Page 39 of The Devil’s Escape (The Devil’s Soldiers #7)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

HULK

Things have just gotten far more dangerous than we’ve been thinking.

Church is happening in half an hour, but I have some things to figure out first. The first thing I need to do is talk to Cryos and get the information that I need.

Church is going to be intense, I can tell that already, so I need to be prepared.

I already know the Misfits are going to want to ask me questions, and if there is a traitor amongst them, I need to be on my game.

I hear laughter and voices down in the common room, which means that most of the brothers are back, and only those who are on patrol will be outside.

I hear Rose’s bright laughter, so she and Thea must be down there as well since she and Thea are getting tighter by the day.

I wonder if Avery is with them, but thinking about her is a surefire way to distract me.

I can still taste her, and I want to find her for more. I want to feel her against me and know that she’s not going to pull away from me again. There’s time for that later, though. I need to make sure I can protect her and the kids first. Then we can focus on us because there sure as hell will be.

I head down the hall, making my way down the back steps that most forget are on this floor.

I open the door at the end of the hall and make my way down the old steps that King and Stone reinforced but mostly left alone when we moved in.

I have to wonder if this is how Dagger got in and out without us seeing him being shady and shit all the time.

Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me if the fucker hid something in here.

Shit, I need to mention that to Bullet. We checked the clubhouse, but did we check back here too?

I wouldn’t be surprised if it got overlooked, and even if we did, there’s no saying that our new traitor might be using it as a new hideout.

Fuck, it would be great if we had Syn’s dogs here right now to do a search, but something tells me that our traitor planned for that. At least, if they’re smart, they have.

I reach the bottom of the stairs but stop when I hear voices on the other side of the door.

I quickly think, realizing that I’ve ended up in the Prospects’ wing, where most of the Misfits are staying as well.

I don’t move so much as a muscle as I eavesdrop.

I don’t recognize the voices, so it has to be the Misfits.

“We need to make a move and fast,” the first man hisses, a slight panic underlying his words.

“No, we need to be cautious,” the second man hisses back. “If we do anything to arouse suspicion, Arson will kill us for sure.”

“We’re having fucking Church. We have no idea if that big fucker heard anything, and if?—”

“Shut the fuck up! Are you trying to announce shit to the entire world? We have no idea if they have mics in this place, you idiot. Look, if you’re going to lose your fucking balls now, then you need to shut the fuck up and say nothing. Stay out on patrols or with one of us at all times.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not your head that’s going to roll if shit goes down tonight. We need this fucking terr?—”

“For fuck’s sake, shut the fuck up.” There’s a grunt of pain, and then a wheeze and hiss as I hear someone being shoved up against the wall on the other side of the door.

“Now, listen to me. You keep your fucking mouth shut or I’ll do it for you.

Do you understand me?” I don’t hear a response, but I hear what sounds like a small amount of shuffling.

“Do not open your fucking mouth in Church tonight. If you do, I’ll make sure it’s the last words you ever say the minute we’re out of here.

And Arson will not stop me when I tell him what you’ve been up to in your spare time.

Hell, he might just kill you himself, and he’s not going to give you a clean death.

Got it?” Silence. “Good. Now get the fuck out of my sight.”

I wait, barely breathing, as I listen to the footsteps move quickly down the hall and then a door shut. I’ve only heard one set of footsteps, which means the second guy is still out there. This is going to be a tricky situation to get out of if he doesn’t leave too.

“Fucking stupid prick,” the man hisses. “All this fucking work and now he’s going to grow a conscience.” Silence and then, “Get the fuck over here. We got a problem.”

Well, looks like I’m going to need to get comfortable.

Good thing I’m used to this kind of work or I’d have already given myself away, though, I’m already starting to feel tired.

If only I had my phone so I could record this shit.

I just have to hope that Cryos has set something up to listen in on the Misfits.

It’s a surprise, however, that after just telling that guy to be quiet because we might be listening, he calls in someone else, but the Misfits clearly are starting to sweat, which means they’re making mistakes. Mistakes that we can hopefully use to take them down.

