Page 76 of Azrael

I caught Gator’s eye across the room.His face remained impassive, but I caught the slight twitch of his lips.Mazida had been his to protect since the moment she’d stepped onto our compound.

“The question now,” Charming said, leaning forward and planting his palms on the table, “is how we prevent this kind of shit from happening again.We’ve got other women under our protection.We need to make sure no one gets any ideas about coming after what’s ours.”

“What are you suggesting?”one of the newer members asked from the far end of the table.

Charming’s eyes narrowed slightly.“Enhanced security protocols.More men on rotation at the compound gates.Background checks on anyone who comes within a mile of our properties.And” -- he paused, scanning the room – “stronger alliances with clubs who’ve proven themselves trustworthy, and perhaps finding some new allies.”

The last part caused a few eyebrows to raise.

“Which clubs?”I asked, straightening from my position against the wall.

Charming nodded at me.“The Dixie Reapers for one.Thanks to Scratch and Irish, we already have ties with them.Through Stripes, we’re connected to the Devil’s Fury.But there are other clubs in Florida.Ones closer to home, and some as far south as Miami.”

I had a feeling he meant the Twisted Tides MC when he mentioned Miami.They’d helped out the Reapers recently.Now they were on Charming’s radar.

“I’m putting it to a vote,” Charming announced.“All in favor of implementing the new security measures, tap your fists.”

The sound of knuckles against wood filled the room as nearly every man signaled his approval.Only two abstained, both newer Prospects who hadn’t earned voting rights yet.

“And the alliances?”Charming continued.

This time, the response was slower, more measured.Men exchanged glances, weighing the implications.Finally, knuckles began rapping against the wooden surface, mine included.The rhythm was less unified but no less determined.

“It’s settled then,” Charming said, satisfaction evident in his voice.“I’ll reach out to the clubs tomorrow.We’ll start working out the details.”

The tension in the room eased slightly, but I knew we weren’t done.There were other matters to discuss, other consequences of our actions against Balal that needed addressing.

As if reading my thoughts, Stripes pushed himself away from the metal pillar he’d been leaning against and stepped forward.

“I have news,” he announced, his gravelly voice carrying across the room.“My contacts in Tel Aviv have confirmed that Balal’s associates have backed down.They’re claiming no knowledge of his ‘unauthorized expedition’ to retrieve his sister.”Stripes made air quotes around the words, his contempt evident.

“They’re letting him swing in the wind?”someone asked.

Stripes nodded.“Da.Apparently, Balal acted without permission from his superiors.They don’t want trouble with American MCs.Bad for business.”

A wave of dark laughter rolled through the room.Glasses clinked as men raised their drinks in sardonic toasts.

“Fucking typical,” I muttered, though loud enough for those nearby to hear.“Guess his friends weren’t as loyal as he thought.”

“No honor among thieves,” Stripes agreed, his blue eyes twinkling with grim amusement.“Except us, of course.”

More laughter, genuine this time.The brotherhood we shared might be built on violence and intimidation to the outside world, but among ourselves, loyalty was everything.Balal had never understood that.He’d seen Mazida as property, something to be controlled.We saw her as family from the moment I’d claimed her daughter.

“What about the Israeli family?”another brother asked.“They still a threat?”

Stripes shook his head.“Not for now.They’ve got their hands full with some internal power struggle.Balal’s death actually works in their favor.One less contender for the throne.”

I exchanged a look with Charming.We both knew better than to trust the calm.In our world, threats never truly disappeared.They just retreated until a better opportunity presented itself.

“We’ll keep our eyes open,” Charming said, echoing my thoughts.“But for now, it seems we’ve bought ourselves some breathing room.”

The relief in the room was palpable.Men’s shoulders relaxed, postures eased.The past few weeks had been a constant state of high alert, with everyone pulling double shifts to ensure Mazida’s safety and prepare for potential retaliation from Balal’s associates.

“One more thing,” Charming said, his tone shifting to something lighter.“I think it’s time we had ourselves a proper celebration.It’s been too damn long since this club had anything to feel good about.”

A chorus of agreement rose from the assembled men.The prospect of letting loose after weeks of tension was enough to bring genuine smiles to even the hardest faces.

“Tomorrow night,” Charming continued.“Full patch members and their women only.Tell your old ladies to dust off their party clothes.Prospects will man the gate and the bar.”

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