The Club

"She's a liability!"

"Bullshit! And what does that matter to you anyway, part timer? When was the last time your old lady even showed up to Sunday dinner with the club?"

"She has Lupus!"

"So who is the fucking liability? Even before, twenty years ago, remind me what she did for the club? What? Nothing? Just because a lot of the old ladies now pitch in and do shit doesn't mean it's required."

"She aint cut out for this life is what I mean! She is a liability, look at her! Could she even hold a gun if it came to a firefight?"

"Why would there be a firefight, Lee?" Luka asked calmly. "Unless someone went behind my back and is allowing trading in our borders again. Something I need to worry about, Lee? We gonna have fucking ATF coming around here again like they did when you had the bit in your teeth?"

"You are weak, Luka, she proves it. She represents everything wrong with the club now! Letting soft Cherry's in, letting new patches bring in sweeties! No one should be allowed an old lady until they are 30, they way you all switch around so much!"

"I think you need to stop talking," Luka said quietly. "Let's get something straight. I do not answer to you, you answer to me. I have never claimed an old lady or even a sweetie in all the time you have known me. Ever. And I haven't said shit about this girl becoming my old lady. Have I boys? Have I even mentioned her name?"

"No boss."

"Never saw her before last night."

"No Luka."

"There. Seems you are the only one who is under the impression that I am claiming an old lady. Why is that, Lee? Let's table that. As it happens, the Cherry isn't useless. There's a reason Alonso had her. She's good with books. She is going to take over our books, free up Alan for more important things."

"Alan is fine where he is!" Lee raged.

"He didn't even want the job, you told him to do it until we found a replacement."

"And now he is taking care of it!"

"All the same, she has a head for numbers. She will be taking over."

"No, that's a conflict of interest!"

"And your son doing them isn't?" Luka asked, leaning back and propping a foot up.

Amelia could tell his calm and taunting manner was a slim facade. He was about to unleash.

"No, of course not! Alan is club first! Always was! This girl isn't club, she is you!"

Luka canted his head slightly, his eyes glittering with danger. "We have a consensus here right now. All in favor of Alan stepping down from our books to attend to more important club business, say 'aye'."

There were 'aye's' all around except for Lee.

"This is bullshit! There are people missing and the sit down isn't scheduled for another half hour!"

"We have consensus, Lee," Stavo told him. "Even if everyone missing said nay, they'd be outnumbered."

"All in favor of Amelia here, who is actually qualified, taking over the books, say aye," Luka said, still half smirking at Lee in an 'I dare you' look.

There were aye's all around again except for Lee.

"We don't even know this girl! She could be anyone!"

"I know who she is," Luka said quietly. "Now let us untable the other matter. Why would you assume she was my old lady when yesterday this girl was an unknown to everyone? Stavo. Take Jay and Ben, go toss Lee's room. Have Apex find the wire in my room. Unless you would just like to tell me where it is? Be granted some leniency?"

"You're out of your mind!"

"As you will then," Luka shrugged, lounging back again as two men stepped up next to the couch on either side of Luka, their hands on guns at their belts.

Lee looked at them, turning red. "I didn't mean any harm! It was just to see where the next drops would be first! You are trying to cut me out!"

"Where is it?" Luka demanded.

"On the high shelf in that skull thing."

Luka nodded at Apex who went to find the wire.

"I am not cutting you out, Lee. I offer you as much work as you show up for which is less and less. You want the good jobs, but you don't show up for anything but your payday. You aren't club anymore, you are Lee."

"I've put my life into this club!"

"Being here while the club was here isn't putting your life into it. PER put his life into it. He lived and breathed the club. For you it was something extra in your life. You left the club behind years ago."

Lee turned and picked up an ashtray, throwing it across the room. "You weren't even a cumstain in your mothers panties when I was giving my life to this club!" Lee raged. "I have been here! I helped make this club what it is today!"

"You got people put in jail! You got people killed and hurt! You made widows and orphans! That is no legacy, old man, that is a shame!"

Lee started to close the distance, but the two men intercepted him.

"Here," Apex called, tossing the microphone to Lee. "Why don't you go take a ride and cool off before the sit down, Lee."

Lee growled in rage and stormed out.

Amelia looked up at Luka, her eyes huge. He gave her a smile and leaned in to kiss her head.

