by Turner, Xyla
Then some years later I heard about the all-women clubs, and I hopped on it. Probably a little too soon, because it turned out to be very different than I was used to. The women were catty, and the President allowed the loud mouth wenches to run her, and it drove a wall in between the members that were loyal and everyone else. I stayed because I thought I could have an impact on the reorganization of the club. Cut thought so too, because I was voted as the Vice President but shortly after, Roe resigned. She told me, that she felt comfortable doing this because she couldn’t take the club where it needed to go. I wasn’t sure that I could either, but I respected her decision.
Now the club was under my reign, but that also meant I had to deal with the persistent man outside. The same one who would only talk to the President.
That was me.
2
Alaric (Rick)
Who was that damn woman?
“Rick, man do you believe that shit?” Talbert huffed my way after the women nearly marched out of the courtroom.
“Do I?” I barely heard him as I was enthralled with the way this insanely beautiful woman laid into an old college buddy.
“I get her off, and that’s not good enough,” he started pushing files into his briefcase and mumbling about women being ungrateful. “Fake ass bikers.”
“That’s what got your ass cursed out in the first place,” I laughed at him. “Where are we eating?”
“Fuck you,” he scoffed. “Let’s try that new Thai place, near the square.”
Talbert was always an asshole, and I doubt he could even help himself. Entitled, ruthless and not many morals, unless they included schmoozing his way to the top. I ran into him, on my way from a hearing about the next case.
He was trying to get into the state’s office and willing to do just about anything to get there. Crazy enough, he had the reputation of being a winner, but he’d also burned bridges, like the one he just did with that group of women.
“What is the name of their biker group again?” I asked him out of the blue as I’m sure he was talking about something else.
Talbert looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Which group? Those women or the gang that beat my client’s ass?”
I shook my mental head because whoever that woman was, had every right to go off on him. He was callous. Plain and simple. I knew we were lawyers, but damn.
“The women,” I tried not to sigh.
“Ohhh, uh, something with Guardians.” I think.
“Like the Legion of Guardians?” I asked. “That’s only men.”
“Naw, like maybe Women Guardians or Female Guardians. It’s a National chapter, Mini,” he rolled his eyes at saying the name, “She told me about them.”
I pulled out my phone and began to search for motorcycle clubs in Pennsylvania, but came up empty on the names he provided. There were a few suggestions, so I asked, “Could it be Banshee Bitches, Motormaids, Twin Rose Lady Riders, Leather & Lace, MC? Wait, is it a riding club?”
Talbert was shaking his head in the negative and said, “What’s the fucking difference?”
This time I did sigh before answering him.
“A riding club is like a social group, and the focus is on riding but the motorcycle clubs, it’s about a mission, the family, and a common goal.” The more I thought about how she spoke with such passion, those women were her family.
“It’s an MC,” I answered my own question and continued to search. “Wait, are they the Lady Guardians, affiliated with the Legion of Guardians?”
“Yes, yes. That’s it. Lady Guardians.” Talbert nodded. “You know them. Why are you interested?”
“I’ve heard of the Legion of Guardians. They were known all over and have helped out so many people. I know law enforcement that has utilized them before over in New York and other places. They are pretty famous.” I informed my ignorant buddy. “If those women are affiliated with them, then that could be huge that you got one of them off.”
Talbert’s face went white as he realized his downfall with his assholish ways.
“Fuck, you must not have heard her, she let me go. Said she would find another lawyer.” He huffed. “Fuck, I didn’t know that shit. Just thought they hopped on bikes for thrills. Who knew it was a thing?”
I shook my head at him, “Man, there are bikers everywhere. This is fucking P.A. Some are good, like the Guardians and some can be menaces, but they are all over the place. Especially the Guardians. They have chapters all over. I know of the new District President in Norristown. He’s a great guy… used to be in the Marine’s with him.”
At the thought of Swag, I thought maybe I could reach out to him about the Lady Guardians. My finger clicked on what seemed to be their website and I began to go through their page. Mission, Vision, By-laws, affiliation, About the MC, and fuck me. There it was, the board. President Justice, Vice-President Cut, Treasurer Goldie, Secretary Brooklyn, Sergeant at Arms Silva and their Road Captain was vacant. To top it off, there was a picture of every one of them, but the one that was saved to my phone was that of the President, herself.
She was tall, feisty and I could tell behind all of that sass, she was much deeper than what Talbert tried to make the bikers. There was more to her, a fieriness about her that ran thicker than blood. Maybe it was, the fight she was willing to have for what I knew she considered family.
I probably should have left the search right there and bypassed the address. I damn sure should have put it in my GPS for the next few days and drive out there, asking to speak to their president. They answered the door to the compound, one time and every other time, they let me sit and stew.
Fuck.
There was not even a way to talk to her.
So, I thought.
