step forward, despite someone trying to pull me back.
“I’m Reign. What’s going on?” I ask, looking at the detective closest to me.
He steps forward and snags my arm, spinning me around and pulling both my arms behind my back.
“Reign Foster, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of a police officer. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have read to you?” he asks in a monotone voice.
I nod my head on autopilot, but my eyes stay fixed on my guys, who are now on their feet and pushing themselves to the front of the crowd. Holy fuck! What the hell is happening?
“What the fuck is going on?” Priest yells at the cop cuffing me, his words echoing my thoughts.
“Sir, step back,” he says to Priest in a no-nonsense voice.
“I’ll step back when you get your fucking hands off my old lady,” Priest argues, and I see a cop moving in close to him.
Shit, the last thing I want is for Priest to get arrested too.
“Hey, I’m okay. Call my dad and my brothers. They’ll know what to do.” I try to reassure him even though I’m shaking like a leaf.
Bates shoves past Priest and grips my hair, ignoring the asshole holding my wrists, and kisses me hard before he is pulled off me and tossed to the floor by a cop who stops Bates’s movements with a knee between his shoulder blades.
“What you gonna do, asshole? Arrest me for kissing my girl?” Bates mocks before looking up at me. “Hang tight, Trouble, we’ll get you out of there. This is all bullshit.”
In that respect, I’m not worried. Anything they think they might have on me is superficial at best because I’ve been locked down here at the club, and anytime I’ve left, I’ve been with people who can give me an alibi. What’s freaking me out is being separated from my guys and leaving the safety of Carnage when there is still a killer on the loose.
“I know. Don’t take too long, okay?” I manage to keep the wobble out of my voice, but I know he can see how scared I am by the look in my eye.
“We’ll be right behind you,” he vows, which helps, knowing that no matter what, these guys will be in my corner.
“Let’s go.” The cop yanks me back just as my eyes connect with Saint’s, who looks like he wants to rip the cop’s head off.
“Yo, detective, remember me?” The guy pulling me turns to Saint before using me as a shield.
What a swell guy.
“Yeah, you remember me. You were the one who hauled me off to jail, but you were just a beat cop then. You felt like such a big man taking me in, but guess what, asshole, I was innocent, and you are about to do the same damn thing all over again. How is this going to look to the press, huh? Because you can bet your ass that will be the first call I make.” The guy hesitates for a moment but, in the end, ignores Saint and pulls me toward the door. I keep my eyes on Saint’s as he mouths to me not to say a word. I nod in response, knowing the deal.
A banging makes me jump, but it continues getting louder and louder as each member stomps or hits the tables or the floor in solidarity as I walk past. Each offering me their strength and loyalty, bringing tears to my eyes.
I smile despite the shitty situation and look up as we reach the door, each of my guys now standing side by side, promising me retribution.
“I love you,” I yell at them, making all the Carnage members around us hoot and holler even as the cops try to get them to be quiet.
It might not be the best time to announce my feelings for them to the world, but it’s worth it to see the amused smiles on their faces. It’s the image I’ll keep in mind until they come for me.
The stomping of feet and clapping of hands continues as the detective leads me across the compound and out the gates, which are wide open. He checks the traffic before walking me over to a squad car parked across the