11. Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
Reno
The three of us lay in a pile, our limbs tangled together. Ginger’s head rested on my shoulder, her hair fanning out across Bronx’s arm. After dinner, we’d each given her an orgasm, and then our pretty girl had fallen asleep before we could take things any further. Probably for the best. She had to be hurting after all the work she’d done today.
I glanced over at Bronx and saw him watching the two of us.
“We need to find a way to keep her safe,” he said. “If those assholes ever get their hands on her, I’m not sure she’d survive it.”
“Neither would they, because I’d gut the fuckers for daring to lay a hand on her.”
“Same,” he muttered. “But Vegas had really wanted to do business with them. I know he’s backed off since learning what sort of men they are. Something feels off about the entire thing, though. I could tell he was upset about losing the deal.”
“Me too. I don’t think he’d put Ginger in harm’s way, though. Not since he let us claim her.”
“Maybe not. Doesn’t mean those men are going to back down. What do we really know about them? We have no clue how many men they have. Their organization could be huge. If we’re outgunned, then what do we do?” he asked.
“Unless Vegas calls Church and wants to talk about this mess, I’m not sure we can do anything. I don’t like keeping Ginger on lockdown. She’s eventually going to get cabin fever.”
“I think as long as she gets some time with the other girls, and we find ways to keep her occupied, then she’ll be all right for a bit,” he said. “But we do need to figure something out. I want to take her for a bike ride, or go out to dinner with the two of you.”
“I know. We’ll get there. Maybe not this week, or even this month. But one day, we’ll figure everything out.”
My stomach rumbled, and Bronx started laughing. Fucker! Even though we’d eaten, I knew we’d already burned through the calories. Which meant one of us had to get up and find food. Bronx had to be starving too, and I knew when Ginger woke up, she’d need a bite as well.
“Rock, paper, scissors?” Bronx asked.
I snorted. “Sure”
“One. Two. Three.” Bronx grinned at his paper versus my rock. Shit. I always lost to him when we did this. I didn’t know why I bothered.
“Fine. Guess I’m getting the fuck up.” I slowly extracted myself from the bed. Since I didn’t know if we’d just end up having sex again, I skipped the shower and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. Since none of us dared walk barefoot through the main floor, we both kept a pair of flip-flops handy for quick trips to the kitchen. I wouldn’t miss having to do that once we installed the kitchenette.
I made my way downstairs, taking in the various brothers passed out in the main area, and the girls, too. I wouldn’t miss this part of living with the club. In the past, they would have expected Bronx and me to join them. Now that we had Ginger, we’d get to spend more quality time together. Of course, that wasn’t the reason we’d claimed her as our old lady. She fit the two of us perfectly.
I made a plate of ham and cheese sandwiches, grabbed a bag of chips, and three bottles of water. It wasn’t the ideal thing to eat at the moment, but it would do for now. It was also quick and easy to make. Now that Ginger belonged to us, I didn’t like being away from her for very long. I carried everything upstairs and nudged the door open with my foot. I placed the food and drinks on the small table.
Bronx lifted his head and eased out of bed. It seemed we were letting Ginger sleep longer. At least the food would keep for a little bit. Pulling out a chair, I sat and opened the chips before picking up a sandwich and taking a bite. My stomach rumbled, and I knew I could easily eat half of what I’d brought upstairs. Not that I would. If I did that, Ginger wouldn’t have anything when she woke up.
“Do you think she fully understands what’s going on?” I asked.
“You mean about old ladies?”
I nodded and took another bite. We’d explained it the best way we could. Didn’t mean she got it. After everything she’d been through, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out she might be smiling to our faces while secretly worrying we’d get tired of her sooner or later. Wouldn’t happen. Not now, not in ten years. She was the perfect woman for us. Strong. Brave. Yet vulnerable and sweet. Ginger brought out all my protective urges, and I knew it was the same for Bronx.
“I think it will take her some time to adjust,” he said carefully. “All we can do is shower her with affection and prove we aren’t like the other men she’s always known.”
