by Shade, S. M.
“I’d love to do that. Maybe I’ll have Becca give me a matching one.”
“She could tattoo my face on you at the same time,” he teases.
“Never going to happen.”
“Fine, my handprints over your tits then.”
“I’d be the classiest mom at the soccer field.” I crawl out of bed and grab some clothes for the day. “I’m going to shower.”
“If you’re getting your tits out at the soccer field, we’re probably going to have bigger problems.” He sits up on the edge of the bed and grins at me. “Want some company?”
“No,” I call out over my shoulder. “My vagina doesn’t like you right now.” His laughter follows me out of the room.
The warm water rushing over me feels amazing and the solitude gives me a chance to think about how to approach a subject with Trey. A prenuptial agreement. It’s probably something he wants to ask for anyway, and he should. He should protect himself. And he’ll know his sudden fortune had nothing to do with me accepting his proposal.
I’ll talk to him about it over breakfast. Or lunch, I guess, since it must be past eleven by now. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and pause, my hand sweeping over my right breast. I have a stretch mark. On my boob. Not one on my stomach, but my little boobs just can’t take the extra weight. They have grown a ton just in the last week, it seems like.
My fingers trace the line, and I feel an irrational despair at the sight of it. I know stretch marks come with pregnancy and I’m not overly vain, but I also know it’s probably a permanent mark.
Trey walks in and pauses behind me. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
I’m not crying again, at least. Looking up at him, I mumble, “I have a stretch mark on my boob. They’re small, but I’ve always liked my boobs.” Sighing, I pull on my shorts.
He walks up behind me and wraps his arms around me, cupping both my breasts. “I love your body.”
“I’m going to look like a damn oatmeal crème pie.”
Chuckling, he grins at me in the mirror. “Do my stretch marks bother you? Because I don’t have the excuse of a baby.”
Oh hell, how did I forget he has a few thin lines around his waist, and on his upper back. “Of course not.”
“That’s right. I’m still a sexy bitch, and so are you.”
Giggles spill out of me, and I turn to hug him. He always seems to make me feel better.
“You know, the ones on my shoulders are from puberty, and I wasn’t even overweight. I know a few other guys who got them from growth spurts or muscle growth from working out. Almost everyone ends up with stretch marks.”
“Okay, I feel better.”
“Hungry?”
“Starving.”
After Trey takes a quick shower, we head out to a nearby Italian restaurant where I eat my weight in fettucine.
There’s really no way to bring up this subject where it won’t be awkward. “I think you should get a lawyer before we get married,” I announce over dessert. “We need a prenup.”
His fork full of cheesecake freezes halfway to his mouth. After a second, he sets the fork down. “No.”
His abrupt answer makes me blink. “What?”
“We don’t need a prenup.”
“You don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, Trey. You should protect yourself.”
He leans back and gazes at me. “From you?”
I shake my head. “I don’t care about your money, and I would never take something that I didn’t earn, but—”
“Exactly.” He leans forward. “Sasha, if I was worried about that, I wouldn’t have told you about the money until after you agreed to marry me. But I knew it could change things, our plans and goals. I didn’t want you making that decision without all the information.”
Sighing, I confess, “I know it took me a while to get over my issues and be with you. I just don’t ever want you to think I married you for money.”
He takes my hand. “I know you love me. I knew it before you did. You’re marrying me because you love me and because my tongue should win awards for most orgasms given in a single night.”
The waitress chooses that moment to bring us the check, and I cover up a smile until she retreats. “I trust you, Sasha. No prenup.”
He’s made up his mind. “Okay.”
“Okay,” he repeats, sitting back.
“What about Kelly? Do you think we should look for at least a three bedroom house if we’re going to help her? Because she really isn’t ready to be on her own.”
He grins at me. “I’m glad you two get along, but being on her own is exactly what she needs to do. I’m not saying I’m going to let her be homeless or anything, but she needs to learn how to work and take care of herself. If she wants to go to school, I’ll cover her tuition. I’ll pay the rent at the apartment until she can find some new roommates. Hopefully, she’ll find friends like I did.”
