It was the Monday before Spring Break. Because of the mid-term exams I was going to be forced to go every day this week, but Spring Break started on Friday so it was only a 4 day week. I already had plans with all the girls every day that week. 

 

The day before, after my church date with Jess, I came back to find most of the girls gone. Luna explained that the girls were all pretty worn out, and left by noon. I had talked to each on the phone and most were more than a little ashamed of how far we went that night. But I’d already talked most into trying again over the break. 

 

I had another bed on order so we wouldn’t have to rely on Audrey’s. She and Violet had come back and proceeded to find one of the missing condoms in their bed, but I tried to play it off like it must have been one of our old ones. I wasn’t positive if they bought it. Since we proceeded to have a threesome after they confronted me I felt they were over it. 

 

The party at my place on Saturday was the talk of the school. A couple of girls had snuck in which wasn’t too surprising, and they didn’t cause issues so I ignored it. Even Micah was in a good mood during lunch. Ryleigh was upset because we hadn’t gotten a chance to fool around, but her parents did pick her up early. 

 

Brianna was more than pleased that I showed up for our regular sex during her gym class. I could tell she was struggling with what we talked about over the weekend. I knew she would come around though. Especially when she came just as hard and often in our short time together.

Only a couple of tests during the day, they were fairly simple. It was gym before anything exciting happened. I was trying to signal Tina to sneak away when I was stopped by Killian and George. 

“We need to talk,” Killian said. Both boys had serious looks on their faces. I eyed Ryleigh but she shrugged and I walked off with the boys. We moved to a secluded corner of the bleachers and they proceeded to ask me questions that really should have been conducted by a father, or at least a father figure. 

 

“I know you sold condoms to Lettie,” Killian said.

“Uh…yeah. She was pretty insistent. You get a chance to use them?” I asked, worried she told him about the cherry popping party, but then again her condom connection would dry up if she did.   

 

“Fuck,” he said, blushing. George was eyeing me, and had something to say but I had to deal with Killian first. 

“What?” I asked. 

He chewed his lip eyeing me then George, then back to me. “I asked George first…since he was the only other one with a girlfriend. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Like sex itself or the condom application?” I asked bluntly. 

 

“Either,” he said. Grimacing, it was easy to see he was struggling with this. “I need you to promise not to tell anyone.”

“Afraid you’ll get slutshamed?” I asked. 

 

“What? No…well, yeah, but I don’t want this getting back to Micah or my family,” he said. “They’re pretty conservative and think Lettie and I only hold hands.”

“What about you and Mandi?” I asked George. 

“There’s no way we are ready for that,” he said, but studied Killian. “If you wouldn’t mind…explaining though. Just in case it ever does happen.” 

“What the hell?” I asked. “Do they not teach sex ed?” 

“We get passes to skip it,” Killian said. 

 

“Why?!”

“Do you have any idea how embarrassing this sort of thing is while you’re surrounded by all girls?” Killian asked. 

 

“Still man, you need to know this crap,” I grumbled. 

 

“Come on,” Killian pleaded. “There’s all these rumors about you and Brianna, and a few other older women.”

“What other women?” I asked. 

“I don’t know. I’ve heard you’ve been seen with a pair of twins. A few others. Please, Russ. I wouldn’t ask if this wasn’t important,” he said. “Lettie and I have been at this same stage for years now. If we don’t-”

 

“Alright, alright,” I said, raising my hands up to stop him. I looked around, there were more than a few groups of women close by, trying to listen in. I doubted they knew what we were talking about but they knew something was up. “You both owe me though.” The duo nodded and I began as bluntly as I could. 

“Sex is the best thing ever guys,” I admitted. “And doing it without the risk of making a kid is pretty awesome. The first thing you need is a willing woman, the next is a secluded place, and the last is as many condoms as you can get. The last thing anyone wants is to get ready for it only to find out you can’t. I have a source for condoms, but they aren’t cheap.”

 

“Aren’t they illegal?” George asked. He was embarrassed but was hungry to learn. 

“They’re frowned upon. If a girl was caught with them they might get in trouble, but we are guys. I’m not sure if you noticed but we get a lot of leeway,” I said. “Now women have been using sex to control man for all of time until recently. I hate to admit it, but we are in a position of power as the few men in the world. Most girls don’t want to get pregnant. If you have the condoms, you have even more power. I’ve found that girls don’t want to lose their virginity to toys, so they would do most anything to have a real dick do it. A very big part of sex is to know where to stick it. You get the wrong hole, you’ll only ruin the mood. It’s best to start with oral down there to get acquainted with what you’re looking for. Only pussies don’t go down on their girl, and trust me, women are very willing to pay it forward. You need to…” 

 

And I went on. Jumping from this to that topic I knew they were confused, but were getting the main idea of it. I ignored my own hesitation to explain these sorts of things. I would have kids one day and would have to have the same sort of conversation too. Wait no, it was pretty rare to have men, but who knew, maybe I’d get lucky and have a son or 2 someday. 

 

—

 

“Was it you?” Eleanor asked as I got out of the Chevelle.

“Hello to you too,” I said to the Nightingale. She had called after school and demanded a meeting. We were outside of town on a side road. The last time I saw her was when the old Florence made me have sex with the prospective member. 

 

She glared at me. Nostrils flaring it was easy to see she suspected, but sure as shit didn’t have any proof. “Was it you?” She repeated.

