Chapter 101 Only time will tell.
Rockstar
I pulled the white SUV up to the curb and stepped out. I told the guy working the valet stand not to move my car, that I would only be a minute. He just nodded, looking a bit nervous at a big guy in a leather vest with a biker club patch. I walked into the expensive apartment building where all the rich people live. I did not feel out of place. I have money. Maybe not as much as the people here, but enough. I gave most of what I had saved to Clown a few years back so he could invest it for the club. Almost all of us did that.
Clown used to be an investment banker. He knows how to make money grow, and he is very good at it. He took half of what he had and made himself rich before he ever joined us. He told me later he had to quit before he got caught for what he did, but he said it was worth it.
I pushed the sleeves of my black shirt up my arms. I brushed some nothing off my vest and my black jeans, then walked to the desk in the fancy lobby.
"I am here for Amber Dresdan," I said.
The man behind the desk just stared at me for a second before picking up his phone and dialing a short number. I just looked back at him with a little smile. I know what this guy is thinking. He probably thinks I am some dumb, racist biker thug.
I know there are clubs like that out there, but that is not my club and that is not me. Truth is, I would probably shoot a motherfucker for that kind of racist bullshit. People with those small, stupid ideas make me angry. This is not the nineteen-fifties. And if I was alive back then, I would probably go around killing all the trash who thought that way. My grandmother was German and Filipino. Her grandfather came here from the Philippines to study and met her grandmother at a German festival. From the stories, it was love right from the start, and it was completely against the law for them to be together. Her family hated it as much as the government did. So they ran away. They raised their family out in the middle of nowhere in South Dakota. I hope one day I find a woman that brave, like my great-great-grandparents were. My own parents were both white. My dad’s people were from Scotland. My mom’s were French and English, with a little German and just a tiny bit of Filipino. My father is an asshole who cheated on my mother. She died from a broken heart. One day, I want to find a woman who is strong. A woman who will not take any shit.
The sound of the elevator brought me back. I smiled at the desk guy and turned around. There was Amber, with all her red hair, walking out like she owned the place. She gave me a smile that could stop a heart. She was wearing a dress the color of deep green grass, the kind that wraps around you, with light green high heels. Her hair was up in loose curls that somehow looked perfect. Her light pink lips made a little shape as she took my face in her hands, pulled me down to her level, and kissed my cheek. She is tall for a woman. I am six foot three, and in those heels she was almost six feet tall. I am not used to someone so tall, but I like it. It is a nice change. Her body looked incredible in that dress. I let out a low whistle, and her smile got even bigger.
"Thank you for letting me know my date was here, Gary," she called out as we walked toward the doors.
I opened the passenger door of the SUV for her, then ran around and got in myself.
"So," I said. "Are you ready to meet my brothers and what they call my sisters?"
"What they call your sisters?" she asked, smiling.
"That is how the Old Ladies in the club see me. Like a brother, older or younger. At least, that is what they keep telling me."
"I have to be honest," she said, biting her full lower lip. "I do not know anything about motorcycle clubs. So I looked it up. I did some reading."
I groaned. I know she probably found a little truth and a whole lot of lies.
"I guess you have questions, then," I said.
"Only a couple. First, how dangerous is your club? And second, are you sleeping with any of the club girls right now?"
"Oh. Okay. Not what I thought you would ask. Alright. My club does not always follow the law. There are things we do that the police would love to know about. And no, I am not with anyone at the club right now. I have had sex with some of the club girls before, but that is all it was. Just sex. I am a man. I have needs."
"I get that," she said. "But we have only been seeing each other for a few weeks. I just need to know, while you and I are having sex, are you having sex with other people too?"
I looked at her. She was completely serious.
"Listen. Since you and I started this, I have not touched a club girl. But before you, yes, I have been with every club girl we have. Is that going to be a problem for you? Especially since you will meet them tonight. They eat with us. They live at the clubhouse. They are there for the brothers. I will tell you right now, I will not cheat on you while we are together."
She smiled at me, and I smiled back before looking at the road again.
"That is really all I wanted to know," she said, her voice soft.
We talked about small things, nothing important, until we pulled up to the clubhouse.