“Sorority Hell instead of Frat Hell?” I tease.
Laughing, he picks up the check and we walk to the front counter to pay. “It could happen.”
“I guess we need to start looking for a house.”
Trey pats my stomach. “We have to stash Trey Jr. somewhere.”
Hand in hand, we walk out to the car. “Do you want to name him after you?”
“Nah, I was thinking we’d combine our names for something cool like Trasha or Sashtrey.”
“That settles it. I’m naming him.”
Chapter Sixteen
Trey
“Sasha? Are you ready to go?” I ask, meandering my way through the maze of packed cardboard boxes and unassembled furniture.
“Denton and Becca are coming to get a couple of boxes they left. They should be here any minute,” she replies.
They moved out a little over a week ago, and now it’s our turn. Kelly has managed to find a part-time job at the Supercenter and signed up for school. It shouldn’t take her long to find some roommates.
Noble walks in with Jani. “Wow, it seems so weird to see this place almost empty,” Noble says.
The only rooms that are largely untouched are the living room and Kelly’s bedroom, since we didn’t want to leave her with no furniture.
“No more Frat Hell,” Jani says. “End of an era.”
“We’re all still going to be close by, it’s not like we died,” Denton interjects, walking in with Becca in tow. “Noble still lives on the circle for fuck’s sake.”
“We’ll be moving this year, after he gets his Master’s,” Jani reminds him. “You all better come back for a goodbye party for us too.”
Becca snorts and sits on a box in the living room. “Have you ever known any of us to pass up a party?”
“I’ll actually be able to drink at that one,” Sasha groans. “By the way, Denton. Your dinosaur costume is still in the closet. You don’t want to forget that.”
“If that costume could talk,” Noble says, laughing.
“It has been through a lot,” I point out. “Remember hitting those protestors with poison ivy water?”
“I still have the Hugs Not Butt Plugs sign in the back of the store,” Jani laughs.
“Then Denton soiled it with some kind of sex game,” Noble says.
Denton slings his arm around Becca’s neck. “It was romantic. Becca said she’ll never forget it.”
Becca pats his chest. “Yeah, maybe we can leave it here, though. You know, for the next people to…enjoy.”
“I’m being judged by a guy who had to dress up in bondage gear and walk a catwalk to get his girl’s attention,” Denton says, grinning at Jani.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
All eyes are on Jani when she shrugs. “It was the second date when he got bitten by a raccoon that really won me over.”
“And he loved you so much he rubbed your pee on his face,” Denton points out.
“I was stung in the eyes by a jellyfish!”
Being the last to join this little group, Sasha hasn’t heard some of thi
s before, and I can’t wait to tell her the stories later.
Denton grins at Sasha. “What are you chuckling about over there, Easy Bake? You two thought you were being all sneaky, like everyone didn’t know you were hooking up with The Fertilizer over here. Here’s a hint for the future. Other humans have ears.”
“You can’t blame the girl for wanting to keep it a secret. Fucking a ginger and all,” Noble says.
“All right!” Jani exclaims. “Come on. You guys will go back and forth all night. Half the damn neighborhood is waiting for us at the community center. Cassidy will be there, and I never get to party with her anymore, so let’s go.”
Cassidy is Jani’s best friend, but she doesn’t come around as much. She was the first of the group to get married and have a baby. It makes me wonder how much time we’ll all have for each other in a year or five years.
Cassidy and Wyatt also own and operate the nearby community center and have closed it to the public for the night. Only our friends and the Violent Circle neighbors who have watched and joined in our shenanigans over the past four years are invited.
A banner that reads “Get the Fuck Out” stretches over the door as we enter the large room where two long tables have been set up, one filled with food and soft drinks and the other with an assortment of alcoholic drinks on ice.
