Party

Present

Claudette Deveraux

Music blares so loud it's impossible to think. This party demands that every attendant stay present in the moment. Rounding the corner, I take in what's in front of me. Biker's scattered around, talking to each other, drinking, playing pool, a few topless women dancing on a table, two blowing members of the club who casually carry out a conversation and the old ladies dancing with their men. These people are not afraid to show their wild side, if anything, they're flaunting it and I don't know how I'm even supposed to approach them let alone get them to divulge privileged information to me.

I spot Dixie at the bar and make my way to her when the president's old lady steps in front of me. I immediately smile at her.

"Hi, Claudette, right?" she's got platinum blonde hair, coal lined blue eyes, a skinny frame and is about 5'9. Her tone is friendly and her mannerism's confident. This is her domain and she's sussing me out. Good, I can use that.

"Yes. I didn't catch your name, though." I did, but I'd rather she volunteer her own information. If I come off ditzy and inattentive, she's less likely to be careless of what she says around me. Befriend me, Sandra. Tell me all your husband's secrets.

"I'm Sandra, Ink's old lady." She points to the man in question and he winks.

Ink looks like he's in his late thirties or early forties. Arms covered in tattoos, a few greys that somehow compliment his brown hair and a body that he didn't let go of. I'd seen him at the gym at the back of the compound a few times.

"How are you adjusting in here, hun?" she plucks out a cigarette and lights it. Gross. I'm hoping she'll take this conversation outside, but she seems perfectly content smoking in the middle of a crowded room.

"It's interesting. I haven't really had a chance to spend time here with everything at school and work. I'm nearing the end of my trimester and we have student elections coming up so this is actually the first party I'm attending since arriving here." I leave her an opening to give me the run down on how things work, and she does not disappoint.

"This is actually a bigger party than normal. We've got brothers from other chapters over and we wanna be hospitable and show them a good time. The usual parties are wild but tonight is that on steroids. That's Zeus, president of the Portland chapter." They nod at each other and he resumes groping a girl who looks fresh out of high school. I resist the urge to put her in bubble wrap and drop her off at her parents'. Zeus is nothing like Ink, he looks like a worn-out leather couch that's unworthy of donating. He's old, wrinkly, pudgy and has a slimy look on him. Sandra gives me names of about 15 more guys and none of them go by Wilder.

"How did you and Ink meet?", I ask to keep her talking when the conversation dulls.

Like all lovesick fools she jumps at the chance to show off her Instagram worthy relationship and untouchable status at the club.

"He saw me at a rally, let me pick out his bike and took me on his first ride on it. We've been together ever since." She grins.

"How long ago was that?" I ask.

"Seven years now."

"Did you have any affiliation with MCs before that?"

"Oh God, no. My daddy was a pastor. I just wanted to do something rebellious so when a girlfriend invited me, I went. The guy she was seeing at the time wanted us to show off the bike he was selling. I had no idea who he was", she sounds so starstruck I wonder if I'm like this when I speak about Kai. Shaking that eery thought away I press on.

"How was transitioning into life with him for you?"

"He was fine, took care of me, paid my daddy's medical bills up until he passed. Finding my way around him was easy. It's the club whores that are tricky. They wanted to take me down from the moment I stepped in here."

"Club whores?" my eyebrow raises at her crude label.

"That's what they're called." She gestures of the girls giving blowjobs to who I now know to be Joker and Tall. "They're pussy for the brothers to enjoy. They're not claimed by any of the members so they're fair game. Basically, I'm Ink's property so that makes me important to the club, but they don't mean shit." She says it with a straight face, and I feel the urge to shake her. Does she not get how fucked up that sounds?

"Property?" I ask, hoping I sound casual.

She turns around and I see the patch on her cut. She's got something similar to what the men wear except hers says "Property of Ink". My heart drops and I start breathing with my mouth trying to get more air. I cannot afford a panic attack.

"Civilian's have wives. Biker's have old ladies. When a biker takes an old lady, she becomes his property but it's not what it sounds like. It's a show of respect. If someone messes with me I have the whole club backing me because I'm his property. We're like a family."

What in the medieval fuck?

"That sounds… different." I acquiesce.

"So, what's the deal with you and Sin?" Her eyes spark with interest.

"There's a deal with me and Sin?" I counter, giving nothing away.

"Oh, come one. Don't play dumb. I hear he dropped Dixie on her ass after she walked in on you two."

"Did she tell you that?" I inquire, now unable to hide the horror on my face.

"Yeah, smack talked you the next day. Figured I better get your take on things. I don't trust that bitch." She puts out her cigarette and we head to the backyard.

"That's not what happened. I've never been sexually involved with that man in any capacity." I give her the best explanation I can without giving too much away. She turns to look at me.

"So, you're not attracted to him at all?" she asks, and I realise that she's looking out for him. Did that sly bastard put her up to this? I don't know what she wants to hear and I'm afraid that if I say the wrong thing, she won't be friends with me. Fuck. I've never had to force myself to be on someone's good side before and it is not something I'd recommend to anyone I care about. This is stressful.

"I'm not really in a stable place right now." I take a shot in the dark by avoiding the question all together.

"Do you wanna fuck him?" she presses. Goddamn this woman.

"I do not want to sleep with him, no." I hope to God she doesn't ice me out.

"Okay. Gotta say I'm surprised. Never thought I'd meet a girl who didn't have the pants charmed off her by Sin." She chuckles and her eyes find something behind me. It's him. It has to be. She wanted to trap me and get me to admit something while he's in earshot. This bitch. What the hell is her game? I don't give anything away and give her an explanation I wouldn't have given her if I hadn't caught on to her game.

"It's not that I don't think he's a great guy. I've been working on some issues. I go to therapy every week and I don't really have the space in my mind to dwell on men. I've got a long journey ahead of me before I get better and entertaining anything would be careless to my progress and unfair to the other person."

Her face sours a little, but she keeps in together. Now I have her and Sin's sympathy. They're closer to letting their guard down around me. Two down.