She stayed quiet as the men began talking to each other about business as usual. Who they were 'protecting', who they needed to collect on, who they needed to get their cut from.

She stayed silent as a mouse and listened to everything.

She was surprised when they all stood and Luka took her hand and led her to a large room in the back with a long table. There were chairs around the table, but also chairs back around the wall too so people besides the sitting council could sit in and listen or be heard.

The room filled fast and Amelia didn't understand why she was there. There were other women there, all of them either in the lap of a man, or standing with their arms around a man while he sat.

The meeting was called to order and Amelia stayed curled up and quiet, even after Lee came in late and took his seat with a glare at everyone. She listened to everything, taking it all in.

When Apex brought up that Alan had been replaced as bookkeeper, there were a few murmurs.

"It isn't right," Lee said , standing. "Alan has been doing it for years and he has been doing a good job. Why replace him just to make your new Cherry feel needed? She isn't club, she will never be club!"

"It is done, Lee," Luka said quietly. "I would like to address the other issue that was brought to light. The club needs to know what you have been allowing behind our backs. Not telling the rest of us. The deals you have making to sell here and transport and store here in our territory."

"You were reading too much into what I said!"

"Was I? So you have not been having the prospects running any extra for you and your side dealings?"

"Who told you that? Who said I was?"

"It is a question, Lee. Have you?"

"Is this some sort of witch hunt?" Lee demanded. "You're just trying to deflect! Make people forget that you brought some little Cherry into the club and after one fucking day she is running our books and your new old lady!"

"Does anyone here take issue with who I am fucking?" Luka asked.

No one spoke as Lee looked around the table, enraged. He shoved back and stormed out, cussing.

Luka turned to Apex. "I want everything on what he has been doing. Question all the prospects, look into who has been coming in and out. Call Ordecker and find out if he's heard anything. I want to know everything he has been letting in and out of here, you understand?"

"Got it boss, it will be done."

Amelia felt wary sitting there in his lap with his arm holding her. She could feel the tension in it. She sat listening for another forty five minutes until they ran out of things they needed to discuss. At the end of the night, Luka turned to Stavo. "Lock the office down. Alan doesn't go in tomorrow. She is taking over the books as of now. Cherry, tomorrow is the day our boy usually comes in to do the books, but I am going to have you in there. How long will it take you to figure it out and get yourself up to speed?"

"Not long. I really am good with numbers, accounting, patterns, that sort of thing."

"Good. The sooner the better. I don't want him to have an ammo to fire with at the next meeting. Come on. It's Friday night boys! Let's go celebrate!"

Luka pulled her out to the main room with the bar and pool tables. The corner lit up when someone flipped a switch and a stripper pole lit up. Luka sat back on one of the couches and pulled her up into his lap, making her straddle him as he gripped her ass with a smirk. She felt and heard others sitting around them and laughing, but she only stared up at him with wide eyes.

Did he have to be so stunningly gorgeous? He pulled her in and kissed her gently, then hugged her to his chest. She pulled back, looking up at him. "If I am about to do your books... you are going to have to tell me everything you do. You know that, right?" she asked softly. "Not just the mild things, but everything."

"Yeah, Cherry, I get it. I'll come in with you in the morning and make sure it's all clear. Ok? No more business." He pulled her in again to lay on his chest as he slid his hands up her shirt and ran his fingers over her bare back.

"So you really takin' on an old lady?" a man asked.

"Why is everyone so surprised?" Luka laughed.

"Because it's you!" another man joked. "You who won't look at a girl past getting your cock sucked. You've never focused on anything but the next job! And girls have fucking tried... a LOT!"

"Somebody may have mentioned something to me about living in the moment as well as focusing on making the club better. Also... have you seen her?" he asked lightly.

"Oh, she is hot, no doubt, but that has never phased you before!"

"Cute enough, but not curvy enough for me."

"Cute face, she's too small. I like legs."

"She a natural redhead?"

"She has no real fire in her, she's a mouse. I want a girl who gives as good as she gets!"

"Oh no, I get the appeal," Stavo volunteered as the men all talked. "She's helpless and small and so innocent. A real fucking little Cherry. There's something about that that makes a man want to bring her in and shelter her, make her feel safe, protect her. Show her how good shit can be. Am I right, boss?"

Luka only laughed as he bent low and kissed the top of her head.

