Page 13 of Haze (Serpents of Chaos MC #2)

LU

I’m in the kitchen when Haze finds me, interrupting my flashbacks of this morning.

A man has never made me come so fast before.

It’s unusual that I finish at all sometimes, but it’s like Haze already knew my body somehow.

I know I shouldn’t be thinking about how he got to be so fucking good with his mouth, but the thought did cross my mind.

Still, I get to benefit from his experience now. Fuck everyone else.

Well, he kind of already did that, didn’t he?

We still haven’t gone all the way. I can’t help but hope the finale happens later tonight.

His hands grip my hips from behind, his face buried into my neck. “I was hoping you’d still be in bed.”

“I’m making lunch for everyone,” I reply, leaning back into him. He kisses my neck, and a soft whimper escapes my mouth. “Are you hungry?”

“Ravenous,” he rasps, gently pushing my hair to one shoulder and running his nose up the column of my neck. I’m about to spin around and jump him when I hear a throat clearing.

When Haze turns us around, Daisy is standing there, her narrowed eyes pinned on us. “Haze, we need to talk. Now .”

Haze sighs, still not letting go of me. In fact, he pulls me even closer. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Luella.”

Well, that’s new.

Her bright pink lips tighten. “This baby has nothing to do with her.”

“If the baby is mine, it does. And I actually did want to speak to you.”

“Yeah?” she asks, perking up.

“Yeah, when did you say you were doing the paternity test? I sent Scorp a message this morning, and he said he could get it done this week for us. All we need is some blood from you and a cheek swab from me. It’s non-invasive and completely safe for the baby,” he says, and her face drops.

I almost feel bad for her. “Since you’re further than seven weeks, we can do it now. ”

“I’ve decided I’m not going to do the test until the baby is born,” she replies with a smirk, lifting her chin.

Instantly, the temperature in the room drops. “Why, Daisy? You obviously have something to hide if you don’t want everyone knowing the truth. You owe it to your child to find out who the father is.”

She steps forward, resting her hand on the back of the chair at the head of the table.

“I’ve told you who the father is, Haze. And if you want to be a part of our child’s life, you better stop fucking around and pay some attention to its mother.

” With that parting shot, she spins around and disappears like the witch she is.

“Fuck,” Haze grits out, hand moving to the back of my nape. “I’m not going to let her control me. If she wanted to prove the baby is mine, she would.”

I go quiet.

I don’t know what the right answer is here, only my own selfish one.

I don’t want him to cater to her every need while she holds this baby over him, either.

But what happens if it is his? Is this something I can pass off as a future problem? Because it’s not just a problem, it’s kind of a deal-breaker. I thought we would find out soon, and then we could all quit living in limbo.

And then, a thought occurs to me.

His piercing would make it easy to break a condom, wouldn’t it?

Deep inside, I must have thought that Daisy’s baby wasn’t his, but now the fear is real.

But she did fuck around, so I don’t know if all of the men are using protection or what. I don’t know how this all became my problem, but I’m annoyed that it has.

“What are you going to do?” I ask him as he cups my face and forces me to look him in the eye. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea for me to be with you, waiting for everything to hit the fan.”

His amber eyes scan mine. “There’s a small chance the baby is mine. Would it be so bad if I came with a child?”

“How would you feel if I got pregnant with someone else’s baby?” I fire back.

His jaw tenses. “This was before we reconnected, Luella,” he reminds me. His tone is gentle, but I don’t miss the storm brewing in his eyes.

“Yes, and we didn’t reconnect until I stumbled upon you because you never bothered to come and find me, did you, Haze?” The words are out before I can stop them, but once they are out there, I realize how very true they are.

He was happy never to see me again.

He let me go.

He didn’t care where I was or who I was with.

He had moved on.

He grips my face tighter. “I told you why, Luella. I was letting you live a normal life. I didn’t deserve you. I knew it then, and I still know it now, but I’m too much of a selfish bastard to let you go. Your normal life left you the second you walked into this clubhouse.”

“I was meant to be having your children. I’ve had their names picked out since I was twelve,” I admit in a moment of vulnerability.

His eyes soften, and he leans forward to press his lips to my forehead. “And you will. What are the names you chose?”

“Lola for a girl, and Silas for a boy.”

“Beautiful. Save the names. You’ll need them.”

I want to scream.

I want to walk out.

I want to kiss him.

I want us to go back in time and change everything that led us to this moment.

“If you came here with a child already, I would have loved them even if they weren’t mine because they’d be yours.” His lips tighten. “If you came here and got pregnant by one of my brothers,” he lowers his voice, “… I’d have to kill them.”

