Page 45 of The Devil’s Escape (The Devil’s Soldiers #7)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

AVERY

This entire situation is one fucked up mess.

I rush up to our room, needing to make sure Isla and Sawyer are both okay.

I immediately see Theo standing guard outside our room, and when he catches sight of me, he opens the door and steps aside.

When I run inside, I see Isla and Sawyer playing a card game of some kind with Thea in the middle of the bed. I nearly collapse in relief.

Thea’s head snaps up, and her eyes look over me, assessing.

They pause on my face, her expression hardening, and her blue eyes going frigid.

Isla and Sawyer look at me, and they quickly jump up and rush to me.

“I’m going to kick their ass,” Sawyer vows darkly as he stares at my cheek after giving me a tight hug.

“You’ll do nothing,” I warn him with a hard stare.

“Leave it to the men around here. They won’t take kindly to a sixteen-year-old boy getting in their way.

I’m getting that there is more to what’s going on here than what I’ve been told, and whatever it is, we don’t want to be in the middle of it.

” I look at Thea over Isla’s head, who is wrapped tightly around me, refusing to let me go.

Thea holds my stare, and I can tell that she’s struggling a bit not to reply to that, but loyalty to her man and the club keeps her mouth shut. “Did you get ice for your cheek?” she asks.

“Medic put some on it before I came up.”

Thea nods. She glances at Isla and Sawyer, and then back at me. “I’ll leave you be and we’ll talk later.” It’s a statement, like she knows that I’m not about to let this go. She’s exactly fucking right.

“Rose is in the medical room,” I tell her.

“She hit her head.” Thea stiffens, eyes narrowing.

“She’ll be fine, but Bullet has ordered her to stay there until he comes and gets her.

I don’t think she dares to defy him. Again.

” I smirk at that. Look, I still think Rose is a bit nuts, but what she did, she has my admiration and respect. She’s a badass through and through.

Thea’s brow arches in surprise, but she nods. “Alright. I’ll go and check on her. If you need anything, send Theo down.” She smiles at Isla and Sawyer before saying, “I think we’ll have to finish our game later, but just remember, I was winning.” She winks, which makes Isla and Sawyer both snort.

“You were cheating,” Isla cries in exasperation.

“And you weren’t even hiding it,” Sawyer grumbles, but his eyes sparkle as he looks at her.

“Maybe that’s what I wanted you to think,” she smirks, bumping her good shoulder against him.

He flushes at the contact, and I almost groan.

Isla rolls her eyes, and Thea, thankfully, doesn’t push it and pulls away.

“Alright, I’ll see you guys in a bit.” Then she’s heading out the door.

I can hear the muffled sound of her voice through the door as she speaks with Theo, and then she walks away.

“What the hell happened?” Sawyer demands, arms crossed over his chest. “All we know is we heard Hulk yell, and then we were grabbed and whisked away by Crypt and Theo, with Thea right behind us. None of them would tell us what was going on, and I don’t buy that they didn’t know.

Though, I guess seeing your face, I can see why Hulk was mad. Who hit you?”

“The President of the other club, and one of his men, held me still so I couldn’t get away.

” I’m not about to lie to them. Isla gasps, hugging me tighter.

“Honestly, it hurt, and it stunned me, but then it made me mad. Before I could do anything, Hulk was in, grabbing them both and tossing them away from me. He beat them both decently bad before he was hauled off.”

“I guess we know now why they call him Hulk,” Isla jokes lightly, finally releasing me and stepping back. “Did he turn green too?”

“I’d figure with how big and mad he was, he’d be the red one,” Sawyer counters thoughtfully. “And I hope they got that move on camera, because I want to know how he did it.”

“Dude, he’s huge, you’re never going to be able to do what he did unless you grow another foot and get huge muscles that make your head look puny.” Isla snickers. “Though that would be hilarious as shit.” Sawyer rolls his eyes at her.

“I need both of you to understand that we might need to run,” I tell them, lowering my voice so Theo can’t overhear.

