Havoc (Storm MC 7)

I dropped my gaze and stared at the ground while trying to get my thoughts together. This had to come out right because I was sure I only had one shot at changing his mind.

He reached for my chin and lifted my face. For the first time since this had all started, I saw care there. “Talk to me.” His voice had softened and while I briefly wondered where that had come from, I didn’t want to ponder it for too long. God only knew how long it would last.

“Dad leaving and never wanting anything to do with me caused a shitl

oad of insecurities for me, Nash. I’m sure you realise that, but I’m not sure you realise just how deep they run. I promised myself a long time ago that I’d never end up with a man like our father. I wanted a nice guy, a steady man who would never let me down. The trouble was I never believed myself worthy of that, so I kept choosing the wrong men. When I met Havoc, it honestly was only supposed to be a quick fling. A biker wasn’t in my life plan, no offence.”

Listening intently, he nodded at that.

“I know you’ve said Havoc is violent and dangerous for me, and for sure, I’ve seen his temper. But he’s never once shown me any violence. In fact, he’s gone out of his way to give me the opposite. He also gives me honesty in a way that no other man ever has. He respects me and doesn’t tell me I have to change who I am. And he’s super protective of me.” I paused, waiting for him to say something, but he didn’t, so I continued, “Nash, you’ve seen me with other guys. You know that I’m a mess most of the time if I’m dating someone. Do I look like a mess at the moment? Do I seem unhappy and insecure?”

I watched him closely to gauge his reaction and I could have sworn I saw conflict work its way across his face. But in the end he said, “Carla, you haven’t known Havoc as long as I have and you haven’t seen the shit I’ve seen. I know you think you know him, but you don’t. And he might be giving you all those things now, but we all know relationships start off with best behaviour. It won’t last.”

My mouth fell open. I’d stood there and been honest with him and all he could give me in return was that? “You’re not willing to even stop and consider what I’ve said?”

His jaw clenched. “I did, but it doesn’t change anything.”

“Oh, my God, you frustrate me, Nash! You always think you know best. Let me tell you, you don’t know best on this.”

He stiffened. “You’re not going to stop seeing him, are you?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Fuck, Carla. You never fuckin’ learn when it comes to men. I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

“I’ve heard you loud and clear. If he hurts me, I’ll own that. But can you at least give us the chance to see where this goes without harassing him?”

He stood there fuming and I thought for sure he was going to continue arguing with me. In the end, though, he jabbed his finger at me and declared, “If he so much as causes you one tear, he’s fuckin’ dead.”

With that, he turned and left. I stayed rooted to the spot, stunned at what he’d said. Just before he disappeared inside, I yelled out, “Dinner tonight at Mum’s. You and Velvet are invited.”

He didn’t turn back or stop, but rather nodded and said, “We’ll be there.”

I failed to mention that Havoc was invited.

Tonight would either be an epic failure or new beginnings for all of us.

25

Havoc

“Thank you for coming tonight. Your dad’s going to be all right without you, isn’t he?” Carla said as we entered her mum’s house for dinner.

“Yeah, Yvette’s with him at the hospital tonight. I spent most of day with him before visiting the clubhouse. He’s had enough of me for today.” The doctors were busy tweaking his medication, so until they were happy with that, they weren’t letting him go home. Dad was still pissed at me for his hospital stay.

“Uh, I need to confess something to you,” she said as she halted our progress down the hallway. Voices filtered from the kitchen and I was fairly sure of what she was about to tell me.

I raised my brows. “Keep going.”

Biting her lip and looking anything but confident, she said, “Nash is here. I didn’t want to tell you in case you said no to coming. I think tonight might give you guys an opportunity to move past where you’re at.” Her words rushed out in a nervous mess and I fought not to smile at them. What she didn’t realise was that I’d say yes to almost anything if it involved being in the same room as her. I could try to deny it, but I was fucking done for where she was concerned.

“Don’t hold your breath, darlin’. Nash can be a stubborn asshole when he wants to be. But I’ll be on my best behaviour.”

She reached up and gently touched the lingering bruise near my eye. “God, I’ll bloody punch him myself if he does this again.”

I grinned. “I don’t doubt it.”

Grabbing my hand, she said, “Okay let’s do this.”