Chapter 15

Dane

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Emily; she was only a little kid when I was thrown out. Contact between us has been difficult because of Dad. She rang when he first got sick and I could tell by her voice that I had let her down when I refused to come to his bedside. The damage that man inflicted on me haunted me for years. I made wrong choices but I did my best not to become like him. He would drink and  he would beat my mother. When she fell pregnant with Emily, I would try to protect her, but I was only seven. I tried to stand between them but he didn’t care, he would beat a seven year old as easily as he would beat a pregnant woman. I remember one night when Emily was only little and I must have been about ten, we all slept in bed with Ma and I had a knife under my pillow. We slept huddled together waiting for him to come home but that night he didn’t. Things changed when I turned thirteen and had a growth spurt. Although I couldn’t fight him, I could be more of a shield for my mother. Eventually, though, I began to hit back and at fifteen, and I managed to knock him to the ground. He didn’t like that. He didn’t like having someone who could fight for themselves, who could stand up to him. One night he threw me out. He got into a drunken rage and started in on my mother so I defended her with my fists, the way he taught me. I broke his nose and he threw me out. I can still see my mother’s face that night when I pleaded with her to throw him out, to make a stand. She grabbed Emily and walked away, leaving me in the night with the clothes on my back. Alone.

That was the last time I saw them all together. I wanted to have a relationship with Emily and I did keep tabs on her, but I was not getting wrapped up in that family again while he was there. In a way, it was the best thing that happened to me because I found the MC. They, unlike my real family, protected me, encouraged me and in them, I found out what the word family actually means. Now I have Kat, and with her, I will create my own family.

I wanted to go see Emily when our mother died; she was gunned down in a robbery gone wrong. With my connections in the MC, I tracked down those responsible for her death and they paid with their lives.

I am on my bike and headed for town. If Emily is associated with this stranger, I need to know why.

I pull into the Compound and park my bike. I stalk across the lot and am headed into town when I see Fith about to climb on his bike.

“Fith! Thought you were given a job to do in town?” I growl at him.

He looks at his bike, then at me. He slowly walks towards me. “Hey Prez! Yeah, I was watching your sister but got into it with that fucker Sal. So, I asked Bear to keep an eye on her.”

“Sal?” I ask

He looks at me and nods; something flashes across his face that I can’t decipher. “Yeah, Salvatore Agostino, he’s a Captain in the Abruzzi Family.”

“How the fuck do you know that? Did he tell you?” I ask.

“I’ve seen him around, when I was with the East Coast Chapter. He’s a ruthless fucker, Prez.”

I stare at Fith and if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was lying or nervous. He is loyal, he’s proved that, but I can see he’s got his bike all packed up for a ride and we don’t have one planned. Could he be scared of this Salvatore  Agostino?

“I can see you’re planning a ride but, man, you aren’t leaving town ‘cause some fucker with the Abruzzi Family has come to visit. So, unpack.” I motion towards his bike and he nods. “I’m going to find Emily and when I come back, you and I are going to have a sit down, yeah?”

“Ok, Prez. We’re good, yeah?” he asks.

“We’re good, man, so long as you don’t leave. You are an integral part of this MC and whatever this fucker wants we’ll sort it together.”

He nods at me and walks back into the clubhouse. Something’s not right.

“You ok, Dane?” Jonas has come to stand beside me.

“He was preparing to leave. He says the stranger is Salvatore Agostino, Captain in the Abruzzi Family. What would make Fith so scared that he’d pack up?”

I look at Jonas who responds, “Did he ask this Agostino who he was? I told him to watch, not interact.”

I look at Jonas quizzically. “No, he said he recognized him from earlier dealings when he was with the East Coast Chapter. Didn’t he mention it?”

“No, Fith was in the clubhouse when the guy came in and I sent him to keep an eye on him and Emily. He didn’t say anything about knowing him.”

I look at him then look back at the clubhouse and shake my head from side to side. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I run a hand over my face and through my hair. “Can you keep an eye on him while I go find Emily?”

“Yeah, Dane. But be careful, yeah?” He looks serious. I nod at him and head into Main Street.

I pull out my phone and dial Bear, who answers on the second ring. “Yo! Prez!”

“Hey Bear, you got eyes on my sister?” I say.

“Sure do, she’s still with that guy and they look cozy. They’re in Doc Jordan’s right now.”

“Cool, man. I’m on my way.” I hang up, put my phone into my jacket and walk towards my destination. Tourmaline has everything you could want. It’s not a big town but it has everything I need. I see Bear in the distance and I’m headed towards him when I see Emily step out onto the sidewalk, hand in hand with Salvatore Agostino. He stares at her like she’s the most amazing woman he’s ever met and she looks smitten too.

