Page 1 of Haze (Serpents of Chaos MC #2)

Lu

Age Fifteen

It wasn’t hard for me to slip away into the night. My parents are always too busy screaming at each other to take any notice of me. Aspen is waiting for me around the corner of our street, her glittery short dress hard to miss. Her brown hair is in a high ponytail—her trademark look.

She lifts the bottle of alcohol in her hand and grins when she sees me. “There you are. I was worried you weren’t going to come. Damian’s on his way to get us.”

Damian is her much older boyfriend, one her older brother, Hayden, doesn’t know about. All I know is that her relationship is on borrowed time because the second Hayden finds out, Damian will be buried six feet under.

Hayden is overprotective and not just of Aspen.

When he caught me at the movies on a date with Matt last month, he pulled him outside and sent him home with a broken nose.

“I just need to be home before sunrise,” I say, pulling my lip gloss out of my crossover bag and squeezing some on my lips. “You look hot.”

“So do you,” she replies, taking in my tight jeans and new favorite top. It’s silver, shaped in a V above my navel, and only has one strap holding it at the back. I can’t wear a bra with it, but my breasts aren’t that big, so it works for me.

When we pull up at the party, people are everywhere, and it’s safe to say they are all much older than us.

A sliver of unease hits my stomach. I can defend myself since I’ve been training Muay Thai for two years now.

I begged and begged my parents to let me, and they finally relented as long as I find my way there and back.

It’s one of the best things they have done for me.

When Hayden found out I was walking to and from the gym, he joined and started walking with me.

Since he got his license, he’s been driving us there. He trains more than I do now.

“These are all college guys,” I murmur to Aspen, who turns to me with mischief dancing in her brown eyes.

“They’re hot, Lu. Don’t worry, Damian knows them all. He’ll look out for us.”

That knot doesn’t leave my stomach, and I have no faith in her new boyfriend. Still, I’m not leaving her alone here.

We come together, we leave together.

That’s always been our thing. We might make some stupid decisions, but we always pull each other out, just like best friends should.

A drink is placed in my hand, but I only hold it and don’t sip it. Aspen, however, starts skulling hers, sitting on Damian’s lap with her arm around his neck.

“Who do we have here?” a preppy blond asks, sitting next to me. His blue eyes trail over my visible skin, and I suddenly wish I wore something else tonight.

“This is Lu, Aspen’s best friend.” Damian smirks, giving me a once-over.

“Ah yes, the one who made those delicious birthday cupcakes.”

I like to bake, sue me, and a lot of the time, Aspen helps herself to whatever I’ve made. She must have shared the cookie and cream ones I made for her last week.

Cold fingers trail over my collarbone. “I wonder what else is delicious.”

I slowly move his hand away.

“Simon, leave her alone,” Aspen snaps, lifting her head from Damian’s neck.

Damian and Simon then share a look, and he whispers something in Aspen’s ear. She stands and announces she’ll be right back.

“Aspen,” I warn, not wanting her to leave.

“I’ll be back in five, Lu.” She turns to Simon. “Look after her until I’m back.”

I’m going to kill her.

Damian flashes me a smirk, leaving with her.

She disappears down the hallway, I’m guessing to go and fuck her man. I stand and walk toward the kitchen, not wanting to be left alone with the friend . I’m going to give her ten minutes before I go and find her, so Damian better know how to make her come quickly.

“Not drinking tonight?” Simon asks me, following behind.

“Just taking it slow,” I lie. There is no way in hell I’m letting my guard down here.

“Hmm,” he murmurs, watching two drunk girls come into the room as he takes a long sip of his drink. One winks at him, gaining his attention. He must do the math in his head and realize his chances are higher of getting laid with one of them, so he bails on me.

I attempt to find Aspen, calling out her name as I try to retrace her steps. When I finally find her, she steps out of the bathroom with Damian, rubbing her nose where there’s a trace of white powder on it.

“What the fuck did you just do?” I ask her, gripping her upper arm and pulling her toward me.

Her eyes flicker with guilt, but when Damian tugs her back against his chest, she doesn’t fight him.

“Lu—”

“Leave her alone, Lu.” Damian scowls.

One thing about me—I’m calm. I’m chill. I’m upbeat.

Until…

I lose my temper.

He doesn’t see the punch coming, not until his nose cracks and blood pours from him.

“Lu!” Aspen screams, bending to her knees to try to help him stop the blood flow.

“We are leaving… now! ” I tell her, trying to lift her.

But she fights me.

I pull out my phone and send Hayden a quick message, telling him I need him and where we are.

Aspen is too busy trying to help Damian to notice.

Hayden

Be there in five. Don’t move.

