The Devil’s Reward: An Opposites Attract Romance (The Devil’s Soldiers)

It’s a small world, but in this case, it looks like it’s going to work in my favor.

“You already have someone coming in?” Viper asks incredulously. His eyes are wide with shock, and I know the feeling. Hell, I’m shocked myself.

“He’s former Forces, and he’s got an extensive background in surveillance and intelligence gathering,” I explain. “Both are skills we wanted, and he got out a week ago, according to the social worker.”

“And the social worker, she give her name?”

“Quinn Holt,” I respond after I check the notepad. The sweet, and almost shy, voice on the other end caught my attention, but I don’t have time for women, even if they do sound as sweet as that one. “She works at the private VA clinic, not the hospital. Said she got the name from a Lena Breck.”

He nods. “That’s my contact at the hospital. She must have sent it out to everyone, whether at the hospital or the clinic. This Quinn Holt give any history on him other than his skills?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t ask. They won’t give that information, anyway. I already sent his name off to Cryos to make sure we’re not getting someone that’s all about the glory.”

Viper nods. “Let me know what he says. You want me to be in here for the interview?”

“Up to you. I can handle it, but if you want to meet him and make sure he’ll fit in, you’re welcome to stay.”

“I’ll meet him, and if everything looks good, I’ll leave him to you. You’re good at sussing out the weird ones anyway.” He grins at me. “That’s what we let you think, at least.”

I give him a bland look. “Says the man who runs straight for crazy women,” I retort. “Or have you forgotten your chase of a certain crazy piercer?”

Viper laughs. “Damn, Raven is fun. I’d give that pretty boy of hers a run for his money if I didn’t know he is damn crazy about her, and he is good enough for her.”

“Your luck, when you find a woman, you’re going to end up with someone crazier than all the girls put together.”

He shrugs. “My ex is like that now, but she’s the bad crazy, not the fun crazy like our girls.”

“Wait, there are different kinds of crazy?”

He laughs. “You’re out of touch, brother. Trust me, there’s a big difference. Hope when you find a woman, you don’t find out. Though that would be funny as shit.”

I wave that away. “I’ll worry about finding a woman after our mole is gone. Now, get out of my office so I can get some work done before this guy gets here. Keep an ear out, though, would you?”

“What’s his name?”

“Mack Owens. The name sounds familiar to me, but I can’t place him. Hopefully, either Cryos gets back to me before he gets here, or I recognize him.”

Viper nods and heads out, leaving me to the loads of paperwork that have been piling up on my desk. Yep, definitely need a receptionist. Paperwork is not my thing.

Soon enough, I’m entrenched in dealing with it all so much that I miss Viper letting me know our interview is here. I don’t clue in to anyone being there until the door opens again. Lifting my head, I’m instantly thrown back in time to when my team and I were working a mission with another Forces team in the Amazon, extracting some diplomats that were kidnapped and being held hostage at some hidden mansion deep in the jungle.

Memories bombard me, and from the look on his face, he recognizes me as well. Slowly, I stand and hold out my hand to a man I thought I wouldn’t see again. “Crypt,” I say calmly.

“Ghost,” Crypt returns, taking my hand and giving it a firm shake. I can see Viper watching us curiously out of the corner of my eye. “Long time. Sorry about your team.”

I give a curt nod. “Thanks. I didn’t recognize your name when the social worker sent your resume over,” I tell him, changing the subject and gesturing for him to take a seat across from me. Viper moves into the room to stand slightly behind me, though I note Crypt tracks his movement without so much as turning his head.

I already know I’m going to hire him. Not just because of his skills, but because he’s one of the few members of his team that I liked. He was no nonsense, did what needed to be done with little talking or complaining, and he was a damn genius with tracking and navigating. Everything blended together in the jungle, and there was nothing like a mission where we had to spend weeks together, no privacy or peace the entire time. His team hadn’t jived as well as ours, and I had inquired about our team acquiring him when we got back. They shot me down, but I have to figure that was for the best. Our next mission was our last, and one more death on my conscience might be one too many.