The 35th Annual Reading Barristers Ball
Every year, the city had a ball to celebrate current leaders who’ve made contributions in the fields of local and national law. Everyone who is anyone in the city and surrounding areas was usually in attendance. I did not feel like going because it was a Friday, which meant, I was expecting to get a glimpse of Justice when she left the club. However, at this juncture, it was probably for the best that I was here and not there. Those women would probably do more than laugh at me. One day off would not hurt.
In my most expensive suit, I began to make my way around the room, which was more comfortable than it used to be, now that people actually knew who I was. I saw several colleagues that I either went to school with at Georgetown or from Lancaster, where I was born and raised. My parents still lived there, where they ran two small businesses and raised their only son. We weren’t close and our interactions lasted for no more than an hour and probably once a year. As an only child, who spent the majority of my time alone or at the neighbor’s house, this was not a problem for me. Or them, for that matter.
Halfway through my rounds, I saw a familiar angel. Holy shit, she was here, but wait. Why was she here?
On my way over to find out, someone grabbed my arm.
“Well, hello stranger,” Laura Sigler greeted me with a smile.
“Laura, Laura.” I smiled back before saying, “Fancy seeing you here.”
Laura and I had worked on a case together in Philadelphia with a hit and run. The guy who was hit, was trying to commit suicide. The woman driving behind the wheel, swerved but clipped a pedestrian and kept going. The street camera caught the licenses and incident, which made our case open and shut. It took us awhile to get the footage, so we spent the majority of our time trying to find out a way to connect the car, partial plate, paint to the person that was hit. It wasn’t until we went to view the scene that we noticed the red-light camera, since they were fairly new at the time. So, it ended up being an open and shut case, but it didn’t start off that way.
“It’s the place to be,” she said with a cheery faux smile and extending her arms out in midair, palms up.
I laughed, turned my gaze back towards the woman I’d been practically stalking and replied, “Yeah.”
“Eying up the brunette, the blond or the junior associate at Fred’s convent.” Laura joked.
Fred Stein had a law firm that had a dress code. No bright colors could be worn by any of the lawyers or employees of the organization. It was the weirdness thing, but in the legal world, we said, he ran a convent. I also forgot, Laura knew everybody. Her ear stayed to the ground.
Laughing at the comment, I nodded towards Justice and said, “The brunette.”
“Yeah, Eva’s hot as hell,” she nodded admiringly, making me wince that I’d given her attention in the first place.
“Who is she?” I asked, hoping Laura would know.
“Eva Wyatt. She’s a lawyer over at Reid, Wilson, and Ebon.” She spoke in hushed tones. “Think she’s been there at least over five years now and doing some pretty interesting stuff at the tight ass firm.”
I scoffed because the founders were a bunch of old tight-asses. Hell, I was surprised that she was even at that firm, due to their reputation and general rulings. They were known to take money-making cases, career booster clients, the connected, rich and famous. I could not imagine a lady biker, fearless leader of Lady Guardians with that firm.
“Eva Wyatt,” I said her name out loud to test how it would sound.
“You seem smitten?” Laura said with a huge smile on her face. “Want to get an introduction?”
I laughed.
“Smitten? That’s a stretch.” I scoffed. “Interested, sure.”
“You’ve been eye-fucking her since you got here. That’s actually why I stopped you so I could tell you to stop. It was unbecoming of a D.A. But, what do I know. I like women.” She shrugged her shoulders.
My eyes cut to her, then I put them back on Eva. Laura always tried to subtly put the fact that she was gay in the same conversation as her scolding me. Then she always ended it, by saying, “What do I know?”
“Same ole’ Laura.” I reminded her. “I’m not smitten.”
She laughed and patted me on the arm. The woman was super smart and had a wicked sense of humor. However, her and I differed when she felt she was not promoted because she was a woman and a member of the LGBT community. I could see both of those things, but I was never sure what I could do about any of them.
Laura was a top attorney, who had a lot of billable hours and experience. So, I knew she would land somewhere, even if it weren’t at her current firm, which was my former.
“Well, it looks like she’s free right now. Are you going to take your opportunity?” She asked.
I tossed the rest of my drink back and nodded my head.
“Think, I will. Just to shut your ass up,” I said while looking her way.
The smirk that formed on her face was a Laura classic; which caused me to smile.
Saddling up to Eva, I whispered, “Fancy meeting you here. Ms. Eva Wyatt, also known as Justice, President of the Lady Guardians, the National Chapter.”
She slowly turned around with one eyebrow raised in my direction.
“If it’s isn’t the friend of the asshole attorney, who hates bikers and women.” She said with a calculating sneer.
“Fuck. Not going to let me live down the one time I went to catch up with an old friend from college, huh?” I asked her as I moved in closer.
“No, I don’t think I will.” She answered. “What can I do for you?”
“A lot, actually. We can start first with you sharing why you won’t even talk to me?” I life my chin, to challenge the woman, who I know will step up.
She does the same with her chin and replies, “Tell me why you’re stalking me. That’s against the law counselor.”
I raise a hand to my chest in a mock imitation of shock, before saying, “Stalking? Me. I merely wanted to talk to the President who wasn’t woman enough to face me. You defend people by day, curse out lawyers in the afternoon, but at night, you get others to do your light work?”
