Page 90 of The Devil's Escape


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“Glitch called me with the details of what Cryos had been up to after Code placed some calls,” Bullet explains darkly. “I had a feeling that Cryos needed to be checked out. He’s the only one whom we never questioned. The only one who looked at everyone when we were checking for traitors, but never had any of us look into him. Because who the hell could? We trusted that he was loyal. A fucking mistake we won’t make again. Anyway, Glitch called and let me know that there was evidence that Cryos was involved in all this shit and it has some connections to the Feds, but then shit hit the fan and she didn’t have the time to figure out the full extent. Code put it together.”

“So you just had to hope that shit didn’t FUBAR before they got here?” Viper asked.

Bullet nods. “We needed him to at least help us for that, and if he found out we knew, Cryos wasn’t going to go quietly. He’d panic and do something stupid, or we’d lose our edge, so I took a chance. It might have been fucking wrong, but I made a judgment call that I hope you’ll understand needed to be done.”

“I got no problem with it,” Sniper states. We all nod and voice our agreement. Hell, none of us would ever question Bullet. The man is wicked smart, and he’s been through this kind of shit before. There’s a reason he’s been leading our club for so long and why we’ve survived even after everything that’s just happened.

“So, if Silver was a Fed, why was he figuring out all the routes and shit?” Twigs asks. “I mean, he’s a Fed, shouldn’t that be, kinda, you know, off limits?”

“Because he’s the one who will get the evidence he needs to convict across multiple crime syndicates,” I explain. “He setsup meetings with all the major players, manipulates Arson into going to them and thinking it’s his idea, and all he has to do is sit back and collect evidence. He’s been a part of the club for a long time, so he’s probably got mountains. If he’s looking to be a hero, and I have a feeling that’s what most of this will be to him, then this is his major meal ticket. Russian, cartel, possibly Italians as well, along with other MCs, that’s a lot of shit under his belt that will catapult him to fame.”

“And right into all those major players’ line of sight,” Jag points out wryly. “Asshole isn’t thinking beyond a big score, but I have a feeling he won’t be breathing for too much longer. Nothing like this is going to go unpunished. Especially not when you have someone like Nikolai Egorov in custody. The Bratva isn’t going to let him rot in jail. He’s a key player for them and a top interrogator. They’ll want him back in Russia as fast as they can manage it.”

“As long as he doesn’t come back here, then I’m good with that,” Bullet returns. He looks at Glitch and Code. “Since we don’t have the same skills as Cryos, could you keep your ears to the ground for any chatter on this?”

Both Glitch and Code nod. “Done. We’ll make sure that we let you know if we hear anything,” Code promises.

“Good. Then, for now, we’ll consider all of this done. Currently, the Dragons and Devil’s Predators have agreed to stay for a few days and do rounds with us to make sure that we’re trouble-free. We’ll have to go through the rooms and get them cleaned out and reset because we have no idea if the Misfits left anything behind, but we’ll get everything figured out. Then, once the women are home, we’ll plan the funerals and patch services for our brothers, both new and fallen, but never forgotten.” He pauses, looking at us all one by one before continuing, his tone intense. “I want to thank you all. The last months have been nothing like we’ve ever faced before. Even when Bull and his shitwas going on, it was a bloody war, but this was something else entirely.

“It has bonded our club in ways that none of us could have predicted. Made us stronger. It’s brought women into our lives that we couldn’t have gotten here without. My Rose is the rock that holds this club together. Sage brought the entire fucking thing to our attention. Izzy helped us figure out their ring. Quinn showed unbreakable courage, even when Dmitri took her. Syn and her dogs have helped us track the shit we couldn’t or protect ourselves and the ones we love. Eden alerted us about Vlad’s schemes with Archer and warned us that he was coming for our club through the courts. Thea helped us unravel the journals and pinpoint where Vlad stashed his merchandise. That turned the tide for us. And finally, to Avery, who risked far more than anyone should ever have to bring our brother home and help us end this once and for all. The Misfits were fucking wrong that the women shouldn’t have been involved. If they weren’t, we’d have lost them and been fucking dead. Now, I have three more grandchildren to look forward to, with hopefully more on the way. I always said that the Devil’s Soldiers were a family and we’ve fucking proved that. We don’t give up. We don’t give in. We fight until we can’t anymore. For them, for us, and for everything we stand for. So if anyone else wants to take us on, we know we’re not the ones who will back down. We’re going to keep on fucking winning.Every damn time.”

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

AVERY

He is a good man.

