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Jensen, Iowa
“YOU READY FOR this?” asked Krystal, turning off the engine of her ’76 Monte Carlo. We’d just pulled into the parking lot of Griffin’s, a strip club on the edge of town. It was her twenty-first birthday and her boyfriend, the owner’s son, had asked us to meet him before we hooked up with the rest of our friends downtown.
I looked at the seedy dive, with its flashing lights and line of shiny motorcycles parked on the side. I’d never been inside, but everyone knew the place was bad news. I couldn’t even imagine the look on my mother’s face if she knew I was even considering going inside. She’d probably think I’d starting smoking crack.
I shivered. “Seriously? Can’t we just meet him out here, in the parking lot?”
“What’s wrong?” she asked, pulling down the visor. She fluffed out her blond hair and then reached down to adjust her push-up bra, emphasizing the curve of her boobs in the sparkly, black tank she’d managed to cram them into. “You nervous about walking into a biker bar?”
“It’s more than that and you know it.” The place had a bad reputation – gangs, brawls, drug deals, and prostitution.
“Chill out, girl. Nothing is going to happen inside. You’re with me and everyone knows that I’m with the owner’s son.”
I sighed. “Okay.”
“You’re good?”
“Yes. I’m good.”
Krystal smirked. “Liar. Here, take a shot of this,” she said, pulling out a bottle of peach-flavored schnapps from under the seat. “It’ll take the edge off.”
“Schnapps?”
She uncapped the bottle and took a long pull. “Mm... yeah. Here.” She held it out.
“Maybe we should wait until we leave the club.”
“No, babe. We need to get this party rolling.”
“Fine,” I replied, taking the bottle from her. I took a swig and my stomach immediately felt warm and tingly. “Hmm... Not bad. A little sweet but I like it.”
“I’m surprised you’ve never tried it.”
“Actually, I think I did. I had one of those drinks, Sex On The Beach, when we went out for my twenty-first. I think this was in it.”
She took another swig. “I love those and Fuzzy Navels. You’ve got to try one. Those are fucking excellent.”
I wasn’t sure what a Fuzzy Navel was, but if it involved the peach-flavored schnapps, I was definitely in.
“Okay,” she said, capping the bottle. “Let’s go see what the hell Tank wants.”
Tank, her new boyfriend, was six-and-a-half feet tall, with muscles the size of watermelons, and belonged to some biker club called the Gold Vipers. I’d only met him twice and I had to admit, he scared the hell out of me. Not that he’d been anything but cordial. It was just that I could tell he was dangerous.
As in illegally-scary, dangerous.
Krystal didn’t seem to see it or else she just didn’t care. Considering her dad took off many years ago and Bonnie, her mom, had never been very influential when it came to anything, I guessed it was the latter.
“I wonder if he has something for me?” said Krystal, her blue eyes lighting up. “A present.”
“What, like a ring?” I teased. They’d only gone out a few times, and most of their dates were quick hook-ups.
“Or better yet, a new tongue ring,” she replied. “You have any idea how good a pierced tongue feels between your legs?”
I held up my hand. “Stop, right there. I haven’t had enough to drink to hear about Tank and his tongue.”
She giggled. “Well, it’s certainly not going to be a ring for my finger. Tank told me last weekend that he was never going to get married. That most of the guys in the club have Old Ladies and kids, but they don’t usually go the route of marriage.”
I frowned. “What do you mean by an ‘Old Lady’?”
“I’m talking about the woman they go home to at night. The ones they live with. Take care of them. Have their kids.”
“That’s typically called a ‘wife’,” I said dryly.
“Not in the MC world,” she replied. “They have Old Ladies and,” she then laid the whopper on me, “they have their club whores.” Only she made it sound like “hures.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you fucking serious?”
“As shit,” she said, smiling grimly.
“A club whore? What are you saying? That she hangs out with them and they pay her for sex?”
“I don’t think any of them get paid for it. They hang out and are available to fuck, any time of the day.”
I stared at her wide-eyed. “Wow. So, in other words, she’s like a groupie?”
She laughed. “Guess so. Only these guys ride bikes instead of buses.”
“Does Tank have an Old Lady?”
“No. I mean I don’t think so.” Her jaw set firmly. “At least, I hope to fuck not.”
“Well, what are you considered?” I asked. “Did he say?”
