Player Chapter 1

Another addition to the Warriors family was being heralded in Hunters Creek. We were starting to resemble Dublin Falls with all the kids who kept popping out around here. It was all Bull's fault for following Terror's lead after he claimed Harlow. That was the beginning of the end of our way of life. The free-riding, sex-loving, dirty-talking biker became an endangered species. I thought, or I should say, hoped it would stay in Dublin Falls and not infect our chapter. However, Bull had to go and fall for Jocelyn, alerting Fate to mess with us.

Hell, Terror, and Bull were responsible for our fates and those of the Pagan Souls, Dark Patriots, and Iron Punishers. Wrath was still holding firm with his Pagan Souls chapter in Georgia if you discounted his dad, Rage, and Betty, and Jinx held firm with his Ruthless Marauders in Knoxville. However, I didn't know how long they'd stay free after the latest news trickling back to us from Torch and Brooklyn in Dublin Falls.

There was one man I would've bet money would never succumb to the old-lady-or-old-man fever and betray me. We had to remember that our clubs had equal opportunity, which was only fitting. One great thing was that we didn't discriminate on who someone could love. But I never thought Diablo would betray the single brothers' code and claim an old lady. He'd been without one for over twenty years. His loss of his wife had been tragic, and he'd avoided romantic entanglements for all these years, only to be felled by a woman now.

Damn, it was starting to feel like we single guys were being hunted. There were targets on our backs. You'd think that meant we'd all band together to fight not to lose our bachelorhood, but unfortunately, no. It seemed the majority of my brothers and our friends in the other clubs seemed to want to settle down and have rugrats. Well, good luck to them. I wished them well. Just keep that shit away from me. I loved my life, and I had no desire to commit to a single woman or have kids. I'd remain the only holdout if I had to.

If regular people heard my thoughts, they'd assume I disliked the men and women my brothers and friends claimed. That was far from the truth. I liked them very much. They were a great bunch of people and part of my club family. I'd do anything for them, including kill if needed. As for the kids, they were tolerable. I tended to stay away from the babies. They were better when they got to the walking and then talking stage. Before that, they were so fragile and defenseless that they scared me. I was always afraid I'd hurt them, and they stirred up things in me best left alone.

This fear was why I was hiding at the back of the common room of the clubhouse. We were all gathered to celebrate another baby. Two more were added to our immediate family in the last two months. In September, Slash and Aria welcomed their daughter, Savannah. No matter how many were born, the club would hold a celebration, and the women would go gaga over the babies. A week ago, Joker and Raina had their second child, Logan. He joined his big sister, Belle. Logan was the one we were here to ooh and aah over today.

To me, he looked like every other baby. They cried, were squishy, and were not the cutest things in the world, although I knew better than to say that aloud unless I wanted to be beaten to a pulp. If it weren't the fathers doing the beating, any one of the old ladies would gladly smack me around. Puppies and kittens were way cuter, in my opinion.

The proud parents were passing him around to be held and admired. I was staying back so they wouldn't try to give him to me. Just the thought made me almost break out in a cold sweat. There were a few times I'd held babies and such, but it was under duress.

As I scanned the room to see if I could slip out unnoticed, I groaned. Bearing down on me was the one person whom I would hold her kid for her and make over him, but I had to. He was my godson. Jayla had a determined look on her face as she approached. Another glance told me I was trapped, so I sighed and waited to see what she wanted, as if I didn't already know.

Since she and Payne had hooked up and had their son, Storm, she consistently brought up the topic of when I was going to find a good woman and settle into married bliss and have kids. No matter how often I told her never, she wouldn't give up. She informed me it was what I needed. I told her I needed those things, like another hole in my head. She threatened to put one there if I didn't straighten up. She'd gotten fiercer since Payne claimed her. However, when you think about it, he was called Payne, and he was our enforcer. He loved to inflict it. She had to be tough.

"Player, don't you dare run from me," she hissed as she reached me. She had her hands on her hips and wore that determined expression of hers. I was an inch shy of a foot taller than her, and she was trying to command me. I held in my laugh. If I let it out, she'd probably punch me. Like I said, she'd grown feistier.

