by Adair Rymer
“Here.” Top gave me his zippo. I offered him a cig but he just shook his head. “That how you got that cut?”
“Just a little foreplay this morning with that blonde. You'd be towing a body outta here, that was the case.” I let my smirk creep as I lit the cigarette and then turned to the cop. “You gotta reign in your boys better, Jeffries. The fuck do we pay you for?”
Jeffries was clearly nervous. “Hey, hey, them boys are fresh out of the academy. It takes time to acclimate them to the sensitive nature of things out here. They're just on edge after that gas station thing that went down outside of Kingfisher. I know that was you boys.”
The rawness of the memory had Top getting agitated. “Self defense. They killed Bren.”
“I heard, my condolences. Bren was a good boy.” Jeffries took off his hat again and let the statement breathe a moment before continuing on. “But you gotta unnerstand that blows a lot of heat my way.”
“Where's this going, John?” I asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I'm gonna need more money to keep the boys quiet, especially the new ones. You unnerstand.”
There it was. That greedy fucking pig. Paying off the cops was part of the clubs taxes. It's just the way it was but this greedy prick was always coming up with excuses for tax hikes and we were getting real goddamn tired of it. Top was in no mood today.
“How's Lily, John? Still goes to Prairie Elementary, right?” Top's tone held the joviality of a rattlesnake. He was in no mood to play around and Jeffries wasn't feeling too talkative all of a sudden. “She's a real cutie, John. I'd take real good care of her if she was my kid.”
The captain got the point. “Alright, Top.”
“North Pracht Ave. Forth house down on the left,” Top continued
“I get it, Top!”
“Second floor. The room with the pink wallpaper and the Disney snowman nightlight.” It was masterful. Top had Johns eyes open so wide they might've burst from his skull. “You'll get half what you're used to from now on. You got a problem with that?”
“That—that's fine,” Jeffries stammered.
“Now get the fuck out of my sight.” Before Top finished the sentence John was already walking backwards. Served him right. He knew that if it came blow to blow we could roll roughshod over that whole department.
“Remy, I want Star dealt with by the time we leave here tomorrow. You hear me?” He wasn't bluffing with Jeffries and he was not bluffing with me. Top is a man who makes good on his words.
“Yeah.” I had a little time to figure it out but I'd have to get real creative if she was going to see week's end.
“Good. Deadeye and Rio are on their way up with the full club to pay their respects. We're hosting them tonight. Let the boys know,” Top said.
Shit. I'd have to get creative faster than I thought. There was suddenly a lot to do. Muse would send some of her girls to assist but the majority of cleaning up after the fight last night would be on us. I knew Muse was going to send Star in just to stir the pot. I'd have to talk with her personally.
After I let the boys know to pack in the guns and start to get shit sorted for the event tonight, I started off for Muse. I entertained the idea of finding Star to finish what we started but I couldn't shirk my end of cleaning up. Everyone in, everyone out. All our patches are equal.
“It's Remy, open up.” I rapped on Muse's office door.
“Come in, handsome.”
I opened the door to find her reclined behind her desk with one of her house girl's face busily buried in her crotch.
“You want me to come back later?” I couldn't help but smile.
“Nonsense, Remy-dear. It's just some on the job training.” She batted her long lashes at me. “However may I be of help?”
“Your newest employee.”
“Ooooh, the beautiful shinning Star. Stephanie told me that you stopped her and offered to relay my message to Top. Being that you're here and not him, I'm guessing the news of that girl's escape attempt never made it to his ears, hmm?” Mercy dug her nails into the girl's scalp and moved her head where she wanted.
“Yeah, I want you to cut that shit out. I'm handling it,” I said.
Her dark, cherry lips spread into a knowing smile. “Just like you handled it back at the pump station. Or last night when you trashed my bar?” Muse sighed and looked down unimpressed. “Pardon me, sugar. Sophia, read my body language. You feel my hips? Jesus, I know you eat pussy, so do it right. Work the hood then the labia. I want the alphabet.”
