Page 29 of Savior
I remember Cherry talking about that once or twice. How some of the sweetbutts and patch whores have no qualms about sleeping around with taken men. Even married ones. Hoping to take their place as an Old Lady.
“I need to be invited to stay, by an Ol’ Lady.”
“Okay.” She seems too nice to be the type that would do that to another woman. “I’m inviting you.”
Trippy smiles at me, squeezing my hand gently, as if she’s truly appreciative. “You’re sweet, Vanna. But that might piss off some of the other women, and cause problems for you with them.”
“Why? Do you try to poach their men?” I ask.
“Of course not… But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been with their men in the past.” Trippy admits. “They don’t like to be reminded of that. It’s really not worth the aggravation you’re going to bring on yourself, Vanna. I’ll just catch up with you later. It’s okay.” She says, though I can tell she’s trying to hide her disappointment.
In the year I’ve known Dean, this is the first time he’s brought me to the JoCo Jokers’ clubhouse. I don’t really care if any of the Jokers’ Old Ladies have a problem with me inviting Trippy to hang out and listen to the band. I may not be Dean Keegan’s wife yet. I may not have been voted in as his official Old Lady, yet. An actual MC Queen, or First Lady, as they call themselves. But I will be, one day. My fiancé is a President of a club. I should have some sway because of that, even if we’re not in Saviors’ territory. Even if it’s just among the women. And I doubt Rosita or Cherry will give me any flack if I invite Trippy. She seems like a genuinely nice person. Cherry and Rosita aren’t mean spirited.
“Come listen to the band with me, Trippy.” I insist.
“Are you sure?” she asks, a hopeful look in her eyes.
“Screw these stupid rules.” I tug her by the hand as we walk towards the Old Lady Lounge.
“Wait.” She says, stopping us again. She’s looking down at herself, her black leather, barely there, Jokers MC bikini and fishnets. “What I’m wearing is just going to piss them off.”
“Okay.” I let go of her hand to shrug out of my leather jacket. “You’re going to be swimming in this, but here. Borrow this.” I hand it over to her. The expression in her eyes says all the thanks she possibly could, as he puts the jacket on.
The prospect standing guard, or servant, by the purple ropes, watches us as we approach. Trippy smiles at him and wraps her arm around mine. “Slick,” she calls the twenty something year old guy with light brown hair, covered in tattoos up to his neck, “this is Vanna. She’s the Saviors’ President’s Old Lady.” He doesn’t speak, but he unhooks the rope to let us through. Once we’re inside, I take a seat next to Cherry and Rosita. Trippy introduces me to the Jokers’ women, before she takes a seat on the large purple couch next to me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” One of them immediately asks her, swirling whatever cocktail she’s drinking in her stiletto tipped fingers. She leans back, crossing her leather clad legs, looking at Trippy with abhorrence. I’m annoyed by it, even though Trippy warned me.
“I invited her.” I say.
The woman, who I think Trippy introduced to me as Charmain, shifts her hazel eyes to me. “Oh honey,” she says condescendingly, flipping her pin-straight black hair over her shoulder. “We don’t do that.”
“Well, I just did.”
She stares at me a moment, her eyes scanning me again. “Who did you say you’re with?”
“Dean Keegan.” Cherry says before I can answer. I glance over at her. She’s hard eyeing Charmain right back.
“Dean Keegan?” Charmain doesn’t bother to disguise her surprise. In fact, it seems a bit exaggerated.
“Did I fucking stutter?” Cherry snaps at her, surprising me. I’ve never seen Cherry go toe to toe with someone like this before. She’s usually so sweet and reserved.
Charmain grins, shifting her focus back to me, making an exaggerated show of looking me over again. “Yeah, I can see that… Why he’d settle down with you.” She leans her head closer to one of her gal pals. “He doesn’t have to worry about another guy poaching this one.” She laughs to her Joker girlfriends sitting beside her on the couch. Two of them don’t look amused by her comment. Maybe because one of them happens to be a curvier girl, like me. “I can see he really sprung for that ring, too.” She laughs. “Did he hand you a magnifying glass when he popped the question?”
I wish I didn’t react, but her words actually sting. I bring my left hand to the base of my throat defensively, my thumb automatically playing with the band of the ring. What kind of a woman insults another’s engagement ring like that? I glance down at it. Sure, the rock isn’t huge, but it’s a real, radiant cut solitaire diamond. And it’s from Dean, the man I love more than anything in this world… I love my ring. What a bitch!
“Stop being a cunt, Charmain.” One of her own MC sisters says to her.
“This lounge is overly crowded.” Charmain continues to gripe.
“Maybe you should get the fuck out then?” Cherry says.
“Listen, you little redheaded bitch,” Charmain snaps back at her.
Cherry is on her feet in a second, taking steps towards her. Trippy and I jump up to intervene, standing between them, telling them both to calm down.
“I out rank you!” Charmain snaps at Cherry. “You’re just a guest in my fucking clubhouse! How dare you talk to me like that!”
Cherry laughs at her. “Your clubhouse? I didn’t realize you had a dick swinging between your legs.”
