Ridin' Dirty: An Outlaw Author Anthology (OAMC Book 1) (21 page)

Salvatore Agostino
Captain in the Abruzzi Family

Vegas is hot, even in the early evening. I watch as the three MC members arrive on their Harley’s, all of them are smiling, but I find little to smile about. This deal isn’t going as smoothly as I’d hoped. The local casino owners – most of whom are affiliated with a criminal organization – aren’t happy with me. They think the Abruzzi family is trying to muscle in, we already own a casino in Vegas, and another one would give us an advantage.

A sigh escapes me as I try and see a way through the mess. Rebel sees me sitting in my SUV and gives me a chin lift, I open the door.

“Yo! Sal!” yells a very relaxed looking Rebel.

I raise a hand and walk toward him; he meets me in the middle of the road.

“How was the ride out?”

“It’s been good man, really good.” He stands back and looks me up and down. “You look stressed, Sal, more than normal.”

He’s always been intuitive, but I’m surprised he can read me so well.

“We need to go somewhere and talk. Are you hungry? I know a good Italian place.”

“Sounds good. I just need to check-in with King and the Chapter here. Text me the address and I’ll meet you there.”

I nod and return to my car. I watch as he goes back to the other two, and they exchange playful blows. There is much to like with the Savage Angels MC, but sometimes it feels like I am dealing with pure brawn and no brain. Then I cross wits with Dane, and I know why they are as successful as they are. He once told me that there are many soldiers within his organization, all loyal, and his job is to rule them with an iron fist, and guide them in the right direction.

His job is not an easy one, like my family, some of their members are stuck in the old ways with guns, drugs and whores. It’s easy money, but the risks are no longer worth it. The police are only getting smarter and more inventive, we need to outwit them, and move in a different direction.

I pull my phone from my breast pocket and text the address to Rebel, then start my car, and head toward the restaurant.

***

The owner of the restaurant knows who I am, as soon as he sees me, he orders one of his waiters to find me a table.

“Mr. Agostino! Welcome back! Is it just you this evening? Or are you bringing your lovely wife?”

“Mario, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Sal? And no, my lovely wife is at home with our children, but tonight I am not dining alone.” His eyebrows go up, he smiles, and guides me toward a table. “I will be dining with a business associate, Mario, nothing more. He is probably not your usual clientele, but I know you will make him feel welcome.”

“Of course, of course! Now, can we get you anything?” asks Mario.

“Hmm, my dinner guest is more of a meat and potatoes kind of man, perhaps you could bring him something? And I’ll have my usual, with a bottle of your best red, but my dining companion will have a beer.”

Mario scoffs. “A beer?” I nod. “Very well, shall I get it now?”

“Yes please, Mario.”

He walks away shaking his head, and I take a seat at the table, my back to the wall, facing the entrance. I have no reason to think my life is in danger, no one would want to start a war with my family, but you can never be too careful.

I survey the room, and my eyes land on an attractive blonde woman sitting a few tables away. She smiles seductively at me, and I hold up my wedding ring, she shrugs and throws her hair over her shoulder, and licks her lips. I shake my head at her, and continue my surveillance of the room. There are no threats.

Mario returns with my wine, and places a beer opposite me. I nod at him, and take a sip; it’s divine, like silk. The taste of it makes me think about my wife, Emily, she always picks out a good bottle of red to have with dinner. I miss her and my children. I left Vincent in Tourmaline with Dane and Kat. I know he will be safe there, if he were here, I would be constantly worrying. I look at my glass and realize I have finished my wine.

“Sir.” I look up at a waiter. “May I?”

I place my glass on the table and nod, he refills it, and moves away. The blonde sits down opposite me.

“Hello, handsome, looking for some company?” She’s on the other side of thirty, and wearing way too much makeup. Judging by her comment to me, she’s a working girl.

“I am so sorry Mr. Agostino! I will remove her at once. Please, accept my apologies.” Mario grabs her by the arm and pulls her up from the seat, they exchange heated whispers, but she is removed.