"Before we go in, I have to tell you something," I said. "Some of the brothers will flirt with you. A lot. The Old Ladies are very physical. They hug. If any of the club girls give you attitude, you just tell me."
"I can handle myself, Rockstar. Are you ever going to tell me your real name?"
I smiled at her. "Maybe one day."
She laughed and shook her head.
I got out and opened her door, helping her down. I opened the heavy clubhouse door and we walked right into the middle of a fight.
Two of the girls, Cherry and Myla, were going at it. The brothers were all standing around, cheering them on.
From what I could hear over all the yelling, Cherry thought she had some claim on Bane. Bane and River were standing by the door, and I heard them talking.
"Cherry walked in on me and Myla kissing," Bane was saying to River. "I do not know why she thinks she owns me."
"Maybe because you have been fucking her every night for a week," River said.
"So? I have been fucking Myla, too. I tried to get Myla and Kiki to have a threesome with me, but Kiki says she is busy with Butcher right now."
"That is because Butcher does not share. When he picks a club girl, he sticks with just her, and she has to stick with just him. That is why she can say no to you."
"Huh. I did not know he and her were a thing," Bane said.
"Well, for now they are," River said. Then he noticed me. "Hey, Rockstar. Who is the little lady?"
I looked at Amber to see how she was taking all this in. I was surprised. She looked excited. She looked at me and grinned.
"Did he just call me little?"
"Yes," I said, laughing. "To us, you are. He is six foot four. I am six three. Bane is five eleven."
"Five eleven and a half, thank you very much," Bane grumbled.
Amber burst out laughing, which made me smile. She might actually fit in here. I really hope so. I like her a lot.
"This is Amber," I told them. "She is with me tonight. Amber, these are two of my brothers, Bane and River." I looked at her, and she smiled and waved. They both nodded back at her.
"Alright, break it up!" Doc yelled, walking over from the hallway near Butcher’s office. "What is going on here?"
"Myla is trying to take Bane from me. He is mine!" Cherry shouted.
"Bane and I have been together all week. I am just doing my job," Myla shot back.
"Cherry," Doc said, his voice tired. "Has Bane said you are his Old Lady?"
Cherry looked away, searching for Bane in the crowd. I moved so she could see him.
"No, I have not," Bane said, loud and clear. "And I never will. Cherry, you are fun. But I do not do relationships. You are here to fuck and be fucked. If you do not like it, you can leave."
Every brother around nodded in agreement. We have plenty of club girls. They all signed contracts. No one is keeping them here against their will. We all know they hope a brother will choose them for good, but not many will choose a girl every one of us has been with. It happens sometimes, like with Helena. She was a club girl years ago, and Night Owl fell for her and made her his Old Lady. But that is rare.
"But, Bane," Cherry cried, her voice breaking. "You had me in your bed every night this week. I thought we had something special."
"Cherry, I also had Myla, Heather, and Sammy this week."
That made Cherry stop crying.
"I can not do this anymore," she said, wiping her face. "I am not getting any younger. I need something real."
"That is your choice," Doc said. "You can stay tonight. Pack your things tomorrow and we will pay you what your contract says. You have been a good club girl, Cherry. I will make sure you get a little extra to help you get started."
"Thank you, Doc," Cherry said, sniffing. Then she walked away from everyone.
"Food is ready in fifteen minutes," Doc announced to the room. "Take it out back."
I looked at Amber. "Welcome to club life. It is never boring."
"I can not wait to meet everyone else," she said, her eyes bright. "I am really excited."
I grinned at her. Maybe this will work out. Maybe I can finally have an Old Lady of my own. I want what Viper, Torque, Bear, Clown, and Beast have. A woman who is loyal. Watching them over the years has shown me what life can be like when you have someone to love. Plus, the kids. I am twenty-five, almost twenty-six. Something happened to me a few years ago that changed how I think. I thought I was going to be a father. I was only nineteen and I was scared, but I was ready to do what I had to do. When it turned out to be a mistake, I was relieved, but also a little sad. I knew I was too young then. But I came from a family that left me when I was just a kid. I have always wanted my own family. The club is the closest thing to family I have ever had. But I have always wanted someone to call mine. I hope maybe Amber could be that someone. I hope she would want the kids I want, too. Only time will tell.