***
LARK
My breath left me at once in a loud gasp. The divorce had been in the back of my mind for months now. Whenever it was starting to get to the forefront, I’d push it away, and snuggle closer to Maxen.
These last few months had been hectic between the media circus, my jobless self and Kinky Shine’s promo for their new song and album. Yet, we’ve found the way to make it work somehow. I’ve never felt so complete with a man. With him, I knew I could be myself, and he could be himself too. We clashed, we burned, and we got stronger every day.
Did I want to divorce this amazing man just because the start of our relationship was unusual? Hell, no.
“I want to stay your wife, Maxen.’’
His smile returned, and it blinded me with how gorgeous he looked, how happy he seemed. And it echoed in me, stoking my own happiness. God, I loved this man so much.
“Are you sure? You can’t go back on your word, babe.’’
“I’m sure. And you, don’t you want to di—’’
“Shut up. Divorcing you has never been something I wanted.’’
He closed the space left between our mouths and kissed me like he knew melted me. He kissed me with love, with lust, with intensity. I had to brace myself on his broad shoulders when my knees started to buckle under me and shivers coursed through my body, starting by my curling toes on the cold tiles of the kitchen.
He groaned in my mouth and grabbed my hips to prop me on the island. I promptly opened my legs to welcome him closer until his thick erection pushed against me. I broke the kiss and threw my head back on a breathless moan.
“You’re my wife, Lark. Now and forever,’’ he whispered into my neck as he kissed a warm path to the swell of my breasts. He tugged on my top to uncover more flesh.
“Make love to me now, husband,’’ I fired back in between little moans, my hands on his hard and delicious ass covered by sweatpants riding low on his tapered waist.
“I’m going to, wife, but after that, we will go to the first fucking jewelry store and get wedding bands. No more naked ring fingers.’’
The idea of Maxen with a wedding band on his finger made me burn hotter.
No more wedding band around his neck.
About two years later…
MAXEN
I knocked louder on Dex’s door. “Hurry the fuck up, Dex!’’ I yelled, not giving two fucks if I woke up the neighbors at three in the morning.
I wasn’t fucking ready.
I didn’t think I ever shook this badly in my life. My blood ran so fast through my body I was light-headed, and everything swam around me. Or maybe it was because oxygen seemed so rare right now. Shit.
I put my hands on my thighs and forced more air through my burning lungs.
The door swung open, and I looked up, finding Dex scowling at me wearing only his briefs.
“Are you fucking mad? The baby is sleeping!’’
Fuck, I completely forgot about the baby. Harley and Dex had their first baby, a boy, four months ago. I strained my ears but didn’t hear him cry. I straightened up and ran a trembling hand through my hair.
“I’m not fucking ready!’’ I blurted out, panic overriding the apology I planned on saying. I shook my head. “I can’t do this and be a father, man.’’
Dex’s scowl disappeared and his eyebrows shot upward. “I’m pretty sure you’re a few months late, fucker. Lark is what, eight months pregnant now.’’
“Not nine! I’m supposed to have a full month to get ready. Four damn weeks!’’
“Wait’’—he glanced over my shoulder and saw the car running in front of my house, the lights breaking the night—“is Lark in labor?’’
I nodded and another bout of nausea hit me. I rubbed my eyes as if trying to wake up. “Her water broke five minutes ago. Fuck.’’ I shook my head again. “I can’t be a dad, Dex.’’
“Stop it. Wait here, I’m coming with you.’’
He turned around and left me there, standing like a moron while my wife was hurting in our car and about to give birth to our baby. A baby girl.
I was going to have a daughter. Me!
I wasn’t ready to be a dad, but a boy I could maybe manage. But a girl? I knew nothing about girls.
Dex barreled back and pushed me toward the car, this time fully dressed. “Harley is going to bring the baby to her parents’ and then she’ll join us at the hospital with Floyd.’’
“And Otis, Beckett, and—’’
“They’ll be at the hospital as soon as possible. Have you called Lark’s parents?’’
“Shit!’’ I mumbled and climbed into the car right when Lark’s pained moan echoed in the car, making me sweat harder. I stared at her and froze in the driver’s seat.
She was pale and sweating as her hands rubbed at her belly covered by a large pregnancy dress. She glared at me when she realized we weren’t moving. “Do you want to deliver the baby yourself in the damn car?’’
I blinked and jerked back. In no time we were driving away from the house and toward the hospital. Speed limits didn’t exist anymore.
“I forgot to call your parents,’’ I said with a tight voice. My throat seemed to be closing more and more as we drove.