“There’s so much I want to do for her. With her. I can’t wait to take her shopping or out to a movie. I want to go on a dinner date. All three of us.” I smiled. “Do you feel lighter since making her ours? I do. It’s strange. Never thought about making a woman mine. I had you and that was enough.”
“I get it. I feel the same way. She fills a void I hadn’t even realized was there.”
Exactly. I couldn’t have said it better. I’d worried about offending Bronx, or making him feel like he wasn’t enough for me. It was good to know we were on the same page. We didn’t have Ginger because we weren’t enough for each other. She was ours because she was meant to be. It was simple. The three of us fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
My phone went off at the same time Bronx’s did. We jumped up and grabbed them before the sound could wake Ginger. The words on my screen made my stomach plummet.
Church. Now!
What the hell? Everything had been quiet when I’d been downstairs. What could have possibly happened in the time it took me to bring the food up and eat? No, this was something more. Did it have to do with the men after Ginger?
“We better get dressed,” Bronx said. “Don’t need to keep the Pres waiting.”
“On our way to Church, we should wake up KiKi. She seems to get along well with Ginger. I don’t like the idea of leaving her here without an explanation.”
Bronx nodded. “I agree. I’ll leave a note, but it’s still a good idea to speak to KiKi.”
Shit. I hoped everything wasn’t about to blow up in our faces. What the hell could the Pres want that was so damn urgent? I had a feeling bad things were heading our way. I quickly pulled on my clothes, slipped on my boots, and grabbed my cut. With one last look at Ginger, I headed out with Bronx right on my heels.
Ginger
I sat at the kitchen table downstairs with the other girls. It felt odd being down here fully clothed while the others remained in either negligees, half-dressed, or entirely naked. If anything were to drive home that things were different now, it would have been this. They all looked at me with respect. I didn’t understand. Was it really a huge deal that Bronx and Reno claimed me?
“The club has their first old lady.” Melody smiled wistfully. “Think any of the other guys will claim anyone?”
“Do you really see them taking any of us as old ladies?” KiKi asked. “We’re all used goods. We’ve been with every single man here, and not just a few times, but for years. It’s a miracle Ginger got an upgrade. Let’s not all start chasing after ridiculous dreams like a happily ever after with a biker. At least, not any of these bikers.”
“Would you go to another club if someone wanted to claim you?” Sasha asked. “Because this place feels like home to me. I’m not sure I’d want to leave.”
“The note Bronx left said they went to Church.” I twisted a lock of my hair around my finger. “What exactly happens there?”
“Club business.” KiKi shrugged. “That’s all any of us know. They could be talking about your change in status. Or the men who came here and created a shit storm. It could be any number of things, or a combination of them. We’ll never know.”
“Never?” I asked.
“Nope.” Sasha leaned back in her chair. “The men don’t talk about that stuff around us. We’re good enough to fuck, but that’s about it. Even as an old lady, your men aren’t going to tell you much of anything. Although, if it pertains to you, they may give you the bare bones or at least the topic of conversation.”
“Do any of you ever get tired of living like this?” I asked. “And I don’t mean to sound disrespectful. I was here because I had no other options. I didn’t enjoy being a club whore. Do you?”
KiKi stared up at the ceiling for a moment. “No. I mean, it’s not terrible. I like sex, and the men usually take the time to get me off at least once. Not always, but most of the time. They’re good to us. We have a place to sleep, food to eat, new clothes… things could be a lot worse.”
“I’d have to agree,” Melody said softly. “Is it my dream to let a bunch of men put their cocks in me every day and night? Of course not. Is it better than the alternative? You bet!”
“Wait, so all of you are here because it’s better than however you were living before?” I asked.
“Not quite all of us,” Sasha said. “I did start out as a club whore because I loved the attention and orgasms. Now, I honestly don’t know what else to do with my life. It’s not like some average Joe is going to want to marry a woman like me and start a family. Besides, kids aren’t an option for me anymore.”
“Why not?” I pressed my hand to my lips. “Sorry. That was rude and intrusive.”