“He calls me ‘his girl’. Tell you one thing, though, I’m definitely not a club whore. The fuck if I’m going to spread my legs for anyone but the man I’m dating. Although,” she smiled wickedly, “Tank has this friend named Raptor who is amazingly hot. I wouldn’t mind doing him.”
“Raptor? What kind of a name is that?” I knew Krystal had mentioned that most bikers went by their road names. All I could think about was the movie Jurassic Park when I heard “Raptor.”
She grinned. “Raptor? It’s some kind of bird of prey. I guess you don’t want to piss him off. Tank said that Raptor’s temper is legendary.”
“Huh. He sounds like someone to avoid. I’d stay away from him then, Krystal. No matter how cute he is.”
“You have to see this fucking guy. He’s gorgeous. Blonde hair, blue eyes, built like a Greek god. He’s unbelievably sexy. I almost wish I would have met Raptor, first. I’ve actually caught myself drooling over him. Tank would probably pull out his gun and shoot me in the head if I so much as looked at Raptor the wrong way, though.”
The expression on her face was serious and I shook my head, still in disbelief. The more she told me about Tank, the more he disgusted me. “Jesus. You’re really okay with all of this alpha-male club shit?”
She waved her hand. “Eh, we’re just having fun right now. I mean, I like him a lot, don’t get me wrong. The guy knows how to go down on a girl and I’m not ready to give that up just yet.”
I grunted. “I should have known.”
“It’s true. He’s patient, too. Will stay down there as long as it takes. Anyway, I know it’s not going to last. He might have great fucking skills, but Tank’s too bossy, even for me.”
“God, I hate bossy men. Seriously, Krystal, you shouldn’t put up with guys telling you how to live. No matter what he can do with his tongue.”
“Yeah, but he’s also got this huge dick,” she said, laughing. “You have no idea.” She held up her hands to show me just how large and I had to wince. “Swear to God, he’s hung like a fucking horse.”
“Okay, enough,” I replied, laughing now. “I’m seriously tired of hearing about your sex life.”
“You just need to get laid, Adriana. How long has it been?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, over a year?”
Maybe two.
Maybe even three?
The truth was, I’d only had sex a few times, and that was mostly in high school, when I’d gone steady with Jimmy Tyler. Now that I was in college, I barely had time for sleep, let alone sex.
“We need to remedy that,” she said, opening the door. “Let’s see what Tank wants, meet the others at the club, and find you a man. One you can take back to the car and fuck the shit out of before the night is over.”
I looked around the parking lot, praying that none of the guys entering this particular place would know she was trying to get me laid. “Krystal,” I whispered loudly. “Don’t announce it here, for God’s sake.”
She giggled. “Fine, but we’re finding you a guy tonight.”
Her eyes were sparkling from the schnapps and I could tell she was already quite buzzed. “I don’t need a man and this party is for you. In fact, I’m not drinking much. Maybe a couple of beers. I want you to have fun. It’s your birthday. My birthday has come and gone.”
“And so did your chance with that bouncer.”
I thought about the guy she was talking about. One of the security guards at a nightclub we’d partied at had come on to me, but I’d ignored him. He’d obviously been a player and had probably brought a new girl home every night.
“Tell you what – we’ll work on it after your party. This is your night and the only person who needs to have fun and get laid, is you. Now, give me your keys and let the games begin.”
I handed them over. “I guess I really can’t argue with that.”
––––––––
WHEN WE WALKED into the strip club, I immediately felt like all eyes were on us. It was exactly how I’d pictured it to be, too – dark, musty, and in need of new carpeting, and not just the flooring. Most of the waitresses looked like they could collect social security, although they were dressed like high school girls. The ones from their generation.
Krystal giggled. “These ladies know that the eighties have come and gone? Kind of like their looks.”
I smirked. “God, you’re a bitch.”
“Well, I do like it doggy-style,” she joked. “I cannot lie.”
I snorted.
The stage was lit up and the place was packed, although most of the customers looked distracted and uncomfortable, which surprised me. In fact, there was so much tension in the air that I felt like we’d walked into something that was about to turn hostile. Then I noticed there were two groups of men eyeing each other from opposite sides of the room. As I looked closer, I also noticed they had different patches on their vests, or cuts, as Krystal liked to call them. Some said Gold Vipers on the back, while the others said Devil’s Rangers.
“Where’s Tank?” Krystal asked the bouncer, standing just inside of the door. He was as tall as he was wide, bald, and had a long, bushy red beard.
His eyes dropped to her breasts and he licked his lips. “He’s in the back room. I’ll let him know you’re here. You must be Krystal?”
