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King takes a deep breath, visibly relieved. “We’ve been hearing rumors about a rival gang encroaching on our territory. Word on the street is that they’ve been making moves and trying to take control of the drug trade in our area. Their leader is known as ‘Shadow,’ and he’s been recruiting aggressively. They have backing from someone with money, and the Abruzzi family has slowly been weeding us out of the casinos.” King leans back in the chair. “And some of our members have gone missing. At first, we didn’t notice. A couple were nomads, and one had a drug problem, but it happened over a period of time. We are now up to fifteen members missing.”
“Did you report them as missing to the police?” asks Jonas.
“Some, not all. But the cops don’t care. You know how they see us.”
Jonas is a seasoned member of our MC. He frowns, then says, “It’s not the first time we’ve had rival gangs looking to encroach on our turf, but this ‘Shadow’ character seems to be more organized and ambitious. If the Abruzzis are supporting him, what’s their end game? To wipe us out or push us out?”
Dirt says, “I’ve been hearing similar rumblings with the Chicago chapter. It’s home base for the Abruzzis.” His gaze comes to me. “It’s better to address this now before it becomes a full-blown turf war.”
I nod in agreement, then turn back to King. “We need to protect our territory. We’ll gather more intelligence and devise a plan to deal with this threat. The MC has numbers on our side, and we’ve worked hard to get where we are… that’s our strength. The Abruzzis don’t know what we can do, but I’m happy to show them.”
King nods in agreement, clearly relieved we’re taking the threat seriously. “What more intelligence do you need?”
“Salvatore Agostino is my brother-in-law. If something is going down with the Abruzzis, he’ll know.”
King squints at me. “But he hasn’t come to you before now, so what makes you think he’ll help us? This has been happening for months. Everyone knows Salvatore Agostino is a cold killer who wants the Abruzzi crown. He’s in so tight with those people, he can’t be trusted.”
“It’s true Sal wants to lead the Abruzzi Crime Family. He’s been open about his aspirations. But King, Sal is family.”
At my words, he widens his eyes. I’ve just vouched for Sal, which means if he is turning a blind eye to the problems in Vegas and hasn’t warned us, I’m as good as dead.
***
Hours later, I find myself at home with Blaze cradled in my arms, lying next to Kat as she nurses Gunner. The soft glow of the television flickers in the background, casting a warm, dim light across the room.
“You’re quiet,” Kat observes, her voice hushed and gentle.
“Sorry, darlin’. Club business,” I reply, my gaze drifting from our newborn son to Kat, who wears a concerned expression.
“A problem shared and all that,” Kat suggests, reaching for the remote to turn off the television.
I look down at Gunner and say, “You’ve got enough to worry about.”
Kat reaches over and pats my leg. “If that’s your way of saying it’s none of my business, that’s okay. But if you want to talk to someone independent of the conversation, I’m your girl.”
I chuckle. “Yes, you are. We don’t have secrets. There’s been some pushback in Vegas and Chicago. Members from both chapters are missing. I’ve been so wrapped up in you and our family that I may have dropped the ball.”
“Did either of the chapter presidents reach out to you?” Kat inquires, her eyes filled with concern.
“No,” I reply, shaking my head. “And I rang Sal today, but he hasn’t called me back.”
Kat tilts her head to the side, her brow furrowing slightly. “So, no one told you they were having problems? Sal would have called if he knew something was up, but you’re supposed to be a mind reader and just know if there’s an issue?”
She’s right, and her words hit home. If the other chapters don’t communicate with us, I have no way of knowing what’s happening. With the recent shooting in Tourmaline, I asked Rebel to inform the other chapters about the situation, which is why so many members came to town.
“Have I told you how much I love and adore you?” I say, attempting to lighten the mood.
Kat raises her eyebrows in surprise. “Not in a while.”
“I love you,” I affirm, grinning at her.
She tilts her head the other way, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You’re missing some information.”
“I adore you,” I add, laughing.
Kat reciprocates with a smile. “That’s it. Now, put Blaze down and go ring Sal. He’s on our side. There’s no way he’d betray you.”
Leaning in, I kiss her lips before standing and gently placing Blaze in his crib. I look down at Kat and ask, “Come on, darlin’, give him up.”