A smirk crept across her face, as she eyed me with caution.
“Wise guy, huh?” Eva nodded and turned around, but I met her there.
3
Justice
The office opened at six every morning due to the early nature of lawyers and getting the worm before the other vultures do. I am one of those employees that get there at six so I can leave early, as I have many Lady Guardians duties that needed attending. This did not include the man who made it his business to come to my club every day this week.
The elevator reached the fortieth floor of the high-rise building and in my haste to get to the office, I ran right into someone. Thus, dropping my bag, muffin, and keys.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I exclaimed as I quickly bent down to retrieve my items.
“No worries,” a familiar voice sounded above me. “I shouldn’t have been standing there.”
Oh boy.
“You?” I pointed, while still squatting on my haunches.
“Me,” he smirked, displaying one deep dimple on his left cheek.
Great.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him as if I were okay with the carpet mites taking my muffin away.
The man merely smiled wider and answered, “Looking for you, sweetheart. You got your bodyguards at the club, but here, I can come here. And best of all, it is not odd that I’m here. It is weird that I am constantly staking out an all-women’s motorcycle club. I just tell people my girlfriend is in there, but they always ask me why I’m not in there with her. I tell them she’s a man-hater, who started a club that I can’t even be a part of. It’s a whole story, I’ve concocted but the old ladies think the Lady Guardians are sweet little women who ride those treacherous bikes. Miss Oden think you are superwoman, because she saw you flip someone over your shoulder. Even though she said, you’re skin and bones. Need to fatten you up.” He held up his hands and continued, “I didn’t say it. She did. Hell, I’ll take you just the way you are. Even that sassy ass mouth.”
My whole being was tight with what could have been a mixture of anger, amusement and confusion jumbled together. The man was fucking crazy. What in the hell was he talking about?
“What are you doing here?” I repeated my original question.
“Told you I’d see you tomorrow.” This time, that megawatt smile was turned all the way up.
“You see me, now leave,” I, on the other hand, wasn’t turned all the way up.
“Sweetheart,” he said with an eyebrow lift. “You don’t know me, but you know enough about the past week and dare challenge me on my tenacity and grit. I will outrun you, outlast you and wear you down.” He held out his hand. “My name is Alaric, yours is Eva. When will you let me take you out, Ms. Wyatt?”
After shaking my head, I picked up everything that I dropped and proceeded to my office with the man on my heels.
“Excuse me, can I help you?” I said loud enough so anyone in earshot could hear me.
“I asked you a question, so you can help by giving me an answer.” He replied in a casual tone as if he had all the time in the world. The arrogance on this guy was so massive, he needed a spaceship to get around the absurdity of what he was requesting.
“You can’t,” I shared and began to place the various items on my desk.
“That word is not in my vocabulary,” Alaric informed me with a smirk. “I can do anything that I want.”
The rumble of laughter burst through my carefully concealed demeanor.
“Your arrogant ass would say something like that. Look, I’m not sure if you know who you’re dealing with but if the word can’t, is not in your vocabulary, please know that never is in mine. You can’t wear me down. Wait, better yet, you will never wear me down. You can stand outside my club or office all year. It would not matter, but what will matter is when I get a restraining order against you. Therefore, Mr. Alaric, you and I both know that wouldn’t be good. So, please leave me alone. I’m not interested in a date, catching up or being friends.”
Slowly, I sat down in my chair, lifted the top of my laptop and began
to do my work. This was my modus operand.
Home.
Work.
Club.
“That’s because we haven’t been on a date yet.” He nodded with assurance as if he just knew.
One of my eyebrows quirked up at him, then I shook my head in disbelief. It seemed that he received the hint, because he waved, turned and made his exit.
“See you soon,” he called back.
I did not respond because I did not want to give him any reason to return. I continued to type away at my desk. Three minutes later, a knock rapped on my door, causing me to lift my head, getting ready to tell Mr. Alaric that I had no time for his shit. Instead it was Scott Ebon, one of the partners that was just appointed two years ago. Granted, he came in after me, brought in less billable hours than me and colored his nose brown, darker than his naturally tanned coloring his Italian roots gave him.
* * *
For the past three years, I’d inquired about a pro-bono division of the firm. Scott Ebon was not really trying to hear that but I was persistent. Since he was my direct supervisor, we worked together, more than the other partners. They were very strict with their rules, not like the convent firm, but we weren’t far from it.
“Eva,” Scott nodded at me when he entered. “I have some good news for you.”
“A raise, wow. Thanks so much, Scott…” I laughed.
“Well,” he let the word linger. “It’s not a traditional raise, but it’s a department that we want you to manage.”
He sat down, while I sat up to hear this proposition.
“You’ve been trying to get the pro-bono division of the firm to take on more, so we’ve just partnered with the state on a project that will specifically take this firm to another the next level. We pride ourselves on exclusivity. However, there is much more billable hours and money to be made, even in the pro-bono sector. We want you to head that up!”