She nodded. “That’s right.”
“Who’s your friend?” he asked, now leering at me. I was glad I’d worn jeans and a loose sweater, although from the way he was looking at my chest, I could have just as well have been naked.
I forced a smile. “I’m Adriana.”
“Adriana, huh? You’d best be watching Adriana’s back,” he said to Krystal with a smirk, his eyes shifting toward the crowd of men also now gawking at us. “Everyone’s gonna know you’re Tank’s, Krystal, but she’s without protection.”
My eyebrow arched. “Protection?”
“A man. If I were you, I wouldn’t go anywhere in this place without Krystal here. You won’t like it. Or,” he laughed darkly. “Maybe you will.”
“I’ll stick with Krystal,” I mumbled, already feeling dirty.
He pulled out a cell phone and began texting. “Since the Devil’s Rangers are here, I advise that you both go and sit down by the bar. Don’t talk to anyone, except Misty, the bartender. I’d escort you myself, but there’s a meeting in back and I’m not supposed to leave the front door.”
“Okay,” she answered.
I followed Krystal toward the bar right as Bob Seger began singing about Main Street, which confirmed that we were definitely in a biker bar. Growing up, I’d always associated Fat Bob with Harleys, beer, and Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear. Apparently, I’d be adding strippers with dentures to that list.
“Stay close,” said Krystal, looking back at me over her shoulder. “Don’t make eye-contact with anyone.”
“Right.”
The music picked up and everyone’s eyes shifted away from us to a woman with long red hair and enormous boobs, who’d just stepped onto the stage. From the look on her face, I could tell she wasn’t a bubbly, happy stripper. When she tried to smile, it was more of a pucker. As if she’d just licked a lime.
Krystal chuckled. “She should have used the money she spent on her tits on some Botox. At least she’d look a little more relaxed.”
“Uh, seriously, I don’t think anyone will notice anything above her collarbone.”
“I need a nurse!” hollered one of the customers, standing up and waving cash. “You’re giving me a heart-attack, Betty.”
Krystal snorted. “Nurse Betty looks like she’s going to have one herself, lugging those monsters around.”
Betty wore a nurse’s uniform and three-inch stilettos that made her legs look like they went all the way up to the clouds. From the way she moved around the stage, it was obvious she’d been doing it for a long time, but had lost interest in it a couple decades ago.
“Men are such pigs,” said Krystal, as another guy leaped onto the stage and grabbed the stripper’s boobs with both hands. She began to holler and the man’s buddies pulled him down, roaring with laughter. I hoped, for her sake, that the bar paid her decent benefits.
“I hope Tank gets out here quickly,” I muttered, as we made our way around the back to the bar.
“You waiting for Tank?” asked the bartender, a pretty woman in her thirties. She had long black hair and wore a Harley tank with denim shorts that barely covered her crotch.
“We are. Two light beers, please,” said Krystal. She turned to me. “That okay?”
“Yeah,” I replied.
Her eyes widened as she looked past me. “Shit,” she mumbled under her breath.
I turned and noticed a group of bikers watching us from their table. One of them was bald and had a long scar on the side of his face. He looked like he was in his forties and had some kind of tattoo under his eye. A teardrop. When our eyes met, he smiled, raised two fingers and wagged his tongue between them.
I quickly looked away. “Seriously, what a gross asshole. Does he actually think he’ll get lucky doing that?”
“He gets laid all the time, whether a chick wants to or not, I hear. In fact, those guys are Devil’s Rangers,” said the bartender, sliding our beers over. “Believe me, though, you don’t want to have anything to do with them. The only reason they’re here is because Slammer needed to talk to Mud, their Prez.”
“Who’s Slammer?” I asked.
“That’s Tank’s dad,” said Krystal. “The president of the Golden Vipers.”
“Yeah,” said Misty. Her eyes narrowed. “Shit, looks like you’re going to have company. I’d better go and get Tank before that guy steps out of bounds.”
When I turned around, I found myself staring into the soulless eyes of the Devil’s Ranger who’d been sticking his tongue out like a dipshit. He was almost a foot taller than me and smelled like pot.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said in a raspy voice. “You looking for some company?”
I wanted to tell him I’d rather find my company under a rock, now that we were forehead-to-chin, but he was a little frightening up close. “Uh, no,” I answered, trying to appear more brave than I felt. “But, thanks.” I looked away, hoping he would now go away.