“I called when you were outside. My mom is… ouch… crying. They’ll be here tomorrow morning.’’
I nodded stiffly and tried my best to keep calm when all I wanted was to yell that I wasn’t fucking ready for all of this.
I wanted this baby. It was the most wonderful gift. My daughter would be a part of me and the woman I loved the most. She would be perfect and couldn’t be anything less than beautiful with a mother like Lark, but…
I was so fucking scared. It took hold of my whole body and twisted me up completely.
“I don’t know how to be a father,’’ I blurted out after five minutes of silence punctuated by Lark’s panting breath and Dex’s amused look whenever I glanced at him in the mirror.
“Oh come on, Maxen,’’ Dex said and I heard the annoyance in his voice.
Lark’s clammy hand touched mine on the steering wheel. I glanced at her quickly but focused on the road again. I was driving way too fast to get distracted.
“You’ll be a wonderful dad. And if you’re that afraid, I’m sure Harley’s dad or my dad will help you. Anyway,’’ she breathed through another contraction. “Dex has four months on you. I’m sure he and Harley have tips for us.’’
“Oh yeah. Forget about sleep for a start,’’ he chuckled and leaned forward. “Hey man, you’ll do great. Now, ease off on the gas. We’re going to get pulled over if you keep it up.’’
“She needs to get to the hospital, Dex. And you can be all fucking cocky, but I remember Harley saying that you almost fainted in the delivery room and you couldn’t cut the damn umbilical cord.’’ I glowered at the empty road in front of us and silently cursed when I quickly calculated how long we still had to drive to get to the hospital.
“Hey now—’’ Dex started but stopped when sirens broke the quiet night.
“I can’t believe it,’’ Lark said and moaned in pain again.
I quickly parked the car and silently cursed. I immediately opened my window and leaned my head out as the cop appeared, eyeing my car suspiciously. We didn’t have time for this shit.
I knew I’d fuck up at some point as a father, but it wouldn’t start at my daughter’s birth.
“Sir, please turn off your car and… ’’ He trailed off when his damn torch lit up my mug. The man was in his thirties, and I didn’t give a damn what he looked like anyway. He could be a fucking alien for all I cared. I just wanted to get back on the road and get my wife to the hospital. “Maxen Walton? From Kinky Shine?’’
“Yes, sir. I know I was speeding, but I’m driving my wife to the hospital.’’ I leaned back in my seat and pointed at Lark. “She’s in labor. I know I shouldn’t drive so fast, but her water broke at home, it’s our first baby and… Just let me drive her to the hospital,
and I’ll follow you to the station or whatever.’’
“What? Maxen, you’re not leaving me to do this on my own. You got me pregnant, so you’re going to see this through!’’ Lark’s fingernails dug into my forearm.
“Mr. Walton, please, let me escort you to the hospital. It’s no bother. I know what it’s like. I had my first child last year. Just be careful on the road.’’
“Oh, thank you, officer,’’ Lark said with a smile and threw a glare at me.
“No problem, ma’am. Where are you going?’’
“Cedars-Sinai,’’ I said loudly as he quickly jogged to his patrol car parked behind me.
He drove past me quickly, and I immediately followed, silently thanking my luck. “I never thought I’d be happy to be famous and use it to my advantage. I pity the poor saps that have to respect the speed limits to get their wife to the hospital,’’ I said and drove faster, tailing the police car.
“You were ready to drop me off and leave,’’ Lark pointed out. I didn’t need to glance at her to know she was pissed.
“I was trying to speed things up.’’
“You’ve been saying that you’re not ready since my water broke, Maxen. It’s too damn late to have second thoughts. I’m about to deliver our daughter!’’
“I’m… it’s just…’’
“What, huh? You’re what?’’
“Lark, calm down,’’ Dex placated her softly. “It’s not good for you or the baby. Maxen is just nervous.’’
“Damn right I am!’’ I exploded and tightened my grip on the steering wheel until my fingers hurt, and my damn shoulders ached from the tension. “What do I do when a boy asks her out, huh? Or when she goes to prom? We all know what happens after prom. I can’t fucking… argh!’’ I took hold of my hair and tugged.
“Wow,’’ Lark whispered and then started laughing, quickly followed by my traitor of a best friend. “You do realize that she’s not even born yet. You have a while to get ready for that.’’
I glared harder at the road in front of me. “I know what boys think like. I was one. We shouldn’t have a daughter.’’
“All right, drama queen. Step down a notch,’’ Dex said and patted my shoulder. “Everything will be fine, you’ll be a great father, and she’ll have three uncles and a crazy dad to protect her from nasty boys. Now calm down.’’
