Page 64 of Cruel Savior

Tel returned his focus to his computer. "That's par for the course for those two. If they weren't arguing about something I'd be worried."

"That doesn't seem healthy," I mused. "And it sounds exhausting."

"That's one way of looking at it," Tel said, not looking up from whatever he was doing. "But part of Axel's job is to be the devil's advocate. He's supposed to challenge the president. It ensures the best decisions for the club get made."

Surprisingly that made a lot of sense. But the anger vibe I was getting from this distance didn't look like a simple challenge. Axel looked ready to kill.

Izzy turned to me. “I don’t know how to say this,” she started.

My guard went up as the pained expression on her face led me to believe I wasn’t going to like whatever she was about to say. “Just say it. I deserve whatever it is. I hate that my actions put you in danger.”

“It’s not your fault.” I wasn’t sure how she could say that, but I decided to keep my mouth shut and let her continue. “I saw you once before Vegas,” she whispered, “in my father’s office. I didn’t put it together right away…it’s just—” my blood froze and I started shaking my head. Whatever she was about to say I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want her to be sorry for me—or anything else. She reached forward and squeezed my hand. “What he did to you—what he threatened you with… If I had a little sister to protect, I would have made the same choice. You did what you had to. That’s all that matters. I would never hold that against you.”

While I could feel the pin prick of tears at the backs of my eyes, I knew from experience that they wouldn’t fall. But the pitching of my stomach, that was a different story. I remembered the night she’d witnessed. I’d caught a glance of her horror a moment before she’d fled, followed by a tiny sense of relief that she’d not been caught.

Frank and Marco had been especially creative with their torture that night…but it was the threat against Natalie that had finally broken me. My sister was only sixteen. I couldn’t let them get to her.

“I’m glad you understand I had no other choice, but I would have understood if you couldn’t accept it.”

A slight smile pulled at Izzy’s lips as she reached out and gave my hand a quick squeeze. “Bygones,” she simply added, and I nodded, grateful that I didn’t have to say anymore.

I closed my eyes for a moment and shook the memories from my head before doubling down on my focus for the mission at hand. I returned my attention back to the two men arguing outside, needing something else to occupy my mind.

"What's going on with the Feds?" I asked Tel, while keeping my eyes still on Axel the whole time.

"I think they're going to go for number fifteen. As far as I can tell the governor and the SBI director are not slowing down. They seem hell bent on showing these assholes that they live and work in their city at their leisure, not the other way around."

"At this point there could be some retaliation. The mafia isn't going to just roll over and close their doors."

He nodded. "This could be headed for a bloody standoff. But I'll keep—"

Tel didn't get to finish because Axel returned to the truck and slammed the door closed a lot harder than necessary. "Mother fucker!"

"What happened?" I had to ask. I couldn't wait for him to calm down. I was too anxious to know what they were planning to do.

"The Corporation wants a meet. They say they're willing to negotiate."

I reared back in surprise. That was the last thing I expected in these circumstances. "Mazzeo?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. That's the fucking rub. They claim he's acting on his own and they have nothing to do with his actions."

"That's bullshit," Tell swore from the backseat.

"That's exactly what I said. And while JD doesn't disagree, he thinks we need to take the meet."

"Where? When?"

"Now. They don't want to wait."

"They're desperate." I'd stated the obvious, but desperation did not make good bedfellows. They were liable to make a move against the club if they didn't tread carefully. "They may blame the club for all of this."

“I thought that too, and I said as much. We're still going to meet with them at the Punishers clubhouse in Seattle.”

More alarm bells clanged in my head."That's not neutral territory. That's a suicide mission."

"I know and since I don't have time to take you back to the clubhouse, we need to figure out somewhere safe for you to go. The governor offered one of their safehouses."

"Oh hell no! Nope. That is not happening. I'm going to that meeting."

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