It takes another couple of minutes, but I finally hear footsteps coming down the hallway. “What?” the voice demands, low, and not close enough that I can make out who it is. The only person I’m certain any of these guys are is Arson.

“We might have a problem with that fucker. He’s starting to panic.”

A heavy silence fills the air, but I can feel it change.

A dark foreboding fills the space. The kind that makes me think that the first man is about to get a hard lesson and not one that’s going to leave him alive for much longer.

“Leave it to me. Just make sure that you’ve done what’s required. Alright?”

Footsteps retreat, but again, only one set.

Which guy was it? It takes another minute, but I get my answer.

The third man says quietly into what I quickly figure out is his phone, “Moves are being made. Are you good on your end?” Silence.

“Alright, just ensure you’ve got what we need to make this happen.

Your club must be none the wiser, no matter what you’re feeling…

I don’t care how long you’ve been with them.

They trust you and you need to make that work to your advantage.

There is much more at stake here…you’re working with us, and that means you’re working with Vlad.

” I hear a low curse, then steps stalking away.

I don’t hear a door slam, but I do hear the steps fade, which means they’ve left the hallway.

My gut burns as I try to digest everything I’ve just heard. Fuck. Fuck! Bullet was right. We have another traitor, and they’re working with the Misfits and Vlad. Things have just gotten far more dangerous than we’ve been thinking.

I need to get to Cryos and get my phone. Then, tonight, I need to talk to Bullet. Alone. We can’t trust anyone. Not now. Not when this is all at stake.

I wait another five full minutes before I allow myself to walk calmly and normally out of the back stairs and walk casually down the hall.

I stop when one of the doors opens, and I see Crypt emerging.

His expression is his normal neutral expression, but his eyes take me in curiously. “How’s the head?” I ask him.

“Better, but still have some issues with light on the odd occasion. Medic’s forbidden me from riding until it goes away. How’s the back?”

“Itchy, but manageable.”

“I’m on the women and kids tonight while you’re in Church.”

I chuckle. “So you’re going to let Rose pamper you and talk shop with Thea?”

He shrugs. “Probably. Though the kids have been pretty talkative from what I’ve been hearing.” His expression changes briefly to one of amusement. “Might give me some insight into what to expect when all the little ones coming in get older.”

I grin. “Yeah, I’ve seen that for myself. Pretty sure Isla is about to have the lot of us on our toes. Sawyer’s quieter, but I tend to get the impression that he listens and is eager to learn.”

Crypt nods. “Yeah, got that too. Boy would be a good soldier.”

I have to agree with that. We turn and head down the hall, and while I want to ask him if he heard what was said out here, I don’t dare.

I know Crypt is one of the few we can count as safe, but that doesn’t mean I can be careless.

As it is, the two of us coming out of the hall, talking, and into the common room that is full of both club members, we have put a target on our backs.

I don’t look around the room once we go our separate ways. Instead, I head for Cryos’s office, ignoring the sensation of being watched. By multiple people if my senses are accurate. Good. Let them wonder.

I walk into Cryos’s office without knocking, startling him.

Cryos looks over at me in surprise, but he’s not quite fast enough to close out whatever he’s working on his screen.

I keep my eyes on him, an affable smile on my face, even as my mind is spinning.

Why does Cryos look like he’s talking with someone online?

Who? And why does he have surveillance cameras on the side of it?

I can’t jump to conclusions, but it’s weird.

Though, Cryos has always been odd, and fiercely protective of his work.

Said before it stems from his time with the Feds, but there’s something else to this.

Still, Bullet’s been clear that he has Cryos working on shit, and I’m probably being overly paranoid.