“And that’s how I feel about Daisy!”

“Daisy is no one. No one else I fucked meant anything, Luella. They were faceless bodies who distracted me from my own shit. I tried to use women to fill a void, a void that no one but you can fill.”

“Daisy isn’t no one, Haze. You’re about to have a child that’s half her. Half her features, half her traits, half her genetics. That’s not no one.”

Our eyes connect and hold, and so much passes through his.

Loss.

Guilt.

Hope.

Fear.

Deep inside, he’s just as scared as I am. But he’s scared that I’m going to run. That I’m not going to accept him.

“It will be okay,” he promises me, and I bury my face in his chest and wrap my arms around him. “You’re the only one I want to be with, Luella. You’re mine . You have always been.”

“I’m afraid,” I admit.

“I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere, okay? I’m going to be so good to you.”

“Lu! Is lunch ready? I’ve been dreaming about having those meatballs in my mouth,” Lore calls out, stopping when he sees us embracing. “Haze, stop distracting her.”

“You need your own fucking woman, Lore,” Haze grumbles, letting me go and looking around the kitchen. “I have to go to the studio tonight, but I’m free now if you need any help?”

Luella smiles and shakes her head. “I’ve got it under control. You can sit here and keep me company, though?”

Haze nods, grinning. “I’m not completely useless in the kitchen, you know? But I get it if you only prefer one chef in here. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll take a beer,” Lore says, pulling out a chair and sitting. He doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere anytime soon. He either can’t read a room or doesn’t care, and I’m pretty sure it’s the latter.

“I’ll have a vodka and cranberry juice, please,” I order.

Haze clips the back of Lore’s head as he leaves the kitchen, and Lore cuts his violet eyes to me. “You naughty little cupcake. Everyone is waiting to hear about what happened last night in the group chat.”

My brows furrow as I start chopping some onions. “How would you know what happens in the group chat?”

I pause and look over at him when he stays quiet, only to see him smirking. “I got an honorary add. Something about me being a gossip.”

I slide my phone out of my jeans pocket and check the chat titled ‘Baddies.’ Lo and behold, Lore has been added to the group by Ora, and there’s a picture of his ripped abs for his profile. I scroll through to see what I’ve missed.

Ora

Lore said Haze is in your room. OMG!

Xanthe

It’s about time!

Ora

I just walked past your room because I’m nosey. Damn, girl. What is he doing to you in there?

Xanthe

Ora! Boundaries.

Ora

I just wanted to make sure she was okay! I knew they were going to give in to all that sexual tension at some point.

Ora

By the way, Daisy walked past. She looks pissed!

Ora added Lore to the chat.

Xanthe

Oh boy. What happened to this being a no-penis zone?

Lore

Hey! You love penis. I’ve seen what you read.

Ora

I told you not to touch my Kindle!

Xanthe

Hahaha.

Lore

Xanthe, why aren’t you staying at the clubhouse?

Xanthe

I don’t think I need to. No one is going to come after me. Not like I’m an old lady.

Ora

Maybe we just want you here.

Lore

I know someone who does.

Ora

WHO?

Xanthe

Yeah, who?

I look up at Lore. “One of the men has a thing for Xanthe?”

Lore leans back and crosses his arms behind his head. “I believe so. But I’m not saying anything. We have to let this play out, I think.”

I type out a quick message and hit send.

Lu

Yes, I spent the night with him. We didn’t go all the way. Now I’m cooking you lunch, Ora!

Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I get started on cooking. With so many people in the clubhouse, it’s basically like catering. Haze brings me my drink, kisses me, and sits next to Lore with his notebook and pen in his hand. Writing songs. He never went anywhere without a notebook.

At Ora’s and Lore’s request, once the spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and salad are ready, I call everyone in.

Ora comes back from her doctor’s appointment and gives me a warm hug. “Thank you, it smells so good.”

“Sorry I missed breakfast,” I say, clearing my throat.

She laughs and winks at me. “I’m not. I want all the details. And you don’t need to fuss over me, Lu. I appreciate it, but I’m a big girl, and I can manage.”

“Well, I’m not pregnant and don’t have a job to go to. The catering has died down a little now that the wedding season is over. So please, put me to work.” I grin, about to grab a plate, when Haze says, “This is yours, Luella.”

He plates my food and places it in front of me. “Do you want another drink?”

I nod slowly. “Yes, please.”

Ora and I share a look.

Haze is trying.

He is all in.

Now I need to decide if I do the same.