Page 19 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

“Duke’s office?”

“In trouble already?” he sneers but points the way.

Not yet, I hope, I think to myself, as politely I weave my way around the milling members. One waves a knife in my direction, another slaps my back so hard I almost stumble, and yet another mimes cutting his throat.Message received and understood.

The only plan I’ve come up with so far is getting to a phone and making contact with the outside world. I’m sure as fuck the Satan’s Devils will have done the right addition and their two and two will add up to them coming to find me, and I’ll be on the inside to help.

If they know I’ve been taken, they will. They’ve had my back before as I’ve had theirs.

I’m fucking certain.

It’s only this place playing with my mind that’s making me wonder whether they too think I don’t fit in and won’t be riding to save me.

I growl at myself. I prospected. I was a patched member. Stood in for Grumbler and never once was I made to feel I was an outsider. Fuck the Crazy Wolves, they’re fucking with my head. The Devils will figure it out and will come for me. My task is to stay alive and try and keep Saffie that way until they turn up.

Simple.

But Lost hadn’t been pleased when I said I’d thought about turning my patch in. Would he just give me up? Blame me for Kid’s death and assume I ran off with Saffie? Surely not.

Still, getting to a phone would reassure me, though I suspect that won’t be easy.

Approaching the room to where Asslicker had hopefully correctly directed me, I knock on the office door, and open it when Duke’s voice barks for me to get the fuck inside.

His eyes narrow as they land on me, and he doesn’t point me to a seat. I stand, back straight, legs apart, and hands firmly clasped behind my back.

“Got a job for you, Boy.”

I raise my chin in response.

“I’m assigning you to look after Sapphire.” He pauses a beat for that to sink in. In my head, my brain is screaming, trap. “You’ll deliver her food and stand guard outside her door.”

“Keeping people out or her in?” I ask him to clarify.

There’s a flicker in his eyes as he replies, “Her in.” He examines my face as though looking for something. I ensure I don’t so much as twitch. After a moment, he sighs. “You let no one in other than a patched member. Sapphire destroyed my trust when she ran away, taking my son with her. She’ll stay in that room until she’s regained it.”

I don’t point out she’s still trying to mentally recuperate, if that’s even possible, from the worst thing a woman can have happen to her in her life. An idea occurs to me. One which might gain time for her and benefit me personally. I have to bank though, that Duke won’t know what happens to a woman who’s gone through a termination of a pregnancy.

“She needs supplies,” I tell him.

His eyes sharpen. “What you fuckin’ talking about?”

“She’s still bleeding,” I allow myself a look of disgust, “and will be for a while. It’s a result of the op. She needs women’s things.” I’m crossing my fingers that firstly he believes me, and secondly, hoping none of the fuckers here will want to be seen dead in that particular aisle, maybe he’ll allow me to go buy them. Once off the compound, I can get to a phone and satisfy myself I haven’t been forgotten. “She’ll need painkillers as well.” Doubly so, remembering how she was beaten at the apartment, even if Duke hasn’t touched her since.

“She’s not getting any fuckin’ painkillers. She brought this all on herself. But I suppose she’ll need the other shit.” He rubs his hand over his forehead and then tugs at his chin. “Tell Tony or Ruddle what she needs, and they’ll go get them.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to say I don’t mind going, but I don’t want him thinking I’m showing my hand.

“Is that it?” I ask, still trying to keep my face impassive. I don’t resent the task I’ve been assigned. At least I’ll be able to satisfy myself that she’s alright, well, as much as can be when she’s been kidnapped by her psychotic husband and held against her will. As well as continuing to come to terms with the pregnancy that in my view, she so rightly ended.

“No questions?”

He seems surprised, so I just shrug. “As a…” I can’t say prospect, so change it to, “new recruit, I do what I’m told. Not my place to question orders.”

He chuckles. “Oh, I bet you were a good little soldier boy, Boy. Now get the fuck out of here and go guard my wife. Just one thing, you don’t fuckin’ speak to her. Not one word. Got me?”

After giving him a sharp nod, I do, with pleasure, leave, unwilling to spend much time alone with him. It’s not much better out in the clubroom. As I’m crossing to the bar, another foot shoots out to topple me. My prosthetic makes me stumble, but I manage to stay upright. I don’t say a word, or even pause to give the man a glare, just continue in the direction I was heading while mentally promising myself at some point, I’ll get retribution.

As I expect, both prospects Duke had pointed me to raise objections about their task. From the way they react, we could be back in Neanderthal times when a woman bleeding was something to be feared. But while I take a punch to my gut for my audacity in asking, Tony eventually agrees to the task when I suggest he take his objections up with his VP. Duke, it appears, is a person they don’t dare cross.

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