“Pack what you have in an easy-to-reach spot. Whatever is going down here, both clubs are about to be at war with each other, because the Misfits are up to something, and this club knows it now. And I refuse to have us in the middle of it and hiding from Vlad.”

Both of them turn serious, mouths set in a grim line. “So, what? We’re going to sneak out of here?” Isla whispers.

“Not yet, but we might have to,” I whisper back. “First, I need to make a plan. We can’t just run and hope we’re not sitting ducks. I don’t have my car, so we’d have to walk back to town, and that means we’re exposed and in danger if Vlad, his men, or even the MC guys come looking for us.”

“Are you sure that we need to run?” Sawyer asks softly.

“I like it here. I like the Devil’s Soldiers, and they seem like nice guys.

I mean, they rescued us, let us stay here, and clearly have no problem putting people in their place when they need to.

I think they’re the safer option, if you ask me.

Oh, and I heard some of the guys talking and most of the men in this club are former military, and not just regular soldiers.

Special Forces, SEALs, snipers. All the guys you want on your side. ”

“They aren’t Gods,” Isla reminds him sharply.

“Just because they are all those things doesn’t mean that they’ll stop us from dying.

The Misfits don’t play by the rules, clearly.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re only here and playing nice to try and take over the club so that they can use it for themselves. ”

“And that is exactly why we don’t want to be here and in the middle of a turf war,” I state.

“The Soldiers will never give this up willingly, and between the two, there is the possibility of them all fighting each other, which gives Vlad an edge to take over. We don’t want that.

” I look at Sawyer. “I know you like them and like it here, and I’m not saying they aren’t great people, but when it comes to you and Isla, I will do whatever I have to, to keep you safe.

Even if it means taking you away from all of this and hiding out in a cave in the middle of nowhere until all of this shit calms down. ”

“What about Hulk?” Sawyer asks. “You think he’s going to be okay with us just going?”

“It’s not up to him. And why does that matter?”

He gives me a bland stare. “You really think, after him kissing you earlier, or the way that he constantly watches you and wants to be around you, that we can’t see that you two are into each other?

All of these guys, they’re not the kind to just let you walk away without a fight.

And even if he was, us leaving without telling him is going to put him in a panic that Vlad and those assholes did something to us or took us. ”

“We can leave a note,” Isla protests. “We don’t have to just simply leave with no word.”

“And you really think they’re going to take a note like that at face value? Dude, they’re fighting with the Russians. Their first instinct is going to be that we were forced to write that note before they took us. It’s going to be the same outcome.”

“Alright, enough.” I sigh. “There’s no point in fighting about this.

We’re not going anywhere just yet, but I’m serious that both of you need to get a to-go bag put together and in easy grabbing distance in case we do.

Leave Hulk and everyone else to me. Until then, we stay in here and get some rest because if we have to go, I want you both rested. ”

I hate to scare them, but I won’t sugar-coat the possibility.

Now I need to figure out what I’m going to say to Hulk when he eventually comes up here, because I know he will.

I leave the two of them packing, grab some fresh clothes, and head into the bathroom.

I need a shower. I’m not dirty, but I still can feel their grimy hands on me, and I need to get rid of them.

I undress and step under the hot water, closing my eyes as it washes over me.

I feel like I’m losing my mind. Everything going on is like something out of a stupid movie.

First, it was my mother getting herself in with the Russians.

Now, it’s being at the mercy of an MC for their help and protection, and getting caught up in yet another struggle and some kind of turf war.

Do the Devil’s Soldiers just enjoy attracting trouble, or is this simply an aberration?

Anger burns in my gut. I’m pissed at myself for allowing this entire situation to happen in the first place.

I should have gotten my siblings out. I should have told the MC where to find Hulk and let them handle it alone instead of getting involved.

I should have run as far and as fast out of town as I could and gotten all three of us out of the country.

Or at least somewhere where they’d never find us, like Alaska or something.

I’m not much of a survivalist, but I’m a quick learner.

Maybe I should look into that. There must be a way to get there without the Russians tracking us, or at least not catching up to us until we’re there and have disappeared. Maybe I should look into getting fake papers or something with new names. Start over, start a new life.

