Page 83 of Vex

“Fuck you, Taja! You come in here all innocent like and disrupt what was a good thing we had going. Getting yourself pregnant to hang onto a man’s the most pathetic move ever!” Kristy spits in anger.

“You’re just pissed because Vex decided to trade in his old, tattered, used toys and go for an upgrade. Back off, bitch. We’re having a conversation here,” Suki snarls from behind the bar.

“Stay out of this, Suki! Doesn’t concern your lesbian ass!” Kristy snarls back.

“Bi, baby. It’s bi, not lesbian. I like all sexual parts regardless of shape. But I don’t sell mine for cheap ass shoes and perfume. Get gone, whore,” Suki bellows back.

Kristy whirls on her stripper shoes and gives Taja a hard shove, completely catching me off-guard. Having my arm around her back keeps her seated, but I see fire shooting from Taja’s eyes. Instinct kicks in and she tries to stand but I wrap my arm tighter around her and don’t allow it. It takes a second but reason seeps into her and she relaxes. There will be no momma-to-be brawl tonight. Placing my body between the two women, I aim my eyes at Kristy.

Before I can tell her she’s fired, Suki sails over the bar and pounces on Kristy. They go down in a heap of legs, arms and squeals. Suki fights her way to the top and starts swinging.

“I can’t see, Vex! Move yourself,” Taja hollers at me while pulling on my shoulder.

I slide to the side so she can enjoy the fight with me and Freddy.

“How long should we let this go on?” Freddy asks in a calm voice.

“Don’t you dare stop this!” shouts Taja.

We’ve drawn the attention of the entire club and several patrons are tossing money at the fighting women. A few of the other strippers have rushed up to see what’s happening. Kristy’s not well liked, and it shows when the strippers start cheering Suki on.

Freddy eventually gets a grip on Suki’s arms and pulls her off Kristy’s battered body. Suki and Taja fist bump with big smiles. Other than wild ass hair, Suki looks fine. Kristy, not so much. Bleeding nose and lip, wig laying on the floor and bruises already starting to form, she’s a mess. Not one stripper or security personnel offer to help her up. Freddy releases Suki with an order to go take a break and then assists Kristy to her feet. Fake boobs hanging out, skirt raised above her ass, one shoe missing, she limps away toward the dressing room. Taja slides off her stool and starts picking up the loose bills laying all around where the women were battling. She straightens them into a neat stack and drops them into Suki’s tip jar with a grin. I just shake my head at her, grinning.

“I’m off to go fire Kristy. Something I should have done a year or so ago. Sorry about that, Taja. You okay, girl?” Freddy asks with concern.

“I’m fine. No harm done. Thank you, Freddy,” Taja replies while still grinning.

Freddy walks off and I turn to Taja.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, it was nothing. But watching Suki kick ass on her was friggin’ awesome. The bitch has had it coming for a long time now. Just wish I could have gotten in a few shots too.”

“And earn yourself another cast? No, honey. Just no. After the baby’s born, you get some lessons on how to do damage and then we’ll see about letting you kick some ass. But not until then,” I tell her with a laugh.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

-*- -*- -*- -*-

“You going to explain what’s going on?” I ask Chubs.

“No.” Chubs replies.

“Let me rephrase. Youaregoing to explain what’s going on,” I spit back.

I’ve been on Chubs’ ass for a while now. I know that whoever keeps showing up here looking for him is not giving up. Chubs has been quieter lately, and I know he’s dealing with something serious. I’m concerned and frustrated. Chubs is always helping the rest of us and yet not letting us return the favor. I don’t like that he’s keeping secrets from the club. Not that I don’t trust him but because we can’t help while being kept in the dark. I won’t quit until I know what the fuck is happening with him. And I have no problem fighting dirty to get that info.

“Let it go, Vex. I’ll deal and all will be well,” Chubs says in a tired voice.

“Not letting it go, Chubs. You can tell me or I’ll be forced to bring it up at Church,” I threaten while meaning every word.

“Rather not, brother. I don’t want to bring trouble to the club,” Chubs answers.

“What kind of trouble? There isn’t a person connected to this club that wouldn’t back you against anything out there, Chubs. What the fuck? You know you can trust us!” I insist.

“I’ll only tell you this but the less you know, the better off you’ll be. You know my name’s Brock Cooper. Nobody’s called me that in years though. Here in the Devil’s Angels MC, I’m Chubs. Period. That’s who I am, inside and out, and who I want to be. Just Chubs. The club brother who’s dependable and always there to help anyone. The Chubs that loves Lucy. And Ava and the rest of the women and kids here. The Chubs with an unexplainable eating disorder. But Cooper isn’t my real name. It’s the name the Feds laid on me when they placed me in WitSec. I left the program when I was a teenager because I didn’t feel safe with them. I had good reasons to get gone, so I did. Gunner’s dad found me, starving on the streets, and brought me in. That’s how I came to be a Devil’s Angel. The Feds have finally tracked me down and want to pull me back in for reasons I’m not going to explain. I’ve told them no, and they’ve threatened to expose who I am if I don’t do what they want. I’ll disappear before I’ll let them bring that kind of trouble to the club,” Chubs says passionately.

I don’t doubt him for a second. Chubs would give up everything and everyone he loves if he thought it would keep them safe. He has a heart of gold, but we need him here.

---