Chapter 21
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Lily
The clubhouse quietened down drastically after most of the men went into the other room. The loudest sounds now are children playing and pool balls clicking. The women with children sit around the tables closest to the doors where the men are having Church. I don’t understand why they call their club meetings Church. It’s another example of why I need a biker’s manual, or handbook, or something. Maybe if I wasn’t hiding out between the bakery and the guest house, I might learn what stuff around here means.
“Why didn’t everybody go to Church?” I ask Kayla.
This area of the clubhouse is huge. The bar and kitchen are together on the left side. Nana said the doors past the kitchen go to the backyard. Six couches have four pool tables boxed off in the far right corner of the room. Four men are playing pool. Two more are making out with their girlfriends on the couches. Note to self. Never sit on those couches. That’s disgusting, and there are children in here. The blonde, who was hanging on Jack a few weeks ago, sits on a wooden stool next to one of the pool tables. I really hate her.
“Only patched members are allowed in Church.” Kayla sets a mug of beer in front of Pops.
“You and Granddad aren’t patched?” There are patches all over Pops’ cut. I’m not sure which one means they’re a patched member.
“Pops and Granddad consider themselves retired.” Kayla lays her arms on the bar in front of me.
“We go to the weekly meetings.” Pops tosses a hand toward the wooden doors. “We leave this stuff to the younger generation.”
“Women don’t go to Church?”
Kayla shakes her head.
“They can if they’re part of the problem.” Pop takes a sip of his beer.
I study the women in the room. The ones with children wear cuts with patches on them. The three around the pool tables don’t have cuts.
“But some women wear cuts. Are they not patched?” Look at me using biker language.
“Ole’ ladies and members’ kids wear them. It shows they belong to the club, and nobody will touch them. They aren’t patched members, though,” Kayla explains.
“You don’t wear a cut,” I point out.
“Don’t want one,” she mumbles.
Pops laughs. “That’s a lie.”
Kayla points to the mug in his hand. “And that’s your last beer tonight.”
There’s definitely a story between her and Rodeo. They don’t talk, but he follows her around. Since Rodeo was gone for two years, maybe she likes someone else, and his being back is a problem. My heart hurts for her. Hopefully, she figures things out soon. She’s not ready to face her problems yet. I get it. I’m not ready to face mine, either. Kayla fakes a smile as she sets three sodas and four small cartons of apple juice on a tray. One of the ole’ ladies carries the tray to her group by the Church doors.
A woman’s hand slaps down on the bar between Pops and me. Pops rolls his eyes. I jump, and Kayla’s back stiffens. She slowly turns around and glares. I look up at the blonde I seriously hate.
“Can I have a martini?” She taps the professionally red-manicured nails on the bar.
“Does this look like a cocktail bar to you?” Kayla snaps.
“What? A martini beyond your bartending capabilities?” The blonde huffs.
I slowly ease over to the next bar stool. Pops should do the same before these two come to blows over the bar. Pops doesn’t move. He and Granddad sit quietly and watch with interest.
“It is tonight. How about a wine cooler?” Kayla snatches a Seagram’s Strawberry Daiquiri from the cooler and firmly sets it on the bar.
The blonde slides onto the stool I abandoned. “You’re an idiot.”
“And you’re a piece of trash.” Kayla spins around and storms off to the kitchen.
The blonde turns to me and grins slyly. “You must be the new girl.”
“New girl?” Only patched members know about Ariel’s Angels. Does this woman somehow know why I’m here?
“I heard we were getting a new girl. That must be you. Has Nana given you all the rules?” She flips her hand. “Don’t worry. The girls and I will explain everything.”
“Go away, bunny.” Pops demands.
She laughs and lays her hand on his shoulder. “Awe, Pops. You want some company?”
Pops slaps her hand away. “I don’t do crazy.” He points toward the pool tables. “Go back to the prospects where you belong. And watch how you speak to your future Queen.”
“What?” Bunny slaps a hand to her chest.
“Leave now before I have you escorted out the front gate.” Pops looks past her and smiles at me. “This is Lily. Jack’s girl. So show her some respect.”
Bunny spins so fast toward me that she almost falls off the stool. “Jack doesn’t have a girl.”
“He does now. So, as Pops said, show her some respect.” Kayla returns. Her temper is still fully intact.
Bunny looks me over with disgust. She needs to look in the mirror. Her two sizes too small cropped top and short shorts scream trashy. She’s perfected the perfect devious smile. It might be the only thing she’s accomplished in her life.
“You must like it rough. Might be what he sees in you.” Her smile widens.
I spew water into my hand. “What?”
She points a long red fingernail at my face. “Women only wear sunglasses inside when they’re hiding a black eye.”
“Leave now,” Kayla demands.
Bunny ignores her. She twirls her bottled blonde hair around her fingers. “Jack give you that?”
I gape at her. This woman is insane. Slowly, I take my sunglasses off and lay them on the counter. My black eye and bruised cheek have healed. The sunglasses have become a safety net and a crutch. They let me hide. I only wear them when I’m out in public.
“You haven’t been in his bed.” She drops her head back and laughs like a maniac. She straightens up and turns serious just as fast. “That makes one of us.”
Oh my gosh. She’s Jack’s lover. If he has a girlfriend, why is he helping me so much? Wait. She can’t be Jack’s girlfriend. She was hanging all over one of the men at the pool tables a few minutes ago. What does that make her? Oh no. My back stiffens, and my eyes meet hers.
“Leave now, bunny, or I’ll have you escorted out the gate.” Granddad stands behind Pops with his arms crossed. “This is Jack’s girl. You treat her as such.”
Bunny slides off the stool. Her laugh is pure evil. “You’re not made for this world. You’re too soft. You bruise easily. He’ll chew you up and spit you out in a week. I’ll be here when he does.”
“That’s enough.” Granddad grabs Bunny by the arm. “Talk to her like that again, and my ole’ lady will end your contract.” He practically drags her over to the pool tables.
The ole’ ladies at the tables watch with their lips pressed together. Pops wants to say something but doesn’t. Kayla has turned three shades of red and is ready to kill.
“She’s a club girl.”
“She’s a piece of trash,” Kayla corrects.
“She’s been with Jack.” I shouldn’t care. He’s not mine. I don’t want a biker.
Kayla sighs but doesn’t deny it. Does everyone know? Of course, they do.
“I can’t do this.” I slide off the stool and rush to the kitchen. I’m not sure if I’m mad, hurt, or disgusted. Why choose? I can be all three.