Chapter 27

Juliet’s birthday bash was a two-night affair. On Friday night, her agency had put together a huge red-carpet event. It was really meant to serve as a kickoff for her two movie releases coming up later in the year, keeping her in the public eye. The first was a romantic comedy releasing on the Fourth of July. The second, which was already generating Oscar buzz, was a coming-of-age story about a high school senior who got pregnant, gave up the baby for adoption, and, a decade later, goes on a journey to find the child. Hollywood was awash in Juliet Lawson.

The official birthday party took place at the Avalon, an LA mainstay for decades. Most nightclubs came and went. Avalon just reinvented itself. Its current incarnation was of a trendy dance club, but the agency had given it a bit of a retro makeover with decorations to fit the Hollywood Babylon theme. I wasn’t sure how to dress for it, but the girls told me to just stick to something like the Great Gatsby.

It would have been a boring night of schmoozing, except that the novelty of seeing a party full of A-list celebrities still gave us a rush. It was a thrilling form of celebrity voyeurism. I also got a kick out of seeing actors I recognized and knew take second looks at my girls. And they were worthy of those looks. All four of them had dressed in identically styled but different color flapper outfits – sparkling short dresses, long gloves, feathered headbands, and long cigarette holders.

We got drunk. We smoked a ton of weed, which was rampant in all the cigarette holders throughout the party. It was a haze of California’s best bud. Even Katie took a couple puffs, which was cute because it just ravaged her virgin lungs, and she couldn’t hide her disdain for it.

The big splash of the night, however, was Stephen arriving at the party with his new, fabulously elegant Italian girlfriend. She was stunning, age-appropriate, and charming. It was their first public appearance together, and it was sure-fire tabloid fodder. I could tell it annoyed Juliet a little bit, since Stephen intentionally upstaged her a little bit, but she let it roll off her back with poise. Without question, it was her night, and she shined the brightest among all the stars in attendance.

For me, the most entertaining part of evenings like this was seeing what shenanigans the celebrities got themselves into. It was endlessly engaging, and it always happened because these sorts of events were actually bifurcated. There was the public part, with the photographers and the red carpet and the mingling. But there was also always a private area – in the case of Avalon, the separate bar upstairs – that was just for the invited guests.

The highlight of the night was seeing a notoriously squeaky clean pop star snorting a massive rail of coke in the men’s restroom. She played the part so convincingly in public, I must have looked like a fool when I walked in and my jaw dropped. She just went about her business and offered me a bump off her pinky nail as casually as if she were saying hello. I couldn’t refuse it, and I was proud of myself for inhaling the blow without laughing.

There was the usual array of sexual antics, too, with people slipping into bathroom stalls together, regardless of whether their spouses might have been present. And Rita bumped into her favorite country music superstar. He was a mainstay every year at the Houston Rodeo, and Rita never missed the show. He flirted with her unabashedly and was persistent in trying to get her to shotgun a hit of weed with him. Rita finally relented, and it was sexy to see. She came over to me, an embarrassed look on her face, after they finished.

“It would be really, really hard to not fuck him,” she said.

“So do it,” I said, smiling.

“No,” she said with a laugh. “It would never live up to the fantasy, so why spoil it?”

The party wound down for us on the earlier side. It was exhausting to try to keep up with all the hob-nobbing and various agendas that played out at these events, especially since we were outsiders. So it was nice to go home and enjoy a nightcap. It also was a good chance for us to catch up. We were trying to make a point to have time together, emphasizing bringing Katie into the mix in as seamless a way as possible.

We started by laughing and joking about the party, touched on the excitement of our new house, and then Kat hit the topic everyone had on their minds.

“Okay, so can we talk about Jess wanting a boyfriend?” she blurted out. “I mean, what gives, girl?”

“Catch me up,” Katie chimed in. “What am I missing?”

“Jess wants to bring a date to Juliet’s party tomorrow night,” Rita said. “Sorry. I don’t mean to talk for you!”

Nervous laughter rippled through the room.

“Oh, god,” Jess said nervously. “I might need something to take the edge off.”

Without waiting for a response, she marched over to the bar and brought over our pre-gaming tray of cocaine, which still had a few lines on it. She smiled at me before she bent down and snorted. Her cheeks were ruddy, and her perfect teeth lined up like little soldiers, flashing white. Her nose ended in its perfect, sharp point, and her nostrils flared slightly. To my right, I saw Katie lick her lips as Jess addressed the lines. Rita put a hand on her thigh and gave a squeeze. Kat pulled her hair back.

“I want a rail so bad,” Katie said quietly.

“You should get in on this, girl,” Jess said, offering her the straw.

Katie looked at me quickly, and I realized she was asking for approval.

“I guess I probably shouldn’t,” she said.

“You never had a problem with coke,” Rita pointed out.