He chuckled. “Name is Breaker. Why don’t you come and join us at the table?”
“Thanks, but I have a boyfriend,” I lied, turning to face him again.
“Good for you,” he said, smiling darkly. “That wasn’t the answer I was looking for, though.”
I really didn’t like this guy and he was now seriously pissing me off. “Sorry, but I guess you won’t like this answer either. No,” I said firmly, surprising myself. “I’d rather stay right here and drink this beer with my friend.”
“You’re kind of bitch, you know that?” he said, his eyes hardening.
I forced myself to smile as sweetly as possible when I noticed the vein throbbing in his forehead. He looked like he was about ready to explode. “Sorry. Look, neither of us wants any trouble. We just want to be alone, you know?”
His eyes flickered over Krystal. “You two dykes? Is that it?”
My smile fell. I seriously hated that term and if we were lovers, it wasn’t his business anyway. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no we are not.”
“That’s good,” he said, undressing me with his eyes again. “A body like yours needs to be fucked by a real man, not a rubber strap-on toy. Although,” he laughed, “I wouldn’t mind watching you play with one.”
I looked at Krystal and said, “Wow.”
“Speaking of ‘wow’. You ever felt the rumble of an engine between your legs?” he asked, leaning closer to me.
“No,” I replied, wondering why I was still answering him.
“Let’s go pop that cherry then,” he answered. “I’ll take you for a ride on my Harley that will make your pussy drool.”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, my God. Are you really that classy?”
“Anyone walks into a place like this shouldn’t expect classy,” he said. “That goes for stuck-up bitches, too.”
I gritted my teeth and forced myself not to reply. I could tell from his expression that he was hoping I would. Daring me to. I looked toward the entrance, hoping to get the bouncer’s attention, but he wasn’t at his station.
“We’re waiting for Tank,” said Krystal in a shrill voice.
He ignored her. “I know Blondie is Tank’s. I’ve already been warned. But, nobody mentioned you, sweetness. You’ve got no patch either. You’re free territory. I say we go do a little exploring.”
I laughed, trying to make light of everything, even though I was seething inside. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone?
“You like that one, huh? I’ve got something else for you, too,” he said, grabbing his crotch. “Now, drink the rest of your beer and we’ll hit the road.”
“Do I have to spell it out for you?” I said, totally disgusted. “I’m not interested.”
Breaker’s nostrils flared. “I don’t think you understand who you’re talking to.”
“An asshole is who I’m talking to,” I snapped. “Now, fuck off.”
His buddies at the table snickered.
The man’s hand snaked out and he grabbed my arm roughly. “You fucking cunt. Let’s go. Now.”
Krystal sucked in her breath. “Oh, my God.”
I pulled my arm away from him in shock. The guy was treating me like one of those whores she had told me about. As big and bad as he looked, nobody treated me like a slut that was up for grabs. “Leave me alone,” I said through my clenched teeth. “Before I call the bouncer over here.”
He laughed coldly. “The bouncer? Good luck with getting help from that pig.”
Before I could respond, two other guys stepped next to us, one being Tank.
Breaker took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Hey, Tank. Looks like the meeting is over, huh?”
“Almost. What’s going on, Breaker?” asked Tank, picking at his teeth with a toothpick.
“Just havin’ me some fun,” said the man, smirking. “You said we should relax and enjoy ourselves. So, that’s what I’m trying to do.”
“Not with my girl, you’re not,” said a deep voice.
I turned to find myself staring up at a pair of icy blue eyes and a smile that wasn’t meant to be friendly.
Breaker’s eye narrowed. “Thought Brandy was your Old Lady, Raptor.”
So this was Raptor?
I could see why Krystal found him fascinating. He was certainly good-looking, with his square jaw, full lips, and muscular frame. His blond hair was long and pulled back into a ponytail, exposing his ears, which were both pierced. For some reason, he reminded me of a model I’d seen recently in a pricey cologne ad. I’d been drawn to his eyes, thinking they must have been Photoshopped because of the dazzling color. That guy had nothing on Raptor, however. His eyes sparkled like the bluest of tanzanite. Bluer than anything my mother had ever sold, and she was a jeweler. They were so stunning that it was hard to look away.
“You thought wrong,” answered Raptor.
“Yeah. That ship has sailed,” said Tank, smirking. “And... I wouldn’t bring her up anymore.”
Raptor slid his arm around my waist and pulled me in tightly. “As I was saying, Breaker... this kitten is mine, so I suggest that you go find your own.”