Fighter's Claim

by D. D. Galvani

  The club owned a gun range called the Firing Line and Dukes had plans to open another location next year. Last year Breech found a 10,000 square-foot building that had been empty for years. The place had good bones and, with his contacts and some hard work, ‘Crunch Time’ was born. The guys needed a place to work out and the town could use more local business. Breech planned on starting some self-defense classes, mainly for the club girls and the Ol’ Ladies. Some of the boys were lobbying for boxing and mixed martial arts training too.

  Dukes nodded his head. “Too fuckin’ right! That’s the best idea I’ve heard since they got here. Opry said that the flyer we put up in the Firing Line for classes at ‘Crunch Time’ has been getting some good responses. Lani has been begging me to teach her to shoot. I told her she needed to work out, gain some strength first. I’ll ask her if she wants to be in the class with Tish, Jiji, and the other girls,” Dukes said.

  My cell rang, and I answered the call wordlessly.

  “Hey,” Murph said. “The delivery guy just left; all the beds have been delivered and set up. The girls want to go to the store for sheets or some shit.”

  I chuckled. “Keep in touch, and keep them in sight at all times! Hear me?” I replied, then hung up without waiting for a reply.

  My cell rang again almost immediately. “What?” I barked, thinking it was Murph again.

  “Hey,” Tish said, “you don’t have to take my head off.”

  “Sorry, babe, what’s up?”

  “Murph is taking us to get linens for the beds, then we we’re going to stop for some grocery supplies. There’s a grill on the deck out back; we thought we’d cook for you all tonight. Steak with baked potato sound good?”

  “Hang on a second, babe.” Turning, I spoke to the room, “Tish wants to know if you guys want to come to the 3rd street house tonight; she’s grilling steaks.”

  All three men looked up.

  “I’m in,” Breech said.

  “Me too,” Sonny said.

  Dukes held up his finger, pulled out his phone, then dialed and spoke quietly. I figured he was calling Lani. “Yeah, we can come,” he said.

  I relayed the message to Tish and, after goodbyes, hung up. “Breech, let’s hit the Firing Line, I wanna check out some inventory for Tish.”

  “Right behind you, brother,” he said.

  Dukes gave us the thumbs-up; he was on the phone again.

  “See you guys later,” I called as we left the office, heading to our bikes for the ride to the Firing Line.

  Sixteen

  My cell rang, scaring the crap out of me. I forgot I had a new one. The screen said Fighter so I picked up the call.

  “Hey, babe, you done with all your shopping shit?”

  I giggled but answered, “Yeah, we’re done. I got the steaks marinating. Jiji made some fresh macaroni salad.”

  “Good, babe. Be ready to ride in ten,” he said and hung up. I looked at my phone like it had answers. Shaking my head at his abruptness, I pocketed the phone.

  Jiji was just coming in from the deck. “Was that Jameson?”

  “Yeah, he’s coming to get me.”

  “Where you going?” she asked.

  “I don’t know, he didn’t say. Shit, my hair’s a mess, I’ve got blood on my shirt from the steaks, and I probably smell like uncooked meat.” Pulling my T-shirt from the waistband of my pants, I started down the hall to my bedroom. Jiji followed me, falling on her back on the bed. “Jeez, Jiji, I just made the bed with new sheets, pillows, and a comforter. Could you let it be new for just a couple minutes?” She giggled.

  “Wear that new shirt we just bought, the one with the cold shoulders,” she said.

  “We’re going on the bike; you think that will be okay?”

  “If he doesn’t think so he’ll tell you, Tish. Since he didn’t say where you were going, I’d take the chance.”

  I pulled the shirt Jiji was talking about off the hanger, laying it on the bed. I had a camisole with lace straps that would be perfect underneath, so I added it to the pile.

  “If you’re riding,” Jiji said, “you’d be better off wearing jeans than shorts.” I wiggled out of my shorts, pulling my only pair of clean jeans on over my black thong. I really wasn’t a thong kind of girl, but I still didn’t have much of a wardrobe. That would have to be fixed, and soon.

