She digs her nails in to my back and obeys.
Colors burst behind my lids as she comes undone. I pull out, paint her belly white, and collapse beside her. I turn my head to face her and we let the bliss resonate between us as we come down, eyes focused on one another. This was more than sex or a satisfying arrangement. It’s the start of the most tangible experience I’ve ever had with a woman.
Chapter Six
I hitch my purse onto my shoulder and make my way into the club. It’s strange being here as a customer. I’m meeting up with Mimi after work and we’re going to kick a few back before we go to my place. Wizard is off handling club business for the weekend along with her old man, Riker, so we decided to play catch up. I’ve barely seen her over the past few months. Between the full-blown relationship developing between Wizard and me, gemologist courses, and preparing the shop to open, time isn’t something I’ve had much of.
“Hey, Mike,” I say, stepping inside.
“Hey, Nev. What are you doing back this way?”
“Waiting for Mimi.”
“We miss you here¸” he says.
“Why? Carla is kicking ass as a closing manager I heard.”
“Yeah, but it’s not the same.”
I pat Mike’s massive bicep. We’d been working together for over four years. I miss the busy evenings and problem solving, but gemology is my calling. Nothing makes me happier than talking clarity, cuts, and color. It’s amazing. Hell, in a few more months I’d be able to say I have a skill. That is a huge accomplishment for me. Wizard has given me life beyond survival.
The man is appropriately named. He’s like a damn magician.
I can’t remove the smile from my face as I continue inside. The familiar scent of vanilla and smoke assaults my nostrils. The pounding bass vibrates beneath my feet. It’s a Saturday and the club is overflowing with men and women ready to hand over their money. I make a beeline for the bar and sit down in front of one of my favorite bartenders.
A busty blonde hurries over and offers up a sunny smile. “Hey, girl, I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays.”
“I know, I’ve been busy. How are things, Sandy?”
“Good. I love it when we’re busy like this. We miss you though, you know?”
“I miss you guys, too.”
She leans against the bar. “What are you into now?”
“I’m going to school for gemology. Wizard is opening up a shop and I’m going to oversee the gem section.”
“Holy shit, Nevada. That’s amazing.”
“I know.” I laugh. “I love it.”
“Good, you deserve this, too.” Sandy motions toward my property vest. She’s not part of KOC, but she’s been around the culture enough to know how our lives work.
“I got lucky. Wizard is amazing.”
She shivers. “I always thought he was a bit scary.” Her brow furrows. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. He’s not exactly warm and fuzzy from the outside looking in.”
“So, you’re really okay?”
I see the worry in her big brown eyes.
Life as an old lady means secrecy, and sometimes that means lying in the bed you made. Some women don’t care how a man treats them as long as they get property status. I’ve seen them end up in bad situations that way. Not all men are created equal. There are men who don’t respect women in the one percent culture, it’s just a background that makes it easy for monsters to hide in. We’re not dominated by our men, we’re taken care of by them. Most of the time, it’s downright safer for us not to know what they do. Some of the brothers even have families that have no clue what they get into when they’re away. They keep them separate from their life. I can’t blame them. There are downsides. The raids, the police harassment, and the label.
People see the road worn appearance, leather and vests, then assume the worst. It’s archaic. The real monsters are the ones who hide in plain sight. We come right out and tell you what we’re about, and as long as you show respect, you’ll never have any problems.
“I’m more than okay, I’m happy.”