by Cilla Lee
“No, Zoey is four years younger than me” I look at Zoey but see no difference.
“You sure you’re not twins, cause fuck you’re identical” they both roll their eye it seems they've heard that before.
**
We spent the next two weeks together, meeting with the owner of the gym and goin’ over figures. We'd researched competitors, went over financials profit margins summaries building a strategy and operating plan. Projections charts sales and marketing, and by the end of the week I had a plan in place and an idea of what where when and how everything would work. Cookie wasn't lyin’ when he told me Niya was smart; even Zoey helped and I was fuckin’ grateful for their help.
**
Sittin’ in Church the next week my leg was bouncin’ a hundred miles an hour, my plan in hand waitin’ to bring it to the table. The business plan was solid and would make a tidy profit for the club. Once Razor calls the meetin’ to order he asks if we had any new business “Yeah boss got the business plan you wanted” I slide over the booklet Niya done up for me (very professional) I watch as he goes over the plan and then looks up a me.
“Explain it!” I stand up and go through all of the projects that Niya and I had worked out, the cost of things suppliers, advertising, and projections. All the guy havin’ a look at the folder as I talk.
“Yah or Nah Brothers, you all know it has to be unanimous” I watch as one by one all of my Brothers support me in the endeavor.
“Yay's have it Brother make it happen,” he tells me, and I smile.
“Thanks man, I won't let you down.”
“No, you fuckin’ won't,” Razor says as Cookie slaps me on the back smilin' at me.
**
It takes three months to get everything set up, and now I was standin’ here in a gym the club owned lookin’ up at a huge octagon ring “Brother, I can't believe you pulled this off” Cookie says, and I shake my head at him.
“No fuckin’ faith,” he laughs.
“Fuck no,” he says smilin’ at me even though he's been next to me the whole time supportin’ everything, him and Niya have been great. The first year while I was in jail I was pissed at myself for gettin' caught, but once I started takin' classes. I realized that there was more to life, I even thought of leavin' the club for a few weeks. But once I heard Razor was takin' the club down the legit route, I knew I needed to do something for myself and the club. I'd always loved a good fight and having had to do it to survive most of my life just seemed obvious.
“Fuck man Niya done good,” he says
“Yeah, she fuckin’ did.”
The gym already had a good set up, but we still made some changes. We added a women’s only sectioned, that was added by Razor because Maggie said all the girls where joinin’. As soon as it opened, he didn't want any motherfuckers starin’ at his woman, neither did any of the other brother's Tank tellin’ me that if Lena got hit on once, I was getting a punch in the face. Then another area was opened to everyone all the machines were serviced a new Jacuzzi and steam room were added. We also built a space for an octagon cage some of the brothers mostly Tank talkin’ about MMA and trainin’ fighters, something I hadn't thought of but the boys voted, so the cage was in. We'd had a few people approach us as we were still getting things set up, so we made sure we had all the right equipment for all kinds of fighters or gym members in general.
Niya was a great help even taking on the manager's role; she’d invested so much of herself that I knew she couldn't walk away. We added a kids’ playroom for women who wanted to work out, Tink Cuff and Socket helped designed the logo for the gym, and all of the Brothers helped with everything else.
“You excited for the openin’ tomorrow,” Nash asks me as I was sittin’ havin’ a beer.
“Yeah, man can't fuckin’ wait.”
“You've done good man,” he slaps me on the back smilin' as he walks off with Saffron under his arm.
Chapter Six
Ava
As we sat down to dinner, none of us spoke or even looked at each other “Ok! What is going on with you two?” mom asks
“Nothing,” dad says as Justin kicks me under the table, he motions with his eyes in mom's direction, and I look at my dad and smile (it's now or never)
“Mom, did dad ever tell you how I got the name Widow Maker?”
Ava!” dad practically yells.
“Oh, so it's Ava now” my dad looks up and gives me the evil eye, he knows if my mom knew how I got the nickname she'd divorce his ass in a hot minute.
“Don't you fuckin’ dare Ava!” he warns me making me smile.
“You never did tell me how she got the name Max” dad looks up at her then back to me; he knows I have him.
“Yeah sis how did you get the name,” Justin says, and dad looks at him (if looks could kill)
“Ava!” dad says, looking nervous.
“Dad,” I say
“Fuckin’ don't!”
“Well, you know my terms,” I tell him and I watch as he clenches his jaw.
“Fine I'll give you my vote” I smile (yes to easy)
“Well, mom when I was in the clubhouse one day there was a huge spider in the kitchen, and the guys were afraid to go near it” she frowns.
“A spider,” she says, looking between dad and I
“Yeah, it was a black widow, and I killed it, so the guys called me Widow Maker from then onwards” she stares at me, and I know she knows I'm lying.