  Once I had them on, I dropped down on the bed on my back next to her, staring up at the ceiling and watching the fan turn overhead. “What are we doing, Jiji? This whole thing just doesn’t seem real.”

  She raised her head, her face sad. “I’m sorry, Tish. I never wanted Aden to interfere in your life like this.”

  I laced my fingers with hers. “Listen, girl, I’m not mad; none of this is your fault.

  “Good things are happening too, Jiji. I’ve made a connection with Jameson, and I want to see where that goes. The guys make me feel safe and I like it here. My mom’s gone; I have nothing holding me in Florida. Besides, you’re here with me, and that’s all I need. My job isn’t my life, but you—you’re a huge part of my life. Without you I’d have a hole the size of Montana in my heart.”

  A few tears leaked out, and she swiped them away. “How did I get so lucky?” she whispered.

  I grinned. “Let’s stop this heart-to-heart shit before Jameson gets here. I don’t want to have red eyes, a runny nose, and blotchy skin. That would be a sight to send him running.”

  She laughed. “Get your comb and a rubber band and I’ll braid your hair. That way it won’t get tangled while you ride.”

  Sliding off the bed, I went to the dresser, coming back with a comb and a hair tie. Turning around, I sat in front of her so she could do my hair.

  “Tish, do you think Breech is only looking out for me because I’m Jameson’s sister?”

  Looking in the mirror on the dresser, I could see her behind me, trying to look nonchalant. “Girlfriend, that man looks at you with heat; he doesn’t see baby sister, he sees the woman he wants. But remember your brother’s warning: he isn’t a boy, he’s a man. You have to be able to handle what a man like that throws at you. I don’t think he was kidding when he said he would paddle your ass if you kept throwing lip at him.”

  She blushed. “What if I wouldn’t mind that spanking?” she asked, turning pink as she said the words.

  “What?” I squeaked.

  She snickered at me. “Like you wouldn’t mind it either, if it was Jameson.”

  Now it was my turn to blush. I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, hussy,” I said.

  She ducked her head, smiling, then tied off the end of my braid. “Okay, sweets, your hair looks great, now get your top on and I’ll meet you in the living room.” She blew me a kiss as she left the room.

  I slid the T-shirt off, throwing it into the basket of dirty clothes. Grabbing the camisole, I pulled it over my head, then smoothed it down my body. I noticed a little stubble under my arms, so I walked into the bathroom to do a quick shave. Checking my hair, I tamed a couple flyaways, then added a dab of lip gloss, some mascara, and a quick spritz of perfume.

  Thank God, I always kept a to-go bag of makeup in the car for work at the hospital. Since I was one of at the younger techs without a family, I often worked shifts for the girls that had kids so I learned to be prepared. The bag was always in my car, which was why I had just a few of my favorite things around me.

  Walking back into the bedroom, I pulled the new blouse over my head and shimmied it down my body. Looking in the mirror, I smiled. Most of the bruising on my face was gone; I still had some around my eye, but at least I was beginning to look like me again. Leaning forward, I checked to make sure I had no lip gloss on my teeth, then blew into my hand to check my breath before rolling on some deodorant.

  I heard the rumble of the pipes from a bike, announcing th
at Jameson was here. Smoothing my hair one more time, I walked out into the living room just as he came through the door.

  He tapped knuckles with Murph, giving a chin lift to Gears. “Babe, you ready to ride?” He turned to me as I came down the hallway, his eyes roaming over my body. I felt the heat of his graze; I had to look away before I drowned in those smoky orbs. He snaked an arm out, hooking me around the waist and pulling me in for a kiss.

  By the time he was done, my head was spinning, and I realized my nails had dug in where I was holding on to his arm for balance. “What you do to me, Jameson, should be illegal. Nothing matters, people, place, or thing”

  He grinned. “Right back at you, babe,” he said, kissing me again.

  Jiji saw him swoop in for that kiss; she made gagging noises, then innocently stopped when he turned around. He scowled. “We won’t be long; I told the guys to be here around five-ish for dinner, is that cool?”