“It's always inspiring to watch you work.” I pulled out my wallet and put three hundred dollars on her desk. “Top will be around later to give you money for the repairs.”
“And this?” She knew already, but she wanted me to say it out loud.
“Discretion.”
“You're playing a dangerous game, Remy. Top has been awfully good to us over the years. I couldn't possible betray his confidence,” she cooed to me. Then, she slapped the top of the girl's head. “What did I just say?”
I knew the money wasn't going to be enough. Muse was a smart woman who knew how to take and use power. I'd have to improvise. I could threaten her, something I was very good at, but that was only one of many tools in my inventory.
I stood up and walked toward her. At first she was intrigued and curious, then quickly, she became concerned when I didn't stop. I grabbed a handful of the girl's hair and pulled her face from Muse's thighs. “Get lost. Lock the door behind you,” I told her in no uncertain tones. My demeanor was such that she ran off immediately.
“Remy..?” Muse started closing her legs but I caught them, pried them back open. I then lowered my head, all the while never wavering in eye contact. This wasn't about sex. This was dominance.
Muse took excellent care of herself and had the body of a woman in her late twenties. I first started in on her dark thighs. Teasing, I licked the taut muscles, then massaged the shaved area above her pussy with my thumb while exhaling hot breath over her clit but not moving in. After a few minutes her hips shifted slightly, I had the upper hand. My tongue briefly kissed the top of her hood before pulling back altogether. I grabbed her legs and pulled them apart even more. I looked up at her with such indifference that I could've been reading the newspaper. She moved a little more, I held even longer, then delved back in. I traced her labia then stopped.
I kept my pace inconsistent. Soft, soft, harder, fast, soft, slow, stopped, slow. My tongue licked out long bible passages all the while neither of us broke the stare. Her eyes began to gloss but she was still strong.
With one arm I pushed her lower stomach back while simultaneously cupping her ass and jerking it forward. Her pussy flowered for me. My tongue wore long, deep groves through her cunt in time with the subtle gyrations of her hips. It's when I cut against that rhythm and pulled away that I could start to feel the spasms. She was getting close but I wouldn't let her come.
Again I brought her to the precipice just to pull back, not completely. I wanted her to still know I was there, ready. Her hand found the back of my head but was immediately slapped away roughly. No. I was doing this, not her. I wasn't her vibrator, she was subject to my whims. I set the terms of her orgasm.
Now both sets of lips quivered at my touch but still I wouldn't take her all the way.
“Fuck! Alright! News of the girl stays between just us. Now fucking let me finish.” She lost.
I calmly stood up and wiped my chin. She was flustered, breathing heavily and snapping a hand over her cunt, just applying pressure. She knew I wasn't going to do it for her. I saw her slip two fingers in as she glared at me.
“You cruel, horrible man. Get out.”
I didn't have to say anything. I just smiled and left. On my way out I grabbed the three hundred dollars I placed on her desk earlier. She softly growled but said nothing. I let the door swing wide on my way out of her office. She screamed my name but I didn't care. Someone else would have to shut it for her so none of her cu
stomers saw her finish up. I had other shit to do today.
Even a fire-handler like Muse could occasionally be burned. She'd remember that next time she tried to fuck with me.
Chapter 5
Star
I was still shaken up from Remy's visit. Gloria saw how he left me and rattled off a long string of, what I can only assume, were curses. He was a man of extreme highs and lows I didn't know how much longer I could bear it. I'd never seen anyone so diffused outwardly, yet with such boiling passion a hair's breath beneath the surface. Everything about him seemed like barely contained violence. Even when he was gentle, the electricity in his touch and in his intentions was unmistakable. At any moment there could be an explosion followed by writhing bodies on the floor. Either ours—Remy and mine—or Remy's enemies.
Gloria brought me to a window where I could watch the events with the police unfold. She had this forlorn look about her. Like she knew how this was going to end. I saw Remy and that monster— Top—talking with the police. I couldn't hear anything, of course, but I didn't need to. The way the officers were standing with their hands ready on their guns spoke volumes.