“It’s about time!” Cassidy announces, walking up and hugging all of us in turn. Veronica and Wyatt follow right behind her.
“That we showed up at the party or got our asses off Violent Circle?” Denton asks.
“Both.”
“Our little Frat Hell guys are growing up,” Wyatt taunts, pretending to ruffle my hair.
I duck his attempt, and step back. “Don’t be mad because I’ve got three inches on you. And I’m taller.”
Looking around, I realize how much I’m going to miss some of these people and remind myself my sister and Noble still live there, at least for now. I can always go back and visit. Mitch and Mallory sit at a table with Barney, who leans across to talk to Gavin at the next table.
“The gym and the pool are both open to everyone,” Cass says. “Try not to do anything too stupid.”
I lay my hand on my chest and swallow back a laugh when Noble and Denton pull the same innocent face. Cassidy rolls her eyes, and wanders off to talk to a couple of people who have just come in.
“Where’s Neal?” I ask Veronica.
“He’ll be here. The sitter was running a little late.”
Sasha and Becca head over to the tables as Elijah shows up, and they all sit down, laughing together.
“Do you still want to pull his lips off and stick them to a used urinal cake?” Denton taunts, when he sees where I’m looking.
“Nah, I’m not worried about him. They’re just friends.”
Denton, Noble, and I end up at a corner table, having a beer and watching people come in. Denton’s phone vibrates and he frowns at the screen.
“Something wrong?” Noble asks.
“No, just bullshit from my student loan. Apparently, the idiots lost it or mixed me up with someone else. They sent my last payment back to me. And they’re telling me the account has been closed.”
Noble looks at him. “Dude, I got the same thing. I was waiting for Monday to call them.”
I really hadn’t considered how to tell them what I did, and this feels awkward as hell. Swiping my phone screen, I announce, “It’s not a mistake. I paid them off. I figured if I get to start off with no debt, you two assholes should too.”
I can feel their eyes on me, and I look up into stunned stares.
Noble shakes his head. “No, you didn’t. I owed over fifty thousand dollars.”
Denton’s jaw lifts off the table. “Same here.”
“Cluck Chuckers made a lot of money. So Vangra Games made me an offer. I accepted.”
Both of them continue to gape at me until Noble speaks up. “Trey, man, that’s an awesome thing to do for us, but I can’t let you. You have a kid on the way.”
Denton nods. “And a wedding.”
It’s so hard to explain that money isn’t an issue anymore without seeming like I’m bragging. I’ve debated for weeks whether to tell them, but if I can’t trust these two, there’s no one I can trust.
“The offer was for thirty million dollars.”
Silence. It stretches for so long, I don’t know what to say or do as they stare at me. Finally, Noble breaks it. “You’re fucking with us.”
“No, it’s true. So, don’t worry about it. A hundred thousand won’t hurt me.” I paid off Harper’s student loans as well because if it wasn’t for him encouraging me and hooking me up with the connections he made in the gaming industry, I would’ve been lost on what to do. I suppose I should tell him before he starts arguing with the loan company too.
A grin spreads across Denton’s face. “Dude, to hell with Sasha. Marry me.”
Our laughter breaks the uncomfortable moment. “Becca might have something to say about that.”
“Becca who?”
Noble shakes his head and drains his beer. “So, now you can afford liposuction around those love handles.”
We fall back into our usual way of insulting and berating one another, and I’m happy to see it. The last thing I want is for money to change anything between us.
Becca and Sasha wave to us, gesturing for us to join them. As we get to our feet, Denton says, “Seriously, though, thank you. It’s such a relief not to have that hanging over my head.” Noble repeats the sentiment, and we head off to join our girls.
The party is a lot of fun. It’s a unique experience to end up in a gym that’s often used as a daycare, drunk, with all the equipment to play with. It doesn’t take long for Noble to come out of the equipment room carrying a stack of brightly colored scooters and wearing a cheesy smile.
