Cambria Chapter ?
Cambria:
I was nervous and trying not to chew my nails, and the reason was the twelve out of thirteen Pagans behind closed doors. They were in there deciding what my man’s punishment was to be.
When Shadow came to the house after his talk with Ryder and told me they’d cleared the air and they were good, I’d been so relieved.
Then he informed me that his club would have to decide what his punishment was for hitting Ryder.
That’s when I learned more about the inner workings and rules of club life.
You didn’t attack your brother without cause.
If you had a grievance, there was a process to follow.
The fact that Ryder was an officer, the third-highest-ranking member, added to it.
Shadow was very matter-of-fact about it. I was a wreck.
I told him I’d explain to Wrath and the others. He forbade me from doing it. As much as I wanted to ignore him, I knew I couldn’t do that. It would make Shadow look weak, and that was the last thing I wanted.
“Girl, if you don’t stop pacing, you’re gonna wear out your feet and the floor. Come sit with us. Hey, Dylan, bring Cambria something to drink. You know what she likes,” Jalisa hollered over to her cousin.
All Dylan did was throw up a thumb and then go to the bottles on the wall behind the bar.
I was about to tell him to forget it, but then I changed my mind.
Maybe one would help. I went over to sit with her.
Betty wasn’t here tonight. Jalisa explained she was at home with Pandora, having snuggle and sleep time.
According to what Jalisa said when I got here, Betty stole her baby and told her to take a break and not to come back for a few hours or more. I laughed.
“Alright, tell me what has you making a new floor for the common room necessary?”
I chuckled at her way of putting it. “It’s because tonight, the guys are to decide on Shadow’s punishment for hitting Ryder. I guess it was a big no-no, and since Ryder is an officer, it’s even more serious.”
“Yeah, that is a thing, and depending on the club, it has various degrees of penalties. But whatever it is, it’s not like they’ll kill him or kick him out of the club. He might pay a fine or get a period of shit duty, or have to take a beating, though that last one, I don’t see happening.”
“He told me he offered Ryder a free punch, but he refused it. They seem to be doing okay together. I don’t think there’s a grudge between them. I can’t believe it was all because he was jealous of me with Ryder.”
“Tell me. I’ve been dying to ask,” she said eagerly.
As I was about to tell her, Dylan came and handed me a mixed drink. “I know you like them sweet, so I thought you might like this. Give it a try. If you don’t like it, I’ll make you something else.”
“Thanks, Dylan, and I’ll let you know. What’s this called?”
“If you like it, it’ll be called the Cambria. I just made it up,” he said. Then he walked off.
“He likes playing around with concoctions. He did it at home. Try it,” Jalisa urged.
I took a cautious sip, then moaned and took another. It was delicious.
“Dylan, it’s official. It’s a Cambria,” I called over to him. He grinned and gave me a thumbs-up before reaching under the bar and taking out a notebook.
After a third sip, I launched into the story of why Shadow had gone after Ryder. I admitted I’d been upset by the hanger talking to Shadow. Ryder had noticed and insisted on talking to me. She groaned. When I was done, I asked her a question of my own.
“I told you mine. Now, you owe me an explanation of what a bunny bonfire is,” I reminded her.
“It’s something I introduced, but it was done back home in the Fiends.
It evolved there because the men had neither the time nor the patience to deal with misbehaving club sluts or hangers.
And the old ladies, along with a few of us, grew tired of their disrespect toward us.
Or for the claimed ones, the bitches would go after their men, even knowing they were taken.
They liked to try to steal men or break up couples.
I got tired of it and started imposing rules on them.
Panther, the previous president, and Scooter, his VP, and the other officers kinda left it to Scooter's wife, me, and a couple of others to police them. It evolved into the bunny bonfire.
“When I got here, and issues came up, Wrath more or less said he would go along with whatever I did back home. However, that was before they learned the parameters. When he did, he wasn’t too happy with some of it. You have to remember, I came from a one-percenter club. Punishment could be harsh.
“For simple things, the bonfire isn’t used.
The basic rules are no means no. Even if a guy is single, the women aren’t supposed to harass him to accept their company.
Bunnies will be asked and expected to assist in preparations for large events.
Members, their families, old ladies, and guests are to be treated with respect.
Those sleeping with the guys have to have STI testing every three months, and the results are given to me to track—no test, no sex, no exception.
The guys here implemented the same requirement for themselves, even though they more or less got tested anyway.
The bunnies have to be on birth control and show proof.