I think the worst part of it was seeing just how easily the police were dealt with. It was so utterly unreal. At first, I wanted to run out there and jump in the back of a cruiser, but when the fat guy in the cowboy hat showed up and waved off the other cops I realized that the rules I had always been taught didn't apply in this place. My last security blanket was torn away.
Once they were gone Gloria took my hand and moved me back into the room we were working on. With everything that had been happening I half expected Gloria to betray me somehow, as well. I didn't want to be that person. Always on edge. Skeptical of everyone. What a terrible way to live...
There was no hidden knife waiting to attack me when we got back to that room. A part of me felt like I could take her if there was. I shook that admittedly growing part away immediately. I wasn't like them. I was more than just a rabid dog.
I took Gloria's hand and thanked her sincerely. I wasn't sure for what, exactly, but I guess it was just for being a decent person. She blushed a little, smiled and waved the whole notion away. Before long she had the radio on and was dancing through the room. I loved the way she could just accept a situation for what it was and not let it darken her world. I had so much to learn from her. Much more than just that perfect blanket fold.
After a few rooms, Gloria had me try some on my own. She'd pop in every once in awhile to make sure I hadn't set anything on fire. She'd look everything over, make a few changes then leave with an exaggerated thumbs up. The woman was adorable. Unfortunately, the time without Gloria's wonderful distraction gave me more time alone with my thoughts than I would've liked.
Later, when I saw Muse, I couldn't think of her by her given name any more. There was nothing merciful about that woman. That perfectly groomed appearance was slightly off. It wasn't so much in her clothes, hair or make up, it was more in her mood and the way she moved. She had a subtle air of being flustered. It was off-putting because that wasn't a state of being I'd ever expected to see her in. Something must have seriously rattled her.
When she noticed me, Muse's eyes raked over my every feature in relentless detail as if she was searching for something. A crack in my disguise, had I been wearing one. Finally, she offered me a strained smile and went about her business. The whole experience was uncomfortable and made me feel even more uneasy around her.
With dusk came more bikers. The low grumble of the engines was such an unmistakable sound. A sound that I could now only associate with a sense of rising dread. The long, black, mechanical snake slithered into the parking lot. There were more bikers showing up than were here already. I wondered if it had anything to do with that boy Bren, who was killed at my aunt and uncle's station. The reminder of my family sent pangs of guilt and remorse spiraling through me. I had to force it away, I needed to be sharp if I was going to survive the night.
Occasionally, unintelligible words ricocheted up the halls over the din of rock music. Gloria, who had to be getting off shift soon, was running through the linens washing procedure with me. I actually recognized the room from last night, the closet I slept in was directly across the hall.
The whirling noise and vibration of the two double washers and dryers in the tiny room was enough to block out most of the sounds from the bar. The small room had a few bins, the washers and dryers, a small sink and a fold down working table. Gloria had to wedge the door open with the cart because there really wasn't enough room for two people to work. She had me sorting and loading the various articles while she folded and stacked sheets.
I tried to accomplish every meager task she gave me as quickly as possible. This room was far closer to that shitty bar than I felt comfortable with. I think Gloria understood my anxiety because even she sped up her diligent yet leisurely pace.
“—enough with that fucking dog joke already. It wasn’t funny the first time.” Jubilation spilled out into the hall as that dreaded bar door swung open. Three coarse voices walked our way. Gloria and I stopped working and started awkwardly shuffling around as quietly as possible.
“Fuck you, Rio. I'm jus' tryin' to lighten the mood. I fucking hate these things.”
“I'll remember that when you get popped, shithead,” a nasally voice scorned the other two.
“Nah, I know what he's sayin', Rio. I didn't really know the kid either. I think I met him twice. What's the big deal?”
We worked furiously to move all the fabric and close the folding table. I had stacked the bins but the table was stuck and there wasn't enough room to pull the cart in and shut the door with it open. Fortunately, it sounded like the men stopped. There was some scuffling like they were shoving each other.
