Chapter 4

"What the fuck you looking at? Yeah, I mean you, you with the bitch on your arm!"

"Look away," Ginger whispered, putting her head in close, clutching Bruno's arm.

"Oh, goddamn, look everyone, here's a gazoony wants to fight. Thinks he can whip me 'cause I'm a woman!" Dandy Jacque posed like a boxer, dancing around on the toes of her black cycle boots, hands made up into fists held up high, bobbing and weaving, coming in, going out, grinning derisively.

"Come on you faggot son of a bitch, put up ya hands."

Bruno just stood there with Ginger dragging on his arm, glowering at the dyke.

"Hey, hey," interrupted Fria, who had waddled over to them from the bar. "That's enough!"

Dandy Jacque was living for this moment. Just drunk enough not to heed Fria's warning. She couldn't wait to kick this guy's ass, maybe even steal his woman. She lashed out a jab with her left hand. Bruno didn't move. He let the blow catch him high on the cheekbone.

"I'm gonna hurt you," Bruno said softly, but the viciousness of his statement was evident enough.

"SHEEIT!" Dandy Jacque roared, and flicked out another jab, this time slapping Bruno on the left cheek, bringing a flush of color.

Not many in the place noticed Fria's heavy leg kick out at her kneecap. When the knee-joint shattered, Dandy Jacque let out a grunt that evolved into a scream as she fell hard to the floor clutching her shattered knee. Fria, defying gravity with his great girth, leaned over Dandy Jacque and with one hand hoisted her up and into a chair.

"Christ Fria, you had no need to do that." Dandy Jacque whined tenderly holding her ruined knee.

"I went easy on you, you stupid bitch."

"Fuck. Shit," Dandy Jacque whined, as she winced in pain.

"Jody," Fria called, and a gaunt dishwasher appeared from the kitchen. When Jody was next to him, Fria handed him a set of car keys, "Take her to the hospital. You didn't see anything, you found her like this. Got it?"

Jody looked at Fria with dead eyes and nodded, "Yeah, Fria. Found her, helped her."

"Dandy Jacque," Fria said, his massive proportions still leaning over her, as he looked her in the face. "You make up a good story for the cops. I don't want no trouble over this, you understand?"

Dandy Jacque groaned out a painful yes.

"That's it then," Fria said, "shows over folks," and aside to Bruno, "You gonna be a good boy, you can stay, you wanna fuck around some more, I'll have you busted up so's your own mother'd never know you."

Bruno, remembering the reason for coming to Fria's said, "Right Fria. Sorry, I forgot to mind my business. I'll be cool, no sweat."

Making their way over to one corner of the room they sat at a table. Both were stunned at the turn of events and the manner in which the other patrons had continued on about their business. Before Ginger could comment on what had happened, a waitress with definitely mannish ways suddenly stood next to them. Her attention was on Bruno as he ordered, but her eyes were on Ginger.

When she went away to get the drinks, Ginger leaned forward. "Brrrrrrr, she gives me the willies," she said softly about the waitress and in the same sentence switched to a comment about the bull dyke. "I can't believe that woman. Was she crazy?"

"Naw, just drunk," he said and paused before following with: "Ginger, you got second thoughts about this we can leave after we have a couple drinks. You don't have to commit to this idea, you don't want to," he said, reaching out and taking her hand in his and rubbing it softly.

"Let's wait a while and see, okay?" Ginger was pleased with the concern he was showing her. Here was that nice guy again. She wondered why she couldn't figure him out, and began to relax for the first time since entering the club.

Their drinks arrived with no overt action on the part of the waitress and Ginger eagerly took a large sip. Holding her glass up to her mouth she took a moment to survey the area around them. Two tables away, a dark complexioned woman in black leather kissed a blonde waif in a short dress. The next table offered Ginger a look at a woman who reminded her of Southern belle. 'She probably has a pussy that tasted like limes, ' she thought and giggled lewdly. And as she gazed at the woman, the woman ran her long nails along the thigh of a six-foot transvestite squeezed into mesh stockings and shoes with spaghetti straps. Ginger's jaw fell open in shock.

