The Salvatores Collection: A Steel Saviors MC Romance

by Ethan Egorov

  “So . . . Roberto fucked him over?” Trent said.

  “In a sense,” Pop said with a shrug. “Alessandro gave him more chances than he should have. The day when the metaphorical straw broke the camel’s back was a cold winter’s eve.”

  Pop looked up at the sky as if recalling an old fable he needed to tell with exact precision. And Trent understood full well that someday he or one of his brothers would have to tell the story. And while Trent had tried to stay above the family business, Tommy and the others weren’t exactly in a rush to claim it either. For now, it wasn’t an issue as Antonio, his father, would be next to oversee it.

  But someday . . .

  “Despite his long hours at the butcher’s shop, Alessandro made several friends in the city, and one of his buddies came in the shop with a pretty blonde woman at his side. The young woman, Margie, was in the process of planning a dinner party for several rich publicists. Alessandro discovered that she worked for an editor as a private chef, and that night was to be their annual Christmas Gala. She didn’t have a clue what to make, but their friend told her that Alessandro would give her all the tools to make magic happen. Well, Alessandro had read up on some dishes, gave her some recommendations, and took his time in carving her the perfect slab of meat. Now, here the story gets a little murky.”

  Pop cleared his throat and even got a hint of a smile, but just a hint. Trent had never heard this segment of the story, and as a result, he took his grandfather’s smile as a sign it was going to get good.

  “Some versions say he made her a rack of lamb, others the perfect beef roast, the point though is from that day on, Alessandro was smitten with the woman. After the dinner party was a raging success, Margie’s employers felt the need to reward her for her efforts. They not only gave Margie a raise, but they also gave her the keys to an old restaurant in town they had purchased for her to run. She was brought to tears by her good fortune and made it a point to find Alessandro to properly thank him.”

  “She found him, didn’t she?” Trent asked.

  “In a way. You see, Margie was a smart lady and she asked around town about Alessandro until she found the address for his tiny flat. She walked there, unattended, the following evening.”

  Doesn’t that sound familiar. Funny how history has a way of repeating itself. Funny how it seems to echo through time, from the past to the future. Trent didn’t dare interrupt to share this thought.

  “Unfortunately, Alessandro was still at the shop when she arrived. Knocking on the door, she expected Alessandro to answer, but she found herself standing face to face with Roberto. He stood in the doorway, looking at her with his dark hair and deep brown eyes. Despite her best intentions, she couldn’t resist Roberto’s wicked charms and flirtations as he coaxed her inside the apartment for a nightcap. It was a cold night and the snow had just begun falling, covering the city streets. Roberto was a strong man with a sense of humor and seemingly boundless energy.”

  Seems to me Alessandro avoided a nightmare if she was that easy.

  “When Alessandro returned, he heard her soft laughter from outside the door. He quickly let himself into the flat only to find Roberto and Margie in bed together in the apartment that he paid for and worked his fingers to the bone to keep. Of course, he had no way of knowing that Margie’s intention that evening was to thank him for his help and offer her heart to him. Alessandro stood with nothing but hurt and hate in his heart after seeing the pair embracing one another, and on the spot, he sent Roberto and his new lady friend packing. It didn’t matter to Roberto, though, see, because he had a place to go since he was now a wealthy socialite’s main squeeze.”

  And my father and grandfather wonder why I have remained single for as long as I have. This story is basically a repeat of Rachelle and I.

  Kristina and I were a little more stable and saner, but still. My relationship history does nothing to suggest this could be a viable path for me someday.

  “He vowed to make Roberto pay in other ways. He made it a point to try and shut Margie’s restaurant down. He made his own business, a pawn shop, a front for the drug trade, and his wealth grew immensely. Soon though, Roberto figured it out. He followed suit, using Margie’s business for the same. The former friends became rivals for business and new clients. In this case, lady luck was not on Salvatore’s side.”

  So it’s a lover’s quarrel that never should have been a quarrel in the first place. As if I needed even more reminders to be careful out there. It really would be Rachelle 2.0.

  Or maybe Kristina? Who knows?

  Suddenly, the staff began closing up for the evening, and the glowing neon open light was turned off. The owner, Saul Pennini, came out, still wearing his chef’s jacket and approached the table. Although all the other customers would have to leave, it was no secret that the Salvatores would get to stay. Pop continued speaking. Saul was as much a family member as a non-Salvatore could be.

  Although the evening may have suggested otherwise, the Salvatores actually didn’t have a lot of friends that were so close as to be considered family. They had acquaintances and people that were made to feel like friends, but as far as close friends, it was pretty much the Penninis, Kristina, and that was about it.

  “Alessandro continued to carry that hurt with him through his business ventures, and honestly, in the beginning, he was the one who insisted on continuing to wage war on Roberto and his family,” Pop said, continuing without a beat. “Roberto’s construction and contracting business grew, so of course, when Alessandro dipped his foot in the drug trade, Roberto followed suit after his former friend. This is where it gets a bit twisted, though.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Trent noticed Saul’s face grew grim as he checked his cell phone, but that didn’t stop Pop. Pop, for all intents and purposes, had earned the right to speak whatever was on his mind for as long as he wanted thanks to his seniority. And in any case, unlike in some families, it wasn’t considered rude to take a moment to check one’s cell phone; communication and family business always took priority over other matters, no matter how seemingly insignificant or unimportant.

