I heard Zodiac telling the sisters how my hormones made me silly, and they shouldn’t take my tears personally. He was right, of course. I wouldn’t be crying right now if I wasn’t pregnant.
However, I had every right to be upset. The last six months had been chaotic with wild highs like my people falling in love and the baby plus painful lows like Lula’s abduction and the sisters’ recoveries.
Every day, I woke up and wondered if I’d face something great or cope with something terrible. I’d grown paranoid over the last week, too. If I didn’t hear from Zodiac, I became convinced he was hurt. I felt the same paranoia with the baby. If Wilbur didn’t move, I was certain something had gone wrong.
My life had been relatively tame despite riding with a biker club and making a baby with a stranger. I knew I was lucky back then, but I hadn’t realized how much I craved that stability until it was gone.
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?”