It was the last one that caused the biggest uproar.
Claimed men, no matter what club they are with, are strictly off-limits.
The bunnies and hangers don’t offer them sex.
“Violations of those can get you temporarily banned from the compound or an ass whipping by me or different degrees of the bonfire. It’s a real fire.
A minor offense has the guilty party taken out to it, made to look at it, and feel the heat as they’re warned not to do whatever they did again.
If it’s a moderate offense, like a repeat one, or hitting someone you were told to show respect to, then their hand is passed through the flames.
We don’t hold it there, but they get burned.
If it’s severe—such as betraying the club, seriously harming someone, and so on—they get thrown into the fire.
The last one, Wrath and the guys decided, would require a vote of the members, and the person doing the throwing wouldn’t be me. ”
I had to admit, I was stunned at the barbarity behind it, but then if someone badly harmed someone or betrayed the club horribly, I could see it. “Have you had to do that here? Especially the last one?”
“No, not so far. For example, that hanger that approached Shadow and wouldn’t take no for an answer should be getting a beatdown.
She’s been here several times over the past six months.
She knows the rules. So the next time she’s here, it will be handled.
It’s up to you to decide whether you want to do it, or I can. ”
I thought over what she said for a minute, then replied, “I need to be the one to do it. He’s my man, and that was disrespectful to both of us. I won’t embarrass Shadow by shirking it. I’m not an old lady, but we are together.”
“Babe, you’re his old lady, just not on the books. Once the guys vote you in, a property cut like this one will be ordered, and then you’ll become official.”
I was thrilled by the idea of receiving a cut like hers.
I daydreamed about it as she chattered away.
We were interpreted a while later by the guys coming into the common room.
They were loud and boisterous. I scanned for Shadow.
He was one of the last ones in the room.
He was talking to Wrath. His face showed no worry or outrage.
It took restraint to stay in my chair until he finished with his president, then he focused on me and came to the table.
Wrath was on his heel, coming for Jalisa.
When Shadow got to me, he leaned down and kissed me. My body heated instantly. When he was finished, he gestured to my glass.
“What’re you drinking, Twilight?”
“It’s a Cambria. It’s good,” I admitted.
“A Cambria?” he asked.
“Yeah, Dylan made it up for me,” I told him.
Reaching over, he picked up my glass and took a tiny sip.
“I’m not big on sweet drinks, but it does taste pretty good. Do you want me to have him make another? This one is almost gone.”
“Yes, please.”
I waited patiently while he ordered another drink for me and a beer for himself. Wrath tossed in a beer order. Jalisa passed. She was still drinking her last one. With that taken care of, I couldn’t resist.
I leaned over and whispered in his ear, “What did they say? What’s your punishment?”
He whispered back, “It’s nothing severe. I have to pay a fine. Ryder went to bat for me, explaining that I wasn’t in my right mind when I did it. It could’ve gone a lot worse.”
I wilted in relief. The sound of movement, then the screech of chair legs on the floor, made me turn my head. A smiling Ryder dropped into the chair on the other side of me.
“Hey there, Cam. Your man got off easy. Do I get a kiss for making that happen?” he asked, smirking.
A thought popped into my head. I sweetly replied, “You’re flirting with a brother’s girl. You know that’ll get you into trouble. Jalisa, is the bunny bonfire only for women, or can it be used on anyone?”
“We don’t discriminate,” she informed me with a wink.
“What the hell? Lunatic, you told her about the bunny bonfire? Christ, it’s bad enough having your bloodthirsty ass here, but now you’ve got Cambria making threats.
Pres, I think it’s time to establish new rules before they run amok and we’re all in trouble.
” While he said it in a firm voice filled with outrage, he grinned the entire time.
Wrath held up his hands and shook his head. “Ryder, if you want to tangle with my old lady and get on her bad side, leave me out of it. She’s called Lunatic for a reason. Don’t bring the rest of us into your death wish.”
Those surrounding us heard what was said. There were loud choruses of men begging Jalisa not to hurt them and then cursing Ryder. I lost the battle. Laughter burst out of me. I was wiping tears away while Dylan brought our drinks. He grinned at his cousin.
“You guys are in for a treat when you truly set her off. Watch out,” he said before he walked off.
The atmosphere was relaxed and razzing. Shadow’s arm came around me, and I snuggled into him as I listened to the stories his brothers and Jalisa told. It was incredible to be part of this. For the first time in ages, I felt like I was part of a true family.