Chapter 21

JUSTIN

The two of them moved slowly over the following week, just talking on the phone or by text, despite Justin sending her flowers every day.

He spent the weekend with his daughter, trying to make up for the week he had been gone. Avery completely understood and said it made her like him more because of his devotion to his little girl.

Justin was desperate to be with her again. And it wasn’t just because it was the longest he had gone without sex since he had pneumonia at 26.

He wanted to be close with her. For the first time in his life, he was craving intimacy, not just the sex. He wanted to lay naked next to her, feel her skin on his, and kiss her.

It was foreign to him, but it made him look forward to the time they could be together even more.

Avery was asking questions about the club so she could understand more. And she was beginning to understand that it was more than a club, it really was more like a family.

Justin talked about how if a member went to jail, the club took care of his family. They made sure that they didn’t need money or food, and if a family requested it, they got protection.

He explained that there were three members inside now, not including his father, but only one had a family. The other two were single, so it wasn’t as big of a deal.

He never told her of their illegal activities, not wanting to put her in a difficult position.

They both knew that she could be compelled to testify against him if it ever came to that since they weren’t married. Avery appreciated that he cared enough to think of that and her safety.

Justin had never been so cautious before, and it was new territory for him, but he thought he was making good progress in the whole ‘how to be a boyfriend’ arena.

Justin had talked with Kiki and accepted her apology. She explained that she thought she was protecting him and the club, that Avery wasn’t one of them and a potential threat.

Justin replied that he didn’t need protecting and that she needed to trust that he knew what he was doing.

Kiki seemed to accept that once he reminded her that it was her idea for him to find a girlfriend or old lady.

Justin was nervous when he called Avery on Wednesday after Lexi had gone to bed. Avery could tell something was up, and when she pressed him, he finally gave in.

“Well, baby, I was nervous about asking you, but…there is a club party Friday night, and I wondered if you wanted to come with me.”

After a pause, she said hesitantly, “You won’t leave my side, right?”

“I will be there every step of the way, holding your hand and whatever else you need me to do,” Justin assured her.

“Okay. I guess I’m going to a party,” Avery said.

Justin grinned as he sat in his office and talked with her.

“So what do I wear to a club party?” Avery asked nervously.

“You can wear whatever you want, baby. Although I love those black jeans you wear,” Justin hinted.

Avery giggled. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Excellent! Do you want to spend the night with me after?” he inquired.

“At your house or at the clubhouse?”

“Well, I guess it depends on how much we drink. After a party I usually stay at the clubhouse because I drink too much—” Justin started, but Avery interrupted, “And had a few club whores?”

Justin flinched. “Yeah, that too.”

“I don’t think I’m ready to stay at the clubhouse yet,” Avery admitted.

“No problem, baby. Then we’ll go back to my house, okay?”

“Okay. Justin...I’m not gonna lie, I’m nervous about what people are going to think about me,” Avery said.

“First, the people that matter will love you. And the ones that don’t, who the fuck cares? This is my choice, and as the president, what I say goes!” Justin said confidently.

Avery laughed. “You are crazy.”

“Nah, just crazy for you,” Justin said sappily.

“What about Alexis?” Avery asked.

“She is having a sleepover with Mama June. Mama June hasn’t been to parties in a while and watching Lex and Ryan are usually good excuses as to why she isn’t there.

“Although Ryan is spending time with his grandparents this time,” Justin explained.

They talked for a bit longer then went to bed for the night.

AVERY

Avery was a nervous wreck Friday afternoon. She had finally admitted to Lily that she was seeing Justin and going to a club party.

Avery was pretty sure that her eardrums had ruptured from the high-pitched squeal that Lily made when she told her what was going on.

“Holy shit, Avery! Is Justin Mariner as good in bed as the rumors say?” Lily asked, bouncing on her feet like a child in their classrooms.

Avery blushed. “I’m not going to say a word!” Her blush said it for her though, and Lily whispered, “Damn, girl! I knew it.”

“Oh stop,” Avery scoffed.

“How did this happen? When did this happen?” Lily demanded.

“Well, it kind of started that night we went out for drinks…,” Avery admitted.

“Damn, girl. I had no idea! Can I go to a party too?” she begged.

“Lily, I have no idea how this works. Let me figure this out, and when or if things calm down, I’ll see what I can do,” Avery said, placating her friend for the moment.

