Page 5 of The Devil's Conflict

Time will tell. I’ll have to do some research of my own if he gets the job. I have contacts Theo doesn’t, and I can know everything about this Devil’s Soldiers MC before the ink is dry on the contract.

Before I can move toward my car, the door to the security business opens, and out walks a beaming Theo, followed by Eric, and two men that have me instantly on alert. Both of them are former servicemen, I’d bet money on it, and they’re both wearing MC cuts. I also know the second that they clock me. I lean against my car, waiting for them to reach me, holding their gaze.

Eric hasn’t changed in the time I’ve known him. He’s still got his blond hair cut marine short, that same goofy grin, and warm green eyes. Not to mention compared to the other men around, even Theo, he’s what I would call lean, though he clearly still keeps himself in shape. When he sees me, he yells, “Thea!” and rushes forward. I know what’s coming, and I give him a narrow-eyed glare of warning, which he promptly ignores as he grabs me and hauls me up into him and attempts to swing me around.

I counter his move, and he stumbles slightly, and I use that to knock his ass to the ground in a practiced move. When he lands on his ass on the ground, I smirk. “Eric, you clearly haven’t learned anything since the last time I put you on your ass.”

Eric grins up at me, unoffended and unfazed. “And you’re just as hot as ever, gorgeous,” he flirts unashamedly as he gets to his feet. “Have you been working out? Because, damn.”

“Shut the hell up, you nitwit,” I say without any heat, and my lips twitching. We both know that neither of us is attracted to the other, but Eric decided the first time we met he was going to be the second annoying brother I have in my life. Despite the fact we’re not related and look nothing alike. Well, maybe except the blonde hair. “Next time I’ll just punch you in the face and be done with it.”

“And damage this money maker?” Eric scoffs, pointing at himself. “I don’t think so. The ladies would be very cross with you.”

“I’m sure your blow-up dolls would get over it,” I assure him sarcastically. I glance at Theo, who is still grinning like an idiot, and then to the two other men who are watching the exchange with interest.

The one slightly behind Theo is about six feet with short, dark brown—almost black, actually—hair, with hard dark eyes that take me in, assessing. There’s a scar on his jaw, and a hardness to him that tells me the man is either a former SEAL orformer Forces. Like knows like and all that. Compared to Theo and Eric, the man clearly works out, and sports different tattoos on his arms. His cut proclaims him as Shadow, and I have to assume that there’s some kind of meaning behind that.

The other man that stands slightly forward and beside Theo has an amused look on his face. He also gives off an air that he’s former military, and his cut declares him as Viper. An interesting choice of nickname, but again, there’s probably a story behind that too. He flashes me a wide smile surrounded by a goatee when I catch his eye, and I realize the man probably has women rushing at him from left and right. Damn. Is it a requirement to be hot to join their MC?

“I like her,” Viper announces as he steps forward and holds out his hand. “I’m Viper, and if you’re as badass as I think you are, I’m going to be offering you a job.”

“She’s Special Forces, so of course she’s a badass,” Eric interjects proudly. “Well, former now, I guess.”

“What rank?” Shadow asks, drawing my attention once I release Viper’s hand. His gaze is intense as he looks at me.

“Special Forces Communications Sergeant,” I reply instantly, the rank slipping from my lips as smoothly as when I was active. I bite back the bitter taste, ignoring it.

Shadow’s brow arches at that. “Impressive,” he rumbles out. “How long?”

“Six years officially. Though I was being scouted for a year prior to going through training.”

“Damn, I really want you to work for us now,” Viper says with a grin. “Gorgeous, a badass, and clearly smart as shit. Exactly what we need.”

“And I’m not all those things?” Eric mock pouts, making Theo snicker and me to roll my eyes. Shadow and Viper just ignore him, clearly used to his terrible humor.

“You looking for a job?” Shadow asks me. “Well, as long as you don’t mind working with your brother.”

I hesitate. It’s not that I don’t enjoy spending time with my brother, but seeing him all the time, even at home, is a lot. Before I can reply, Theo butts in and says, “I’m going to prospect for their club, Thea, so I’ll be moving into their clubhouse and out of your hair. So if you want to try it out, don’t worry about the two of us being around each other all the time.”

See? The twin thing is real and eerie at times.

“You’re going to prospect?” I repeat carefully.

Theo nods and grins. “Yeah. And I’ve got the job here.” The hope in his eyes eases some of the worry inside me. I love my brother, but we are polar opposites and I’ve always worried about him. But if this is what he wants, then I’m not about to stand in the way.

“If this means you’re not going to be leaving the toilet seat up for me to fall into the toilet in the middle of the night, then that’s fine by me,” I tell him with a pointed look, but then I smile and he rolls his eyes, never losing his grin.

I see Viper wince at that statement. “Man, yeah, women do not like that. Mine wouldn’t talk to me for days after the last time I forgot,” he tells Theo grimly.

It’s Theo’s turn to wince. “Yeah, considering she woke me up by shouting at me, I got that. And then when I helped her out, she kicked my ass so, yeah, I’ve been trying to be better at that, or at least out of the apartment before she notices.”

“You haven’t said if you want a job though,” Viper points out with a winning smile. “So how about it?”

Before I can answer, the rumble of a motorcycle fills the air, followed by two more, and I can’t help but turn my head. I love motorcycles, and few know that I have one sitting in storage. I’ve been tempted to take it out lately, but with no one to really ridewith other than Theo, I’ve left it alone, even tempted to sell it a few times.

I watch as three men on their bikes ride down the street, and when they start to slow, I realize they’re all wearing cuts that are the same as Shadow and Viper. Looks like I’m about to meet more of the MC my brother is thinking of joining. The power of the bikes fills the air and it rumbles through my chest as they pull up in the large empty space in front of my car.

The first man climbs off his bike, and his cut declares him as Bullet, President of the Devil’s Soldiers MC. Once he’s standing fully straight, I put him at six-two, and despite the salt and pepper hair and beard, he’s one good-looking man. I don’t see an ounce of fat on him, which means he keeps himself in good shape, has lots of tattoos, and when his gaze moves my way, I see cold blue eyes that take us all in, including myself, though they don’t linger on me too long. He looks like a biker, but there’s also something about him that makes me think, while he can be a mean bastard, he can also be a softie.

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