Page 17 of The Devil's Conflict

I quickly find a small notebook and pen and then make sure I’m logged out of my computer and ready to leave. He’s prompt at the five-minute mark and we head out of the building to my car. Shadow slides into the passenger seat and I put in the address Shadow gives me for the bar into the GPS before pulling out.

I figured Shadow would be quiet for the ride, but he surprises me by saying, “Now that it’s just the two of us, I need to make sure you actually want to be here.”

I look over at him in surprise and find him watching me intently. “You mean because your VP ordered me here? I was considering working here anyway, but no, Sniper isn’t why I’m here. I’m here because Theo asked, no other reason. Sniper can think all he wants it’s because of him, but it’s not.”

Shadow doesn’t reply at first and then relaxes slightly. “Good. I don’t know what the deal is with you two, but Sniper isn’t involved in the day-to-day workings of the business. That’s Viper and me, so you shouldn’t have to run into him much.”

“Are you telling me that so I don’t quit if he shows up?” I ask drily as I head out of the downtown core and to the outskirts of the city.

“That and I don’t want to risk you shooting him and causing a whole problem the next time he pisses you off,” Shadow replies drily. “I already have to worry about bailing out the women in the club, I don’t need to worry about your ass too.”

I smirk. “I’m more of knife person myself, so the most you’d have to worry about is me cutting some vital parts of him, but I’ll make sure to clean up the mess.”

Shadow shakes his head. “I knew you were going to be trouble,” he mutters. “But damn it all if we don’t need you.”

“Why is that?” I ask curiously. “I mean, surely there are plenty of people who’d want jobs here.”

“We want former military members for the most part working for us. Not only to help vets find a job where they can use their skills, but that comes with the challenge of finding ones that aren’t too messed up to do the job, or can handle it without losing themselves in the process. It’s a delicate balance. Not to mention, the majority of the people who apply are men, and some don’t want to be associated with a biker club, even if we are legit.”

Yeah, I can see that. “And you haven’t had any other women apply?” I ask curiously, taking the next turn that leads us down the road leading to the bar.

“We had a few but most of them found out about the MC and weren’t interested.” He gives me a sideways glance. “I’m sure working with nothing but men and those in an MC would be intimidating to most women. And I probably should make sureyou’re good with that too, but I understand if you’re not. We don’t have a separate locker room for you, but we can set up a rule if you’re in there that no one else goes in with you, and same thing with any other spaces you think would be a problem. And if you use the gym and the showers down there, there is a separate room that has a lock on the door. We can set that up to be your own personal space and everyone will leave you be.”

I don’t answer right away. He has no idea how much those offers soothe something inside me. It’s not like I never had those options before when I was in the Forces, but well, things don’t always work out that way, do they? “I don’t need any special treatment,” I assure him. “Well, other than maybe the shower, but that’s more out of respect for the fact that I don’t think your wives and girlfriends would like knowing that I was showering around you at the same time if we’re using the gym or are back from a job. As for the locker situation, I don’t need anything for that. If you want me to stay, I just want to be treated as an equal team member, not just a girl that is part of the team.”

Shadow nods. “No problem there. And just so you’re aware, the only ones with Old Ladies are me and Viper so you don’t have to worry about any Old Ladies coming in and giving you a hard time. They’ll be in to meet you and drive the rest of us crazy at some point soon though.”

“Why are you all afraid of them?” I ask curiously.

“Afraid?” Shadow snorts. “We’re not afraid of them. We just know that they’re going to get themselves, or us by extension, into trouble when they all get together. Rose? She’s the ring leader and you’ll figure it out yourself soon enough.”

I snicker. “Yeah, no, sounds to me like you’re afraid of them. You don’t want them all together, and when they are, you plan for the worst. Sounds like you’re afraid of them to me. But it’s okay. Most men can’t handle strong women.”

He narrows his eyes at me as I pull into the bar’s parking lot. “You know I’m your boss, right? That I can fire you if you’re going to be a pain in my ass?”

I park the car and shrug. “You could, but we both know you’re not going to. Besides, the moment you need someone to deal with them, or watch them, you’ll be asking me so you don’t have to do it.”

The truth of it is on his face, but he says, “Might as well come in so you get a lay of the land in case you need to work here.” Then he smirks. “And let’s just see how big of a reaction out of Sniper you get, huh?” Then he climbs out of the car and I slowly follow, scowling at him.

Asshole. If he wants a show, I’m not going to give it to him. I’ve already said my piece to him and that’s it. Anything else is his problem.

EIGHT

SNIPER

I can’t fucking want her. She’s too young, and she pushes every button I have just by looking at me.

I tossanother empty box out of the storeroom and mutter another curse under my breath. Why the hell is this place so fucking full of empty boxes. Does no one throw anything out around here? I’ll be having a chat with Sandy next time I see her. I’ve spent the entire time I’ve been here cleaning this fucking place out so that when Shadow gets here, we can get right to work.

“Ah, Sniper,” Milk says cautiously from the other side of the room as he carefully puts the liquor that is still boxed up in their proper places on the shelves. “Pretty sure I heard someone pull up so I’m just going to go check on who it is.” Then he’s gone.

I want to sneer after him for being a pussy and so nervous around me, but at the same time, a part of me knows I’m beingan asshole and probably scaring the shit out of the kid. But if that bothers him, too fucking bad. And I can place all the blame on the shoulders of a smartass, irritating blonde who has no business getting under my skin the way she has.

I hurl another box out into the hall and mutter another curse under my breath. I need to get a grip. But, unbidden, my thoughts take a turn toward the first day I met her and I thought the same thing then.

The heat of the sun beat down on all of us, and sweat dripped down the back of my army green T-shirt. I didn’t pay any attention to it, instead standing and watching the new recruits running through their run. I picked out the ones who would flunk out within minutes of seeing them, and the ones that would go far. There were afew in the middle that I hadn’t made my mind up about yet, but by the end of the day, I would know.

The sun was hot, so hot that most of them were dragging, not accustomed to dealing with this kind of physical exertion on a scorching day. I hear a few people gasping out they were done; they had to stop or they would collapse. Then a few encouraging them on, telling them they won’t quit, that they can do it. Those are the ones that will go far, the marks of leaders. Then there are the few who encourage them to quit, letting them know they would only hold the rest of them back; they didn’t want a weak team member. I can appreciate it, but at the same time, I can also see that they will be the ones that will take down their team by their own egos instead of using it to build the others up.

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