“You’re like a coke rockstar,” Kat said with a laugh.

“Yeah, but I wonder if my wiring has changed after the opioid shit,” Katie said.

“Maybe it has,” Jess said. “But you can find out. I bet you’ll figure it out really quickly.”

“I mean, I really don’t think it’ll be an issue,” Katie said. “I just thought it might be a bad look after everything.”

“We can keep you in check, sweetie,” Kat said.

I just smiled at her. Jess passed the mirror around.

“I want this after you,” Rita joked as she put it in front of Katie.

“Promise,” Katie said with a happy grin.

With only a slight hesitation, Katie bent forward and put the straw deep in her right nostril with one sweeping motion. The fine crystals disappeared like dirty flying up a vacuum.

“Oh my god,” she said with excitement. “There it is. I missed that feeling so much!”

She paused, blinked a couple times, delicately rubbed the side of her nose, and then switched sides and snorted a second line.

“It’s impossible to describe,” she said happily. “I feel like Superwoman.”

The tray made its way to Rita and Kat, who indulged, and then I finished the last two lines on the tray. Conversation came more easily after that. Everyone wanted to know the story with Jess’s date, from the request to who it was.

“Okay, okay,” Jess said, enjoying the attention but also shifting nervously. “So you all know Kayla was such a huge coup for us to get to work with Daydream. Well, we also got her husband, Manny, and he’s really awesome, like a total superstar.”

“I’ve seen his stuff!” Kat said. “He’s hot.”

“He has this whole Latin alpha male thing going on,” Jess said, gushing a little bit more. “And, anyway, I’m just going to be up front about this. I’ve been working a lot. And I miss all of you, but the work isn’t going to fully go away. I thought it would be good and fun for me to have a kind of regular outlet for some fun.”

She paused and read the room. Jess had thought this through. She continued.

“I was telling John that he and I are kind of the same,” she said. “That’s why we have always loved each other so much. He has needs. I have needs. Part of what makes me who I am is that I like variety. I know you understand that.”

There were nods generally around the room.

“And, anyway, I sort of have developed a chemistry with Manny,” Jess said, “and I thought this would be kind of similar to the swapping we’ve done with our circle, like Crystal and Jason and Jamie and Katie, and, of course, look how great that turned out because now have Katie with us. I’m not saying that’s what I want with Manny, but I just feel like it’s a smarter way than just fucking randoms.”

She laughed, and we joined in.

“I should mention, too, that Manny and Kayla are open, and she knows and approves,” Jess said.

“Does that mean we get to play with Kayla?” Rita said, half-seriously. “Because from what John told me, I might like her as much as he does!”

The laughter became uproarious for a moment.

“Anyway,” Jess concluded. “This isn’t about adding a new person. I just wanted to scratch that itch and do it in a way that’s respectful of the love we share. It’s just a physical thing, nothing more.”

Silence came over the room for an awkward moment. It was difficult to react to something so non-traditional, even in our non-traditional setting.

“I think it would help if we met him,” Kat said.

“Yeah,” Rita agreed. “I mean, we totally trust your judgment, and on the surface it sounds like no big deal. But, you know, if you’re telling us this is someone you want to be important to you, I want to get to know him.”

“That’s a great idea,” I added.

Everyone turned to Katie, who was conspicuously quiet. She realized we were staring at her. So she finally spoke up.

“Um, I just think,” she said with a couple stops and starts, “that whatever is cool as long as you know that, well, I mean, it’s hard to say this because I’m new. But, like, I don’t want to see you drift apart from us. You’ve done so much for me, Jess, and I love you so much. You’re someone I admire, and I think we have something really awesome here.”

“Well said,” I said.

There was another pause.

“What if we did a little happy hour here tomorrow before we go to Juliet’s?” Jess suggested. “You could meet him, and we could go have a fun night.”

“Let’s do it,” Kat said, and we all echoed agreement.

“Great,” Jess said, beaming, “then it’s set.”

It was set. But Jess didn’t show up for happy hour. The appointed time came and went, and she hadn’t even responded to our texts. So when our driver arrived, we went ahead to Juliet’s for the party. I was miffed, but I also wasn’t going to let it distract from Juliet’s night. It was, after all, going to be a raucous good time for all of us no matter what. In addition to us, Kelly and Jamie had flown in from Vegas, along with Crystal, Jason, and Bianka from Houston. Petey would be there with Alix and Christy, our old flight attendant-turned-Infinity-girl. Juliet wanted a low-key, intimate evening. Well, as low-key as a drug-fueled orgy could get. I was going to relish it, regardless of the Jess situation. I knew she probably had flaked simply because she was enamored with her shiny new toy.

Melanie opened the door for us in a stunning red mesh bodysuit and matching stockings. Her smile radiated warmth. She greeted us with hugs and welcomed us with a cocktail to kick off the evening.

