We all trickle out of the room, and I purposely hang back enough that I leave just behind Bullet and Sniper, with Frost atmy back. Behind him, most of the Misfits are the last to leave, but I don’t see Bowie, so he might be staying back enough to keep an eye on things.
I need to find a way to talk to Bullet without anyone overhearing me. This information is going to have to be kept as quiet as possible.
Thankfully, I got my chance the minute I heard, “I knew it! I knew it! I saw your face before and couldn’t figure out where from, but now I know. You’re the model for this book. I saw my teacher reading it at school in the morning when I went in super early to try and finish up my assignment. Dude, you were hot. Well, you’re still hot, but this, this is like, fantasy-level hot.”
I blink and turn to see Crypt staring at Isla, who is holding up her phone like she’s won some sort of prize. Rose and Thea are staring at Crypt in shock, while Avery and Sawyer look like they’re not sure if they should laugh or not. Crypt, being his normal self, doesn’t so much as blink at the evidence in front of him or Isla’s statement. He just stares at her, unspeaking.
“Wait, are you saying that Crypt is actually on the cover of a book?” King demands, stepping forward, a look of glee on his face. A murmur breaks out and everyone is focused on the man sitting, cool as a cucumber as questions are hurled at him.
I move forward, conscious that the only other person who can hear me is Sniper, and murmur into Bullet’s ear, “We need to talk.” Bullet doesn’t look at me, he just gives a slight incline of his head in acknowledgment. Sniper doesn’t look at me. Instead, he walks over to stand behind Thea, but I know he heard me too. We’ll just have to wait until everyone has gone off to bed or out on their patrol routes.
I look over for Avery, but I don’t see her. I frown as I look around the room, but she’s nowhere to be seen. Where the hell would she go?
CHAPTER THIRTY
AVERY
Will they believe me?
Where the hell is Medic?He’s the one who texted me to meet him in here when Church was finished to help him with something. I start cleaning up the room, trying to tamp down my irritation. The man is a great doctor, but when it comes to keeping this place organized and clean, he’s just like they always are. Waiting for someone else to do the clean up, and now that I’m the nurse working with him temporarily, it looks like he’s slipping into the habit.
I guess I can’t say much, though. I agreed to help, and I guess this is part of it. And let’s be honest, he’s never going to be as good at it as me.
I hear the laughter and noise out in the common room and shake my head, unable to hold back the soft chuff of laughter that escapes. God, only Isla would be able to find shit like that. The girl is like a bloodhound for people’s secrets. I almost feel bad for Crypt, who is still probably sitting there and taking allthe questions and jokes at his expense. I was a bit worried that he might be pissed at her for it, but the man just stares at her and says nothing. If Medic didn’t ask me to come and help him, I’d have probably stayed to see what the hell was going on.
Poor Crypt is never going to live this down.
Then again, I’m happy that Isla has found a new target and not me, and is asking question after question about Hulk kissing me. God, the man is something else, doing that. I have half a mind to put him into a coma with some well-timed drugs or something for doing that. Seriously? I already told him I’m not sure we can do anything about the chemistry we have, and he goes and kisses me in front of my little sister and brother? And, to make it worse, in front of the women who are clearly important in his life in one way or another. Fuck, Rose and Thea were just as bad as Isla.
Is this how things are? What happens when all the women get together? I shudder a little bit. A part of me wants to know, but a bigger part of me thinks that I really should avoid that for a while. With the little time I’ve known Rose, I’ve already figured out she can be a bit wild, while also being a straight shooter. I love her, but she’s already told us some stories that have me wanting to cover Isla’s ears.
The girl does not need any more ideas.
“What are you doing?” a deep voice demands, startling me. I turn around and see two members of the other club standing just inside the doorway. Their cuts name them Arson and Silver, and the suspicion and distrust coming off them in waves has me on alert. I don’t know them, and I already don’t trust them.
“My job,” I say simply, watching them. These are two men I’ll never turn my back on. They look like the types who will stab it at the first opportunity. “Did you need something?”
“Watch your tone, bitch,” Silver snaps at me, a dark look covering his face. “This club might allow the women to dowhatever they want, but you’re not one of them, so you need to follow the correct rules.”
“Correct rules?” I repeat, barely managing to keep my tone from being condescending. These two are on a power trip, and because I’m a woman, they’re going to push it as far as they can. “I’m a nurse, and I’m only here because of the current situation, so I’m afraid I don’t know what the rules are that you’re talking about.”
“A fact that only proves that Bullet and his men are running this fucking club into the ground,” Arson huffs derisively. “Now, I asked you a question. What are you doing? And since I’m a visiting President of another club, that means you answer me, and you do it respectfully.”
Oh, he’s one of those pricks. I have half a mind to tell him to fuck off. I don’t care who he is, and I don’t care about his position. I’m not a part of either club, and I don’t need to answer to him, but I don’t want to cause any trouble between the clubs when it’s clear there already is some.
Instead of telling him where he can go, I say, “Medic asked me to meet with him, but he’s apparently side-tracked with Crypt being a book cover model, so I’m cleaning up the space.”
“You’re going through a brother’s shit?” Silver asks, tone tight.
I arch a brow. “I’m a registered nurse, and Bullet and Medic asked me to help out in here and keep it clean as needed. So while I’m waiting for Medic, I’m cleaning things up.” To lighten the mood, I smile wryly. “I’m a stickler on keeping things clean and accessible to make sure we can find things if we have to get to them quickly.”
Silver’s eyes narrow, as if he doesn’t believe me, but he must realize he doesn’t have much to go after me for once I mentioned that Bullet and Medic both offered me to work in here. I almost wish that I had worn my scrubs today instead of my casualclothes. Maybe then this stupid line of questioning wouldn’t be happening.
“And if I start looking where you’ve been working, I’m not going to find anything I shouldn’t?” Arson asks casually, stepping forward. Too casually. The kind of tone where he’s hoping to sound like he’s not a threat, but he’s just become one.
Instead of getting defensive, I step away from where I was cleaning and wave my hand. “Sure. Go ahead.” He’s not going to believe anything I’m saying anyway, so why bother to defend myself, though the anger and insult at his implication has me wanting to put him in his place the way I do to the arrogant doctors I work with.
He doesn’t react to my statement, but I have a feeling he expected me to fight him, and not giving him what he wants has him pushing me harder. He moves forward, Silver falling in step behind him, and I hold my ground as they crowd close to me. Intimidation doesn’t work when you’re the same height as both men and when you refuse to back down.
