Page 7 of Savage Angels

“We’re going to bring the bastard down, Dane,” I reply, determination hardening my voice. “We’re going to hit him where it hurts, and we won’t stop until he’s begging for mercy. This is war, brother.”

“Count me in, Sal,” Dane says without hesitation. “The Savage Angels have your back. We’ll take those fuckers down together.”

“Thanks, man,” I say, my gratitude genuine. “First, we need intel. I want everything on the Abruzzis’ operations, his allies, and his weak spots. We have to know what we’re up against.”

“Already on it,” Dane assures me. “I have some contacts who can dig up everything we need to know. Give me a couple of days, and we’ll have the info.”

“Good,” I reply, already envisioning our next move. “Once we have that, we’ll plan our first strike. This ends now, Dane. No more of our brothers fall because of that piece of shit.”

“Agreed,” Dane says firmly. “We’re in this together, Sal. We’ll make damn sure Abruzzi pays for what he’s done.”

“Damn right,” I affirm, my resolve unwavering.

As I hang up the phone, I know dark times lie ahead. There will be bloodshed and heartache, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay for justice and vengeance.

This is war, and we will emerge victorious.

Chapter Three

SALVATORE

Leaning against the cold brick wall, the stench of gasoline and sweat mingle with the bitter taste of betrayal in my mouth. Don Abruzzi’s words echo in my head like a bad tune, his smug grin still burns behind my eyelids. The thought of the Savage Angels members disappearing unsettles me, and it doesn’t add up. I know deep down, trusting the Abruzzi Crime Family is like playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun, but I worked my way up through their ranks, and I thought I’d found myself a place there.

“Fuck,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

My thoughts are a goddamn storm, swirling and churning like a tempest inside me. I need to talk to Dane. We must figure this shit out before everything we’ve built crumbles to dust.

Pushing myself away from the wall, I stalk through the alley, my boots crunching on broken glass and discarded cigarette butts as I make my way toward the Savage Angels clubhouse in Chicago. The neon sign flickers above the entrance, casting eerie shadows over the cracked pavement. I push open the door, the familiar scent of alcohol and leather washing over me.

“Salvatore!” Dane’s voice booms across the room as he spots me. He’s standing at the bar with a beer in one hand and his sergeant-at-arms, Dirt, standing next to him.

“Hey, Dane.” I force a tight smile, swallowing the unease crawling up my throat. “We need to talk. Somewhere private.”

His blue eyes narrow, concern flashing across his rugged face. He nods and gestures for me to follow him through a cramped hallway to an office.

“What’s going on?” he asks, shutting the door behind us. His towering frame seems to fill the small space, making the walls press in even closer. I can’t shake the feeling of being trapped like rats in a cage.

“We know the Don ordered the hits on our men. I think he did it to stick it to me for getting into business with you in the first place.”

“We’ve always known he was an ambitious prick.”

“He’s a threat to everything we’ve built. The Don will tear every business dealing we’ve ever made together to prove he knows best.”

“What do we do?”

“First, we need to find the missing men, then we need to expose Don Abruzzi for the snake he is and take him down before he becomes more powerful.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Dane replies, a grim smile on his lips. “Let’s get to work.”

***

The smell of gasoline and burned rubber fills my nostrils as I pace the garage, unable to shake the heavy feeling in my chest. Dane stands nearby, talking to the president of the Chicago chapter, Onyx, in hushed voices. The man is a fucking machine, always ready to throw down for his club and family.

“Sal,” he says, motioning for me to come closer. “I need you to understand something here. The Savage Angels are loyal to the bone. We don’t break or bend, and we sure as hell don’t betray our own. You can trust us to have your back.”

Onyx nods. “Dane is right. We can’t let Don Abruzzi get away with killing our members. I’ve had three men go missing. I assumed they’d moved on, but now I think they’ve been put down.”

I look into Dane’s ice-blue eyes, searching for any sign of doubt or hesitation. “You’d go against the Abruzzi Crime Family? For me and mine?”