“Hey, brother,” I say casually. “Bullet told me you still had my phone. Wondering if it’s okay to get it back? I need to shoot a message to my folks so they don’t freak out they haven’t heard from me in a while.”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Cryos says, looking around his messy desk. “Where the hell did I put it?” He gets to his feet and starts rooting around. “How are you feeling, man? Medic and Avery both said that you’re mending, but you know how doctors and shit are.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, I’m healing. Itchy as shit from the stitches but Avery told me that they can come out in a couple of days. I did have a shower, finally, so I’m feeling a bit more human.”

He grins over his shoulder at me as he moves another stack of random papers. “Bet you’ll be fucking relieved when they do come out. Though I guess with having the hot nurse helping you, it’s probably not a hardship.”

I smirk but say nothing to that, even as little fingers of jealousy start to claw at me.

Avery’s mine, but I don’t want to put more of a target on her back by announcing my intention to claim her as mine.

It might be old-fashioned, but that’s how things work around here.

Still, she’s not Cryos’s type. He much prefers the club girls and no-strings sex.

“Ah, here it is,” Cryos declares triumphantly, turning to show me the phone in his hand. “Sorry, brother, it’s probably dead. I got the shit off it I needed and then set it aside and never thought about it again.”

“No worries. I’ll charge it up and call them after Church. They’re a couple of hours behind so they should still be up.” I turn to head out but stop when Cryos says my name.

He gives me a warm smile when I look at him. “I’m glad you’re back, man. I was worried, but something told me it’d work out.”

I smile. “You can thank Avery. Without her, I don’t know if you’d have found me.”

“Yeah, I got that.” His tone sets my senses on alert.

“See you in Church.” I head out of the room, my brain trying to piece everything together.

This time, when I enter the common room, I look around.

I realize a couple of things, quickly. Avery is sitting with Rose, Thea, the kids, Sniper, and Bullet, smiling and talking happily.

She looks at ease, and I like seeing her with the people I care about the most. She’s going to fit in here well when this is all over.

The second thing is that a few of the Misfits are missing, along with Timber, Titan, and Frost, who I have to assume are all on patrol.

The Misfits are once again keeping to their own little group, other than a select few, who are talking with a couple of men.

I keep my gaze moving, but my brain clocks that Angel, Silver, and Bowie are all in quiet conversation close to the bar.

My gut clenches. Could Bowie be the traitor?

Is he not even bothering to be careful now?

Or is he hoping in the large room of people no one will notice him talking to them?

Or is it nothing? Angel isn’t on the list of those who are possible clear traitors that Bullet gave me, but that doesn’t mean anything right now.

Damn it, I need to talk to Bullet, but if I do it now, I’m going to raise suspicion. Instead, I head to stand behind Avery’s chair, my back to the room. A deliberate choice. I can feel eyes on me, and I want to see what they do.

Avery stiffens slightly when I put my hands on the back of her chair, but her head turns, and I see her watching me with a mixture of contemplation and mistrust. Yeah, she’s not sold on anything I told her earlier, but I’ll fix that soon.

My eyes move around the table, and I see Rose beaming, Thea looking amused, and Bullet and Sniper smirking.

I’d flip them off, but that’s probably not the best thing to do in front of two teenagers. Both of whom look at me with interest.

Seeing me, Bullet bellows, “Church!”

I look down at Avery, who looks up at me with an unreadable expression.

“We’ll talk after I’m done,” I tell her.

“Or if it’s late, I’ll talk to you in the morning.

Stay with Crypt, got it?” She nods, her eyes never leaving mine.

“Be good, angel.” I can feel the women’s eyes on me, along with Avery’s siblings.

Good thing I’m not shy. I glance over at the Church door and see that all the Misfits are inside, Theo standing outside the door.

Coast clear, I do the one thing that I know she might punch me in the nuts for, but it’s worth the risk.

I lean down and press a quick hard kiss to her mouth, pulling away with a smile and a wink before I head for Church.

“I knew it!” Isla crows triumphantly behind me, as if she’s been just waiting for this moment. I chuckle, but as I walk into Church, any amusement I feel drains away as quickly as it came.

I need to be on my A-game. Then I need to tell Bullet that what he fears is worse than we ever thought.