28
Raven
Of course, Link stays with me that night. I won’t let him out of my sight because I’m afraid he might reconsider and change his mind. So, he stays and we have sex all night long. I mean, literally all night. We don’t get a single minute of sleep. It’s just one sex act after another, taking breaks to catch our breath before jumping right back in again. By the time the sun comes up, I’m sore in the most delicious way imaginable.
We ride back to Link’s place so he can shower and get some clothes, and he insists on me joining him in the shower. After all the incredible sex we’ve been having, the shower is the most romantic, most tender moment we’ve ever shared, and I look forward to more of that in my—in our—future.
It’s not until afterward, when we’re having breakfast at a little coffee shop, that I finally start to crash. I can barely keep my eyes open, so I call Theo and tell him I’m taking the day off, and that I have lots of amazing news I’ll share with him later.
When we get back to my place, I crawl into bed and Link climbs in next to me, both of us too tired to even remove our clothes. I’m on the verge of falling asleep when I heard that deep, gruff rumble of a voice.
“So, you’ve already met the gang. What did you think?”
Over waffles, Link had asked me how the hell I knew Allie. I told him the whole story, about how I’d learned I was pregnant and needed to talk to him. Since he wouldn’t pick up, I found an email address for his best friend’s fiancée. He couldn’t believe I went to their house, stayed for the barbecue, met everyone, then ran off because I felt overwhelmed by the entire situation. When he asked why Allie drove me to his house, I told him she had pieced together the clues—my urgent need to talk to him, the three weeks since we’d last seen each other, and my repeatedly turning down alcohol when I looked like I desperately needed a drink. When she realized I’m pregnant, she came to get me and force him to talk to me.
Link listened to all of it, and I was afraid he’d be angry that I’d gone to his friends about this, but he was sympathetic instead. He knew that he’d been avoiding me and understood why my pregnancy freaked me out and required desperate measures.
“They were all so nice and welcoming,” I tell him, remembering their kindness. “Everyone was very concerned about you. They really love you.”
Link nods as he gently plays with my hair. “Yeah, they’re great.”
This little moment I’m experiencing right now is heavenly. Being so exhausted, lying in Link’s bed while he talks softly and can’t keep from touching me? It’s pure, unadulterated bliss. It’s hard to imagine anything that could make it better. Then of course…
“Hey, wanna go to Drake and Allie’s wedding with me?”
When his question registers, my eyes fly open.
“Really?”
“Yeah. You’d be my date. You already know everybody.”
My grin is so big it almost hurts my face.
“I’d love to. When is it?”
“Two weeks.” He thinks for a second. “Twelve days, actually.”
“So, we’ll go as a couple?”
“No, as a trio.”
My grin is huge, but that brings up a big question.
“When are we going to tell everyone about the baby?” I ask. Jesus, I’m going to have an awful lot to surprise my parents with, all at once.
“Allie already knows,” he says, “which means Drake knows, too. We can tell everyone else whenever you’re ready.”
I make Link sit up so I can take his shirt off, then I snuggle into him on the bed, burying my face against his chest. That leads to him fondling my breasts and taking off my shirt, then us both getting naked again. I lie curled up against him, his big hand playing with my tit. I’m in no mood for sex because I’m exhausted and my pussy feels raw from our overnight marathon, but the feeling of Link, my man, touching my body is sensuous and satisfying in a profound way.
Glancing downward, I notice that he’s quickly becoming erect again. I take him in my hand and gently stroke him, then slide down his body until I can get my mouth over him. He smells of sandalwood soap and I know that for the rest of my life, I’ll always associate that scent with this moment. I spend a few minutes treating his balls to my tongue before moving back up, finding him rock hard now. I give him my best blowjob, sucking that thick cock like I’m claiming it as mine. After a few minutes, my efforts are rewarded when he moans and his muscles stiffen, then he pulses repeatedly as he gives me his warm cum. I revel in the taste, marveling that it’s the same life-starting substance that helped produce the baby that’s now growing inside me.
The following weekend, Drake and Allie host a pre-wedding get together of their closest inner circle of friends. All of the Bad Boys are there, as well as their girlfriends. I meet Allie’s best friend, Nicole, Marcus’s sister, Macie, and Macie’s young college boyfriend, Andre. Jayden is there, of course, with more tattoo questions. There are about a dozen people altogether, and the catered dinner we enjoy on the patio is incredible. I get to spend more time in Link’s world, and unlike the last time I was at this house, I’m not here alone. Link takes good-natured shots all evening from the other guys about the fact that he’s given in, that he’s having an honest-to-God relationship.
After dessert, Link suddenly stands. “Hey, I need everyone’s attention for a minute.”
As the group grows quiet, Allie looks at me with a smile.
Link clears his throat. “This news will probably catch most of you by surprise, but… um… it looks like I’m going to have a baby.”
While everyone’s experiencing their moment of shock, he realizes his error. “I mean, we’re going to have a baby. Raven will be handling the actual production and delivery.”
The next few minutes are filled with hugs and kisses and warm wishes and more hugs. Between this new development and the upcoming wedding, there’s a palpable joy in the air. I also sense a feeling of relief, that everyone is glad to know Link seems to have taken a turn toward finally ridding himself of the burden he’s carried for two decades now.