  “That works,” she said. “See you guys later.” She wiggled her fingers at me, then went through the sliding glass doors to the deck, where her laptop was set up. Murph and Gears had made themselves scarce when Jameson started kissing me.

  Jameson pulled me into his arms once more. Grabbing hold of my braid, he wound it around his arm and tipped my head back before really kissing me. I opened my lips, letting him take control. It was fiery hot. I wanted to pull off the clothes I had just put on—and his too. Snuggling closer to his body, his cock riding my stomach was prominent. I started to reach down to massage it. He felt my hand move and grabbed it before I could touch him.

  “Babe, as much as I want your hands on me, if we don’t stop now we will never get out of the house.” I blushed but stepped back to disengage. He wouldn’t allow it. “Babe, it’s not that I don’t want to, or that I don’t want your hands on my dick, but I have something I want to do with you. The boys will be here before you know it. So let’s get going, okay? We can pick this up later, when we have more time.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.

  I giggled, looping my arm around his waist, and we made our way to his bike.

  “I bought an extra helmet for you. If you’re going to be riding with me, we need to get you a good pair of boots. Those tennis shoes will do for now.”

  I looked down at my feet; I didn’t even think about riding in my sneakers. I had a lot to learn about bikes and bikers, it seemed.

  He cupped my chin. “You’re thinking too hard again. Chill, Tish, I got you covered.” He dropped a quick kiss on my lips then helped me with the helmet.

  “Where we going, Jameson?” I asked.

  He smiled. “You’ll see when we get there,” he said. Throwing a leg over his bike, he rocked the kickstand back, then steadied the bike so I could climb on. “I never asked if you’ve ever been riding.”

  I shook my head. “No, this is my first time. What do you want me to do? I’m a little nervous.”

  “Babe, it’s easy; just wrap your arms around my waist and hang on. When I lean, you lean, that’s all. Got it?” He turned around on the seat to make sure my helmet was secure then raised his arms so I could slide mine around his waist.

  He pulled my hips closer to his ass so I was snuggled right up against him. The bike started up, and the vibrations coming through the seat made me uneasy. He duck-walked the bike out of the driveway then put the big Harley in gear. We rolled through the neighborhood and I held on tight. He patted my upper thigh, squeezing gently before returning to the handlebars.

  Once we turned onto the highway, Jameson hit the throttle, and the bike took off. I squeaked in surprise, holding on really tight; I was tense and stiff, trying not to let my nervousness show.

  Holy shit! Once on the highway, I fell in love with the speed. I relaxed because of the amazing feeling of flying. Sights and smells became clearer, more defined. Through the visor on my helmet, the white lines whizzing by didn’t scare me because Jameson rode so confidently. He handled the big bike like it was an extension of himself, flowing into turns, accelerating through traffic smoothly, coasting to stops expertly.

  I laughed, shouting into the wind, and began to really enjoy the ride. One of his big hands landed on my thigh again, and he squeezed as if he could feel I was really getting into it. All too soon, he turned off the highway into an industrial area. We pulled up to a building with a sign that said, ‘The Firing Line’ with two guns on either side. He parked the bike and shut off the engine.

  He patted my leg. “Off, Tish,” he said. I dismounted, removing my helmet, which he took from me to hang on the handlebars. “So, babe, what did you think of your first ride?”

  “Oh my God, Jameson, I freakin’ loved it! Could we go on a longer ride soon?”

  He laughed, “Sure, babe, we’ll take a ride for as long as you want to.” I grinned wide and leaned in to place a quick kiss on his lips. “That’s a tease,” he said, smacking my ass. I grinned and danced out of his range, towards the building.

  “What is this place?” I asked.

  He took charge, leading me to the building. “It’s a gun range,” he said. “It’s the first of three that the club plans to own and operate. This one is called the Firing Line. Opry is the manager. Come on, he’s waiting for us.”

