Page 70 of Tico

I stalk out of the room and down the hall towards Pyper’s room. When I reach it, I knock heavily on her door before pulling out my keys, not wanting to wait.

“Just a minute,” she calls out groggily and I freeze before exhaling in relief and pocket my keys now that I don’t have to rush in.

A few seconds later, Pyper cracks open the door. Her face pales when she sees me and she throws the door open wider.

“Where’s Ember?”

I swallow hard. “We don’t know, but we’re going to find out.”

Chapter 33

Ember

IwatchTicoleaveand an uneasy feeling comes over me. Throwing off the covers, I quickly throw on some clothes, my boots, and then I braid my hair. Pacing the room, I chew on my thumbnail as my gaze bounces between the door and my nightstand holding my gun.

“Fuck it,” I curse and cross the room, pulling it out. I debate whether I should use my ankle or side holster and end up putting on the side holster before putting my cut on over it to cover it up.

I pace for another ten minutes when someone knocks on the door. I freeze, staring at it for a minute before crossing the room.

“Who is it?” I ask through the locked door.

“It’s Corvus, Queenie. Tico texted me to come sit with you while he and the others go into Church.”

I hesitate, remembering he’s one of the ones Tico, Taco, and Wire suspect could be the rat.

“He said you could text him if you want to verify. I won’t take offense, I’d do the same thing in your shoes.”

Before he’s even done talking, I pull out my phone and type a quick message out to Tico.

Ember: Just to verify, did you ask Corvus to sit with me while you guys are in Church?

A few seconds later, his reply comes through.

Tico: Yeah, I did. Wire found out some shit and Corvus was still up, so I asked him to keep you company.

I breathe a sigh of relief and reply.

Ember: Okay, thanks. I just wanted to make sure.

Pocketing my phone, I pull out my gun and aim it around chest height before I unlock and crack open the door. Surprisingly, Corvus huffs out a little laugh and smiles when he sees my gun pointed at him. Not seeing anyone behind him, I let him in and lock the door behind him.

“Knew you were one of us, Queenie. When shit is going on, that’s the best way to answer the door in the middle of the night.” He pauses as he tilts his head and looks back at the door. “Though, maybe talk to Wire. While Tico and Taco both have access to our security feeds, the rest of us have an app on ourclub tablets and phones that lets us look to see who is outside our door. We can’t access anything else of the feed, but Wire hooks that up for every room.”

I pause at that. “Huh. They hadn’t mentioned that. I’ll ask them, thanks.”

He tilts his head and then turns on the bathroom light, partially closes the door, and then turns off the lamp on my nightstand.

I frown at him and he points at the windows. “This way, we can still see out the windows in case something happens. And it doesn’t illuminate us to them either. I’m not sure what Tico and the other officers are meeting about, but my guess is that it’s something about the Chrome Vipers and Oasis.”

He steps near one window, looking out but making sure he stays in the shadows so it’s harder for people inside to see in. I take up position at the other window, doing the same thing.

For a few minutes, we stand in silence but it’s not uncomfortable silence, which is odd since Corvus is one of the suspects.

“I take it Tico filled you in on the plan for later today?” he asks and I nod.

“Yeah,” I reply, though I make no mention of Uncle Marcus giving us even more information and that the plan will most likely change some. “Those assholes need to be stopped, and I know what those women and children are going through. I’m more than willing to help draw them out if it means freeing them.”

Corvus’ face darkens at the reminder of what the Chrome Vipers and Oasis are doing to innocent people. “People capable of doing shit like that to anyone else should be put six feet under.”