  A story could be told at any time. Business had to be handled at that moment.

  “Let’s just say that both men eventually grew to develop a string of different businesses, using their drug capital to invest in other things. When Roberto opened a barbershop, Alessandro would follow by opening a dry cleaner. On and on it went, until one day fortune finally smiled upon Alessandro.”

  Trent chuckled. Seems like fortune isn’t exactly something to be courted in this family.

  “Well, it couldn’t have been too good; otherwise, we wouldn’t be sitting here in this predicament.”

  “That’s the damned truth, Trent,” Pop acknowledged. “Anyway, one fine day, Alessandro goes into the cleaners to check up on the place and make certain it’s being run to his standards. Alessandro walks into the cleaners and goes into the backroom to organize some stock. He sees that everything is in order. One clerk is running it, so he decides to take a look at the books while he’s at the location. Alessandro takes them to the front counter, where he pulls up a stool. He’s meticulously going over the facts and figures when a customer walks in. But not just any customer.”

  Finally, Pop seemed to get a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, like he was telling a good part of the story.

  “Now, this woman, she really had it going on. She had her dark brown hair with red highlights curled and pulled up delicately under her hat. She struck quite an impressive figure as well. She wore an olive-colored dress that clung to her curves and created an hourglass shape of her bust and waist. She had a certain elegance and charm about her as well. Alessandro was certainly struck by her. Even before he saw her, the scent of her lavender and jasmine perfume lingered in the air while she stood waiting. When Alessandro looked up from his task, he quickly dropped his pen and the world went still for a few moments.”

  Pop cleared his throat. Trent was now fully engro
ssed. He had to admit that although he was in no rush to find himself a woman, he still enjoyed a good story like this. Especially because it seemed like this was when the real character of the Salvatores would come into play.

  And though he would never ever admit it to Pop, his father, or most anyone else, a small part of him did silently wish he could have a story like this, a story that he could pass on to his descendants.

  “Her name was Charlotte Jones, and she was married to a lawyer in the better part of the city. She walked up to the counter and looked at Alessandro curiously. He was still at the point where he was so shaken by her beauty, he couldn’t form words. Alessandro eventually spoke up. He smiled shyly at her and asked what she needed help with. They talked for a few moments, and she gave him the slip for her husband’s suits. For the first time in a long time, Alessandro cleared his throat, and instead of playing the nice guy and waiting on Charlotte to come to him or make the first move, he just handed her the receipt and told her his address was on the back. He made it clear to her that after her husband left on business, she should pay him a visit.”

  The old man stretched and poured himself another glass of scotch. Pop may have had some years on him and been closer to the door of death than the road of life, but he could still go for hours telling a story like this. Fatigue was not something that seemed to affect Pop Salvatore.

  “Guess you could say Alessandro finally manned up and went after the pretty girl standing in front of him. Later that evening, when Alessandro finished up at the dry cleaner, he went back to that same tiny apartment he was living in and took a shower. Afterward, he stood at the sink, wearing only a thin, white tank top and shorts. He had just put his toothbrush in his mouth when he heard a faint knock on the door. Opening the door, he was shocked to find that Charlotte had actually accepted his proposal. She had changed into another outfit, which seemed far more casual, but it was hard to tell with the long black overcoat she wore. There was no bag in her arms, and it didn’t appear as if she had another errand to run. She was there just to see him and that excited him to no end.

  “He invited her in and Charlotte didn’t say one word to him. Instead, she took the toothbrush from his hand and sat it on the small table in the corner of the living room. She then unbuttoned her overcoat and revealed the thin black negligee that she wore underneath. Alessandro’s breath hitched in his throat when she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders and pulled him to her. Alessandro was done for. With heated touches and a surge of chemistry, they lay together on his full-size bed and made passionate love. It was everything Alessandro could hope for, and he was overjoyed when Charlotte didn’t immediately leave. Instead, she stayed with him and ran her fingertips through his jet black hair, watching him fall into a peaceful sleep.”

  It was a lovely story that made Trent smile and brought him memories of his own past.

  But there was one part that his grandfather either seemed to be ignoring or had just completely forgotten to mention in the conversation. One part that, unfortunately, Trent had some familiarity with, having dealt with a few women in his past.

  “So, what happened then, Pop?”

  “Ah, well, the only reason Charlotte had considered Alessandro’s offer in the first place was the fact that he had been stepping out on her for months. She caught him cheating with some low-class girls he’d met at a casino one night. He’d been funneling them money on the sly, and she’d discovered the missing money while doing their books.”

  “So,” Trent said with a smirk. “I guess that was karma, huh, Pop?”

  “Karma at its finest, Trenton.”

