Page 12 of Savage Angels

Tilting my head to the side, I frown at the man. “You’re a fan?”

“I have all their albums. Kat’s voice when she sang “Heaven”?” He holds a hand to his heart. “Sublime.”

“Yeah, yeah, Rocco, we get it. You like their music.” Dirt closes the back of the van.

“You wound me, Dirt.” Rocco stares at me. “I don’t like it… I love it.”

“Tell you what, if these are all good quality, clean, and work like they should, I’ll get you a backstage pass.”

Rocco wraps his arms around himself and grins at me. “For real?”

“For real.”

“Damn, man! You’re the best.” He looks at his surroundings. “Well, nice doing business with you. We should hustle. You never know who’s lurking in these old buildings.”

Rocco holds out his hand to me, and we shake, then he jogs to the car we came in.

“Interesting guy,” I say.

“Yeah, and you promised him, a gun dealer, a meet and greet with your wife.”

Shrugging, I walk around to the driver’s door. “Yeah, I did. Come on, brother, let’s get out of here.”

Chapter Five

JONAS

VP, Savage Angels MC, Tourmaline Chapter

Clinking glasses and murmurs surround me in this dimly lit bar. I have my cell phone pressed against my ear and my eyes focused on the glass of vodka I’m swirling.

“Listen,” I say firmly. “We need this alliance. The Savage Angels can’t stand alone against what’s coming, and neither can you. We’ve got to stick together if we’re going to make it through this shitstorm.”

“I don’t know…” their words trail off, and I can hear the uncertainty in their voices.

“Trust me,” I continue, leaning in closer to the phone. “Together, we’re stronger than anything they can throw at us. You know it, and I know it. So, what’s it going to be?”

There is a long pause and then a sigh. “All right,” they finally reply. “We’ll back you up, but you better not let us down. Got it?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. We’re in this together, brother.”

Ending the call, I signal the bartender for another drink.

What’s the old saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

There are several smaller street gangs in Chicago who have a beef with the Abruzzis. Getting all of them to join with us has not been easy. They have to know their chances of survival have just increased tenfold. With solid alliances in place, they are one step closer to victory and getting out from under the boot of the Abruzzis.

“The same?” asks the bartender.

“Yeah.”

He pours me another, and I raise it in a silent toast to my brothers. Inwardly, I send out a prayer. ‘May we stand together until the end.’

***

The lights cast long shadows across the Savage Angels’ compound in Chicago. Standing here, my gaze is fixed on the perimeter fence, weighing what needs to be done while my brothers prepare for the battle ahead.

“Jonas?” Judge’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

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