ZODIAC
The party didn’t take long to get wild. One minute, Cher and Stevie were cuddling while Elle got teary-eyed. The next moment, Elle had her shirt tied up under her tits, so people could write on her bump. Goldie handed me a container of baby shower markers.
“We’ll each put our idea for your son’s name,” she explained to Elle. “At the end of the night, you can get this dipshit,” Goldie said and glared at me, “to write down the names before he forces you to satisfy him sexually.”
“Oh, there’s no force involved,” Elle said as she rubbed her belly and winked at me. “I’m his dick’s willing slave.”
“Poor Elle,” Goldie sighed and wrote the name “Sebastian.”
No longer sad, Elle walked around the house so people could write on her belly. I felt like a dipshit following her around, but it gave me a chance to check on my guys. Mostly, I kept them from touching her bare stomach. Elle frowned at me whenever the guys declined to join in the fun.
Months ago, at the start of the Fire Hooch party, the Black Rainbow and Crimson Guard members couldn’t seem to share a conversation without awkwardness. Tonight, everyone was having fun.
By the time we ended up in the backyard again, an obviously stoned Nova and Ivy were on the trampoline with Vanessa and Lula. The four women were bouncing and singing very loudly to “Radar Love.”
I knew most rock music irritated York because of his injury-related tinnitus. Glancing his direction, I found him wearing pink earmuffs given to him by a Crimson Guard chick.
“I think York has a hard-on for one of your friends,” I told Elle after Boone and Clint finished writing their name choices on her stomach. “Let’s try to figure out who she is.”
Sitting on a bench in the massive backyard, Elle scanned the party. Then, she gave a stealthy glance to York who was focused on the group of Chihuahuas running around the yard.
“I have no idea,” she said and caressed my chest. “Did he give you any hints?”
“No, he didn’t say anything at all. But I get the feeling based on how he’s kept his dick dry for months.”
“Maybe he’s copying you. Your guys view you as a godlike figure.”
“Sure,” I chuckled. “That’s it.”
“Well, you stopped plowing club sluts, and then he did the same thing. What makes more sense? Is he following your lead or does he have a secret crush on one of my friends?”
“I guess he could be interested in a Baton Rouge woman, but why not say anything? He talks about his dog constantly.”
“He just got the mutt,” Elle said and slid her hand across my thigh. “Of course, he can’t shut up about Junior. New pets are a big deal.”
“Who would you want him to hook up with?” I asked and moved Elle’s hand away from my dick. “Stop trying to get me hard when we can’t do anything.”
“We’re outside a house full of bedrooms. We can do whatever the fuck we want, lover.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, but I don’t want to disappear until Tricky shows up. If he starts shit, I ought to have my pants on.”
Elle rested her cheek on my chest and exhaled in that exhausted way she did lately. “It’s too bad York and Nova never hooked up. He seems nice, and she needs a good man.”
“Did you know Boone wanted in Nova’s panties?”
Lifting her head, Elle frowned. “Did he tell you that?”
“Yeah, when I stayed at his place while waiting for the test results.”
“Did you tell Exile?”
“No, I figured he was a big fan of keeping secrets.”
“You’re so petty,” Elle said, snickering at my stubborn streak. “Clint hasn’t mentioned anything about Boone. So, either he was just shooting the shit with you or changed his mind.”
“Nova doesn’t need a man.”
“No one does.”
“You sure act like you’re hungry for my attention.”
“I don’t need it,” she insisted while giving my nipple a quick pinch. “I just want it.”
“You’re coming on too strong,” I taunted when she kept fondling me.
Elle offered me a devious grin. “Do you like any of the names on my belly?”
Once she stood, I used my phone’s light to read the names written down. “Who the fuck suggested Nutella?”
Elle laughed. “Probably Rowdy. He was talking about how I should name the baby after myself.”
Shaking my head, I frowned. “Someone wrote ‘Bodelle.’ Why do they want you to name my kid after you?”
“What are the other names?”
“There’s Dracula. Pennywise. Jason. Keyser Soze. Brayden. Noah. Chucky.”
“I don’t want any of those. Well, maybe, Pennywise, but that sounds too feminine.”
Rolling my eyes, I kissed her belly. “You should cover up.”
“No one wants to bang my preggo ass when there are plenty of hot foxes in the mix.”
“That might be logically true. But you make my dick hard, so I assume you do the same thing to all men. Now, hide your body.”
“I can’t, or the names might smear,” Elle said and ignored my bossiness. “Uh-oh.”
I followed her gaze to the house where Jagger and Tricky strolled past Ojai and Sugar. They walked onto the porch to talk to Cher, who currently sat with the Tooker sisters, Jas and Dalisay.