“Not like we all go by our names when we’re working,” Crypt rumbles out with a slight shrug. “Though I notice you don’t go by Ghost anymore,” he adds, nodding towards my cut.

I shake my head. “I’m Shadow now. Suits me better.” I give him a humorless smile, and he nods in acknowledgement. I glance back at Viper and explain, “Crypt and I knew each other in the Forces. He was on another team, but we did a mission together. Crypt, this is my club brother and business partner, Viper.”

Crypt tips his head in acknowledgement, then turns his gaze back to mine. I see Viper’s lips quirk in the corner of my eye. “You joined the MC when you got out?” Crypt asks me.

I shake my head. “I wandered around, and then Bullet, our President, offered me the chance to Prospect. Figured I had nothing to lose, so that’s what I did.” I cock my head at him thoughtfully, a plan already forming in my head, and then glance at Viper. Knowing where my mind is heading, he gives me a subtle nod. “You got a place yet?” I ask Crypt curiously.

He shakes his head. “Still close to base. Got another week to find a spot. Most places I’ve found only rent to families, or want proof of a job. The social worker said she might have a line on a place, though.”

I lean forward. “Ever think of joining an MC?” I ask him.

He doesn’t look all that surprised at my question. “You trying to recruit more men? Or is this a charity offer?”

Blunt, and that holds true to the man I remember when we worked together. “Nah, no charity here. You already have a job here if you want it, and since I know what it’s like getting out of the Forces with no plan, this might be an option for you. We need some fresh blood, and we need competent Prospects.” Viper snorts, making Crypt glance at him. “We have kids now, about five of them. Two of them have patch potential, the other three are lazy as fuck.

“It won’t be easy, but it comes with a job, a place to stay, and the chance for you to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. Our club is made up of a lot of former servicemen, and they’ve all been where you are now. You’re going to have to prove yourself, do the grunt work, but if you want a brotherhood like you had before, only a hell of a lot better, then I’m willing to sponsor you.”

“Just like that?” He rightfully sounds suspicious.

I shrug. “You might decide it’s not for you, and that’s fine. You’ll still have a job. One isn’t contingent on the other, but it will let you get on your feet without having to worry about the little shit.”

“We’ll put you through your paces if you stick around,” Viper warns. “That’ll include scrubbing the damn toilets if we decide, or running out to get beer at three in the morning if we’re partying, but you’re going to have a family at your back no matter what.”

Crypt eyes him, and then looks at me, gaze steady. I can’t read his thoughts, but if he accepts, I already have a plan in mind for him. If our mole somehow sneaks past us, Crypt would be an ace up our sleeves. He’ll be unknown, and our mole will only see him as a new obstacle, but if we can use Crypt to track him down, we’ll be that much closer. A win-win, and we could end up with another brother.

Not to mention, I can be sure he’s not the mole.

Finally Crypt replies, “I’ll give it a trial run. No promises I’ll stay with the MC, but if that won’t affect my job, then I see no reason to refuse.”

I smile at him. “Good. I’ll let our President know, and then we’ll work out the details. In the meantime, I’ll get you to fill out some paperwork, and we’ll get you set up. You’re good where you are another day? It’ll be tomorrow before we can move you to the clubhouse.”

He nods. “I have until the end of next week to be out. I’ll let them know I’ll be out in the next couple of days.”

“Got a lot of shit?” Viper asks him.

He shakes his head. “All my shit can fit in a couple of duffle bags. It was just a place to crash when I got back. The furniture and shit stays with them.”

“Makes it easier. You got a bike?” Viper asks.

“Got one in storage. Got a truck that I use for most things now, and haul shit around when I need it.”

“We got space for it, so it’s fine,” I assure him. “You pack up tonight, and I’ll let you know what time tomorrow. Now, let’s get this shit done, and then I’ll show you around.”

The next couple of hours go by quickly, and by the time Crypt leaves, I’m feeling pretty damn good. Not only for helping Crypt, but because we now have an exterminator for our little mole problem. Something Viper immediately says as soon as we’re in his office.

I shut the door behind us and lean against the wall beside it. Viper sits behind his desk and regards me curiously. “You think he’s a good bet?” he finally asks me.