Amelia hugged him, then shifted and moved so she could see the people talking, put faces and maybe names to voices. She curled up on his lap, laying against him and playing with his hair as she watched all of the men talking and laughing. The girls too.

She began hearing more and more about what went on, what sorts of things the club had its fingers in. Why they needed a cop on their payroll.

Near the end of the night, another group of men came in and she recognized the one called Jay. He had a woman on his arm.

"Jay!" Luka yelled happily. "Come over here asshole! Who the hell is this?"

Amelia looked up at the woman a little surprised. The woman was very obviously in transition and looked half terrified. So did Jay. "This is Monica," he said softly, warily.

"This your old lady?" Stavo asked, looking Monica over. "Or sweetie?"

"Uhh... sweetie for now."

"Pull up a chair, Jay," Luka called. "Monica, step up to the bar there and get your boy a beer."

Monica gave Jay an alarmed look, but he nodded as he sat down near Luka.

"So that's the one had you blushin' like a little girl," Luka laughed. "Dunno, Jay. She might take you in a wrestling match. Any of the old timers give you shit, have them come see me. Make sure if you ain't here she stays back in your room if some of the old timers like Lee are here. Val will take care of her. Look at me. Stop lookin' scared. No one here give's a fuck who you are fucking and if they do, that's their problem and not yours," he said softy as Monica came back and handed Jay a beer. "Monica, have a seat," Luka said almost warmly, gesturing to a chair back at a table like Jay had pulled up.

She brought it over and sat down, still looking a little terrified.

Amelia held out her hand to her. "Amy," she offered.

"Monica!" she smiled back, taking her hand in both of hers and squeezing.

"What do you do, Monica?" Amelia asked her.

"Oh! Well, I am between jobs at the moment. I used to work at the law firm here in town, but the past several months I have been sort of... you know. Waiting to find the right fit."

"Of course. How did you and Jay meet?"

Jay sat up, his face going bright red, but Monica's back was to him.

"Oh, we met at Chaps and Straps! Such a wide eyed boy when he came in, he was so adorable! We talked and he came back again and again. He's been there for me through almost everything! He's such a sweet and caring boy! I just don't even know what I would do if he hadn't been there through the hardest parts!"

"I imagine it's a hard thing to go through alone. I'm glad you found Jay and that he is so good for you. You two look cute together."

"Oh, thank you but I know you are teasing! Jay a whole head shorter than me and me a whole twenty years older!"

"No, it works for you. Especially with the cute MDLB thing you two have going, it's really adorable. Truly."

"Oh..." she said, surprised as she looked back at Jay who looked horrified. She leaned closer to Amelia. "Is it obvious? What am I doing wrong that it's obvious?"

"Oh, no, it's not. It's not obvious. I'm deaf, so I see more than other people," she whispered. "I see the way he drops his eyes to you and the way... anyway. No one else would notice. Promise."

"You're sure? I don't want anyone to think he's... you know. Off."

"Not at all. It's a common dynamic."

"What are you two whispering about?" Jay asked with a nervous laugh that sounded almost hysterical.

"Girl things," Amelia smiled. "I like her. Thank you for bringing me someone to talk to."

"Uhh... sure," he shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "Uhh... we weren't going to really stay, we were stopping in on our way somewhere."

Monica turned to Amelia with a pleased smile. "Dixie Dana and Billie the Kid are performing at Straps and Chaps! There's a drag show every Friday night! You should come sometime."

"I will see if I can get Luka to take me," Amelia replied with a smile. "Though I'm not sure he would make it out of there alive."

Monica looked at Luka and giggled. "Oh no he would not! He'd be a changed man for sure!"

Jay stood and put his chair back, then hovered near Monica.

"It was wonderful to meet you," Amelia said, getting up to hug her. "I can't wait to see you again! Give me someone to talk to instead of sitting and listening to these men all talk shop."

Monica hugged her back before standing, then towered over her in her 4 inch heels when she did stand. "You are just precious, thank you Amy," she said with a lovely smile.

Jay took her hand and made an awkward goodbye as he left.

"That was a bit uncomfortable," one of the men said. "I mean... he does know that's a dude, right? I mean, I don't care if that's what he wants, but he knows, right?"

"She isn't a dude," Amelia said as Luka pulled her back into his lap. "She was assigned male at birth, but she is a girl. She is just becoming in body who she has always been on the inside."