I close in on them and it’s as if he senses me; he turns and puts himself in front of Emily as he faces me. Then Bear walks up behind them and I see Agostino brace, trying to decide who the biggest threat is. I nod at Bear who stops advancing towards them. Then Agostino gives me his full attention. I see Emily trying to move around him but he has his arm out stopping her.

I stop when I am about three feet away from them. “Salvatore.” I nod at him. “You have someone behind you that belongs to me, to my family. I’d appreciate it if you moved so I could greet her.” I growl at him.

He looks me up and down and says, “She can greet you from where she is and she doesn’t belong to you.”

I look past him to Emily, who looks confused. “Hello, Emily. It’s been a long time, Sis.”

Agostino turns and looks at Emily and says, “You’re his sister?”

She stares at him then looks back to me and nods. Tears form in her eyes. I take a step towards her. “Em, I’m so sorry about Dad. You should have called.”

“What?” she says with a high‐pitched voice. “I should have called?” She takes a step towards me, bridging the gap between us. I am six foot six so I tower over her. “Do you know what I went through with him? Do you know how hard it was to watch him waste away? Writhing around in pain? I fucking needed you to be there for me!” she screams the last few words at me and begins to hit me with her fists. The pain is so raw in her eyes and tears stream down her face. She yells and hits me and I let her. Bear goes to move but I signal him to stay where he is. I glance at Salvatore and he looks shocked at Emily’s outburst. Then he places both his arms around her and takes a step back as he holds her against his body. He whispers to her in Italian, trying to soothe her.

“Em, I can see you’re in pain, I can see you are mad. I understand, but you have to know I cut my ties with Dad and Mom years ago. I always wanted to have a relationship with you, Em, but he would never allow it. You know how he was, Em. I thought you’d leave; I thought you’d come find me one day and you have.”

She stops flailing about and tears stream down her face as Salvatore continues to hold her. She stares at me with eyes full of pain and shakes her head from side to side.

“Why did you leave me?” she whispers. “Why didn’t you take me with you or come back for me? Why?” She turns away from me, burying her head into Salvatore’s chest.

He looks me in the eyes and tells me, “I will bring her to you when she has calmed down.”

“No, she belongs with me.”

He looks down into her eyes, seeking a response from her. She shakes her head and I hear her whisper, “No, Sal, please.”

It feels like someone winded me. My own blood doesn’t want to be with me. I can’t let her leave without speaking with her so I say, “Em, I know you’re mad, and you have every right to be. But, Em, you don’t know the full story. You were only seven or eight when I was thrown out. I have a lot to tell you, a lot to share. Please, Em, don’t leave until we’ve talked.”

Looking up at Salvatore she whispers to him, “Just not now. Give me a minute to get myself together.”

“Give me an hour,” he says, locking eyes with mine.

I concede and give her the time she needs. 

A voice from behind me pulls me away from the intensity of the moment and asks, “Is there a problem here?” It’s Sheriff Morales.

I turn to look at him and say, “No, Sheriff, we’re all good.”

He stares past me to my sister then he asks, “Ma’am, is he bothering you?”

She turns from Agostino’s embrace to face the Sheriff, finding his hand as she does. “No, I’m fine. It’s just that our father died and I’m...” her words trail off as fresh tears form in her eyes.

“Father?” The Sheriff looks from me to her and back again. “Sympathies to you both. Sorry, Dane, didn’t realize you had family.” I give a slight nod. He returns my gesture and continues on his way. But he stops about twelve feet away and spins back around. “Salvatore Agostino. Abruzzi crime family. What are you doing here?”

“I am a citizen of this wonderful country and can travel it, can’t I?” he growls at the Sheriff.

The Sheriff looks at me and says, “You get into bed with these people and trouble comes here, I won’t like that Reynolds. That would be bad for this town.”

I raise my eyebrows at the Sheriff and turn so I am facing him. “Mr. Agostino is here supporting my sister, right, Sal?”

“That’s right. I’ve got no...business in Tourmaline.”

The Sheriff stands with his hands on his hips, exchanging glances between me, Agostino and lastly Emily—who is still holding hands with a ruthless killer.

It’s clear he doesn’t believe us but at the moment we haven’t done anything wrong so he says, “Right.” He fixes Emily with a stare, “Ma’am, have a nice day.” He turns and walks away from us.

I look back at Em but she refuses to make eye contact.

I move my gaze to Agostino. “An hour, two tops. Come to the clubhouse or I come looking for you. And trust me when I say, you don’t want me looking for you.” I turn on my heel and head for the Compound.