Or you just trust that you haven’t made a mistake and the MC will protect you.

I ignore that little voice as I wash my hair vigorously. I can’t trust my gut right now. My gut is what has gotten us in this clubhouse, and while it wasn’t a bad idea in the beginning, clearly, it’s faulty, considering everything else that’s happened.

By the time I get out of the shower, I’m no less annoyed.

Hell, I’m probably worse than before. I want to scream that this isn’t fair, that all of this is bullshit and shouldn’t be happening to me, to Isla, and Sawyer.

However, the rational part of me reminds me that I’m being overdramatic and I need to think about this logically and clearly.

Anything else isn’t acceptable. Reacting on emotion is how you end up doing something stupid or getting yourself killed.

I wrap my hair in a towel and put on my pajamas before looking at myself in the mirror.

The bruising on my cheek is enough that I can almost make out the fingers of Arson’s hand, but it will heal.

I press it lightly, and it’s tender, but not overly painful.

I pop a couple pills to help with the swelling and discomfort, and then I head out of the bathroom.

I stop quickly when I see that Sawyer and Isla are both sitting on the end of my bed, looking up at Hulk, who is leaning against the wall, talking to them quietly.

What is he doing up here already? I take him in, looking for any signs of injury or blood, but see nothing. So, what, did they just kill the guys and be done with it? No, we’d have heard a gunshot or something for sure. Or at least more commotion. So what is he doing up here?

Before I can say anything, Isla demands, “Why didn’t you hit them longer and harder?”

“Because I got pulled off,” Hulk replies matter-of-factly. “If no one had, I’d have done a lot more damage.”

“Hulk,” I bark, glaring at him when he looks over at me.

He takes me in, his eyes lingering on my chest, and I fight the urge to cross my arms in front of my chest. Damn it, I should have put on a bra.

Then his eyes move back up to mine, and I narrow them before adding, “What the hell is wrong with you? You can’t say that to them. ”

“You act like we didn’t know that he was beating up on the men that hit you,” Sawyer drawls. “And do you really think that I wouldn’t do the same if I were there before him? Sure, he probably did more damage with how big he is, but him saying that isn’t a big deal, sis.”

“And we’re not babies,” Isla sniffs.

“You’re freaking fifteen,” I groan. “You don’t need to know about this.” I shoot Hulk another glare. He at least has enough decency to look a little bit guilty and repentant. “I do want to talk to you,” I state. “I need to do something with my hair and then we’re going to your room.”

“Why aren’t you talking here?” Sawyer demands.

“Because she probably wants to make out with him without us watching. Duh!” Isla sasses, rolling her eyes. “Dude, you really are clueless.”

Hulk compresses his lips together in what I assume is an attempt to hold back laughter.

I glare at him and then glare at my sister.

“You’re a pain in my ass,” I complain. Isla sticks her tongue out at me, eyes sparkling.

“And no, that is not why. I want to talk to Hulk, and I don’t need your gossipy ears listening in.

And I’m probably going to yell at him a little bit, and then say things that damage a kid’s psyche.

And yours is already damaged enough, I’m not about to add to it. ”

Sawyer snickers, and Isla glares at him before she gives me a bland stare.

“If I’m damaged, then you’re way worse than me,” she sniffs.

“Who the hell says that to an emotionally vulnerable teenager with a druggie mother, no father, and a socially stunted brother? I still don’t know why I didn’t agree to go with CPS instead of with you and the abuse you constantly dole out.

” She gives me the most dramatic expression she can when she finishes it that I can only blink.

“Are you trying to prove you’re not damaged?” I finally ask. “I mean, seriously, who says shit like that? I feel bad for anyone who ends up with you, because you are going to fuck that poor boy’s mind up before you finish with him.”

Isla snickers. “I’m selective about who I allow myself to spend time with.

Now, would you get out of here and do whatever it is you’re planning with Hulk?

And just remember, the walls are thin and I know that Hulk’s room is just across the hall, so we’re going to hear things and I do not relish the idea of having to bleach my ears and brain by hearing you two. ”