Yellowstone: Wind in the Smoke

Dante had no intention of returning to New York City so soon, but some tasks required his presence. As the leader of a criminal organization, he had always been extremely cautious.

Before adopting the identity of Dante—or before Dante's emotions fully took over—he was a grounded, pragmatic individual who knew exactly how to make money.

Dante never claimed that money earned from drugs was a source of pride, but he ensured that everything was as equitable as possible.

He covered his workers' expensive medical bills and provided death insurance in case any of them died, ensuring their families would have some financial support.

In a short time, Dante established a system named Sons of Anarchy, a structured hierarchy led by him.

The mere thought of disobedience or betrayal was far-fetched—Dante didn't hire overly ambitious individuals.

He knew that feeding snakes could lead them to bite back, so for most key positions, Dante maintained control. He was aware of his workers' families, their girlfriends, their children, even their pets.

If anyone dared betray him or sold him out to the police, they knew full well what would happen.

Dante carried two nicknames: Dan to his friends and The Librarian to his enemies.

Dante loved books, which made him an expert in various criminal strategies, getting inside people's heads, and understanding what they thought.

The world would be astonished at the power contained in books—a well of knowledge and a treasury of information.

For gang members, if The Librarian came knocking, it meant they had made serious mistakes. One such mistake was crossing the Sons of Anarchy.

Civilized individuals like James St. Patrick knew men like Dante well enough to understand that playing games with them was not an option. Even the unhinged Tommy knew that picking a fight with Dante and his gang was an all-or-nothing gamble, with very slim chances of winning.

The people attacking both James' and Dante's organizations understood their tempers well, which was why an important meeting was scheduled to resolve their differences.

...

"Why are we meeting here?" Tommy questioned, eyeing the grimy setting they found themselves in, unable to grasp why this particular location had been chosen.

But James understood perfectly and responded, "This spot used to belong to Fat Tom's gang. Nobody messed with Fat Tom—until Dan killed them all after that bastard sent back the heads of two Sons of Anarchy."

Tommy scanned the area warily, accompanied by ten trusted men, all armed and ready for action. Still, he doubted it would be enough if things turned hostile.

"Dan took over their business and, out of mercy, gave the families of those guys decent lives," James said calmly.

"Do you really trust him?" Tommy asked, skepticism written all over his face when it came to someone like Dante.

James, however, was different. He knew that, like Dante, their business was mostly stable, and the last thing either side wanted was conflict.

"They're here," James said, watching three black SUVs with tinted windows approach the group that had been waiting for some time.

Tommy's expression turned serious as he spun around to address his men. "If they shoot, empty your mags into those bastards."

Before he could issue further orders, several men exited the SUVs, all clad in expensive suits.

None wore casual attire; it seemed their code of conduct demanded formal wear at all times.

Tommy turned to James and quipped, "Are we meeting Obama, or the leader of some damn organization?"

"Shut up," James snapped, clearly not in the mood for Tommy's antics.

His focus was on one man, someone much younger than he had expected.

Dante, dressed in black suit, stepped out of one of the SUVs, followed by an incredibly beautiful woman.

James, always prepared for negotiations, stepped forward and said, "I would've preferred hosting this meeting at my pub, where I could welcome you properly."

Dante's eyes radiated a calm demeanor as he replied in a serene tone, "You didn't know me yet. I wanted to establish a vote of confidence before moving further."

"You're absolutely right," Tommy interjected, his gaze fixed on Susie, who had no business being there, in his opinion.

The leader of the Sons of Anarchy bringing his woman to a negotiation? Ridiculous.

"I regret that we have to meet under these conditions," Dante said, gesturing for them to follow. "But I fear that without this meeting, hostilities would only grow."

Without a word, Susie followed Dante, and James and Tommy did the same.

"The weapons you provided were excellent. We'll screw over those attacking us next time they try something," Tommy said with a grin.

"Reckless as any easily manipulated man. I fear that if this is how you react to enemies, you're susceptible to anything being planted in your head," Susie remarked, casting a pointed glance at Tommy, who was rendered speechless.

It was then that both James and Tommy thought, This woman is dangerous.