“It’s a margarita,” she said. “The best you’ll ever have. But it’s got a kick.” She smiled at us while we each took a sip. “We added some liquid molly to it.”

“Oh, I love it!” Kat said.

“I’m so ready to party,” Rita said, taking a big swig.

“Bottoms up,” Katie said and clinked her glass against mine before throwing back a long drink.

We walked into the main, open living area of Juliet’s house and saw that Petey, Alix, and Christy had already arrived. They were laughing as they stood around a massive sterling silver tray covered in cocaine and gave us a raucous greeting. The ladies dressed in lingerie, while the men wore tuxedos. I figured the suit wouldn’t last too long on me.

The lingerie theme for the evening was a winner. My eyes darted around the room, taking in the bevy of sights around me. I admired Christy, who wore a leather bodysuit with cutouts for her nipples, which were capped by metal clamps. Alix stunned in a sheer white La Perla bra and garter belt set – with no panties. Kat wore an attractive forest green bra and thong set that showed off her stunning ass. Rita wore an electric blue ensemble that contained very little fabric, showcasing her unparalleled tits. Katie, by comparison, was relatively conservative in an understated white bra and thong. But Juliet stole the show. She wore only a dark blue chemise, but it wasn’t made out of solid fabric. Instead, it was a series of looping strings that gave a peek-a-boo quality to it. You caught glimpses of her body but never quite a full flash. She wore nothing underneath – no bra, no panties. It was relentlessly alluring.

It was such a welcome reunion, having all of us together. We caught up on everyday things while everyone took turns making a first run at the cocaine. Jason, Crystal, and Bianka arrived a few minutes after we did. Crystal always felt at home in lingerie, and she once more looked the part in a shimmering, sequined white ensemble that showed off her tits as much as Rita’s did. Bianka wore an almost identical set, which contrasted with her olive skin. Kelly and Jamie were almost on their heels, Kelly a picture of refinement in all black, including her transparent silk cover-up.

And then, fashionably late, Jess and Manny rolled in. Immediately, I knew why she had missed happy hour. She was visibly coked up and full of bubbly energy. Her hot pink teddy and matching g-string looked disheveled, and she had an obvious wet spot on the crotch of her panties. Either she was soaking wet or leaking cum. The bright pink hand prints on her ass told me it was likely the latter. When she ran up to me and gave me a hug and kiss, the strong smell of sex covering her confirmed it.

“Baby, I’m so, so sorry about missing happy hour,” she said apologetically. “Manny and I just got caught up.”

“I can tell,” I said, giving her a once-over. “The girls were disappointed not to get to meet him.”

“Kayla asked how you were doing,” Jess said, quickly changing the subject and knowing how to appeal to my vanity.

“And how is she?” I said, taking the bait.

“She likes to watch,” Jess said, letting her tongue faintly appear as it glided across her bottom lip. “She just sits there and smokes a joint and watches Manny do his thing.”

“Interesting,” I said.

Our conversation got broken up, however, when Crystal nearly tackled me.

“Oh my god!” she said. “Are you really moving next door?”

Jason stood smiling behind her, clearly amused by his girlfriend’s excitement.

“Two weeks until closing,” I said happily.

“Are you serious?” Crystal said, which never failed to elicit a grin from me. “This is going to be the most incredible compound.”

“And with plenty of bedrooms for you guys to come stay when you visit,” I said. “You’re always welcome.”

“Mmm, think of all the trouble we could get into,” Crystal said, unabashedly grabbing my cock over my pants.

And then she bounced off to visit with the LA Infinity girls as they blew lines.

“What’s up brother?” I said to Jason. “Glad to see you.”

“Good to be back, man,” he said. “You’re right. We need to spend more time out here.”

“Let’s think about getting you a place, too,” I said. “It gives you options.”

“Crystal might not like that,” he said with a chuckle. “You already made the offer she wanted.”

“Well, it comes from a sincere place,” I said. “Who are you excited to see tonight?”

My best friend scanned the room quickly, but I saw his eyes backtrack when he reached a certain slutty blonde.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Alix,” he said.

“She’s one of a kind,” I said. “A rare true freak.”

“Maybe you can help me out and distract Crystal while I make my move?” he said with a grin.

I laughed and said, “I have a feeling you don’t need me to do that, but you know I’m not going to say no.”

“I feel like a caged animal,” Jason said. “I’m gonna hit this.”

He stalked off, and I smiled to myself as Alix greeted him as warmly as expected. I found my way over to the silver tray in time to see Crystal lift her head from it and break into a satisfied, dimple-laden smile as she closed her eyes and inhaled, accelerating and savoring the impending drip down the back of her throat. Behind her, Bianka stepped forward and bent down over the tray. Crystal looked up and saw me, and I thought she might scream by how happy she looked.