  And not just against her husband, but for Alessandro after everything he’d gone through.

  Before Pop could continue his tale, Saul jumped up from his chair with a shocked expression, alarming everyone at the table.

  “I’m so sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you all to leave. I have to lock up right now.”

  Saul looked as if he’d seen a ghost. His hands were shaking, his phone clutched between white knuckles.

  “What’s wrong, Saul?” Pop said. “Is there trouble?”

  “Yes, it’s Lucille.”

  His wife. That doesn’t sound good.

  Kristina

  Kristina stared at the letter for as long as she could, making sure she read it right.

  But there was no misunderstanding what the letter had said, and what it would mean that she would have to do.

  She had a job. Or, at least, she had a potential job lined up. But first, she needed to bring someone back into her life that she hadn’t seen in ages, someone she’d have preferred to see under much more normal circumstances.

  Trent Salvatore.

  A part of her gut told her that taking this job would be risky, stupid even. No one asked to bring someone else into a job if that task didn’t involve violence, interrogation, or something else. Furthermore, so far the job was anonymous.

  But Kristina had gotten good at recognizing when a letter came from the Mikkelsons or from another rival family, and when it came from someone within the Salvatore clan. She had her suspicions. It seemed like the kind of letter that would have come from the Salvatores, perhaps with the intent of intervening for some reason or another in Trent’s life.

  But whoever had sent it to her clearly knew their history, and they knew she had an effect on him like no one else ever had. Kristina wasn’t naïve to Trent’s past or even to his future. She knew that, despite what he thought, he could get just about any girl. She knew that he had gotten into bed with a bit of a batshit crazy woman, a waitress at a restaurant he frequented who seemed to string him along with promises of great sex.

  But she also knew that only she could make Trent bow, maybe not in the literal sense but in the metaphorical sense. She knew that, for better or for worse, she could manipulate Trent to her heart’s desire. And she knew that while she would never do such a thing when she was dating him if this job led where she suspected it did, then it was something that she needed to do.

  She started by going to her closet and looking through her outfits. She examined them all in terms of cleavage, sexiness, and arousal potential. None of them quite did the trick. Trent had either seen them all, or they weren’t to his liking. She’d have to do some shopping. Fortunately, money wasn’t an issue. The Salvatores took care of many of her needs, and besides, even if this job somehow put them at odds with her, she had saved her money.

  And on top of that, this job promised a rather nice lump sum of money.

  She put in her calendar to do some shopping in the morning. It gave her something to focus on, and while her blood was still pumping and her mind was still racing from what she’d had to deal with this evening because of John, she was starting to feel calm. Having actual work to do went a long way toward making her feel better.

  Next came one of the trickier things that she had to do. She had to find out where Trent lived now.

  Sure, she could have just gone to the Salvatore mansion and asked around, but that would have been too obvious. Even using a claim about wanting him back would have been met with raised suspicions. They had not gotten back together since their last dalliance, and for better or for worse—mostly worse—she’d suffered through many breakups since then. Why would this breakup in particular make her want to get back with him?

  She had to use surreptitious methods. She had to use modern means and her connections.

  Amazingly, though, the job didn’t prove as difficult as she had feared. She only needed to get online and look at Trent’s social media accounts to see that he had posted a photo from his new apartment of a view that she was able to very quickly narrow down to one of the nicer parts of town, a part that also conveniently gave a wide berth of space between its living locations. It was like Trent was hoping someone would learn where he lived.

  As for getting into Trent’s place, that was the easy part. Trent was someone who didn’t bother to take the necessary security precautions th
at his family did. Whether that was some subconscious way of detaching himself from his family or just sheer laziness on his part, Kristina never could quite figure out, but it was pretty clear it was something she could take advantage of.

  She had everything lined up. She smiled.

  And then it hit her.

  In one week, she was going from her cheating boyfriend, who had taken her overseas to being in the bedroom of her old romantic flame, and not only was she going to be in his bedroom, she was supposed to act the part of the old romantic flame. This wasn’t trying to intervene for him being an alcoholic or something ridiculous like that.

  The letter had been very clear. Flirt and seduce him enough to convince him to meet at a hotel room at a later date. She was to give him a present, the clothing, with a note containing details, and she was to do it in a way that made it obvious she wanted him.

  The problem with this approach was that she really did want him. This wasn’t some spy situation where she seduced another side of the family. It was going to be enormously difficult, if not downright impossible, to separate business from personal. She would take the job and do it, especially because her gut told her this was something being done for their benefit, but that didn’t mean it was going to be easy.

  She struggled to remember the last time she had seen Trent. It had been . . . well, she saw him on social media, so she knew what he looked like now. His eyes were a little more furrowed, and his face was a little more scrunched, but he still looked like the same man she’d fallen in love with all those years ago.

  But looks were merely the gated entrance to someone’s presence, and she would kill to know what his presence was like now.

  Thankfully, she wouldn’t have to do that. She just had to be herself.

  But, damn, she had no idea what to expect.

  And that was terrifying.

  Trent