Page 38 of The Devil’s Escape (The Devil’s Soldiers #7)

“You don’t know me,” Avery points out, her tone reasonable, but her eyes search mine.

“And I know you’re going to do your best, Hulk.

I don’t want you to think I don’t believe that, but I’m pragmatic, and I need to think everything through.

When it comes down to it, if you have the choice to save the men in your club and me and my siblings, you’re not going to pick us.

That’s not the way it works, even I know that, and I barely know anything about MCs. ”

Before I was taken, I’d have agreed with her.

My club is my top priority, but being here with her now, I’m not so sure.

Uncertainty is starting to creep in, but that’s something to worry about later.

Right now, I need to convince my devilish angel to give me a shot to prove her wrong.

“We would never let that happen. We keep women and children out of this fight as much as possible. As for knowing you, we’ll get there soon enough.

I plan on finding out everything I can about you.

Your favorite foods, what makes you tick, what makes you smile and laugh, and what makes your eyes sparkle the way they did earlier.

” I smirk, unable to resist teasing her a little bit.

“You know, when you were staring at my cock after I got naked.”

I half expect her to blush and look away in embarrassment. Instead, her lips pull up into a mocking smirk, and her brow arches. “I was staring at how a man so big can have something so small.”

I bark out a laugh. We both know that’s a crock of shit, but I’m not easily offended. Besides, I like a woman who can keep me on my toes with what’s going to come out of her mouth. Probably why Rose and I get along so well. “Mmmm, you sure about that?”

She gives a small chuckle. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure about that. If this was any other time or place, I’d make you show me again so I can prove that I’m right, but considering you’re still recovering, and I have things to do, we’re going to have to put it on hold.”

My cock hardens at her words—and it is definitely not fucking small—and I murmur, “Angel, any injuries I have has nothing to do with my cock and making you scream my name. I’ll just have to take you from behind so you don’t try to claw my back as you come.”

Her eyes heat at my words, and a delicate shiver makes her tremble against me. “Are you trying to seduce me, Hulk?”

I lower my mouth to brush along the other side of her jaw, and my hand cupping the other side of her jaw moves to the nape of her neck, holding her still. “I’m thinking about it. Do you have a problem with that?” I press a gentle kiss to her chin, and then up along the outer edges of her mouth.

Avery’s eyes flutter close briefly before they open again to stare back into mine when I pull away just enough to see her clearly.

“Are you sure this isn’t just some kind of trauma response with everything we’ve been going through?

” she whispers. “You’ve been through a lot, Hulk, and you might be confusing desire with gratitude or something and I don’t?—”

“I am grateful as hell that you got me out of there and have helped me get patched up,” I interrupt, watching her.

“But that has nothing to do with this, angel. It has everything to do with wanting you so much I ache with it. Of being drawn to you from the first moment I saw you. And I know you’ve felt it too.

So why fight it?” I can tell she’s still not quite sold, so I do the only thing I can to show her.

I lower my mouth to hers and pull her against me.

At first, she doesn’t react, but whatever defenses she’s trying to raise within herself fall and she sinks into me, kissing me back.

Her fingers grip the sides of my shirt as if trying to anchor herself to keep from hurting me.

Her mouth is perfection, the taste of her making me hunger for more.

She moans softly, her mouth opening so I can taste her.

If I was doubting before that there was any kind of spark between us, it’s gone now.

The door has been opened and there’s no stopping the fire now.

Her taste is sweet, and pure, but the way she’s pressing her body into mine is nothing but temptation.

I resist the urge to lower my hands down, cup her ass, and lift her into my arms. Something tells me she’s not ready for that, even if she is kissing me like she’s not sure she’ll ever get enough.

My hand cups the back of her neck a little tighter as I deepen the kiss, needing more of her.

Wanting to imprint the taste of her in my memory.

The feel of her against me. The only thing that’d make this better was if we were both naked and in my bed.

There’s time for that later. Right now, I want her to feel everything I’m feeling and more.

I force myself to pull away, my breath ragged as I stare down at her. Avery’s eyes flutter open, staring up at me through glazed eyes. “You taste so fucking good, angel,” I murmur, allowing myself to press another quick kiss to her lips, needing just a little more. Just another small taste.

“We have chemistry,” she breathes. Then she presses her mouth back to mine, and we sink back into each other.

I release her neck and move my hands down her back to cup her ass, pulling her tight to me.

Her grip on my shirt tightens even more, pulling it taut across my back, and a hiss slips out before I can hold it back and she suddenly jerks away, a rasping curse blurting out. “Shit. I’m sorry. Let me see.”

“I’m fine,” I assure her, holding her still when she tries to step around me to see my back. “Angel, I’m fine, I promise.” She stills and stares at me, eyes narrowed like she’s sure I’m lying to her. I smile at her, unable to help it.

She relaxes slightly, but she does pull away from me, and despite how much I want to keep her right here, I force myself to release her.

“I need to think about all of this,” she states, watching me.

“I’m not certain that you’re over everything going on, and I don’t know if I can allow myself to be caught up in all of this if whatever is going on with Vlad and his men drags on. I just…I need to think.”

She turns on her heel and strides out, leaving me staring after her.

I sigh, thrusting my hand through my hair.

I want to run after her, tell her that she has nothing to worry about, but doing that is sure to push her away from me.

It’s a good thing I’m surrounded by strong, stubborn women, and the men who have won them all over.

It’s time to use their examples and convince Avery to give me a real shot.

She’s right, we have chemistry, but there’s more than that and I just need to show her.