Page 47 of Savage Angels
Kade shakes his head. “I’d love to disagree with you, but yeah, Destiny likes me to stay close to home.”
Sal waves a hand in the air. “Nothing wrong with having a woman who wants to keep you close. And if that woman is beautiful?” Kade nods. “Then all the better.”
Laughing, I say. “Yeah, she’s beautiful, smart, and, for some reason, picked you.”
Kade frowns. “Yeah. I often wonder if it hadn’t been for—”
“Don’t,” I cut him off. “Destiny didn’t pick you because of that piece of shit.”
Kade nods and goes back to his burger. Sal looks at me quizzically, but I keep eating. There’s no sense in rehashing the past. Destiny is a strong woman, and she didn’t pick Kade as a second prize after that bastard raped her. It’s obvious to all who know them that they are meant for each other.
***
“All right, Sal,” I say, rubbing my hands together. “Time to talk about the future. We’ve been through hell and back, and now we need to focus on building our organizations back up, stronger than before.”
Salvatore leans back in his chair, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “You’re right, Dane. We need to expand our businesses and make sure we’re covering all bases. Like real estate, for example. There’s a lot of potential there.”
“Definitely. And with how things are going these days, we can’t forget about the online world either. Gambling, retail outlets… shit, even sex toys.” I let out a rough laugh.
“Sex toys?” Salvatore raises an eyebrow, chuckling. “Well, as long as it brings in the cash, right?”
“Damn straight,” I say. “People will always want to get off one way or another. Might as well profit from it.”
“Spoken like a true businessman, my friend. But seriously, we need to be smart about this. Keep our noses clean, stay ahead of the game.”
“True that.” I nod.
As we continue discussing our plans, I feel a renewed sense of purpose coursing through me. Yeah, we have faced some dark times but came out the other side ready to take on whatever life throws at us.
“Here’s to the future, Sal. May it be filled with prosperity, power, and a shitload of sex toys.”
“Cheers to that,” Salvatore laughs. “Together, we’ll face whatever challenges come our way.”
And with that, our conversation draws to a close. We have a long road ahead of us, but we are ready to face it head-on, united in our determination to protect what is ours and build a better future for our families and organizations.
We head through the building and out to where our bikes are waiting. Kade and I mount them, the roar of the engines shattering the quiet of the streets as we rev them to life. With a nod of understanding between us, Kade falls in behind me as we pull out of the parking lot and onto the open road, bound for Tourmaline.
As the wind whips through my hair and the miles fly by beneath our wheels, I cannot help but feel a sense of hope for the future. With renewed determination and unbreakable bonds, we will forge ahead into a brighter future.
And as the road stretches out before me, leading back to Kat and the home we have built together, I know that whatever challenges come next, we will face them head-on.
Chapter Sixteen
Dirt
As I roll into Willowbank Falls, the deep rumble of my Harley echoes through the empty streets. There’s nothing like the throaty growl of a hog to announce your presence. The wind tugs at my hair, and the scar on my temple tingles with anticipation. I can’t wait to see Lore’s beautiful face again. It feels like a lifetime since I last held her in my arms.
The familiar sign of Rock Anthem Ale House comes into view, and my heart pounds at the thought of the woman inside. I park my bike out front and take a moment to steel myself before striding in, boots thudding against the hardwood floor.
“Welcome to the Rock Anthem—” Lore breaks off midgreeting when she sees me, her gray eyes sparkling with surprise and joy. A smile spreads across her face, warm as the summer sun, and my chest tightens at the sight of her.
“Hey, baby,” I say, my voice husky from the road as she bounds toward me.
She leaps into my arms, legs wrapped around my waist and arms encircling my neck. I wince involuntarily as her weight settles on my injured shoulder, and she instantly pulls back, concern etched on her face.
“Did I hurt you?” she asks, brows furrowed with worry.
“Ah, it’s nothin’, babe.” But she is not buying it. She studies me for a moment, then her fingers deftly pull down the collar of my T-shirt, revealing the healing bullet wound.