Page 9 of Savage Angels

“All right.” I sigh, meeting Dane’s gaze. “But if we do this, we have to make damn sure we have all our bases covered. No loose ends.”

“Agreed,” Dane replies, his voice steady as ever. “We’ll gather our allies, strengthen our position, and ensure everyone involved knows what’s at stake. We’ll face whatever comes our way as a team.”

“Yeah,” I mutter.

“Remember, Sal,” Dane says, touching my shoulder. “Love and loyalty above all else.”

“Yeah,” I whisper, finally accepting the path we are about to take. “Love and loyalty.”

***

The cold wind bites at my face as Dane and I stand outside the clubhouse, our breaths visible in the night air.

“First things first,” Dane says, his voice low and serious. “We’re going to need to gather some allies.”

“I know a few guys who might be willing to lend a hand, but it won’t be easy.”

“We’ll take whatever support we can get. Don Abruzzi has strong links with many law enforcement agencies. We need eyes and ears to alert us if law enforcement will strike at us too.”

Rolling my eyes, I look up at the night sky. “I have my ear to the ground. So far, the Don, to my knowledge, hasn’t called in any favors, but he will.”

He grins. “Let’s make some calls and see who we can trust. The Don isn’t the only one with law enforcement on the payroll. Time’s running out, and we have to be prepared.”

As we walk back inside the clubhouse, I can’t shake the weight of my decision from my mind. Standing against Don Abruzzi means risking everything—my family, my position, even my life. But what choice do I have? It is either bow down to the snake or fight for what I believe in.

“Emily and the kids…”

Dane puts his hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I know it isn’t easy, Sal. But remember, we’re doing this for them, to keep our families safe. Tony is doing a great job of keeping them hidden, and we’ve both sent more men to guard them. We have to trust everyone will do their part and protect them.”

Taking a deep breath, I say, “I won’t back down… not now, not ever… for my family and everyone I care about.”

“Good man,” Dane replies, leading me back into the heart of the clubhouse. “We’ve got a war to win.”

***

The room is thick with tension, the sharp scent of expensive cigars cutting through the musty air. I can feel the weight of their gazes on me. This is it—the sit-down with the Santoro, Bianchi, and Fontana crime families. I’ve been to enough of these meetings to know everything can change in the blink of an eye.

“Appreciate you all coming,” I say, getting straight to the point. “We have a problem we need to address… Don Abruzzi.”

“Whaddya wanna do about ’im?” asked Miro Santoro, his voice gruff and deep.

“Take a stand against him,” I reply. “He’s gone too far, and it’s time someone put him in his place.”

“Ya sure ya wanna go down this road?” Dante Fontana chimes in, his brow furrowed. “Goin’ against the Don ain’t exactly a walk in the park.”

“Damn right, it isn’t,” I admit, my stomach twisting with anxiety. “But there’s more at stake here than just our organizations. Our families… our loved ones are all in danger if we don’t do something. And I won’t stand by while he sinks his fangs into everything we’ve built.”

“All right, Salvatore,” says Nino Bianchi, his eyes narrowing as he studies me. “Say we join forces with ya to oppose the Don. Who’s gonna lead the charge? Who’s gonna rule our families?”

“Let’s not worry about that just yet,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “We need to focus on building our alliance and getting our people ready for what’s coming. We’ll figure out the rest once we’ve secured our position.”

“Is this really the best option?” Dante Fontana questions me again, his skepticism palpable.

“Look,” I sigh, rubbing my temples as I try to find the right words. “I know this isn’t an easy decision, but we can’t afford to sit back and let Don Abruzzi destroy everything we’ve fought for… our families, our businesses, and our way of life. And if we don’t stand together now, who knows what he’ll do next?”

“Salvatore,” Nino Bianchi interjects, a sly smile spreading across his face. “We’ve been wanting to put that bastard in his place for a long time. So, you got my support.”

“Count me in,” Miro Santoro grunts, nodding at Dante Fontana, who finally relents with a sigh.

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