“Ok,” she says, not convinced.
“Anyway, I'm going out with Mel tonight, so don't wait up” I get up smiling at my dad “Thanks, daddy, love you,” Justin laughs mom watching us all dad just grumbles under his breath.
*
“I can't believe you got your dads vote” Mel yells over the music.
“I know it was Justin who helped me.”
“Justin! As in your brother Justin.”
“Yeah”
“Well, he's one vote down Twelve to go” we dance, flirt and drink all night.
*
I wake the next morning my head pounding; I slowly open my eyes “What the fuck?” I look around an unfamiliar room and notice dark hair on the pillow next to me and a bare back, I lift the sheet (fuck I'm naked) the guy next to me groans and turns to my side opening his eyes
“Morning,” he says, and for the life of me, I have no fucking idea who he is or how I got here
“Um morning,” I say looking at him, and he smiles, reaching up and rubbing my cheek.
“Last night was amazing,” he says, I smile still confused at who the fuck he is
“Yeah, it was,” I say not remembering a damn thing about it “Um, do you know where my friend went last night” he laughs.
“Yeah, she's in the next room with my roommate.”
“Oh, ok, I'm just gonna go and check on her,” he laughs again and tries to pull me to him, but I scoot out of his reach and see my clothes all over the floor, I smile at him “Let me clean-up,” I tell him and he lays back down
“Ok doll” (doll, who the fuck calls a woman doll)
“Bathroom,” I ask him.
“Across the hall.”
“Thanks,” I grab my clothes and head out the door into the bathroom and cheek all my shit is with me. Phone, ID, keys, I look around the small bathroom, it's clean but small. I go through the bathroom cabinet (cause come on, who doesn't snoop) you've just gotta when you’re in someone else’s bathroom. I take care of business and brush my teeth with my finger and wash my face and slowly open the door, I go to the room that was next to the one I was in and slowly open it. I see Mel laying naked on the bed and her bed-mate laying on his back with his arm over his eyes, I tiptoe in and poke Mel in the head.
“Go away,” she groans.
“Mel wake up!” I whisper to her, trying to be as quiet as possible. I poke her again, a little harder “Go away,” she grumbles into the pillow, (fuck this) I yank the pillow out from under her head, and her face hits the mattress. She looks up at me and
frowns “Wha...” she goes to say, but I put my hand over her mouth pointing to the guy next to her, she turns her head back to me and mouths 'what the fuck' I shake my head and motion for her to get up. I mouth to her 'get up and let’s go' she nods, as I grab whatever clothes of hers I can find and she crawls out of the bed so slowly. She walks out of the room bare ass naked and once were in the hall I hand her, her clothes
“Who the fuck is that?” she asks whispering.
“I have no fucking idea, but I woke up with his friend.”
“Shit!” she says as we walk down the hall into the living area.
“Where the fuck are we?” she asks me.
“No fucking idea” I see some mail on the coffee table and pick it up looking at the address.
“Well!” she asks
“Where in Corvallis”
“Are you fucking kidding me!” I hold up the envelope with the address on it
“Shit, what are we gonna do?”
“I'll call Justin.”
“Justin really,” she says, smoothing her hair down.
“Do you have money for a cab?” she goes through her pockets.
“I've Twenty bucks.”
“I got ten, so it's either we hoof it, or we call Justin.”
“Fine call him,” she tells me.
*
We wait forty-five minutes for Justin to turn up “Well! Well! doin’, the walk of shame sis” he says, smiling, I give him the finger, not in the mood for his smart mouth, “So, who was the guy then?” I look at Mel, but she just shrugs her shoulders.
“Who said it was a guy,” I tell him, and he looks at me smiling
“So, who was the girl then?” I punch him in the arm.
“Just fucking drive to the nearest coffee shop asshole,” he laughs the whole time.
Chapter Seven
Scythe
The gym turns out to be a huge success; mostly all the Brothers were using it on a regular basis and so where the Old Ladies. So far bein’ home was great, the gym was doing so well, and I was pleased that I had something to do. I’d picked up a few clients a few of the younger kids comin’ around for the boxing and some for the mixed martial arts. As I walked into the office, Niya was sitting at her desk going over the book, something that went over my head most of the time, so I was glad that Niya was here “So how are goin'?” I ask her.
“Good I've had two promoters ringing me to see when we are starting the amateur boxing up” I look at her glad that the word has gotten out about the gym.
“So, when do you think?” I ask her.
“Well, going over the books, we’re way ahead of where we thought we would be, memberships are up higher than we expected and our profit margin is great.”