“It’s fine. I got pregnant my first year here.” A dark expression crossed her face and vanished so quickly I almost thought I’d imagined it. “I had to get an abortion. Pretended I was too sick to fuck anyone while I healed. I couldn’t tell them.”
“You don’t think the father would have wanted the child?” I asked. “Or did you not want a baby?”
She sighed and seemed to age right before my eyes. “The only man I’d been with who hadn’t used a condom during that time was Vegas. The Pres knocking up a club girl? I didn’t see it ending well for me, so I kept quiet and handled it on my own.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said, reaching out to her. Our fingers touched briefly before she pulled hers away.
“When I came here, Vegas made me get on birth control.” Melody shrugged. “I got an IUD, so I didn’t have to keep up with taking pills, and I’d heard the shot could make you gain weight. It seemed like the best option, and so far, it’s worked just fine.”
I’d love nothing more than to have a baby with Bronx and Reno. Not right now, but at some point. Except, I was almost certain I couldn’t have children. Unless someone had lied to me. It was possible, but I doubted it. Although Sasha said everyone except Vegas had used condoms with her back then. Why hadn’t they all used them with me? Had that been another one of Vegas’ rules in his hope he’d drive me away?
I didn’t think I’d ever understand the men here, and I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to. They may be nicer than others I’d known, but they were still men, which meant they had the power to hurt or destroy me.
“No more parties for you.” KiKi smiles. “Your men will keep you up in your room every night. I can guarantee it. They know everyone here has fucked you before. It’s going to take them some time before they don’t think all the guys are eyeing you like a prime cut of beef.”
“I’m not anything special,” I said. “I have no idea why they wanted to keep me.”
KiKi reached over to pat my hand. “Because you’re sweet, Ginger. No matter what you’ve suffered, you haven’t let it burn out your humanity.”
“While the men are busy, we should watch a movie.”
“Come on. We’ll stretch out in the beds in our room and put something on. You can use your old bed, Ginger. No one will mind,” Sasha said.
Melody snorted. “Except Bronx and Reno. You really think those two won’t flip out seeing her in there?”
“Well, they aren’t going to want all of us in their room, so…”
“It’s fine.” I smiled and stood. “I’m kind of tired, anyway. I think I’ll take a nap while I wait on the guys to come back upstairs. Thanks for the offer, though.”
Without another word, I left. For the first time since the girls had accepted me, I felt out of place. I was no longer one of them. So where did I belong? I’d just figured out my place within the club, and now I was starting over. The girls were still friendly. Except there was clearly a line drawn between me and them, and they didn’t want to overstep it.
It was fine. I understood. Sort of.
Okay, maybe not. All I knew was that I was lonely once more. Bronx and Reno had meant well by claiming me. Now I needed to prove I was worthy. First step would be figuring out where I belonged within the club. Once I knew that, everything else would fall into place. Or so I hoped.
Bronx
Vegas looked about two seconds from losing his shit. I could understand why he’d wanted a deal with those men, but knowing what they’d done to Ginger? Yeah, I wasn’t letting those assholes anywhere near this club, and if Vegas thought otherwise, he’d have a mutiny on his hands. I knew Reno was every bit as ticked about it, and Houston… Well, the VP had seemed to be seconds away from beating those assholes when he’d heard Ginger’s story.
“We spent too much time on this to just let it go entirely,” Vegas said.
“You want to do business with them?” Houston asked. “Knowing what they’re capable of? Those men are pedophiles.”
“I want to end every last one of them,” Reno said. “I can’t even take Ginger out of the clubhouse for fear they’re waiting to snatch her from us. And yeah, I said it. I’m scared shitless they’ll take her and run.”
“I don’t think you understand. It’s not just the time we’ve put into it, but the money as well. This has been in the works for a while.” Vegas scanned the room, meeting each of our gazes.
“I agree with Houston and Reno,” Memphis said. “I’m sure Bronx feels the same.”
“Me, too,” Diego said, lifting his hand. “Sorry, Pres. I can’t stomach the thought of those men being anywhere near us or our girls. Can you imagine what they would have done to KiKi, Sasha, and Melody if we’d let them have some fun while they were here? Those girls would be in the hospital, if not the morgue.”