She walked over to me with an exaggerated sashay in her hips. Crystal dripped sexuality. I couldn’t believe she had spent most of her life suppressing that side of her. It had been like an atomic bomb exploding when she finally tapped into it. That was the energy I felt when she pressed her lips to mine. It was full of urgency and need and promise.

“I am craving your dick,” she said, her lips glistening. “Can we sneak away really quick? I promise it won’t take long. And I know at least Bianka has some plans for you.”

I smiled at Crystal and felt her pushing her tits against my chest. I scanned the room briefly. Juliet and Melanie were talking with Katie and Bianka. Katie saw me looking, caught my eye, and smiled. It was her old smile, and it sent a bolt of happiness through me. Nearby, Kelly and Jamie had rescued Christy from being a third wheel between Alix and Jason, who were already pawing at each other while Alix made her way to the cocaine. Jess was hanging off of Manny as they talked with Kat, Rita, and Petey. Manny exuded charisma, comfortable as he tried to impress Kat and Rita, which I knew was Jess’s intent.

“Let’s find a dark corner,” I said, slipping my hand down to Crystal’s ass and running it along the silky edge of her thong as it dove between her ass cheeks.

Kat briefly turned my way as Crystal and I started to move to the other side of the room, and she winked. I guided Crystal to the first hallway that branched off. There was a powder room immediately to our left, and she led me into it.

“This should do,” she said, turning on the light.

Crystal immediately swung her left leg on top of the sizable vanity and pulled aside her thong as she looked at me in the mirror.

“Are you hard?” she asked. “I just want you to stick it in. I’m soaked.”

Seeing Crystal’s perfectly tended pussy and asshole explained why it was so difficult to unzip my tuxedo pants. I managed to fish out my cock and run it up her slit just in time to catch a large string of pussy juice that oozed out of her.

“Jesus, you’re so fucking smooth,” I said.

“I’m old fashioned,” she said. “I still think waxing makes it the smoothest to touch.”

“I think I agree,” I said and thrust my hips forward.

“Oh, shit, there it is,” she said. “The way those couple extra inches just bottom out. Fuck. Sometimes I just need that.”

I fucked her with a quick pace.

“You’re still so fucking tight,” I grunted.

“Just cum for me,” she said. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll get off.”

It was a spectacular quickie. I kept my hands locked firmly on her hips and fucked her hard and fast, enjoying in equal parts seeing my cock split her tight lips and becoming increasingly covered with her cream and watching her sumptuous ringlets of blonde hair become increasingly disheveled with the force of my thrusts.

“Fuck, I really missed this,” I said, my breath growing increasingly ragged.

“I’m cumming,” Crystal panted. “Jesus, I don’t know how you do that to me!”

It never ceased to please me to hear Crystal, such a devoted Baptist in her past life, to cry out “Jesus” as I fucked her. I slipped my thumb up her ass as her orgasm crested and then drove into her with long, intentional strokes. My body had one thing in mind, and that was cumming as deep in her cunt as I could. Not long after her pussy stopped squeezing from her own orgasm, I unleashed mine. Thick spurts of cum splashed her insides, and I pushed my hips as far against her as I could. I wanted her to feel it against her cervix.

“There it is, baby,” Crystal sighed in satisfaction. “That’s what I needed.”

“Fuck,” I said as I finally pulled out my softening cock.

Crystal gingerly pulled her leg off the vanity and let her thong snap back into place. She shook her hair as she ran her fingers through it and turned around to smile at me.

“That was so fucking hot,” she said. “I love being a whore for you.”

I kissed her. Our tongues danced, and I squeezed her pert tits.

“You’ve become such an incredible whore, doll,” I said.

“You made me that,” she said. “You knew what was really inside me, and you made me a whore. A real whore.”

She smiled at me, bursting with happiness.

“And I can’t get enough,” she added. “You found me the love of my life. I’m just so indebted to you, John. The only thing missing is being available for you to use me whenever you want. I want to change that, okay?”

“I’d love that,” I said. “I’ve been talking to Jason about you guys being in California more, maybe getting a place.”

“Let’s make it happen,” Crystal said with intent.

She kissed me once more then led me by the hand back to the party. When we returned, it seemed like we had been gone much longer than a few minutes. Things were in full swing, and I realized others were probably starting to feel the molly as strongly as I was.

The first thing I noticed was Katie talking to Jamie, who still had Kelly by his side. It was their first encounter since the accident, and they seemed to be all smiles. I knew Katie didn’t harbor any hard feelings, nor did Jamie, so it was good to see that as water under the bridge. Juliet and Melanie were talking to Rita, while Crystal had walked up to Petey and Christy as they indulged once more in the party favors at the silver tray.