Bruno and Ginger slowly took in the rest of their surroundings. Standing in the secluded corner, a couple of Sapphites swapped tongues. Small perversions ignored by most patrons, but not Bruno and Ginger.

"Will you bail me out if it gets to much for me?" she asked nervously. "I've got a feeling this might not work out."

"Yeah, sure," he almost stammered.

"I mean, you see the way the waitress was looking at me?"

"I think she fancies you," Bruno said.

"She wants to devour me, I think."

"Well, that's the reason we're here, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah," she said and thought of the two of them in the back of his Mustang. It was enough to arouse her once again.

"Oh, my God," Ginger said, pleasurably titillated. "I hope I don't have to go use the Johnny."

"She'll be right behind you ready to pat you on the ass," said Bruno smiling. "Is she kind of your type?"

Ginger peered into his face. "You know, you seem different all of a sudden."

"Different?"

"Relaxed. I don't know how to describe it. Like you feel comfortable here."

"Why shouldn't I be comfortable here?"

"Well, I mean, these people are very strange."

"Not our sort, you mean?"

"Don't get pissed at me," Ginger said, afraid of provoking him.

But he smiled at her and she almost melted. Ginger moved a bit closer to him so she had to tilt her head back a trifle and look up at him from beneath her brows. He could feel her body warmth. He knew if he touched her flesh it would be resilient, resisting his fingers before giving way.

Ginger glanced discreetly across the room toward the entrance where a woman had just entered the club. Ginger's mouth glistened in the neon reflections. Bruno missed the moment when she'd wet her lips. It had been neatly done. He was swaying towards her as though powerless in her gravitational field.

At the same time, the well-groomed woman in her thirties, wearing a white blouse, champagne linen slacks and a matching vest, eased into a chair at a table next to them. With a studied ease, she casually hung the jacket that completed the outfit and a linen envelope purse over the vacant chair next to her. To Bruno, she looked like a million with her flowing brown hair. What Ginger noticed aside from her good looks was that she had a nervous habit of constantly tucking her hair back into place while actually doing no good at all. It was in her eyes more often than not.

The woman reached over and withdrew a cigarette from her purse, paused, then rose to approach their table and Ginger. Bruno was ignored. As far as the woman was concerned Ginger was alone at the table. Bruno took a moment to assess her more fully. A taunt, tight ass filled the slacks. Her breasts were average sized and he found her very attractive. Then he wondered what Ginger thought of her. It wasn't long before he had his answer.

"Excuse me," the woman said, "would you happen to have a light?" Ginger fished her lighter from her purse and with a trembling hand, handed it to the woman who lit her cigarette. Drawing in a lungful of smoke and then exhaling, the woman said, "Thank you. I haven't seen you here before, are you new in town?"

"Yes, I am." Ginger replied and more boldly then she'd ever dreamed she could be followed with, "Why not sit down and join us? I'm Ginger and this is my friend Bruno."

Acknowledging Bruno for the first time, the woman said, " Thank you, I will. My name is Maria," and extending her hand she shook first Bruno's and then Ginger's, lingering there a little longer than necessary.

Ginger started to talk in an animated fashion. Bruno lit up the next cigarette and Maria exhaled a stream of smoke through her nostrils, as she nodded her thanks.

"There was quite a bit of excitement here just a couple minutes ago," Ginger began.

"Really?" Maria replied, "Here in this quiet place? Fria doesn't allow too much in the way of excitement in his place." She glanced scornfully at the men in their regalia. "All those drag warriors looking to relive the war and all."

"Well," Ginger continued, "this butch named Dandy Jock or something, was trying to bust our..."

Marie interrupted. "Dandy Jacque?" She's one tough dyke-bitch."

"Oh yeah, she sure is," Ginger said, emphatically. "But Fria kicked her in the knee and chewed her out. Some guy from the kitchen took her to the emergency room."

Bruno looked on amused as Ginger became quite animated as she described the action that had taken place.

"Fria intervened?"

"Yeah."

"That's unusual, mostly he lets the action play out and then throws everybody out that was involved and they can't come back for a month." Marie gestured toward the bar; "His wife Carla keeps track for him."