“Why are men so gross?”Isla gags as she gingerly peels the sheets off one of the beds in the Prospect quarters. Exactly where the Misfits had been staying, and they certainly hadn’t been keeping the rooms clean. I’ve seen it all and clean people’s asses for a living, and even this is kind of making me squeamish.

“We should just burn it all,” I agree, grabbing what I can only assume are piss jugs and tossing them in the trash. The nurse in me knows I should be disposing of it properly, but fuck that. We just need to get it all out as fast as we can so that everyone has a clean space to sleep.

“If anything alive crawls out of anywhere, you’re on your own,” Isla warns. “Then I’m pulling Sawyer away from Rose and Thea to help you. Crush or not, he’ll have to get over it.”

“I’ll be running with you.” Blood and bodily fluids, no problem. Creepy crawlies or anything that jumps out at me, hell no. I draw the line. So far, though, it’s mostly just men beingdisgusting. We’re tossing everything we can, and also making sure to keep an eye out for anything that might be important.

Who knows what they’ve all hidden in these rooms?

We work in silence for a little longer until Isla suddenly asks, “So are you and Hulk an item now?”

I glance at her, but her head is down and she’s worrying her lip, one of her tells that she’s worried about something. For all her bravado, Isla is a sensitive girl, she’s just very good at hiding it. “That’s the plan. Is that going to be okay with you?” I already know Sawyer is all for it, since it means he’s going to be close to the club and able to ask questions, but I'm still unsure where Isla stands on the matter. She could go either way. She might be having fun now, but once we’re back in the real world again, things might change.

“I like him,” Isla answers hesitantly. “But I see it all the time where kids in my school have parents that split up and then one or both the parents get new partners and the new people are good to the kids for a bit and then they become assholes. Cutting the kids out or treating them less than when they have their own kids.”

“And you’re worried Hulk’s only being nice to you right now because of the circumstances?” I’m careful to keep my tone casual and inquisitive. I want her to keep talking so I can find out where this is coming from. I know in my heart that Hulk isn’t going to be like one of those people, but Isla won’t be convinced easily.

“I mean, I get it, he’s forced to spend time with us here, but he doesn’t really know us,” Isla admits. “I’m just worried that he’s got it in his head that he’s getting you, and we’ll be gone in a few years, and he won’t have to worry about us. You and he can have your own life and make babies and all that, and we’ll just be the siblings that show up on holidays or need something.” She glances at me and then quickly looks away, her shouldershunching. “I also don’t want to get in the way of that, because you’re my sister and you deserve to be happy too, and you and Hulk fit together. I can see it, and so can Sawyer.”

“Does Sawyer feel the same way?” I ask curiously. Maybe I’ve just assumed to know Sawyer’s thoughts on the subject.

“No, he likes Hulk, and he likes the rest of the guys, but I figured that would happen. He only sees the chance for him to possibly get an in to be a Prospect with the club or something, or for them to help him get a leg up if he wants to become a mechanic or something. And maybe he and Hulk would get along anyway with all the stuff they have in common.”

“And that leaves you on the outside,” I finish knowingly. I straighten and turn to face her when she gives a small nod, vulnerability on her face clear.

“I’m loud and I don’t have a filter,” Isla blurts out, staring at me. “I’m going to say or do something to piss him off. He’s been good about it, but that’s probably to impress you and because he doesn’t really have a choice. I’m not going to treat him as a dad, I’ve had one, and he was a really good dad. So if he tries to boss me around, I’m not going to be okay with that.” That last part comes off a bit defensive, but I let it slide.

I nod, understanding. I really do. I didn’t have a dad, and while their father wasn’t my father, he was a good man and had accepted me well enough, but he was never a father figure to me. I suppose because I was already an adult and grown. I wouldn’t have handled that kind of situation well either, even though he had never been the type to yell. He just had a quiet disappointment that spoke far louder than a yell ever could.

“I would never want to take the place of your dad, Isla,” Hulk’s deep voice suddenly says calmly, making both of us turn to see him standing in the doorway, Sawyer slightly behind him with an unreadable expression on his face. Hulk looks at Isla as he walks in, and I can see the concern in his eyes. I glance at Isla,whose face has gone red, but she valiantly holds his gaze.. “I also don’t see you in the daughter role, more like a little sister who’s going to have an amazing future ahead of her because she’s full of guts and strength that most don’t have now. I know that a lot of things have happened in just a short time, and you really don’t know me or my personality. Which is why I plan on us taking things slow for a bit. Your sister and I, we’ve got something I want to build on, because we fit, but part of us fitting is that I like you and Sawyer. Both of you have guts, don’t crumble under pressure, and you make me laugh. Even if there was nothing between Avery and me, I’d still like you just as you are.” He looks over at Sawyer. “Both of you.”