“It’s on, assholes!”
The square plastic scooters that only sit a couple inches off of the ground are surprisingly fun. Especially when we team up and push each other, crashing into the gym mats we piled at the other end.
Yeah, we may be adults, but I’m not sure we’ll ever care about what that’s supposed to mean. Fun is fun. And we’re having a blast.
“Hey, idiots! It’s time to open gifts!” Cassidy calls from the doorway.
I glance at Noble. “Gifts?”
“Some people brought you guys some housewarming and baby gifts.”
By the time we get back down the hall, most of the women are gathered around Sasha as she opens and admires the baby stuff. She flashes me a bright smile, and I nod, glad to see she’s so happy.
Cassidy shouts to get everyone’s attention, then gestures to Sasha, who grins out over the friends and neighbors.
“I just wanted to say thank you so much,” Sasha says. “I know I haven’t been on Violent Circle long, but everyone has been very kind to me.”
“Uh-oh,” I hear Becca mumble from beside me. It only takes me a second to realize what she’s reacting to. As Sasha speaks, two wet patches grow on her shirt, right over each nipple. I’ve read enough of the pregnancy books to know it’s a normal thing, but it hasn’t happened before.
Sasha frowns when I walk up and interrupt her by whispering in her ear. A few chuckles filter across the room, making it hard for her to hear. “What?” she hisses. “Titswet?”
Her mouth pops open when she looks down, and she rubs her palm on her forehead. “It looks like I’ve sprung a leak, so I’m going to go hide somewhere, but I just wanted to say thank you for all the gifts.”
Everyone laughs, and she just laughs with them. Cassidy comes to the rescue. “Come on, I have some T shirts from the last fundraiser we had.”
They return a few minutes later, and she looks adorable in the bright blue shirt.
Neal approaches me, holding out a large, flat package. “We didn’t forget about you!”
All attention is drawn to me as I tear the edge of the paper, then draw out the process, annoying everyone by taking
forever. Finally, I shove the paper off the front to reveal a giant photo. It takes me a second to realize what I’m seeing, then I drop the damn thing like it might posses me.
And it might.
Who knows if those powers cross over to artwork of the demon doll?
“We know how much you love Beulah,” Becca explains. “Now you can hang her in your bedroom.”
It’s looking at me, even after I shove it away and retreat a few steps. That doll is horrible. Laughter echoes around me as I shove it aside with my foot. “Burn it! Burn it, then bury the ashes.”
It isn’t the only doll to show its face tonight. A few hours later, we’re all trashed and swimming in the pool, when I hear the girls laughing. Surfacing, I wipe the water from my eyes to see the blow up doll Denton was forced to date and propose to, floating past.
“Inflatia!” Denton cries, swimming over to her. “I thought I lost you. Don’t ever do that to me again!” He throws a leg over the doll, straddling it, and it bends in half as it tries to hold his weight. Its head comes up and slams into his chest. “Sorry, Bex, she’s all over me. I’m just too sexy.”
Becca rolls her eyes and turns to continue her conversation with Sasha as they sit on the edge of the pool.
Bubbles start to rise up as the air leaks out of her. She’s already been popped and repaired once. I’m surprised it lasted this long.
“No! Not again! She needs mouth to mouth!” Denton shouts.
Sasha catches my eye and shakes her head, grinning. She looks so fucking cute sitting there in a swimsuit that displays her growing belly. I’m going to miss the craziness of being with these guys every day, but I’m looking forward to all the time I’m going to spend with my soon to be wife and our son.
Everything is perfect.
The party dies down well past midnight and people filter out, leaving just the guys, Sasha, Jani, and Becca. We’re the last ones to make our way across the parking lot where I see Neal and Veronica sitting in their car. I know they left the party at least twenty minutes ago so what are they waiting on?
“Car trouble?” I ask.
Veronica bursts out laughing. “No, we’re leaving now.”
They both roll their windows up, and she starts the car.