“What you see is what you get with him,” I explain. “He’s blunt when he talks, and he’s damn sharp. The mission our teams paired up for was about ten years ago. He was still relatively new to the game, but he was near fucking perfect. Didn’t whine or complain, gave good intel, and worked well with our team. Even if he doesn’t stay with the club, he’ll be a damn good person to have on our team here.”

“And if he’s nothing like you remember him to be?”

“Then I’ll handle whatever comes next. If that means firing his ass and kicking him to the curb, so be it. I don’t see it happening, but I’m prepared to make that step.”

“And it won’t bother you that he’ll remind you of your team?” Viper’s gaze is assessing, as if trying to figure out if I’m about to lose my shit.

“It was a long time ago, and he wasn’t on my team,” I remind him stiffly. “As for my team, I’ve worked through my issues around them, and if something else pops up, I’ll handle it.”

Slowly, Viper nods. “Alright.” Thankfully, he lets it drop. “I reached out to Syn, and she said her dogs are trained in narcotics and explosives detection. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to do it, but agreed when I told her we wanted to figure out who hurt Izzy. She said to let her know when we need her and she’ll figure out her schedule. She’s got a light week, but she recommended not doing anything tomorrow because she has a cop coming to pick up his K9 from her place and she doesn’t want to worry about being late for him.”

“Gonna take a day to figure out the logistics anyway,” I muse. “Did she say if she can do the grounds and the clubhouse the same day?”

He shook his head. “She said that it will need to be two different days. She recommended doing outside at night, since the dogs will blend in and make it harder for someone to spot them. Daylight is best for the clubhouse. Doing both in one day is too much for the dogs.”

“Alright that makes sense. You figure out the details and let me know. I’ll handle Crypt tomorrow, and we can fill Bullet in tonight before Church.”

“He said to head for his office when we get back. We’ll sweep for bugs, just in case our mole has gotten wise.”

I nod. “Fine. We’ll leave here in about three hours, that should give us enough time.”

“I’ll have to meet you there,” Viper corrects me. “I have to go over to the construction office and the bar to pick up the books. I don’t have Archer this weekend, so I figure it’s the best time to get them done.” He looks pissed at the thought, and I understand.

Archer is Viper’s ten-year-old son, and he’s a damn good kid. It’s too bad his mother is a bitch who uses her son to get back at Viper. She is constantly extorting more money for more time with Archer, and Viper pays it every damn time, because as he always says, the money is nothing compared to his son. We all know that Viper is only biding his time until he can take her back to court to get full custody, but he’s also making sure he has all the evidence in place to make it stick. Even with all that, Archer loves his father, and makes his thoughts known to his mother, much to her annoyance.

“You finally ready to make a move on that?” I ask Viper curiously.

He shakes his head. “We both know a judge won’t take him away from his mother for no good reason. I have some intel that she’s been drinking heavily lately, and using the money I give her for everything other than Archer, but it’s not enough to really get what I need. She also has a new man around.”

I straightened at that. “You get a name?”

Viper shakes his head. “Archer only met him in passing when he came to pick up Maggie, but I’ll figure it out. It won’t be long before she lords that over my head and starts trying to keep Archer from me to spend time with her new man. All so she can say that if I want to see him, I need to pay up.” His lips thin, giving away his anger.

Personally, I’d love to see someone take the bitch down a peg or two, but I know better than to interfere. “You let me know if you want that information sooner rather than later,” I order him.

“Thanks, brother. I got it handled for now, but yeah, I’ll keep it in mind.” He glances at his phone. “I’m going to head over to the job site, and I’ll see you back at the clubhouse.”

After giving a quick salute, I head back to my office. I quickly type off an email to the social worker, letting her know we hired Crypt, and to send any other people like him my way. Within a few minutes, I get a quick email back thanking me, and saying how pleased she is for Crypt to already find employment.

I smirk to myself. In her email, she’s the picture of professionalism, but all I can think about is her sweet, shy voice on the phone. It’s too damn bad I’m not looking for a woman right now, because any other time, I’d be curious enough about that voice to want to put a face to it.