“Okay, boys, party’s over,” I announce to the group of men sitting around the card table inside.
My back stiffens and my smile widens when I recognize one of them as Fin, the chapter’s SA. Good. I’ll finally get to kill him. He stands, knocking his chair over and glowering down at me. Damn, he’s tall. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Being the smart-ass I am, I turn and point to the patch on my back. “Sinner’s Creed. I believe this is our territory now. Didn’t you get the memo?”
“Yeah, we got the memo that some bitch came in and took out Cyrus. But her ass has yet to show up here.”
I smirk. “Well, you’re lucky she didn’t. Instead, she sent me. Trust me; you don’t want that bitch here. She’s crazy.”
“Sounds like Sinner’s Creed still don’t know how to put a bitch in their place. Maybe I’ll teach you boys one day.” He gives me an evil grin before his eyes swing to Rookie. I’m livid and suddenly can’t wait to knock his teeth down his throat. One step in and I hear the sound of the safety being released on a gun. Shit. I should have counted them all. I turn slowly to see the old man behind the bar pointing a nine shakily at me.
“We don’t want no trouble,” he says, his voice quivering.
“Me either, old-timer. But—”
“Put the gun down.” My eyes move to the door and I see one of Diem’s goons standing there like a fucking Mack truck, holding a .44 Magnum that looks tiny in his hands. The bartender lowers his gun just as Diem walks through the door.
“Seven and Seven, please.” I roll my eyes at her attempt to be polite. “Now, which one of you called me a bitch? Oh wait,” she says, feigning shock. Her finger moves back and forth between me and Fin, who’s still standing. “It was both of you.”
She walks closer to me, her heels clicking on the concrete floor. How does she get to be so powerful, such a bitch, and fine as hell? It wasn’t fair. “Did I upset you?” she asks, frowning. “The whole crazy bitch thing, isn’t that a bit much?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, sweetheart, I’m in the middle of conducting business,” I tell her, my rage rolling in waves down my body. Fin was my problem. We had a history, and I owed him something. Nobody was going to take that away from me. I don’t give a shit who they are.
Her cheeks redden with anger. “Don’t do that,” she snaps, giving me a deadly look.
“Do what?”
“Talk to me like I’m out of my league.”
I shoot her a wink, hoping my charm will warn her off. “I just meant I have this one covered, babe.”
She gives me a sardonic smile. “Well, babe. I can take it from here.” She’s beyond pissed. She’s fucking livid. But so am I. And I don’t like being put in my place by anyone, especially a woman. This woman. My woman.
“Seriously, Diem, back the fuck up. I don’t know what your problem is and I don’t care. This battle is mine,” I say between my teeth.
“My problem is you speaking to me like I’m beneath you. I don’t like it.” She’s close enough now I can smell the wine on her lips. I want to suck the taste right off her tongue, choke her out so I can handle my business, then fuck her back to consciousness.
“Well, I don’t like you coming in here barking orders at me like I’m beneath you.” She raises an eyebrow, reminding me that’s exactly where I am. “Look princess,” I drawl, and her nostrils flare at my choice of words. “If you’re looking for a power trip, do it somewhere else. I’ve. Got. This.”
She looks like she wants to slap me. I can almost see the steam boiling out of her ears. Her whole damn face is on fire and that death glare she’s giving me is strong enough to have me considering backing down. But, I stand my ground.
“Leave. Now.” Her tone is threatening, but I don’t budge.
“I’m not leaving,” I growl, letting her know I’m not in a negotiating mood.
She’s not in the mood to negotiate either, and this is the maddest I’ve ever seen her. “Threatening your life is pointless. You’ve already made it very clear that you don’t care whether you live or not. So, given our history, I’m going to allow you a second chance that I wouldn’t anyone else. Leave now, or I’ll put a bullet in Rookie’s kneecap. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll be sending flowers to Carrie.”
I conceal my heartache. I hide the shock. She’d just threatened the life of my brother and my friend. She was using my own advice against me. I’d told her she was my weakness, but she knew Rookie was a weakness for me too. And now, she was using him as leverage.