“So! When?” I ask
“I think we should start to advertise now; we have more than enough fighters.”
“For the boxing or the MMA.”
“Either one, I think we should start to work out weight classes and start fight nights.”
“Fuck Niya you sound really up for this”
“Come on, who wouldn't, ripped half-naked men beating the shit out of each other sexy or what?” she says makin' me laugh.
“You little perv, don't let your man hear you talk like that, he might spank your ass,” she blushes, and I laugh “Oh! You like the idea of that” I tease her.
“Idea of what?” Colt asks walkin’ in with Stryker, and Niya blushes as I open my mouth when she practically jumps across her desk putting her hand over my mouth
“NOTHING!” she yells as both Colt and Stryker narrow their eyes at the two of us
“Nothin’,” Colt says, lookin’ at the two of us.
“Mm-hmm nothing you ready to go home?” she asks as he pulls her to him whisperin' something in her ear, and she blushes even more as he puts his arm over her shoulders holding her close to him.
“So! What's new anyway?” Stryker asks as I stand up.
“Niya was just sayin’ it's time to start up fight nights” both the guys look at her.
“Yeah! When?” Stryker asks
“Maybe two weeks we'll have to find fighters workout weight classes see how many fights we can do and go from there.”
“Fuck, I'm in,” Stryker says, and we all look at him.
“You wanna fight?” Niya asks him.
“Yeah, sounds like fun.”
“Uh-huh, and how does Lilly feel about that,” she says to him, and he looks at her.
“She'll be fine with it.”
“Sure,” she says, grabbin’ her bag.
“Come on baby, let’s get our boy and go home” Colt gives us both a chin lift pullin' Niya out the door with him, I walk around and sit in her desk chair.
“So, you serious about fightin’,” I ask him, and he looks at me.
“Yeah man been thinkin’ about it, I’m sure the twins will be up for it too.”
“You think the twins will fight, isn’t Sinner gonna be a dad soon.”
“Yeah, but those two love a good fight, Saint more than Sinner he’s been goin’ up to Oregon to do a few fights. Preacher has a fighter that the club make a shit load of money on”
“Damn”
“Yeah man, maybe we could organize a competition between the Chapters,” I look at him.
“Fuck man that's actually a great idea, you think the boss man will go for it.”
“Fuck yeah him Scoop Preacher Arrow Dozer and Muppet love pissin’ each other off, club vs. club fuckin’ brilliant.”
“I fuckin’ like it man.” (club vs. club fuckin' perfect)
**
Sittin’ in Church a few days later, I'd work out the logistics of the fights got permits from county clerk’s office and had a fire inspection done. Niya had been promoting the fuck out of the fights; Razor asks us all if anyone had any new business “Yeah man I got the count for the fighters all the permits in hand, I just need help settin’ everything up on Friday mornin’.”
“How many fighters?”
“Twenty in total but that's havin’ two spares if a fighter has to pull out.”
“Tickets, what are the projections on those”
“All but sold man, the fight nights a big hit.”
“Good, good keep Nash updated.”
“Will do boss.”
**
Friday night came, all the promotion had been great. The club was behind me one hundred percent, plus the tidy profit we make tonight is a great insensitive for this to work out “You look happy.” Cookie says
“Couldn’t be happier man.”
“Tonight’s gonna be great,” he tells me.
“I need this to go to plan man.”
“Brother stop bein’ such a pussy, it's gonna be fine” I pretend to punch him in the stomach, and he flinches laughin' "Fucker" I slap him on the back as we get shit ready for the night.
*
The night goes off without a hitch; fighters sign up for the next fights. Which we've decided to hold every month, let’s hope next month is just as good.
Chapter Eight
Ava
Walking into the clubhouse, I was setting my plan in motion, I'd called in a few of my markers with the others and now owed a few myself. I only needed two more, Preacher’s and Hawk's. First, the one Hawk owed me, as I entered the clubhouse I could see Hawk talking to another guy I’d seen around a few times at my fights. Saint the guys called him, a Brother from the Cali chapter “Hey darlin’ over your PMS” he asks me, but I just smile (fuckin’ prick)
“Yeah, we all have bad days,” I say sweetly smiling.
“If you say so darlin’ you know Saint,” he says as I look at the guy.
“Yeah, I saw your fight last month nice win” he gives me a chin lift.
“Guy was sloppy as fuck,” he says
“Well, it was still a good win.”
“Seen your fight too, you know how to kick ass” I smile.
“Thanks,” I say, turning towards Hawk (eye on the prize) “S
o anyway Hawk” he looks at me.
“What do you want?” he asks suspicion in his eyes.
“I'm calling in my marker,” I tell him, and he frowns, looking me right in the eye.