“They’re just club whores,” Vegas said. “Disposable pussy. Nothing more.”
I closed my eyes and took a breath. Then another. I seriously wanted to flip the fucking table and bash the Pres’s brains in. He’d always been a cold, calculating bastard, but this was going too far. Those girls were more than trash to be used up and thrown away.
Houston leaned back in his seat. “You know, we’ve been through a lot, Vegas. Even before this club. I have to say, in all those years, this is the first time I’m ashamed to say I know you much less call you my brother. Those girls out there have given us their all from day one. The moment they walked through the doors and decided to stay, they’ve not once defied an order. To hear you speak about them like that really pisses me the fuck off.”
“What the fuck?” Vegas stood. “Are you all seriously turning against me over free pussy?”
“Is it really free?” I asked. “We clothe them. House them. Feed them. We take care of them, and in exchange, they’ve taken care of us. To me, that makes them a part of this club, whether they have a patch or not.”
“We’re off topic.” Vegas pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. We don’t do the deal anymore. I’ll think of some way to back out of it. But if you’re going to make those men disappear, that’s entirely on you. I want no part of it. The last thing this club needs is word spreading that we not only go back on our word, but then we bury you in a shallow grave.”
“You’re not seeing this clearly,” Houston said. “They hurt one of our own. Ginger is now our only old lady. She’s the property of Bronx and Reno. If those fuckers decided to threaten her or take her from them, then this club has every right to defend her at any cost. Am I wrong? Would you not do the same if they came for a brother?”
Vegas held up his hands and sank into his chair. “I get it, all right? We’ve never had an old lady. I have no fucking clue what to do with her. She’s not a club whore. At the same time, she can’t hide in the newly renovated apartment either. So where does she fit in?”
I’d been thinking about that myself, and I wondered how long it would take for Ginger to asked the very same question. Once she hung out with the girls again, she’d realize she wasn’t the same. Not anymore. By giving her a property patch, we’d changed her status in every way possible. Although, it seemed the Pres still didn’t give her the amount of respect I felt she was due. Hopefully, he’d change over time. If not, I wasn’t sure what Reno and I would do. We couldn’t stay in a place that didn’t value our woman.
“I’ll try to appease the men with money or something,” Vegas said. “Anything else we need to discuss?”
“We’ll need to hire an electrician to change the bathroom over to a small kitchen,” Reno said. “For the most part, Bronx and I can do the work, but we’ll need to have it inspected and file papers with the town. Better to use a company who can handle everything from start to finish.”
“I’ll approve it as long you give us at least three days' notice before they come to the clubhouse,” Vegas said. “Anything else?”
We all shared a look but didn’t said anything. Vegas dismissed Church, and Reno and I immediately went to find Ginger. The girls were hanging out in their room laughing over a movie. I peeked inside and didn’t see our woman.
“She went upstairs,” KiKi said.
“We didn’t think you’d want us in your room, or be happy if she were to come in here with us,” Sasha said.
They weren’t entirely wrong, but it did bring up another issue. How was Ginger supposed to hang out with other women? The only ones here were the whores. And no, I didn’t like the thought of them piling into our apartment. Reno placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze.
“What if only one of you hung out with Ginger? I mean, one at a time. I don’t think we’d have an issue with someone going up there to hangout with her when she’s alone,” Reno said.
I nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. We’ll have to talk to the club about a common area other than the main room down here. Somewhere all of you can relax.”
Melody’s eyes lit up. “That would be awesome!”
I didn’t think Vegas would be too happy if we brought it up right now, but sometime soon. The club was changing, whether he liked it or not. We had an official old lady now, and I had a feeling there would be more in the months and years to come.
Reno pulled me from the doorway and we went upstairs. Ginger smiled widely when she saw us, and it felt like I’d come home. How the hell did such a tiny woman have a big impact on someone like me?
“Honey, we’re home.” Reno grinned and went to sit beside her. I shut and locked the door before joining them. Everything else could wait. Right now, it was time to bond with my family.