  I could hear muffled shots when we went inside. There was a large glass counter running across the whole back wall, with two more flanking it to create a big U shape. I could see all kinds of guns inside. A peg board hung behind it, holding rifles and much larger guns than I had ever seen before.

  To the left of the counter was a set of stairs, which Jameson started climbing. He waved to the two girls behind the counter, and they waved back. At the top of the stairs was a short hallway with three doors leading to the right. Two doors which looked to be bathrooms were on the left. I could see Opry behind a desk in the first door we came to, which I assumed was his office. The next one was a solid steel door with some serious locks.

  I motioned to the ladies’ room and Jameson waved me on. “Come on into the office when you’re finished,” he said. Leaning down to kiss me, he added, “I’m glad you liked the ride.”

  I smiled up at him. “Loved it, babe!”

  He grinned. “Good ‘cause you’re gonna be doing lots of it.”

  He turned right and I went further down the hall, turning left. I couldn’t hide my smile. It was turning out to be a good day.

  Seventeen

  “Hey, Opry,” I said, dropping down into a chair in front of his desk.

  “Fighter, what’s up, brother?”

  “Listen, man, I want to get Tish set up with a weapon, then I want to take her down to the range.”

  He leaned back in his chair. “You got an idea what you want for her?”

  “I’m thinking a Sig P238. It’s small, lightweight, and it should be easy for her to shoot.”

  “Excellent weapon choice, Fighter,” he said, standing up. “The ladies like that piece because it’s easy to carry concealed; I got a couple others she can try as well that fit the type you want. Where is Tish, by the way?”

  “Here,” she replied from behind me.

  “Hey girl, looking mighty fine, sweetheart.” He gave Tish a white-toothed grin. Picking up her hand, he kissed the back before letting go.

  I frowned at him, shouldering him out of the way as I said, “Enough with the country boy charm, conman.”

  Snagging her around the waist, I pulled her to me, dropping a kiss on her lips. “This is my girl, go get your own.”

  He laughed. “I got my own, as if you didn’t know. Tish and Jiji will love her, so lighten up.”

  I sighed. “I’m outnumbered. I give, man.”

  Tish laughed. “I got your number now, mister: just get a bunch of women to gang up on you!”

  “Fuck no! One at a time is enough for me, especially since you’re a handful,
babe!”

  I followed Opry as he led the way out of the office and down the stairs, with Tish in between us. Walking behind the glass case, he pulled a rubber pad out of a stack and put it on the counter, then set three guns on the pad. I reached for the Sig I asked him for and inspected it. The other two he had put out were a Smith & Wesson M&P, and a Firestorm 380.

  “These okay, Fighter?” he asked.

  Looking up, I smiled. “Yeah, these will do just fine.”

  Opry motioned one of the girls over. “Pack these with some ammunition and bring them to the range, Jane.”

  She smiled before saluting. “You got it, boss,” she said, then started packing the guns.

  I handed Tish a pair of earmuffs and glasses, put mine on, then led the way through another door into the range. I could tell she was nervous, but she followed me without a word. This range had a twelve-bay setup. Inside each divided section was a counter with an overhead pulley system. A button on the wall activated the pulley, bringing the target forward or backward. Bypassing the shooters, we continued through a door to a second range with just three booths.

  Pushing the earmuffs to my neck, I motioned for Tish to do the same. “How much do you know about guns, Tish?”

  “To be honest, I’m afraid of them, Jameson.”

  I bobbed my head. “That’s because you haven’t been around them or handled them. Your fright is to be expected. Babe, I’m going to teach you about guns; I want you to be able to defend yourself. You did a hell of a job against Aden, but you were damn lucky. I don’t ever want you in that position again, feel me?”

  Jane came in, putting a box on the counter. She smiled at both of us. “Opry said if you need anything else just come find me.”

  “Thanks Jane, I got it from here.

  “Tish, Listen up. There are 4 rules you have to remember about a gun. Always assume all guns are always loaded. Watch where the gun is pointed. Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot. Be sure of your target and what’s beyond it.