Page 147 of Body and Soul

Shepherd nodded, blowing out a long breath. “If that's what you want, Xavier. But we still need to talk to Xander.”

Tatty pushed herself up from the chair with a grunt, his freshly stitched arm held close to his body. “I'll go get him.”

As he headed for the stairs, I turned back to Xavier. “So, you're okay with this? Meeting your biological dad after all these years, even though he's apparently a grade-A psychopath?”

Xavier's lips quirked in a wry smile. “Okay might be a stretch. More like morbidly curious with a side of deeply conflicted. For better or worse, half of my DNA comes from him. I want to know what that means, you know? “

I nodded and tried to ignore the pang of longing for my own parents. They might’ve disowned me, but I still missed them.

Tatty came back down the stairs with Xander in tow. The usually flamboyant Xander looked uncharacteristically somber, his mouth set in a grim line.

“I'm in,” he said without preamble.

“We haven’t even told you what’s happening yet,” Shepherd said with a frown.

Xander shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. If Xavier’s going, I’m going too. We’re a package deal. Always have been, always will be.”

“Xander, it has to do with Xion,” Xavier said, crossing his arms. “Our dad has him. Our real dad. He wants us too.”

Xander's eyes widened. “Our real dad? The one who knocked up our mom and then ditched her? That dad?”

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Annie said from the back of the kitchen. “Your father and I have some bad blood between us. I’ve…been keeping him away from you. I didn’t think he would be good for you boys, but you’re adults now and it’s time for you to make that decision. Not me.”

Xander ran a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up in wild spikes. “This is heavy, man. Like, soap opera level drama.” He started pacing, his platform boots clomping on the hardwood floor.

I watched Xander pace back and forth, his brow furrowed in deep thought. The kitchen fell silent except for the rhythmic clomping of his boots. It was weird seeing him so serious. Xander was usually the one cracking jokes, keeping things light even in the darkest situations. But this revelation about their father had shaken him, had shaken all of us.

After a few tense minutes, Xander stopped pacing and turned to face us, his eyes blazing with determination. “Okay, I'm still in,” he repeated, his voice steady. “If this is our chance to finally meet our real dad and get some answers, I'm not gonna pass it up. No matter how crazy or dangerous it might be.”

A look of understanding passed between Xavier and Xander and then they both nodded like an entire conversation had just taken place.

Shepherd pushed himself up from the chair with a grunt, his freshly stitched arm held close to his body. “All right then. If you two are sure, we need to start making a plan. Algerone gave us a deadline, and we're running out of time.”

Warrick stepped forward, his expression grim. “I don't like this. Walking into the unknown, into the lair of a man with Algerone's reputation... It's a huge risk.”

Shepherd nodded, his jaw tight. “I know it's a risk. But it's one we have to take. For Xion, for Xander and Xavier, for our family. We can't let Algerone dictate the terms anymore.”

I chewed on my lower lip, my mind racing. This whole situation was beyond messed up. But as much as I hated to admit it, Shepherd was right. We couldn't just sit back and wait for Algerone to make his move. We had to do something.

“Okay, so what's the plan?” I asked, leaning against the kitchen counter. “We can't just ring this guy's doorbell.”

“No, we can't,” Shepherd agreed. He turned to Warrick. “We're going to need backup. Call River and Paxton and fill them in. We’ll need the extra hands.”

Warrick nodded, already pulling out his phone. “On it.”

“I have some other friends who might be keen to help as well,” Shepherd said. “Bear and his boys in the Revenge Hollow MC still owe me one.”

Annie stepped forward, her eyes hard. “I'm coming with you too.” Shepherd started to protest, but she held up a hand. “Don't even think about telling me to stay behind, young man. This is my mess to clean up. My mistakes led us here. I'll be damned if I let my boys face that monster alone.”

A flicker of pride shone in Shepherd's eyes. “Yes, ma'am.”

“I'll coordinate from here,” Tatty said, “and watch the girls.”

“I have some men available,” Nikita offered.

Yuri grunted and nodded. “If they want to fuck with my family, then let the might of the entire family come down on them.”

Bikers, the Russian mob, and a whole family of murderous vigilantes. We almost had a small army. Maybe it was enough that we’d stand a chance against Algerone and whoever had his back. Maybe.

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