The highlight of the evening for me comes when I’m talking to Jayden about whether he plans to play basketball when he gets older. I feel Link step up behind me and wrap those big, protective arms around me.
“Hey, baby,” he says, kissing the crown of my head.
It’s such a sweet moment that I don’t even care which baby he’s referring to.
29
Link
Drake and Allie's wedding is a huge affair. Half of Hollywood is there, and paparazzi-carrying helicopters and camera drones hover over the Malibu mountaintop property they chose for the event. I’m not surprised by the scale of it, or by the attention it has generated. For the last week, it’s been mentioned on TV nearly every hour. The couple spared no expense.
Mason is the best man, and Marcus and I are groomsmen. Raven asked me if I was hurt by not being asked to be the best man, but the truth is I’m fine with it because it spared me from having to give a damn speech at the reception. The four of us, the Hollywood Bad Boys Club, are wearing Armani tuxedos, black with white shirts and black bow ties and cummerbunds. Classic style. Allie’s best friend, Nicole, is the maid of honor, and her sister and another friend round out the wedding party.
I have no idea who the little flower girl is, but Jayden was tasked with the job of carrying that ring, and he’s taking it seriously.
As Drake and Allie are saying their vows, I look out over the sea of faces and spot celebrity after celebrity. There are some astoundingly beautiful women out there. Out of all of them, though, my eye is drawn to a radiant young woman with jet black hair and big brown eyes. She’s wearing what she described to Allie, when she called her from the store for approval, as a “shimmery purple-taupe sleeveless lace brocade dress.” I just call it flat-out sexy, and I’ve already let her know that I’m going to fuck her later tonight while she’s still wearing it. From underneath the dress, tattoos flow down her
shoulders to her forearms, and only I know about all the other body parts they also adorn. Raven looks truly spectacular. My girl would be the sexiest woman here even if she weren’t carrying my child.
The big kiss is pure movie-star magic, and the reception is just as amazing. The food and drinks are perfect, and the corny string quartet eventually gives way to DJ Mako, who Drake paid twenty grand to do a two-hour set. Halfway through the bride and groom’s first dance together, there’s a loud record scratch and suddenly the thumping bass intro to “Another One Bites the Dust” comes on. Everyone laughs, but Mason in particular is about to choke. Turns out it was his idea, and executed to perfection.
Toward the end of the evening, Marcus assembles the Bad Boys and their women for a toast to Drake and Allie. Everyone gathers in a small circle and Jayden pushes through to stand next to Marcus. Each of the men says a few words, usually sarcastic and snarky followed by a sweet, sincere finale.
When it’s Marcus’s turn, he says, “This has been a big last couple of years for all of us. Rashida made an honest man out of me, Mason and Claire started a business and a life together, and Raven here somehow managed to put a smile on Link’s face.” Funny guy, the fucker. “But Drake and Allie, you are the two who started it all by daring to fall hopelessly and completely in love, when all the rest of us were doing our best to resist that. I want to wish the two of you as much happiness as you can possibly stand.”
Everyone raises their Champagne glasses, and Raven lifts her sparkling water.
Marcus isn’t finished, though.
“Since this is your special day and all, I truly hate to steal your thunder, but…”
Everyone stares at him, waiting, except Rashida and Jayden, who are looking at each other with huge smiles.
“…last night after the rehearsal dinner, I asked Rashida if she would do me the honor of being my wife, and letting me officially be a father to my buddy, Jayden. They both accepted.”
There are hugs and congratulations all around. Jayden starts shouting, to be heard above everyone.
“Hey, everybody! Listen!” Once he’s got our attention, he continues. “Marcus is gonna be my dad, but I’m still gonna call him Marcus.”
It might be the sweetest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.
Drake says, “So, Allie and I just got married, Marcus and Rashida are going to tie the knot, Link and Raven have a baby on the way. Who’s getting hitched next?”
We all turn toward Mason and Claire, who look like they just stepped off a modeling photo shoot.
"Absolutely not!” Claire says with a laugh, right at the same moment Mason says, “No fucking way!"
Everyone busts out laughing, and Marcus quickly covers Jayden’s ears.
I feel Raven squeeze my hand and realize how content I am at this moment. For once, everything is right with my world.
30
Raven
Link and I get to the six-month mark without making a firm decision about our living arrangements. He comes over to my place, I stay at his, whatever. We go back and forth as necessary, having a ridiculous amount of unfathomably great sex at both residences. When we finally get around to discussing it in earnest, we both agree that we should sell my lovely little home in the Hollywood Dell. It’s not a tough decision, as his place is much bigger and will give our little family room to grow. Saying goodbye to my first house will be difficult, though.
Thirty weeks into my pregnancy, I’m really starting to feel uncomfortable. My belly is growing every day. And my breasts—oh, my God, I never in my life imagined having tits this big. The baby’s been moving around for about a month now. For the second time since I’ve known him, I got to see Link on the verge of tears, when he put his hand on my belly and felt the baby stir.
