Page 54 of Savage Angels

Wiping the blade on Tarso’s shirt, I cannot help but feel a sense of satisfaction. This piece of shit has tried to take me down, but he failed, and now he is the one lying dead at my feet.

“Anyone else want to fuck with the Savage Angels?” I bellow, my voice echoing through the warehouse. Silence answers me, and I know the message has been sent loud and clear—nobody messes with Dane Reynolds or his brothers without paying the ultimate price.

With blood dripping down my cheek, I turn to face the room once more. Heads of families and gang members alike all stare at the bloody aftermath, but none will dare to challenge the Savage Angels now.

“Anyone else got a problem with our alliance?” Salvatore calmly asks, his gaze sweeping across the tense faces. “Good,” he says when no one speaks up. “Now, let’s get on with business.”

I stand beside Salvatore, the Agostino family, and the Savage Angels surrounding us, united and stronger for what we have been through. We might come from different worlds—the mafia and the MC—but we understand each other in ways that matter most—love, loyalty, family, and taking care of those who threaten it.

Chapter Nineteen

Dane

Pulling up to the house I built, hoping one day it would become a home, I think back to the first day I met Kat. It wasn’t until she entered its doorway that it became a home. These walls house my family, the ones I will always protect.

The roar of my bike’s engine dies down as I park in front of our home, the place where life makes most sense.

“Mom! Dad’s here!” I hear Jesse shout from inside, and the door bursts open as he and Kristen come rushing out with Kat close behind.

“Hey, Daddy!” they yell in unison, launching themselves at me. My arms wrap around them instinctively, holding on tight.

“Hey yourself,” I choke out, feeling something catch in my throat.

I look up at Kat, her green eyes shining with relief and love. She is a sight for sore eyes, and damn, do I need that right now.

“Welcome home, babe.” Her hand reaches up to touch my face gently near the butterfly plasters.

I lean into her touch, needing the comfort only she can provide. But the moment is short-lived as the kids squirm in my arms, eager for attention.

“All right, all right.” I laugh, ruffling their hair before setting them down. “Let’s go inside.”

Stepping through the door, the familiar surroundings and the scent of Kat’s perfume mixed with the smell of dinner on the stove is overwhelming. My body aches, and the exhaustion seems to seep into my bones, but it is not only physical. The emotional toll of the past few weeks and the danger we have faced has consumed me, and the fear for my family’s safety gnaws at my insides like a hungry beast.

“Can I get you anything?” Kat asks, noticing my weariness.

All I want is to collapse into her arms, but I know the kids need me too.

“Maybe just a few minutes to sit down and breathe,” I reply, rubbing the back of my neck. “Then we can all catch up.”

“Sounds good.” She gives me a soft smile before turning to the kids. “Why don’t you guys go wash up for dinner?”

“Okay, Mom!” they yell, scattering in different directions like only kids can.

I sink into our worn leather couch, every muscle in my body screaming for rest as Kat settles next to me. I do not have to say anything. She can read the exhaustion on my face as plain as day.

“Rough ride?” she asked, her voice full of concern as she stares at my cheek.

“Yeah,” I admit, letting out a deep breath. “But I’m home now, and that’s all that matters.”

“Hey,” Kat whispers, drawing me out of my thoughts as she cups my face lightly in her hands, her vivid green eyes searching mine. “You’re home, Dane.” She traces a finger along the wound on my cheek. “Chicks dig scars, you know,” she teases, a grin tugging at her lips. “Makes you look even more badass.”

“Is that so?” I quirk an eyebrow, my lips turning up in a small smile.

“Absolutely.” She winks, placing a tender kiss on the plasters.

It is moments like these that remind me why I fight so hard and push myself to my limits for my family and club. They are worth every ounce of pain and struggle.

“Kat, things have been rough lately. But I swear to you, no harm will come to you, our kids, or the MC as long as I’m breathing.”

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