"I wasn't planning to run anywhere, JJ. What has you all hot and bothered? I'd think getting your hands on another baby would make you happy. When are you and Payne planning to add another to the herd?" Maybe if I diverted her attention, she'd forget what she was about to lecture me about.

"I'm not hot and bothered. And please don't refer to the kids as a herd. They're not cattle, Player. As for when Payne and I plan to add another, we'll let you know right after we know," she said with a raised eyebrow and a slight twist to her lips.

Those two tells made me repeat what she said in my head, and then I practically yelled. "Wait a damn minute. You two are trying to get pregnant, aren't you!?"

She smacked me on the arm as she hissed, "Shh, keep it down, will you? We don't want to tell the whole club. I shouldn't have told you. Damn it, yes, Payne and I are trying, but we don't want to feel pressured. I know I got pregnant with Storm immediately, but it's taking longer this time. Don't say anything to anyone, please." She gave me a pleading look.

I hooked my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. I gave her a gentle squeeze and then a kiss on the forehead. "I won't say a word. Am I to expect to be the godfather of this one, too?"

"We haven't decided yet. We might spread it around, although we'd want the kids kept together if something happened to us."

"Hey, don't talk like that. Nothing is going to happen to you guys. However, if God forbid it did, the club and whoever you name godparents would ensure they stayed together. You know the club takes care of family," I reminded her. She sighed, and the tension in her body eased.

"I know. It's just that you have no idea what you think about or what you have to worry about when you become a parent."

"Which is why I'm never doing it," I hastily slipped in.

"Bullshit! You keep saying that, but I don't believe you. There's no way you're content to be a Casanova to all the women who enter and leave your bed like a revolving door for the rest of your life. I know you're called Player, but you're a loving man deep down. You and James used to talk about your kids growing up together, so they'd be the best of friends the way you two were."

She was right. When her brother was alive, we had said that. We'd been friends since grade school. However, life happened, and I grew wiser, and James died. Losing him had hit me hard, which led to Jayla and me losing contact for several years. I still felt terrible about checking out of her life due to my misery. I hadn't been there when her first marriage ended with Adam, although I wasn't sad it did. I never liked him. He wasn't the man for her, unlike Payne. As different as they were in some ways, she and Payne were perfect for each other. Thankfully, she forgave me for abandoning her. The little girl who followed James and me growing up had grown into a friend.

"I was a kid. I've grown up. I see things differently. I'm happy for all of you. Why can't you be happy for me and my life? How could I disappoint all the adoring women who love my sexy self and want to spend time with me, no matter how short that time is?" I teased her.

She rolled her eyes. "One of these days, your cocky player's attitude is going to bite you in the ass. When it does, I'll tell you, ‘I told you so'. There's a woman out there who'll blow your mind. You'll want nothing more than to claim her and have a herd of kids. When you do, I expect you to apologize for all the times you've argued and dismissed me. Oh, and I'd better be their godmother. Our kids will grow up together and be best friends, just like James wanted your kids to be. We owe it to him."

Tears misted her eyes. Even after years, the loss of James still hurt her, and deep down, where others couldn't see, it did me, too. I hugged her and rocked her in my arms as I made her a promise. A promise I knew I would never have to keep, but it might make her feel better.

"If I ever meet a woman who sees more in me than just my looks and the desire to screw my brains out, one who can hold a decent conversation with me and others and has ambition and brains, I promise you this. I'll claim her and have that herd for you. We'll make James's dream come true."

She sniffed. I thought she was crying until she rubbed her face back and forth on my shirt. I pushed her away. She was grinning. "Did you just wipe your nose on my shirt, brat?"

"Maybe," she said with a grin.

"Christ, you're as bad as Storm," I grumbled as I lifted my shirt to see if she'd actually wiped her nose on me. Finding nothing, I heard her giggle, and then she was hurrying off.

As she did, she yelled over her shoulder, "I'll expect that apology soon!"

I gave her my middle finger, which only made the nut laugh harder. I had to talk to Payne. He needed to be disciplining her harder. Shaking my head, I headed to the bar to get another drink. As I did, I pushed our silly conversation to the back of my mind. I had nothing to worry about. I wasn't about to have to pay up on that promise.