So, yeah, the baby is going to be a girl, and Link and I have already decided on a name: Amy. It was his idea, actually. He did some Googling of names for baby girls and saw that the name means “beloved.” He told me he wanted to start this child out right in life, to let our daughter know from the first day how unconditionally adored she is. I love the simplicity of it, and I’ve always been a sucker for traditional names. If my folks had named me Judy instead of Aja Blue, I’d probably never have become Raven.
We’ve already started getting Amy’s room fixed up. It was easy because Link had a bedroom in his house that was not being used for anything, and in fact was completely empty. Only a guy would have a totally empty bedroom in his house.
While life is generally wonderful, Link is still Link, and living with a broken alpha male isn’t without its drawbacks. He still hasn’t said, "I love you," at least not using those words. I’ve accepted that he might not ever be able to say it, but I know he loves me regardless. As long as he’s able to tell our daughter that he loves her, that's what really matters.
Meanwhile, I’m keeping Amy’s father busy with my constant requests—and sometimes demands—for sex. Nobody ever told me that being pregnant was going to make me want to fuck so much. Link is altogether too happy to oblige. In fact, he just seems kind of happy in general, or at least happy for him. Maybe there’s hope that he won’t remain damaged goods forever.
Just last week, he walked into the shop and came to my station, then took his shirt off as Renee and Elena stared from across the store.
“Hey, you think you could do a cover-up to change the text of this?”
He was pointing to the Latin inscription tattooed on his right rib cage: “Tetre Destructa” or “Hideously Destroyed” in English.
I told him I could, but it would require some creativity. I came up with a design he liked, one that used a vine to hide the previous letters and intertwine with the new ones I added just above them. I did the work later that afternoon, and now his rib cage is adorned with the new inscription he wanted.
“Pulchre Eruit,” which is Latin for “Beautifully Rescued.”
Amy was born two weeks early, on February 15, and I like to think it’s because she couldn’t wait to meet her father. The very first thing she glimpsed in this world was Link’s face, as he held her in his big hands while she cried at the top of her lungs. When she opened her eyes and saw him, however, Amy stopped crying almost immediately. That was the moment Link burst into tears, crying like a baby himself. It was an extraordinary sight to behold, the two of them. The one who was so tiny and frail had such a profound impact on the one so incredibly big and tough, moving him to actual tears. I knew then that, while I may have been the one to get Link to open up a little about his past and start him on the road to recovery, our daughter would be the one who would truly heal his scarred psyche.
31
Epilogue, Three Years Later
Link
“This meeting of the Hollywood Bad Boys Club will come to order!”
Mason’s declaration has the somber tone of a judge in his courtroom.
He takes a big swig of tequila from the silver flask, then hands it to Drake. Nobody says another word until we’ve each had a pull.
The four of us are standing in a grassy area between a soccer field and a parking lot. We’re here to cheer on Jayden in his summer soccer league game. He’s in fourth grade now, the same age I was when my mother was killed. The kid doesn’t have his stepfather’s natural athletic gifts, but he makes up for it in sheer confidence. Marcus has had a definite impact there.
The other three kids are all playing on a blanket near the women. Amy is almost three now, and thank God she got Raven’s looks. I’ve never seem a more beautiful sight than when my wife is holding our daughter. My two precious girls, the loves of my life, together. Drake’s son, James, just turned two, and Marcus’s daughter, Maia, will celebrate her first birthday next month. As the oldest, Amy is the little ringleader of the bunch. She’s got her mom’s sense of adventure and can be a handful at times, but I love her in a way I never thought I’d be able to love anything. I don’t waste time worrying that Amy might turn out fucked up like me, because Raven turned out to be an am
azing mother.
The flask comes my way again and I take another swig.
“Look at us, we’re pathetic,” Drake says. “A bunch of old guys hanging out drinking at their kids’ sporting event. That’s pretty sad.”
We all laugh, but there’s a grain of truth to what he said. We used to be a group of proud roosters, strutting our stuff all over Hollywood. Now we’re more like neutered pit bulls; we still look badass, but we don’t get into trouble these days.
With good reason, obviously. We were all fortunate to find relationships that bring out the best in us, and as much as we’d like to believe otherwise, men are not at their best when they’re keeping a running score of the women they have sex with.
Drake, his expression suddenly serious, says, “You know what we should do? Let’s make the women watch the kids while the four of us go find some strippers to fuck.”
We all stare at him like he’s insane, then he suddenly laughs at us for falling for his prank.
“Man, quit talking shit,” Marcus says. “You wouldn’t remember what to do with a stripper nowadays anyway, you pussy-whipped motherfucker.”
Everyone laughs now.
"Back in the day, we were unstoppable,” Mason say wistfully, “We used to get the finest pussy in this entire town."
Marcus hands me the flask and I take a drink, then pass it to Drake.
"You know what?” I say, tilting my head toward the four women sitting around the blanket fifty feet away, keeping an eye on our children. “We still do."
The other three guys smile and nod.
“I’ll drink to that,” Drake says as he lifts the flask toward the women. “Here’s to the Hollywood Bad Girls Club.”
Hollywood Bad Boys Club, Book 4: Link Page 21