Somehow Avery made it through the rest of the school day and went home to dress. She put on the jeans Justin requested and then put on a shirt she had bought online on a whim.

It was a very tight teal shirt with a black bustier over it. She had to admit that she looked almost sexy. The top made her breasts look bigger and cinched in her waist, making it appear even smaller.

She used the large-barrel curling iron to make big bouncy curls, then pulled up the sides some, pinning it back. She liked the look and took a deep breath when she heard Justin knocking on the door.

She opened it and Justin’s jaw dropped as soon as he saw her. “Fuck, baby! What the hell are you wearing?!”

“Do you like it? I picked this up a few weeks ago,” Avery said, watching his face for his reaction.

“LIKE IT?” Justin asked in disbelief. “You tell me!”

He grabbed her hand and put it on his growing bulge. “I fucking love it! Let’s forget the party and stay here. I want to peel those clothes off and lick every inch of you.”

Avery blushed at his words and the way his voice went lower when he was aroused, but shook her head. “No. I psyched myself up for this and now I expect you to follow through.”

Justin pulled her close and ground his erection into her stomach. “Fine. But later, I’m going to make good on my threat!”

Avery smiled, nodded, and followed him out.

He wanted her to leave her car at his house, so she followed him there, then she got on the back of his bike and hoped her hair didn’t look like total shit by the time they got there.

Avery’s nerves were growing the closer they got to the clubhouse and by the time they pulled into the massive parking lot, she was shaking.

Justin noticed, and when they stopped, he pulled her to him after she got off and kissed her passionately.

“Now I need you to calm down, baby. Remember what I said: I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks, you are mine,” he reminded her.

“Now, let’s go in, get a drink and some food, and have some fun!”

Avery nodded, looking at the front door of the club. She heard loud music and laughter. Justin kissed her on the top of her head in comfort, took her hand, and led her inside.

The sensory overload Avery experienced by just walking inside was unreal.

The noise was overwhelming, the smells were overpowering, and the sights... Well, she had never seen so much going on in one place in her life.

The music was loud and pumping. There were some people dancing, but a majority were just listening and talking with friends.

There was food; a huge buffet set over to one side and mounds of food piled high for people to take from as they desired. It was some kind of barbecue and it actually looked and smelled really good.

There was the scent of smoke, mostly from cigarettes, but she saw a few men puffing on the cigars that Justin seemed to prefer.

But what she saw in the back blew her away. There were women, dancing around the pole in the back, stripping and losing articles of clothing as men drank and cheered them on.

They all had smiles on their faces and seemed to really enjoy teasing the men, who definitely enjoyed the show the women were giving.

There were people playing pool and talking at tables, which was nice, but there were also people openly having sex.

Avery saw a man on his knees with his face between the legs of a scantily clad woman who was lying on one of the pool tables, arching her back in obvious pleasure.

There was another man next to her kissing her, rubbing and teasing her nipples.

Avery blushed and turned her head, but was met with more scenes of open sex acts. There were several couples making out at tables, some with several members participating.

And there were several more couples actually having sex at the tables too. She saw more strangers’ asses in the first five minutes she was there than she had in her entire life.

“Baby, you okay?” Justin asked into her ear, and she nodded. Justin squeezed her hand and led her to a long table where she saw people laughing and talking.

She saw Kiki sitting and holding hands with a nice-looking man a little older than Justin, which Avery assumed was her husband Mitch.

There were other women laughing at something she said and the men around them rolled their eyes. As Justin was leading her there, people called out to him and he waved or did a head nod to them.

They stopped in front of the table and Justin looked at the crew.

“Everyone, this is Avery Harper. Avery, this is my table and some other good friends,” Justin introduced.

Everyone looked up and smiled with varying degrees of friendliness. Kiki jumped up and pulled Avery into a hug right away.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you and Justin. I never meant to hurt you, I just wanted to make sure that you knew what you were getting into with Devil’s Reign.

“And I had to protect my brother, to make sure he knew what you were really thinking and feeling,” she explained quickly.

“I know, and I appreciate that you wanted to help,” Avery replied, not giving anything else away.

She and Justin talked, and Avery knew that Kiki was acting on some little plan that Mitch and Mikey had concocted.

Justin was not done being pissed at them for going behind his back, but they were making progress in repairing their relationship at the table.

They all knew that a non-unified table was not good for the club. So they were doing what was best for the MC, even though their personal relationships were still strained.