“You wait until you get a daughter, Dex. Just fucking wait,’’ I mumbled and scowled harder when Lark and Dex laughed again.
Lark’s hand found my thigh right when I was getting ready to dispose of the car in front of the hospital. Even through the pain painted on her face, she’s the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her soft smile centered me.
We’d be fine.
Our family was about to get bigger.
***
LARK
I didn’t think I could fall any harder for my husband but watching him with our daughter, Mila Ellie Walton, in his big tattooed arms was impossible not to. His green eyes were the brightest I had ever seen, and he couldn’t look away from her.
Mila was so small in his arms, so perfect with the same shape of his eyes while her little mouth looked a bit like mine. That, right there, was a perfection I didn’t think I’d find.
I was so tired I didn’t know how I could keep my eyes open, I ached in places that made me cringe thinking about, I was a hormonal mess ready to cry, but it was perfect. My family was there, the people that counted the most to me and without whom I wouldn’t be able to live and be happy.
“She’s so perfect, Lark. So fucking perfect,’’ he said, his voice shaking. His eyes found mine and he leaned into me to place a soft kiss on my lips. “I never thought I could make something so perfect. You changed everything. I won’t let either of you down.’’
I traced his lips with the tip of my fingers and then stared at our daughter, my heart so full of love my whole being was overflowing. “I know you won’t, Maxen. You’ll always be a wonderful husband and father. I love you.’’ My eyes filled with tears as the words couldn’t ever come close to how I felt.
“I love you so much, Lark.’’ He kissed me again and then bent down to kiss Mila’s tiny head covered by a small powder pink beanie. “You gave me everything. I never thought I’d get everything I ever wanted, from your heart to a family.’’ He smiled down at our sleeping daughter and then looked back at me with a frown. “But she still scares the hell out of me. I need to brief Dex about his boy. Maybe we should think about moving away so they don’t hang out together.’’
That man.
I chuckled and ignored the pain in my body as my eyes devoured him and my daughter. There was nothing sexier and more incredible than watching your husband holding your baby.
Author’s Babbling
My sexy drummer has his book now!
I hope you enjoyed it as much if not more than Dex. It’s always so difficult writing and publishing another book in a series. The fear is ever present when I’m releasing a new story, but I think it’s worse when it’s a series.
Maxen was amazing to write. This book made me feel warm throughout the story and a few times my heart squeezed at telling Maxen’s story, and showing how low his self-esteem truly cuts him deep. This big guy deserves love, and I think Lark is his perfect match. They both ignite together, push the other to better themselves without turning their back to who they are. There’s nothing fake between them.
This rock star series is wonderful to write. I have such a detailed vision of the guys that make Kinky Shine (and their ladies) that it’s like a movie playing in my head. Even when I type the last word for this story, I still have a perfect vision of these couples’ futures.
Speaking of the band, Otis and Beckett are coming soon. I can’t wait to show you another side to the partygoer Otis and the detached and standoffish Beckett.
Now, it’s time for me to thank a few people…
First, I want to thank all the bloggers and reviewers who helped me with the cover reveal and release day blitz for this book, but also Dex. Thank you, a lot. Your help, your kindness, and enthusiasm regarding Kinky Shine are truly humbling.
I’d like to give a shout out to Ellie, my editor. Thank you for squeezing me in your busy schedule, for not telling me I’m annoying with all my messages (but I bet you flip off your screen sometimes ;) ) and for taking your work so much at heart. You’re amazing.
Jacqueline C., lady, you scared me so much when I sent you an ARC of Dex! I had to put it here because I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous waiting for someone’s message. I hope you like Maxen.
Lucii, thank you for your enthusiasm when you read my books. I’m delighted when I know you enjoy them.
To all of you, reading this right now, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know there are many, many amazing books out there so I can’t thank you enough for giving me and my book(s) a chance. I hope Maxen won you over and I can’t wait to know which of my rock stars is your favorite. I hope you’ll be there for Otis and then Beckett’s story. Your support means the world to me, and you make it possible for me to write and publish books. Please, never stop. *hugs*
Stephanie Witter, in her twenties, lives in France where she comes up with book ideas on her laptop, notebook or phone. When she's not writing the day away, she likes visiting museums or shopping to add another nail polish to her already huge collection. She's also unable to resist the appeal of new books, even when she knows she can't possibly have the time to read yet another one. She's happy to have a to-read pile so high she can never put a dent into it even if she tries her best.
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Maxen (Kinky Shine Book 2) Page 24