Relief fills me. I’ve never tried any drugs, and as far as I know, Aspen hasn’t either. Yeah, she drinks a lot more than me, but because my parents are alcoholics, it doesn’t appeal to me as much as it might to others our age.

“Come on, Aspen, we’re going home.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she replies, standing back up with Damian. “I’m going to stay here tonight.”

I still. “We come together, we leave together.”

Her brow furrows, and her voice softens. “Not this time, Lu.”

When Hayden storms in, he’s not alone. No, he’s got a blonde on his arm, and it’s clear what I’d interrupted. He has lipstick on his neck, and the top button of his jeans is undone.

My chest suddenly hurts, and I absently rub it.

“What’s going on?” he asks, checking us both over to make sure we’re okay.

“You called him?” Aspen snaps, laughing without humor. “Fucking hell, Lu. And you wonder why I don’t tell you everything anymore.”

“Who the fuck is this?” Hayden asks Aspen, his fists clenching.

“This is my boyfriend,” Aspen admits, shifting on her feet. She’s close to her brother, and I know she doesn’t want him to find out about this. “I’m staying here tonight, Hayden. Take Lu home.”

Hayden looks over Damian’s bloodied nose, his expression giving nothing away. “How old are you, fucker?”

“Nineteen.”

Hayden’s jaw tenses. “My sister is fifteen.”

“She’s old enough to make her own choices.”

Hayden stills and then punches him in the gut. Hard. Our coach would be proud. Or not, since technically, we aren’t allowed to fight outside the gym.

Damian drops, and Hayden kicks him in the ribs a few times. Aspen screams. Hayden ignores her and bends down to pick her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

“Luella, get in the car. Now.”

He’s the only one who calls me that.

The blonde follows behind us, staying quiet, but her presence is still felt.

Aspen is put in the back. “Gloria, go sit with her,” Hayden orders, and the blonde does as she’s told.

“She’s fine, Hayden,” she murmurs, running a pink fingernail across his bicep.

It makes me feel sick.

When the door closes, he pulls me closer to him with his warm hand on my nape. “What the fuck happened? What are you both even doing here? You’re smarter than this, Luella.”

I lick my suddenly dry lips. “She’s been dating him for a few weeks. He brought us to this party.” I open my mouth, then close it. “She was doing drugs in there with him. I didn’t know, Hayden. I had no idea.”

He walks away, turning his back on me, his hands gripping his nape. “Fuck.”

Yeah, that sums it up.

“You should have told me about him,” he snaps when he turns around, pinning me with his angry gaze.

“She’s my best friend,” I remind him.

He sighs, his chest rising and falling as he calms himself down. “I’m going to kill that fucker if he comes around her again. Get in, I’ll take you home.” He opens the passenger door for me, putting me in the front with him.

“Sorry we interrupted your night.”

I’m surprised he even checked his phone, considering what he was doing. I didn’t think boys would stop having sex for anything, never mind a text message from the girl next door.

He gently slides his knuckles across my cheekbone. “Either of you need me, I’m there.”

I slide into the seat and turn around to see Aspen zoned out and staring out the window. Gloria, however, has her narrowed eyes firmly on me.

Yeah, it’s safe to say we aren’t going to be friends anytime soon.

“Are you coming back to my house?” she asks Hayden as he pulls out onto the street.

His eyes dart to mine, and his throat works as he swallows. “No, I need to deal with this.”

“But you didn’t get to?—”

“We can discuss this another time,” he cuts her off.

Didn’t get to what?

Finish?

Come?

What didn’t he get to do?

I’ve had a crush on Hayden for as long as I can remember. He’s a boy who takes what he wants and isn’t shy around girls.

He’s never made a move on me.

I know he doesn’t see me like that, so every time I’m in one of these situations, I hide my jealousy. I hide how much it fucking hurts to see or hear about him being with another girl.

We drop Gloria off. She slams the door. Hayden sighs but says nothing else.

Aspen is passed out by the time we get back to their house, the alcohol and whatever else she took taking its toll. We sneak her inside and tuck her in, and then he walks me to my front door.

“I’ll sleep on the floor in her room,” he assures me, tucking a curl behind my ear. “I’ll keep an eye on her. Who knows what the fuck that dickhead gave her.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, feeling like the worst friend.

“Not on you, you didn’t know. It’s on her. She fucked up,” he replies, dipping to kiss my forehead. His lips linger, and my eyes close of their own accord, just enjoying the feel of his mouth on my skin. “You did the right thing texting me. Get some sleep, baby.”

He doesn’t leave until I lock my door. Not only is he the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen, he’s also a gentleman.

Hayden Rhodes might not know it yet, but one day, he’s going to be mine .