Page 19 of Devil's Dilemma

“Don’t blame you at all for feeling a little on edge. Bit daunting meeting all of us. Hey, Vi, meet Melissa, and look what she’s brought.”

Violet, Demon, the prez’s wife,I remind myself, my teeth worrying my lips.Got to stay on the right side of her.“Have a muffin,” I suggest. “Or a chocolate chip cookie.” Then want to slap myself around the head at my display of the limit of my conversation.

“I don’t mind if I do,” Violet smiles as she replies easily, opening up a tub. “Ooh. These look good.”

Another woman, well, teenage girl by the looks of her, walks in carrying a baby. “Theo’s good, Vi. I just changed him.”

“And this is how the club works.” Vi winks at me. “Someone’s always around to help with the messy jobs.”

“Messy it certainly was.” The girl twitches her nose, but she’s smiling. “I’m Jayden, Jay,” she introduces herself, still holding the youngster in her arms as though reluctant to relinquish him. “I love babies and I really don’t mind helping out.”

“When are you and Pal going to have one of your own?” Jeannie presses her.

“Got plenty of time to start a family.” Her eyes light on what’s on the table, and once again her lips curve. “I enjoy giving them back.” To make her point, she passes Theo to his mother, then starts opening containers and looking at the goodies I’ve brought.

Skull tugs my hand. “Want to meet Prez?”

No, but I suppose I have to.

“It’s alright. He doesn’t bite,” Vi tells me with a smile. “Well, not too hard, anyway.”

“I don’t think I want to know,” murmurs Skull, pulling me out of the room.

“They seemed nice,” I remark as he leads me across a room I view with interest. A couple of men are playing pool, completely engaged in their game, and not watching us. The whole of one wall is taken up by a bar, and there are matching sofas, chairs and tables. It’s better furnished than I expected a biker’s clubhouse would be. Strangely it smells of fresh paint and can only recently have had a makeover.

Skull knocks at an office door, waits until a voice calls out permission, then pushes it open. “Prez, this is Melissa. Melissa, Demon. My prez.”

The women were welcoming. The prez though, his glance is assessing, as if I’m yet to prove myself. His eyes look me over, then meet Skull’s. “All good?”

“Yeah, she’s met Vi, Jeannie and Jay. Oh, and she brought cookies and shit.”

He grins, his face transforming. “Trying to bribe us, Melissa?”

“I, er…” That’s exactly what I’m doing. So, I shrug. “I like cooking.”

He comes around and perches on his desk. I notice there’s a huge flag behind it carrying the same insignia as Skull wears on his cut, Lucifer with a scythe hovering over three little devils.

“Now Jeannie can cook and get the sweet butts churning out good grub, but they don’t bother with the fancy stuff. Reckon we can find a place for your talents.”

“I do work,” I tell him, defending myself.

“She’s got a good job in the government offices, land registry or some such shit.” Skull sounds proud.

Prez nods and grins, “So you said, but if Melissa has got any spare time…”

“I’ll keep you in muffins,” I laugh.

“Good enough. Skull, you’ve got that job on later…?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there, Prez. It shouldn’t take long.”

“While Skull’s working, Melissa, you’re welcome to hang around and get to know us.”

As Skull had explained, if I’m going to be accepted here, I’ll have to show my face. “I’d like that. Thank you, Prez.”

“Nah, Demon to you. Only these fuckers have got to jump to my word and give me my title.” He laughs, jerking his head toward my man.

“I like him,” I tell Skull as we walk out. “I wasn’t sure I was going to, not with a name like his. But he reminds me a bit of my Chief Exec.”

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