“Get offa me, man!”
“Both of you dipshits, listen good. I know you're still high off these fresh patches so you get this through your heads right now. This club is everything. We're family. I don't give a fuck if you didn't know or even like your brother but when he gets laid down, you show some fucking respect for your fucking family! Next year, when I take over for Deadeye, I'd better see you both front and center at every single one of these. Or I'll cut your fucking balls off.” It was that one they'd called Rio speaking.
“Shit, man. Alright, sorry. We didn't mean nothin' by it.”
Come on, come on. Almost there... click. The table swung down. Yes! Gloria pulled the cart in and the door began to close itself. Once shut, it'd self-lock and we would wait it out with relative safety. The wide arc came to a close, but it didn't shut. I tore through Gloria's expertly folded laundry to see what the blockage was. It was nothing. Why was the door still open?
“What do we got here?” a voice asked.
No! How? I leaned back to get an angle at the floor. A thick leather boot was firmly placed between the door and frame. Fingers folded around the edge, followed by the side of a scruffy face.
“Peek a boo...” The door was opened. All three of them stood there like pirates discovering a treasure chest. Skinpipe, Rio and Lug Nut read the name-patches on the front of their vests. I couldn't tell if they were Steel Veins or a different gang. It probably wouldn't matter. With the notable exception of Remy, all these bikers were the same. At least to me.
Skinpipe leaned in and looked us both over. “Well shit, that works out. You girls wanna party?”
We said nothing.
“Yo, Skin, you're not talkin' bout the Spanish bitch too, right?” Lug Nut asked curiously.
“Don't hate. I like my fish tacos with a little meat on them.” Skinpipe reached out to grab Gloria's waist. She tried to step back but the room was just too small for her to move.
“Don't you dare touch her!” I kicked the cart at the biker as hard I could. The corner caught him in the balls and he staggered backwards, cursing. I stepped forward to block the other two from getting at her. This was happening, I just couldn't escape it. Fine. Let them take me, but I refused
to let them take Gloria.
“I like this one!” Rio declared. Him and Lug Nut erupted into laughter when Skinpipe had to take knee and grab his nuts. “Bitch is feisty. How're them nuts, Skin?”
“Fuck you.” Skin groaned, wiping away the water from his eyes.
“These girls definitely want to party!” Rio laughed and started in for us, again.
I pulled the paring knife from my waistband. Rio's smile fell and the laughter stopped. Right away, I felt like I made a bad decision.
The playfulness drained from Rio. “Heh, feisty girl...” He stepped back a few feet and whipped out his handgun. Had it just been me there alone in that closet, I don't know, maybe I would've held onto the knife and seen what happened. But with Gloria there... I couldn't risk it. They might kill her just because. I dropped the knife.
“Just take me, leave her alone,” I said. Rio's sleazy eyes raped me. Could they have jumped out of his head I would've felt them roll up my legs and tits.
“Take them both,” he replied. He slapped a hand on Lug Nut's shoulder.
Rio jerked the cart in between us sidelong down the hall and grabbed me while Lug Nut went for Gloria.
“Wait!” I cried. “You can't take her, it's against the house rules. You can take Muse's working girls but not her employees.” I bluffed, but thinking for a second, I didn't see any of the junkies and whores from last night with the cleaning crew today. They had to be separate jobs. Muse was too smart of a businesswoman to let them mix like that.
“The fuck are you talkin' about, bitch?” Skinpipe grunted, rubbing the soreness from his groin.
“I don't work here yet, I was just helping Gloria out.” There was no way both of us were getting off the hook. Gloria looked worried, not just about our situation, but for me specifically. I think she could tell what I was doing. “If you fuck things up for Muse, you fuck things up for Top!”
Rio physically rolled his head while mulling it over.
“Leave the Spanish bitch. Skin, once your balls pop back out, go talk to Muse.” Rio reluctantly decided to err on the side of caution.