"Maybe it was 'cause Fria and Bruno are old friends," offered Ginger.

Marie turned to Bruno, "You and Fria, friends?"

Bruno, a little disgruntled at being discussed in this light tossed his head before responding. "Yeah, High School. We played some baseball..." He said then let it drop.

"That's very interesting. I never met a friend of Fria's before. What brings the two of you here?"

Both Ginger and Bruno started to answer. Bruno waved toward Ginger as though giving her permission to continue for the both of them.

"Well, Bruno and I haven't known each other all that long... and..." Her eyes darted wildly between Marie and Bruno. Marie held her eyes and Ginger burst out with, "I'm looking for a woman, and... Bruno was kind enough to bring me here where I might meet one."

Smiling broadly, Marie took Ginger's chin in her hand and turned her head so they were eye to eye. "One what?"

Ginger tried looking to Bruno for assistance, but he was looking at the ceiling, oblivious to her situation. Feeling forced to respond she blurted the truth out. "One who'll want to be with me... as a lover."

Almost masochistically, Marie squeezed Ginger's cheek, leaving a red flush that would last through most of the evening and continued her interrogation. "And you think I'm that type of woman?"

"I... I... don't... know. Are you?" Ginger began to sob pathetically.

Bruno seized the moment to straighten things out. "Hey Marie," he said casually, making no overt move in Marie's direction.

"What?" She answered. Releasing Ginger's cheek at the same time.

"She don't mean nothing personal. Remember you joined us after getting a light. I bet'cha got plenty of matches in your purse and that means you wanted to meet her. Let me sum it up here. You like her, fine. We'll take it from there. It's a long evening. You don't wanna bother with her, okay, you move on. You got no problem with us."

Ginger was cowering from being intimidated by Marie and from the fear this beautiful woman would leave her when she wanted her and wanted her badly.

"Bruno," she managed to plead, "don't. We all get along, right?" And turned to Marie for confirmation. "Don't we Marie? I mean we just met and all, but am I right?"

Marie sat back down and shook out her third cigarette. "Where's he fit in this?" she said jerking a finger in Bruno's direction.

"He's the guy that brung me," Ginger said simply.

"That's it? He's not part of the deal? No mangy trois? Or whatever you call it?

Bruno intervened, " I'm here to make sure Ginger don't get hurt and to take her home whenever."

"I don't do guys," Marie stated without equivocating.

"I understand," Bruno quietly responded.

"Well, alright then," Marie said crossing her long legs carefully to maintain the crease in her linen slacks. And then she smiled at Bruno, "You can watch, big boy, but that's all. I like being watched. Come on Ginnie baby, you and me're gonna get it on."

"It's Ginger, not Ginnie," she said primly, then she composed herself and smiling broadly she stood, leaned over Marie and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I'll settle with Fria and meet the two of you outside," Bruno said, as the girls gathered their belongings and headed for the exit. Bruno was glad the matter had been resolved. Then realizing they might be gone by the time he paid the tab, he tossed a twenty on the table and hurried after the two women. He need not have worried. They stood alongside his Mustang as Marie was giving Ginger directions to her place, which was about four blocks away.

"You ain't gonna find a space there, might as well leave it parked right here," Marie advised. Bruno nodded glumly in agreement and they started walking, Bruno two or three steps behind the women. Marie and Ginger were now arm in arm, with Ginger leaning her head on Marie's shoulder.

Bruno watched as Marie's arm disengaged from Ginger's and relocated to Ginger's ass, looking and finding the crack and probing for her anus. Ginger shrieked with joy, and seemed to push against Marie's probing finger.

Bruno felt himself getting hard. 'This was not going to be easy, ' he thought as he continued to follow at a discreet distance.

The walk was a short one, ending with Marie stopped in front of an old brownstone tenement. She turned and grinned at Bruno. "This be the place. You come in, but make nice, okay?"

Bruno grunted his acceptance of the terms. 'Things have a way of changing, ' he thought philosophically as Marie inserted her key in the door and opened it permitting the group access to a roomy vestibule.