Rebel enters the restaurant, as Mario gets to the door with the woman. He’s dressed in his colors, and I watch as Mario looks him up and down. I stand and wave at Rebel, Mario’s mouth falls open, and Rebel makes his way to my table.

I grasp his outstretched hand. “Glad you found it, my friend.”

“Sorry I took so long, club business. Have you ordered?” asks Rebel

“I hope you don’t mind, I ordered for both of us.” I point at the beer on the table. “Drink?”

He sits, and picks up the beer taking a long swig. “Much better. Is it safe to talk here?”

“Yes, it’s one of the reasons I chose it. The owner, Mario, is sympathetic to the various business dealings that go on within his establishment, and sweeps for bugs three times a day.”

Rebel smiles at me, and takes another sip of his beer. The waiter arrives with our meals, placing them on the table. For a while we eat in silence, both of us enjoying the meal.

Finally I say, “We have a small problem with one of the local families. They believe that
my
family is trying to muscle in on their business.”

“Have you tried talking to them?”

“Yes, they don’t believe me, and I can’t tell them that it’s really the Savage Angels who are buying the casino,” I say with no small amount of aggravation.

“Sorry, Sal, what can I do to help?” asks Rebel.

“I would like an introduction to the Savage Angels Chapter here, can you arrange it?”

“Yeah, man, how does tomorrow sound?”

“Good, thank you. How’s the meal?” I ask.

“Best thing I’ve eaten in a week. You are paying, yeah?” A smile spreads across his scruffy face.

“It would be my pleasure, Rebel. What time tomorrow?”

“I’ll text you.”

Salvatore Agostino

Captain in the Abruzzi Family

The Vegas Chapter Clubhouse is not as nice as the Tourmaline one. This, like so many other establishments in Las Vegas, is trying to be something it’s not. They’ve tried to make it a little up market, but in the light of day it looks gaudy and out of place. Tourmaline has wooden floors and a comfortable – almost cozy – feel, but this Clubhouse has a tacky multi-colored carpet, that at night looks fine, but in the daylight is disgusting. It’s all chrome and glitz, not what one would expect from an MC, but it
is
Vegas.

I wait at the bar as a scantily clad female flirts with me, and offers me drinks. I’m sure – like everything else in here – she’s probably for sale. A quick glance around the room, and I can see this is more of a stripper joint than a Clubhouse, judging by the poles on the stage. It’s early, so the place only has Savage Angels members, the odd woman, and myself. To say that I stand out in my Armani suit would be an understatement.

“Hey, Sal, King is just taking care of business in the back, he won’t be long,” says Rebel as he comes up to stand next to me.

“Good. What do you think of this place?” I say as I gesture around the room.

“It’s Vegas, baby. What were you expecting? Everyone relies on the tourist trade,” he replies as he smirks at me.

“Indeed. How well do you know King?”

“Not well, Brother, and he’s no Dane, but his boys seem to like him. He knows why you’re here, he doesn’t understand why we’re expanding though, but he’s old school. When the money starts coming in, he’ll like it well enough.”

“Will he be a problem for us?” I ask.

“Guess we’ll see.” He nods his head toward the back of the Clubhouse. Coming near us is a six foot six man, who has an air of authority about him.

He strides right up to us and extends his hand. “Name’s Kingston – King – welcome to Las Vegas.” His voice is deep, and he looks to be about thirty.

I grasp his hand and shake it. “Salvatore Agostino. Is there somewhere private we could talk?”

“Follow me.”

He turns and walks back in the direction he came from, with Rebel and I close behind. We go through a door, and the décor back here is vastly different to the front house. No glitz, no glamor, just a comfortable, manly space.

King looks me up and down. “What? Were you expecting the crap that we have out the front for the tourists back here? After Dane married Kat, the Savage Angels became a household name, we decided that the Clubhouse should be more tourist friendly, but they don’t get to come back here. Back here is ours, and not for outsiders. And you, Brother, are no outsider.”

