Page 74 of Tico

Once again, the fucker’s lips twitch but he silently pushes off his SUV and gets behind the wheel. Bobby opens the gate andI step aside, following The Shadow as he pulls forward, parks, shuts off the engine and gets out again, spreading his arms wide. Daemon steps forward and pats him down. Then searches the backpack he’s holding.

“I do have gambler’s daggers in my boots, but I’d really prefer not to take them off. Same as for my belt—there’s one hidden in the buckle and at the base of my back. The rest I left in the car.”

I hesitate but tilt my head at Daemon before focusing back on The Shadow. “Fine, but I meant what I said. I won’t hesitate to shoot you if you cross us. Even if what we suspect is true.”

He quirks an eyebrow at me but eventually gives a nod of agreement. “Very well. Shall we?”

I narrow my eyes at thecabrón(fucker), but turn, leading the way back into the clubhouse, trustingmis hermanos(my brothers) to have my back if he tries anything.

Inside, I’m a little surprised to see Pyper and Rochelle—but especially Rochelle—standing front and center in the room withMamá(Mom), Xochitl, and Poison at their backs. Pyper’s arms are crossed over her chest with an unreadable expression on her face as she watches The Shadow enter behind me. I step closer to her, ready to protect her in case thiscabrón(fucker) betrays us. I cross my arms as I level The Shadow with a hard look but am surprised to find his gaze locked on Pyper with a soft look on his face. Maybe Rochelle was right.

“What information do you have about my Ol’ Lady.”

He finally tears his gaze away from Pyper and reaches into his backpack, pulling out a tablet. He pulls up something on it and then hands it to me.

“They breached the compound shortly after you called Church and they’ve already reached the Michigan/Wisconsin border per my inside man.”

Staring at the blue dot on the tablet, my jaw clenches tight at how far away they already are.

“Your man, Zane, sold you out. He’s been skimming off all your operations for the past six months and trying to get his hands into things your club isn’t tied to. Plus, he wants to expand on things your club previously did. Oasis was already on his radar. So, when Ember and Pyper came here, he realized he could make a mint off them. His plan was to originally take both of them this morning, but when the fight happened with Corvus, he didn’t want to risk being caught—he left with just Ember.”

Fury lights up my veins. My grip on the tablet tightens and my spine straightens as I take a step forward. “If you knew he was trying to take my Ol’ Lady and her sister, then why didn’t you give me this information sooner?”

The Shadow matches my step forward. “Because if I had moved sooner, more lives would be at stake than just my daughters’.”

The muscles in my jaw tick, but before I can say anything, Pyper steps forward, placing a hand on my arm.

“So, it’s true then? You’re our father? Not Jerry?”

The Shadow scoffs before he snarls. “That fucker’s shooting blanks. Always has. That’s why Scooter and Oasis allowed him to basically have free reign of the women at the Chrome Vipers compound. He was one of the ones they used to further break down the women bit by bit since he couldn’t get them pregnant. Oasis wants most of their victims to be a shell of themselves so that they don’t resist as much. Though, some buyers do enjoy the resistance.”

Disgust curls in my gut at his words.

Then he pauses as his face softens. “But yes, I am your father. And Ember’s.” He pauses as he looks around atmis hermanos(my brothers) before focusing back on her. “But that’s a story for you and Ember. For right now, we need to focus on getting Ember back before they hand her off to The Collector, because ifthey manage to do so, I most likely won’t be able to get her out of there alive.”

“I get she’s your daughter and all,” Creed asks, “but why are you helping us? You’re Oasis.”

The Shadow gives him the same smirk-slash-partial smile that Ember gives, and for a moment, it’s weird to see it on him.

“Not all is as it seems with me.” He reaches into his bag again, and into a hidden pocket. He pulls out a thin wallet and flips it open.

“Holy shit, you’re a fucking Fed?” Gorgon says and the tension in the room thickens.

He flips the wallet shut and puts it back. “Yes, but not by choice.” He looks down at Pyper. “I’m not a good man. I did a lot of shit as a kid and in my twenties that I’m not proud of. I did kidnap people for Oasis and I didn’t care about their fates as long as I got paid. But then I met someone that changed all that. You’re mother, Renee.

“That said, I didn’t know you both were for sure mine until shortly after you were born, Pyper. But before I could get to you both, Jerry killed Renee. Around that same time, the Feds were closing in on parts of Oasis’ operations. It was a month or so after I found out the truth that the Feds picked me up. They offered me a couple of choices. One was to go undercover to serve my sentence. They’d turn my area of the operation into a way to try and rescue some of the victims. I took it with the agreement that when my sentence is served, I wanted out. That sentence ends at the end of this month. When that time comes, a fake raid will happen at my house and I’ll be captured. My ‘successor’ is already mapped out and is undercover as well.”

Psycho snorts. “That’s awfully convenient that your sentence ends at the end of this month. Why should we believe you?”

The Shadow levels him a look that would make a lesser man piss himself. “You can contact the man that picked me up. Youalready know him—Agent Creed Weber. You helped the Steel Archangels cut off the head of the snake, so to speak, two years ago. He was working with the Steel Archangels. Call him if you want. He already knows I’m here and that The Collector is after my daughter. I had tried to ‘buy’ both their contracts to get them out, but they only allowed me to ‘buy’ Pyper’s.”

Well, that explains why he bought the contract. As for Weber, I do remember him. It was kind of surprising when I found out the Steel Archangels had been working with the Feds for months trying to bring down Oasis. Even more surprising, I still have Weber’s number saved in my phone.

The Shadow must see my decision on my face because he gives me a chin lift. “Tell him Lucian Cortez says ‘hello’.”

The corner of my lips twitch as I pull out my phone, dialing Weber. He answers on the second ring.

“Agent Weber speaking.”