Three
Their Eternity
Liv
“Did you see the guy in the elevator staring at my tits?” Raven stammered as she stumbled through the penthouse door and slumped against the wall. “I think he likes me.”
“Yes, I did,” I admitted as I clicked the door shut and laid my keys on the table. “They were like sonic laser beams. You have nice tits.”
Raven smooshed her breasts together, enhancing her cleavage. “I do, don’t I?”
I laughed at my friend’s serious expression. “You do.”
“What’s so funny?” Raven asked with a pouty face.
“You.” I bent down and cupped her face between my hands. “I missed you and your glorious tits.”
“Awe. I missed you too.” Raven smiled and kissed my forehead. “I’m glad to be here even though I’m super jealous you found love.”
“Your time will come too,” I insisted and helped my friend stand up. “Don’t count yourself out. Love happens in mysterious ways.”
“I’m not crossing my fingers.” Raven sighed as she pulled her purple blouse over her head and discarded it on the floor. “Besides, I’m not ready for commitment. There’d have to be a real good reason.”
“I wasn’t either. Well… I was, for money, but thank God my marriage to Sebastian never happened.” I blew out a breath and picked up Raven’s shirt. “It would’ve been a disaster.”
Beaten. Used. Loveless.
Sebastian was a nightmare I hated to think about—a cruel man I hated for everything he put me through.
Someone I killed. A murder which was necessary to free me of him and move on with my life.
I was a murderer, but only because he wouldn’t think twice before he ended my life.
My ex-fiancé was a dangerous man who needed to be stopped, and I did what I had to do.
The moment he took his final breath, my life had changed forever, and I had to live with it.
“Yeah. The asshole vanished. I hope for your sake that fucker never resurfaces again. Let the past stay buried,” Raven whispered.
No truer words had come to pass.
“Amen,” I sighed.
“That guy in the elevator sure is looking good right about now.” Raven smirked wickedly and reached for the doorknob. “Maybe I should go find him.”
“Nope. You’re not going out there in your bra.” I grabbed Raven by the shoulders and turned her away from the door. “I forbid it.”
“Why? He’s hot.” Raven laid the back of her head against the wall and unzipped one leather boot. “What’s his name again?”
Raven tossed the other boot, and the heel landed on the floorboard with a thud.
“Max,” I giggled and draped my friend’s arm over my shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”
“Wax. The name suits him. Matches his very shiny head.” Raven burped. “Do you think he waxed it?”
Raven was so drunk she couldn’t even get his name right.
“It’s very possible our bouncer waxed his head since he is bald.” I helped Raven into the guest bedroom.
My best friend didn’t fall onto the bed gracefully. Instead, Raven flew like a whale, dead out of water, or like a goddamn wrestler bound to body slam the bedsheets.
“Wax is a…” Raven hiccupped. “Bouncer?”
“Yes. Max is our bouncer for the nightclub,” I corrected her with a smile.
“Right!” Raven held up a finger in the air, her hair a mess, lying flat on her stomach with her back to me. “Max.”
I giggled as I pulled closed the creaky door. “Goodnight, Raven.”
“Night, night, bride-to-be bestie,” Raven mumbled, on the verge of deep sleep.
Before I shut the door, I saw Raven’s hand fall onto the mattress. I turned off the light, and the room engulfed her in darkness. The only sound I heard was her loud snoring. She’d awaken with a hangover for sure.
Me?
The drinks didn’t hit me hard enough. I was wide awake and tipsy after another wild night with Raven. Jesus, she loved to party.
As I headed for the kitchen to grab a glass of ice water, I wondered if Raven would settle down.
She had her fair share of boyfriends, but none of them were serious.
The single life was bound to stop at some point when she met the one and got her life in order.
It wasn’t as if she didn’t have an organized lifestyle; I just couldn’t visualize her putting down roots with someone.
She’d need a huge reality check to build a life of her own.
Raven wanted a family. Every woman did deep down, whether her situation has little ones running around creating chaos or building forever with a soulmate. At some point in time, every female on Earth had thought about their future, and I knew my best friend’s time would come.
“Hey, buddy,” I whispered with a smile down at Rocko, who pressed up against my ankle.
Rocko circled my foot and meowed sweetly with cuddle eyes. He wanted attention, and it wasn’t in my nature to ignore the kitty who stole my heart right along with its owners. He’d woven his way inside, and I guess he was part of my family too. The life I’d chosen with two men who made me whole.
Christ. Look at me fucking laying down roots. Soon I’d have a family tree.
I pondered what was in the cards for us as I picked up Rocko and strolled over to the sofa. The cat purred in my arms while I scratched his head, and his black fur stood up on end. He looked as if a lightning bolt had hit him as he pressed his forehead against mine, and I sank into the cushions.
I planted a kiss on the tip of his nose and turned on the television, unsure what I wanted to watch.
Mindlessly, I scrolled through the channels while lost in thought until I came across a romantic comedy about a wedding singer down on his luck.
No bride. No ceremony. A classic I had watched several times before and knew the flick by heart.
All he wanted was a marriage to the woman of his dreams, but she had reservations of her own.
Her goals were not on track with his, which she kept hidden until their wedding day, and she left him at the altar.
I laughed at the bitch’s wise cracks as I always did and felt awful for the poor sucker, but happy at the same time.
I knew how the movie ended. He helped a waitress plan her wedding to the wrong man, only to realize they belonged together and married with their happily ever after.
The same happiness I had planned with Sin and Saint, who had forced me to see I belonged to them.
I laid my head back against the couch cushion with Rocko in my lap and envisioned my wedding day: flowers, music, rings, a beautiful wedding dress, and a cake. Everything. I could see the perfect dream marriage to the men who were my missing pieces. My entire world.
My eyes drifted shut. I was unsure how long I had been asleep when Rocko jerked. His head shot up, and his ears perked up. He heard something. A rattle at the penthouse door. The knob jiggled until the lock gave way, and a blood-stained jacket sleeve came through the doorway.