???

Back to work. Unlike a lot of people, I didn't dread my job. Truthfully, it wasn't that hard. I worked to ensure the club made money and things got done, but it could've been a lot harder. With the club owning so many different businesses, we all had jobs. Most of us oversaw one of the club's businesses, while others worked as regular employees who stepped in when needed to help with the management duties.

My job was to oversee Archangel's Realty, our real estate office. We did a combination of realtor types. Yes, we sold real estate, whether homes or commercial properties. In addition, we managed the rental properties the club owned as well. We rented individual homes, businesses, and an apartment building. That last one was acquired when Rylan moved to the compound with Maverick. It was her old residence and required better management. It was renamed Warriors' Abodes, and Loki oversaw it since it tended to need more hands-on help. He saw that repairs and other concerns were addressed for the tenants. They deserved it after the shitty landlord they had before. My people and I ensured the rent was paid on time and significant repairs were authorized and made. My office was in the realty office with the other staff and agents. Loki had an office in the actual Abodes.

I arrived at work a couple of hours before the office officially opened at eight o'clock. I wanted to get a jump start on this week's work, plus I had woken up and couldn't go back to sleep for some reason. I was hoping this week would be a smooth one, and I'd be able to take Friday off. I felt the need for some wind therapy and a day for myself. I hadn't taken one in a while.

The noise level increased as more of the realtors came into the office. Most began their day here and then went out throughout the day to either show properties or meet with potential new clients. Occasionally, clients would come to us here at the office. I handled those if one of my realtors wasn't available. We weren't the largest company in the area, but we did more than a decent business. I had five realtor agents, a receptionist, and me.

Rodney, Neo, Layne, Fisher, and Salma were the agents. They'd been here between two to six years. Our receptionist was Renee. She'd been here three years. She did her job, which was the only thing that kept me from firing her. Her passive-aggressive personality got old after a while. There were days when her offhand remarks made me want to tell her to grow the hell up. Either have enough guts to say what you mean and think or get over it. She was a follower who projected her negative feelings about herself onto others, meaning she thought others were thinking and saying those things about her because she saw herself in that light. The only saving grace for her was that she was good at her job.

She was knowledgeable about so many aspects of real estate that she could easily be a realtor herself. Still, she stayed in her receptionist role because it was easy not to fail if you never tried to do anything new or more demanding. She frustrated me and saddened me. By swallowing her emotions, she also ate her aggression, which led her to be unhappy with her size. It was a vicious cycle.

A knock on my office door made me look up. Salma was standing there. She had a hesitant smile, which put me on alert. She only had that expression when she was about to ask something she was sure I wouldn't like or would say no to.

"Good morning, Player. Do you have a minute?" she asked.

Knowing it was better to get whatever she wanted to ask over with, I waved for her to enter as I answered her, "I've got a couple. Come in. Have a seat. What's up?"

She came in and sat in the chair I indicated. At least she left the door open. That meant it wasn't anything too personal or something she didn't want anyone else in the office to hear. I was relieved. I still recall the last time she told me about having an issue with her latest boyfriend. She went through them frequently. She picked the same kind of guy over and over, but expected a different outcome. When they'd cheat on her or lie, she'd get upset, cry, and ask why.

I'd been honest with her a few times. I told her that if she wanted a man to get serious and settle down with her, she should stop going after the ones who use women and have no desire to commit. She didn't like my advice. I might be a man who loved the ladies, but I never promised them forever or more than I was willing to give. The guys she dated did. She kept asking me for advice as a man, but then would never take it.

"I need to ask a favor."

I steeled myself. God, what this time? "What kind of favor? Is it work-related?" If she said no, I'd tell her it wasn't something I could help her with unless it was that her latest boyfriend was hurting or threatening her. If that were the case, I'd step in. No woman should be hurt.

"It's about work."

"Okay, hit me." I leaned back in my chair. It was never a quick conversation with her.

"Well, you see, I have this friend, and she's been wanting to be a realtor for a while. She's been trying to get a job where she can see if she likes it and learn the ropes before she puts in all the work and money to get her actual affiliate broker license. The problem is that no one seems willing to hire her unless she already has her license. I was wondering if you might be willing to do it?"