It’s high praise coming from this man. He doesn’t know me, and yet he has welcomed me into his home.

“Thank you, King. Can I speak frankly?” I ask.

“Not yet. My most loyal and senior members are waiting for us in the meeting room.” He points at a door. “Let’s get this fucking party started.”

He opens the door and walks through, sitting around a very large square table are six members of the Vegas Chapter. All look to be no older than thirty-five, which surprises me, even in the Tourmaline Chapter, some of the senior members are forty and over.

King sits down and gestures for Rebel and I to do the same.

“You do not sit at the head of the table?” I ask.

Laughter goes around the room. “There is no head of the table. I, of course, get final say, but I do listen to the counsel of my men, and in this room we are all equal,” replies King.

“You get final say, but it’s all equal?” I question.

“I said I listen to them, I didn’t say it wasn’t a fucking dictatorship.” The men continue to laugh. “Why is the Abruzzi Crime Family here in Vegas, helping a lowly MC?”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “A lowly MC? Your MC has many business dealings with my family. We don’t consider you to be anything else, other than business partners, no more, no less.”

“And it helps that you are married to Dane Reynolds’ sister, giving you easy access to him, and us.” His tone is serious, and his men look grim.

“I am here to facilitate a business deal for Dane,
and
for you. Yes, my family will get a cut, but ultimately this will benefit
your
family more than my own.”

“Dane trusts him, King,” Rebel says, “He is—“

“Shut the fuck up, Reb. Let him talk for himself,” growls King.

“I am not a threat, and I think you know that. I am here to discuss an issue that
does
affect you. There is another group of business men who are concerned that it is
my
family that is moving in on their interests.”

“Group of business men? Fucking hell, you mean the Donati’s, don’t you?” asks King.

I glance at Rebel. “Yes, I mean the Donati’s.”

King leans forward, and places his elbows on the table. He slowly, and deliberately looks at every man in the room.

When his gaze finally gets back to me, he says, “We. Do. Not. Want. A. War.”

The room is quiet and all eyes are on me. “There will
not
be a war. The Donati’s will eventually see that we are only here for
you
.” I stand, straighten my jacket and look down and speak to Rebel. “I don’t have time for this bullshit.” Then I stare at each man. “I am here for Dane and
you
. This deal is going to go through, and I am here to keep you apprised of the dealings. I
do not
work for you, and without me, this deal isn’t going to happen. You think about that.”

With that, I stalk out of the room, and out the front door. As I reach my car, a hand is placed on my shoulder. Slowly I turn around to an aggravated Rebel.

“Brother, he’s testing you. He’s trying to see where your loyalties lie. Storming out like that isn’t going to fucking help anyone.”

I lean into him and snarl. “Do you have any idea how fucking hard I’ve
worked
on this deal?”

Surprisingly he doesn’t back down. “Yes, I fucking
do
. But the bottom line is, we need you, and you need us.”

He’s right, but my frustrations are at boiling point, I’ve been in and out of meetings since the day I arrived here, and I’ve had enough people doubting my word.

I step back and sigh, rubbing my hand over my tired face.

“I am not going back in there, Rebel. You were brought here to smooth things over, so do it. I’m going back to my hotel, let me know when they want to sit down, and discuss this like civilized people.” He continues to stare at me, disappointment etched onto his features. Exasperated, I throw my hands up into the air and begin to pace. “Fine! Arrange another meet, but not for a few days. There are things I need to sort out, and I need time to do it.” I stop pacing and look him in the eyes. “Can you do that for me, Rebel?”

“Of course, I can fucking do that for you, Sal. They are on your side, it’s just the fucking way we are. You aren’t one of us, even if you’ve been vouched for by Dane, me and everyone else in Tourmaline, they still need you to prove it to them.”

I nod and extend my hand; he grasps it and slaps me on the back with the other.

“See you soon, Brother,” Rebel says and walks away.