ up the stairs.

"You were incredible," she said as they reentered the loft.

"Thank you," he said as he grabbed a glass and begin fixing himself a drink.

"Dude you are so getting laid tonight," Jesse said. "The women couldn't keep their eyes off you."

AJ snort at his comment and took a sip of his drink. "We'll see," he said with a shrug.

"Ah don't play it so cool Ivy League," Jake said. "You know you love the female attention."

Charlie sat down next to John and kissed his cheek. He wrapped his arm around her waist and slid her closer to him as he continued his conversation with Gordon. "Charlie settle something for us," Gordon finally said.

"Sure," she said with a nod.

"John says that your family is going to retaliate for our job because we've turned up the heat, I don't think they will."

Charlie thought about it for a moment before speaking. "My family dynamic is hard to explain, sure the Asians and Hispanics have the monopoly on a lot of stuff here, but we were making significant moves. If my family feels threatened they will retaliate but not if they can't prove it was us. I'm the only one who has to be worried if they do."

"See, I told you," John said giving Gordon a serious look.

Lilly entered the room at that moment looking very concerned. "Charlie, there's a man at the door asking for you," she said carefully.

"Did he say what he wants," Charlie asked.

"He has a message to deliver," Lilly explained.

Charlie pursed her lips and glanced at John. "Let's go see what he wants," she said as she stood up. They all followed her downstairs. Lilly led them out the front door to where the man was waiting. He pushed away from the wall and looked at Charlie intently.

"I've been sent to deliver a message," he informed her.

"So deliver it," Charlie said with a wave of her hand.

"You're Charlie Walsh," the man asked.

"Yeah, I'm Charlie."

The man stepped over to her and pushed up her sleeve. Charlie didn't move but threw out her arm to keep the others from moving. Reacting would only make it worse. The man studied her tattoo for a minute before looking up at her. "I didn't know you were a woman," he said.

"The name is deceiving, I know."

With that the man drew a blade across her tattoo, cutting it across the middle. Charlie winced slightly as the blood bubbled up from the cut. The others pushed forward to grab the man. "No," Charlie cried firmly. "You've delivered your message now go."

The man nodded at her once. "You've been warned," he said before walking away.

John grabbed her arm and inspected the cut. "Why the hell did you do that," he demanded.

"Don't do anything," Charlie warned as the others began to move after him. "It's a warning from my family."

"What does it mean exactly," Gordon asked as he offered his handkerchief to wrap around the cut.

"This is a Celtic protection symbol, everyone in my family has one. If they do this to yours the protection of the family no longer extends to you and you are free game," Charlie explained. "All someone has to do is look at this to see that I am no longer part of the family."

"So this is your family's way of putting a hit out on you," AJ asked.

"Not exactly, my family might come after me, they might not. It simply means that I can no longer count on their protection should someone else decide to kill me," she said.

"Oh well that's good news," AJ said sarcastically.

"For real, happy fucking new year," Jesse replied.