I was willing to work with my people up to a point, but I needed to know more about this woman. "Tell me how you know her. What kind of work does she do presently? Why does she want to be a realtor? Has she started taking her sixty hours of pre-licensing fundamentals yet?"

She took a few moments before she answered. "Her name is Monica. I've known her for about four years. We met through a friend of a friend. She works as a receptionist at a car dealership and hates it. She hasn't started the pre-licensing hours due to the cost, and she's not positive she'll like it."

"Why does she want to be one if she's not sure she'll even like it? I mean, most people change jobs to try something new only if they have a good idea that they'll like the work."

She squirmed as if she was uncomfortable. That told me she knew I wasn't going to like her answer. Great. I couldn't wait to hear this one.

"She wants to make better money and knows what I make on some of my commissions. Plus, she's hoping it'll help her meet a new caliber of men. She wants to get married, and the kind of men she's meeting aren't successful enough," she admitted softly.

I wanted to groan. "You mean she wants to use it as a way to date men with enough money. Our clients aren't used as a dating pool, Salma. You know that. Did you explain to her that dating a client is forbidden while they're buying or selling property with us? If, after the professional relationship ends, one of you ends up dating one of them, that's different. Does she know that to make that commission, she has to do the work? It can mean long hours, sometimes not ending in a sale."

"I told her all that, but she's still begging me to get her a job here. She swears she'll work hard. I told her everything you just mentioned, even the part about dating."

She was giving me a hopeful look. I hated to be a bastard, but I had the company and the club's reputations to consider. After a good minute or more of contemplation, I gave her an answer.

"I want you to have Monica make an appointment with me and come in to meet me. I want to interview her and see what I think. I'll be blunt. From what you told me, I'm not inclined to say yes, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. You have her call and set up a day and time with Renee. That's as good as I can promise, Salma."

She sighed, but she didn't argue. She stood up and nodded. "Okay, I'll tell her. Thank you for at least talking to her."

"Hey, you can always ask. Is there anything else I can help you with? Are you set for the week?"

"I'm set. I hope to close the deal on that house on Olive Street. If I do, it'll be a nice commission for the agency. I have a few meetings with potential new clients this week. I can't think of anything you can help with, though. Thank you."

"You're welcome. If you think of anything, let me know." She smiled and nodded before she hurried out of the office. It could've been worse.

Throughout the morning, the others found their way into my office. None had anything like what Salma asked. A few were questions about how to handle a difficult client or inspector. Other times, it was the loan officer at the bank dragging his or her heels on the final closing and how to motivate them to do their job. It wasn't all work. There were brief chats about what people did over the weekend in the breakroom or the hallway. I was friendly with them, just not too friendly.

I worked steadily until after two o'clock in the afternoon. Realizing I hadn't had a thing to eat and I was starving, I debated whether to get food at The Dark Angel, our restaurant slash bar, or go with something lighter to hold me over until dinner. It was a short debate. I remembered the old ladies were cooking dinner tonight for the whole club. No way did I want to be full for that. With this in mind, I knew exactly where to go. I'd be able to satisfy my stomach without getting too full, and I'd have a great cup of coffee.

Getting up from my desk, I put on my leather jacket. As I passed the front desk on my way to my bike, I paused to tell Renee I was leaving.

"Renee, I'm stepping out. If you need me, text me. I should be back before you leave for the day. However, if I'm not, I'll see you tomorrow."

She curled up her nose just a tad. She had this thing about people leaving and her not knowing where they were headed or when they'd be back. I understood that was what was causing the look. I made it a policy not to tell her either of those. It wasn't any of her damn business.

"If someone asks where you are or when you're coming back, what should I tell them?"

"You tell them you don't know where I am and ask what they need. If it's urgent, text me. As for when I'll be back, you tell them what I told you. Again, if it's urgent, I'll be able to tell you when you text when I'll be back, and you can pass it along."

I didn't hang around to hear anything more from her. I walked out to my bike. After fastening my helmet, I slung my leg over my ride and slipped on my gloves. I started the engine and revved it a few times. I loved the sound of a motorcycle engine. Plus, I knew Renee hated it. She'd expressed a few times her disdain for motorcycles. Again, I would've shown her the door long ago if she weren't so good at her job.