“If he starts trouble, run away and keep my boy safe,” I told Elle, who instantly shook her head.
“If Tricky messes with you, I’m removing his left nut.”
“Elle, I’m serious.”
“I am, too. Why shouldn’t I protect my baby daddy?”
“What about Sutter’s dad?”
“If I knew who he was and he gave me plentiful orgasms, I would be protective of him, too.”
“Ah, so when I stop satisfying you sexually, you plan to let Tricky jump me?”
“Don’t be silly. I would still give you credit for the orgasms you’ve already provided. Besides, we both know you’d wreck Tricky in a fight. That’s why he started shit with Rowdy at the clubhouse that night. He was scared of facing off against you.”
Smirking, I nuzzled the top of her head. “There’s nothing hotter than when you kiss my ass.”
Elle laughed and danced around me before sitting down. “Okay, now I’m tired.”
I remained next to where she sat. Elle texted her friends who were mere feet away. They kept looking at her and laughing.
I kept an eye on Jagger rather than Tricky. His father, Madden, and Rock’s mom, Ginger, were the masterminds behind killing Trigger and helping Joker take control of the Little Memphis Motorcycle Club.
If Ryder was the reason for the Void’s interest in this town, he could have easily gone after the people who fucked over his dad—Madden, Ginger, and Joker. Even Ford and Pax made sense. Ryder was either too stupid to come up with a solid plan or he didn’t have the balls to hit the right people.
“Hey, Jagger,” Elle said as he walked over. “Write a name idea for my son on my belly.”
Though I considered smacking the marker out of his hand, I got distracted by Tricky’s approach.
“Be cool,” Jagger told his president after scribbling something on Elle’s stomach.
“Oh, I’m cool,” Tricky muttered, ignoring me and frowning at Elle. “You need to learn to hold your liquor.”
“Just for that, I don’t want your stupid name idea on my belly,” she snapped before smiling at Jagger. “You should have joined the Crimson Guard and hung out with the cool kids.”
Jagger gave a quick glance at Tricky as if he agreed with Elle. Of course, he didn’t admit that shit and instead shrugged. “Joker and Madden rode together for years. It was only right for their sons to do the same.”
Tricky liked that answer and smiled. Finally, he let himself acknowledge me.
“I’ve got your number.”
“Go away!” Elle screamed at him. “Stop harassing me! It’s bad for the baby!”
Tricky barely had a chance to react before Clint and Rowdy ran over and tackled him. Elle winked at Jagger and hurried away to her girlfriends, who pretended to believe her hysterics.
I stood over the men holding down Tricky while he fought to break free. Jagger did nothing to help his president. I got the impression he regretted where his loyalties ended up.
Or maybe I was reading him wrong. Elle made Jagger seem like a smart guy who got saddled with the impulsive Tricky. Her view of the situation had clearly clouded mine.
Ditching the wrestling match, I followed Elle to where a basketball half-court was installed. Sabrina and Xandy stopped shooting hoops long enough to write name suggestions.
“Rutger Reed,” Sabrina said and nodded. “Admit it. You love the name.”
Frowning, I reminded her, “The kid will have my last name.”
“Well, that’s a whole lot of bullshit.”
“I think we’ll give him the middle name Reed,” Elle explained and took the basketball. “Rutger Hauer was a cool actor. I’ll consider the name.”
Hidden by her messy reddish hair, Xandy said, “I think you should go with something zodiac themed. You’re due in January, right?”
“Yes, but I’m not naming him Capricorn.”
“Scorpio is sexy,” Moe said as she joined her girlfriends. “Or Gemini.”
“If we go based on when the baby was conceived, we could name him Aries.”
The women looked to me for a response. I considered sharing the name I had picked but decided to hold off until Elle was in the right mood.
Shrugging, I told Sabrina, “I’ll consider those names.”
“He’s such a killjoy,” Sabrina muttered to her girlfriends.
Elle bounced the ball toward me. I sank the shot, winning applause from the women. We took turns at the basketball hoop until Elle got tired and decided she wanted to stretch out on a couch.
For the next hour, while the party went on outside, Elle and I relaxed in the main living room on one of the pastel couches. While she used my lap as her pillow, I told her about my plan to find a house in the next few months. We talked around what the future might look like between us.
The next day, we went to the ultrasound. My son was growing well. His little face looked weird on the screen. I had never wanted a kid. The idea still freaked me out from time to time. But I also felt a great sense of pride over his existence.
Leaving Little Memphis this time tore me apart in a new way.
I already missed Elle. I wanted to know my boy was close.
I was curious about what Sutter was learning.
Each mile between them and me cut deeper until I felt broken in a way no negligent parent or cruel foster home had ever managed.
For the first time in my life, I couldn’t ignore the pain.