"So... is Jay gay?" another man asked.

"Does it matter?" Luka asked. "He is what he is, all that matters is, he is club. Family. Leave his sex life out of it."

"I like Monica," Amelia said softly. "She just wants to be accepted and loved and she has such a huge heart."

"As long as she takes care of our boy," Stavo shrugged. "Layla! Another round!"

Luka took hold of Amelia's face and turned her to look up at him as he leaned close with a smirk. "I am NOT taking you to a gay club, Cherry," he smirked. "And we will speak later about some of the things you said."

"What things?" she asked, a little frightened.

"Later," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

She wondered if she had done something wrong in being nice to Monica. Maybe that was for the men to decide, not her, but she just wanted her to feel less stressed and afraid. Jay too.

She stayed quiet after that, just offering smiles and nods when the other girls tried to talk to her. She didn't know how she was supposed to act towards other people here. What was acceptable to Luka and what wasn't.

It was late by the time Luke lifted her up in his arms and stood. "I'm takin' this little Cherry to bed," he told the others. "See if I can make her scream for me a few more times before sunrise."

There was laughter as Amelia blushed and hid her face. He carried her down the hall and took her to his room, setting her on the bed gently before going to his knees in front of her and holding her arms so she couldn't move.

"Now, tell me about what you said earlier," he commanded.

"What part?" she asked, confused.

"The acronym. You both understood it. What were you saying to her?"

"Oh! Oh... it's just... MDLB. Umm, Mommy dom little boy dynamic."

"So just kinky shit?"

"Yeah."

"What do you know about that shit?"

She turned red and looked away. "I read a lot," she whispered.

"Yeah? What's the opposite of that one? FDLG?"

"Huh? Oh... umm, DDLG. Daddy, not father."

"Daddy. Right. You needin' a daddy, Cherry?" he asked, taking hold of her face and making her look at him. His eyes were dancing with a wild sort of need.

"No," she whispered. "No, I..."

"Shhh," he whispered, leaning in and kissing her. He stood up and pulled her up on the bed. "On your knees, Cherry," he ordered, undoing his pants. He pulled his half hard cock out and took hold of her hair as she tried to lean away. "Come here and suck my cock," he demanded, his eyes still lit with something that scared her.

"I don't want to..."

"Did I ask what you wanted or did I tell you to do something? On your knees and start sucking!" His words sounded harsh, but they weren't. It was some sort of roleplay, an act. He pulled her head close and pressed his cock to her lips. "Open for me baby girl," he coaxed. "Suck for Daddy. Show me how much you love me. Come on now, don't make daddy punish you."

"I'm not a little!" she cringed, trying to pull away.

"Little?"

"Someone who likes to pretend they are... a little kid. I'm not... that... or anything like that. Knowing what it is doesn't mean I like it!"

"Mmmm," he chuckled. "That's fine. You can still suck my cock, Cherry. Open your lips for me, let me show you."

She looked up at him, feeling her heart racing as she shook her head slightly and pressed her lips together.

"Don't be coy, Amy," he breathed, "open those perfect little lips for me," he prodded, rubbing his cock over her lips. It was harder now, but the warm skin moved over her lips. She tried to move, but his grip tightened even more, hurting her and making it impossible for her to move at all.

"I don't like this!" she whimpered through clenched teeth. "You're hurting me!"

"Shhh, Cherry, hush. I'm not hurting you, it's just a little rough play."

"I don't like it! I'm not playing!"

His lip curled as he cocked his head. "I'm not playing either. Open your fucking mouth."

Amelia's eyes widened slightly at his tone. He may be toying with her, but he was very serious.

She parted her lips slightly, tears welling in her eyes.

"There's my good girl," he smirked, tapping his cock on her parted lips. "Let me see that tongue. Slide it out here for me and lick my dick. All the way around, Cherry. Open your lips wider. There's my good girl. See how well you can listen for me when you want to? I want you to suck my cock. Spread your lips over the top, lick it, get it nice and sloppy wet for me, then suck it. I want you choking on it for me. Come on baby, open your lips for me. It's not hard, I will teach you. Open, Cherry. Open for me and do it nice so I don't have to hold you down and fuck your face."

"Stop!" she cried, breaking down sobbing. "Pleease!"