It wasn't far to get to where I was going. As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw several bikes I recognized. I grinned. I guess I wasn't the only Warrior looking for an afternoon fix. Putting away my helmet and gloves, I ambled to the door and went inside.

Even though it was afternoon, quite a few people were still there. The smell of pastries filled the air, along with the scent of fantastic coffee. I inhaled deeply. Greetings were called out from my club brothers, who were gathered at a nearby table, as well as from the women behind the counter.

I walked to the counter first. Jessica, my brother Ajax's old lady, smiled and came over to take my order. Madisen, Rebel's woman, was chatting with a customer at the other end of the counter. "What brings you in here this late, Player? You usually stop by in the morning and get your coffee and sugar fix," Jessica commented.

"Well, I was in a hurry to get to work this morning. It was after two before I realized I had forgotten to eat all day. Since tonight is club dinner night, there's no way I'm ruining it by eating a huge meal. Besides, I need some coffee. That crap they keep making at the office sucks."

She laughed. Everyone knew my complaints about the coffee at the office. Everyone who worked there, other than me, were pussies when it came to their caffeine. They made it so damn watered-down that it barely tasted like coffee to me. No one could ever accuse Angel's Delights, the bakery owned by Madisen and the club, of serving crappy coffee or anything but delicious food.

"Really? Oh, I'm sorry, but Mad and I changed out the coffee starting today. We thought people needed less caffeine, so we called your office to find out how they made it," she teased.

"Where's your old man? I need to talk to him about you gutting one of his brothers like this?" I scowled. She giggled.

"Sorry, Ajax is at work. You can talk to my boss. She's over there." She pointed to Madisen.

"Yeah, like she'd do anything. You two would gang up on me. Rebel, these women need a keeper out here!" I yelled slightly. Rebel helped Madisen manage the bakery. Because of him being assigned to do it, that was how he met her to begin with. I figured he was in the back somewhere. My brothers at the table laughed. Bear, Iceman, and Renegade grinned at me.

"Did she serve you crappy, weak coffee?" I asked the other customers there. Everyone knew the Warriors were constantly in and out, and we loved to joke around, so none of them took it wrong. I got more smiles.

"Mine tastes great. It just must be yours they're cutting back on," Bear said as he sipped his coffee and smacked his lips.

Pretending to grumble under my breath, I turned to face Jessica again. I pouted out my bottom lip. "Come on, Jessie, don't be mean. You know you love me. Give me the good stuff. I'm dying."

Before she could respond, Madisen came over and bumped her aside. "What're you whining about, Player?"

"I'm not whining. I'm lodging a legitimate complaint. If you changed your coffee, then it's a problem."

"Well, you know what we do with troublemakers in this store," she jabbed.

"No, what? Kill them with mediocre coffee," I jabbed back.

"If you're out here fighting with my woman, don't expect me to save your ass when she tries to take you out," Rebel said as he came around the corner. He walked up to Madisen, wrapped his arms around her from behind, and dropped a kiss on her neck. She gave him a brief smile over her shoulder.

"You're my brother. You're supposed to side with me," I joked.

"Not when it comes to this. If I piss her off, she cuts me off," Rebel reminded me.

She jabbed him in his gut. "I've never cut you off. Don't go spreading that rumor. Player is just whining because Jess told him we changed our coffee to be the same as the wimpy crap he has at his office."

He grimaced. "Damn, that's cold. You've never had that shit, but I have. It's awful. Give the guy a break. If that's all he had to drink today, he's in withdrawal and likely about to expire."

I guess they thought they'd made me suffer long enough because Jessica got to work and poured me a large cup while Madisen asked what pastry I wanted. In no time, I was served and joined my brothers. Rebel came over to sit with us. I spent half an hour relaxing and talking with them before I called it.

"I'll see you at the clubhouse later," I told them before I left. Since it was almost four o'clock and dinner wouldn't be served until seven, I decided to return to the office for another hour and then head home. I was in a better frame of mind now that I had my caffeine.