that growing up. Women are devious and catty and you guys really have to stop underestimating them.”
He frowns at that. “We don’t. We just deal with bitches differently.”
“You take risks because you’re blinded by tits and ass, but that’s a mistake,” I huff.
“There is no way to say this without sounding like a dick, but I could overpower you in a heartbeat, Reign, and so could almost every man in this building,” he says with a shrug.
“Sure, but can you overpower a bullet?” I ask with my hands on my hips.
“What are you talking about?” He scowls, taking a step closer to me.
“When I showed up here earlier, the prospect at the gate checked me out, but he didn’t check me out for any hardware. I could have walked into your clubhouse and opened fire, and nobody would have been the wiser until bodies started dropping,” I explain. It was something that bothered me right from the beginning.
“No woman is crazy enough—”
I cut him off with a wave of my hand.
“Don’t go there. No one is more vengeful than a woman scorned. What happens if one of your enemies figures out how lax you are with the ladies and sends in a decoy? Would anyone recognize the potential threat in front of them if it was all dressed up in a skimpy outfit and promising blowjobs all round? She could be armed to the teeth, ready to take out any of the presidents, whether it be one, two, or three. At that point, it wouldn’t matter. If any one of you died, it would weaken you all.” I point at him.
Moments later, I find myself pinned to the door with his large hand around my neck. “Tell me, Reign, have you come here to kill me?”
Chapter Seventeen
Reign
His hand squeezes a little tighter when I don’t answer, but I don’t react in any way other than glaring at him. I don’t know where this defiance is coming from or where my sanity has skipped off to, but I’m not scared of him, just pissed way the fuck off.
His nose skims over my cheek before he whispers in my ear. “Was that your plan all along? Are you our little Trojan horse set to destroy us from within?” His breath fans against my skin.
Someone tries to open the door, but Bates uses our weight to hold it shut.
“Answer me, Reign.”
I don’t, though, because if I open my mouth right now, I’ll likely say something I won’t be able to take back.
“Open up,” I hear Priest yell from outside, but Bates ignores him as he stares down at me, waiting for me to speak. Well, you’d better get comfortable then, asshole. I press my lips together and glare at him.
Priest starts hammering on the door, probably figuring out that something is wrong.
Bates pulls me away from the door but keeps his hand around my neck as Priest and Saint push through the door looking confused.
“What the fuck, Bates?” Saint snaps.
“It seems our old lady here might have an ulterior motive for coming to Carnage after all,” Bate spits out, drawing me closer.
Priest crosses his arm over his chest and looks at me. “Like what, exactly?”
At this juncture, none of them have pulled me free from Bates’s hold or made any effort to get him to loosen his grip, making my estimation of them plummet.
Bates seethes. “She can explain it to you.”
“Let go of her, Bates. She can’t talk with your hand around her neck,” Saint tells him, his eyes on mine, but there is no comfort in his gaze, only questions.
Bates does as asked, making me stumble on my feet. I rub my neck where he held me, not giving a fuck if he intended to hurt or just incapacitate me. He still put his hands on me in anger.
“Explain, Reign,” Priest orders.
I cross arms over my chest and shake my head at them in anger.
“This is exactly the reason I didn’t want to be your old lady without a trial period. You remember how you forced my hand with that, right?” I ask sarcastically. “It didn’t take long for you guys to show your true colors, but don’t worry. I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll keep my mouth shut from now on and let the cards fall where they may,” I hiss. I’m tired, so fucking tired of men and their bullshit.
Priest stalks forward and bends down, crowding me. “Tell me why Bates had his hands on you.”