“Was what me?” I asked. 

“All the shit that’s going on?” She asked. “I knew you said you’d get rid of Florence, but all this shit happening at once is way too much of a coincidence.”

“What stuff?” I asked. 

 

“Don’t give me that!” She yelled. “Walk me through what you did to Florence.”

“Ha!” I laughed loudly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and if I did, I sure as shit wouldn’t tell you.” She shut her mouth. I doubted she was wired for sound but I wasn’t going to risk it. “Whatever may or may not have happened to you and your little club is on you. Goodbye.” I moved back to the car. 

“Wait!” She said, moving closer. I tensed up, ready to defend myself. She noticed my reaction and stopped herself. “I know how that came off, but I’m not wearing a wire.” 

“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “I don’t talk about things I have no idea about. I have kept my end of the bargain. I expect you to do the same. The Club is off limits.”

“I’m not the new Florence yet,” she said, stopping me again. I eyed her. 

“What’s that mean?” I asked.

“The vote was a tie,” she said. 

 

“What?!” I asked, growing angry again. “You said you were next in line.”

“I was,” she said shyly. Looking down to the ground as she explained. “One of the older girls threw her hat in. She has a lot of friends.” 

“Then deal with her,” I said. “Our deal was this. Do I have to do all of the work?” She frowned, at least willing to pretend to be ashamed. I turned around but she stopped me again. 

“I need something,” she said. 

 

“Goddammit, what?!” I asked, unwilling to let all my work for the Club go to waste.

“I tried to…confront you because the Hermanas were hit the other day. I-uh wanted to know if you happened to be the person.” 

“Why?” I asked, confused. 

“The house that was hit…had the shipment that was supposed to go to us,” she admitted. “We aren’t out any money…from that deal.” She locked eyes with me, letting me know she suspected me for the money laundering businesses. “If we were to happen to get a hold of that shipment, it would push me enough to get the votes.”

I had taken 2 kilos of heroin from the Hermanas with a lot of money. “And if this was to happen to fall into your lap?” I asked. 

“I’d be able to keep our deal,” she said.

“Fuck that. You should have been positive you could keep a deal before making it,” I said. Angry at her audacity she frowned but didn’t back down. “Usually when someone fucks up they offer compensation.”

“What kind of compensation?” She asked. 

“How much you got?” I asked. 

“Not much,” she admitted. 

 

I thought about a favor, but she was already proving less than useful. Doing too many favors for someone would lead them to take advantage of you. Also her position was very unstable at the moment. Far too unstable to request payment at a later date. For all I knew she would be dead and I’d have to be threatening a new leader to leave the Club alone.

“Godammit,” I said, trying to think. “If I happened to come across some drugs. 2 kilograms of it. Retail value of each is $60,000.” 

“60?” She asked. 

 

“Uh yeah,” I said. “I’m not an idiot, Eleanor. I know what it’s worth. Street value is twice that.”

“We only deal in bulk…mostly,” she said. I didn’t believe her. 

“Fine, 50. Each, that’s $100k. What the hell do you have worth that?” I asked. 

“I have about $20k cash,” she admitted. I believed her. 

 

“How much is the massage parlor worth to you?” I asked. 

“I fucking knew it was you!” She yelled.

“Quiet down,” I said. “You’re in no position to be pissed at me. Blame the old Florence. Fucking bitch, basically forcing me to have sex with that girl. Is she alright by the way?” 

“Who, Red? Yeah, she’s great,” Eleanor said. “Kind of all anyone was talking about until the police knocked down the club door, arrested Florence and a few others.” Her eyes were angry, I rolled mine. 

“You reap what you sow,” I said. “Okay,” I said, unsure how to take that. “So massage parlor? What’s it worth?” 

“Our stake? Quite a bit. The place is popular,” she admitted. “It’s really not for sale since one of the Nightingale’s is the sister to the woman that owns it.” 

“Fuck,” I said. “What else you got?” 

“Nothing,” she said.

“Come on, Eleanor, you’ve been doing this a long time,” I said. “You have to have people that owe you favors. Hell, I'd even take contacts.”

“What kind of contacts?” She asked, perking up a little. 

“Drug?” I asked. “Business, other gangs, uh-” 

“Military?” She asked.

“Military?” I asked. “What kind?” 

“The only kind. There’s a base not too far out of town. My…friend works there. She does security,” Eleanor said. “I could put you in touch with her.” 

“How good of a friend?” I asked. She hesitated. “Eleanor, I’m not trading you a lot for the chance of this girl being your neighbor. I need you to be able to justify to this girl why the hell I should be able to do whatever I want at this base.”

“What do you want to do?” She asked.

“Rob it blind,” I said truthfully. “If it happens to be the type of place that has things I can use.”

“They do store a lot there,” she said. “And…it’s my sister, biological one.”

“Now that, I can use,” I said. “Get me the $20k, put me in touch with your sister, and I want a freaking big favor.”

“That’s a lot,” she said. “Don’t you-” 

“No, that’s the deal. You already fucked me on the last one. You want this to work out or not?” I asked. 

She frowned but nodded. It wasn’t long until I was getting the drugs and she was waking her sister up for a simple meet and greet. The night was really looking better on my end. Military meant top of the line, and despite my current life, I wanted to prepare for war…just in case.