Page 23 of Haze (Serpents of Chaos MC #2)

LU

“Maybe she will let me join you both,” Amy says, batting her fake lashes at Haze.

I was dancing with Ora, having a good time, when she tapped my shoulder and pointed at Haze. Lo and behold, Amy, a woman who works in town near the bakery, is standing there flirting with Haze.

I didn’t want any more drama tonight after the shock of Romeo being a Serpents’ prospect, but here we are.

“Maybe she won’t,” I reply, flashing her a fake smile. I push between her and Haze, and his arms come around me.

“Won’t share her with anyone,” Haze replies, gently brushing my curls off my shoulder and placing a soft kiss there.

Amy looks genuinely surprised at his declaration.

That shit only serves to piss me off more. “What does your husband have to say about this?”

She purses her hot pink lips and lifts her chin. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” She flashes a smirk at Haze. “If you ever want to fuck in secret, call me.”

My jaw drops open at the fucking audacity.

Fuck it. I’m going to kick her ass. I move to storm after her.

Haze grabs me, stopping me from going. “She’s not worth it, baby.”

“You fuck married women too? Was anyone off-limits?” I snap, feeling oddly disappointed in him.

Yeah, I knew he fucked around plenty.

But married women?

I know it should be her feeling guilty for cheating on her husband, but is nothing sacred to him?

“I’m not married,” he replies softly, spinning me around and cradling my face. His eyes move to mine. “I didn’t break any vows.” He dips his head and kisses me hard and wet. At first, I push my palms against his chest, but then I slowly fall into the kiss, melting against him.

I’m still angry.

But the man can kiss.

And he knows it.

The petty part of me is hoping that Amy is watching.

Haze breaks the kiss when the music stops, and Prez gets up on stage. “All right, brothers, I have a surprise for you all. This isn’t just another random party. Suit was able to work his magic, so Curse got out early! Let’s welcome him home and also welcome Rune to our chapter.”

The doors open, and two hulking men step inside.

You can tell they are brothers. Both are the same height, maybe six foot five, are covered in ink, and have dark olive skin.

One has dark, short, cropped hair, and the other has dark hair that curls at his neck.

They are both in all black. The one with the longer hair has one of those wallets chained to his belt loop.

Men and women swarm them, welcoming them as they walk through the crowd.

As they get closer, I can see their dark, almost black eyes.

“If you ever cheat on me, I’m hooking up with one of them,” I announce.

“You’re not hooking up with fucking anyone,” Haze growls, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder. He suddenly stops and lifts one of his hands from my ass. “Good to have you home, Curse. Rune.”

Double deep chuckles. “And who do we have here?” a deliciously low, husky voice asks.

“This is Luella, my old lady,” he says, and I can hear the pride in his tone. “I’ll introduce you to her properly another time.”

More deep, amused laughter.

“I’m going to find my own pussy for the night,” the one who must be Curse announces.

Lifting my head, I turn to look at them as much as I can with my hair in my face and hung upside down. “Make sure you use protection. Don’t want to be like Haze and have a club girl holding a baby over you!”

Curse dips his head to the side to get a look at me. He has a nose ring, which I find totally hot. “Don’t worry, I bought some extra-large condoms on the way here. Plus, I usually finish in their mouths just to be sure.”

My nose wrinkles. “Charming.”

He studies me, and it’s almost like he can see into my soul, then says quietly so only I can hear, “You’re good for him. He’s a good man. Hero complex. He puts everyone else first. Don’t let him push you away when he gets vulnerable.”

Rune winks at me, dimples forming. I notice he has a lip ring in the center of his lower lip and two black hoops in each ear. His dark hair is perfectly tousled and falls across his forehead like a paid actor. They are both covered in ink from the neck down.

Haze says something to them I can’t hear, and then we are on our way upstairs.

Before we can make it up, though, I hear someone call my name, and turn around to see Xanthe.

She’s wearing baggy jeans and a red top that shows off her flat stomach.

She looks hot and edgy. Her dark hair is flowing down her back.

“Don’t leave yet!” She laughs, but her smile drops when she looks above us.

I spin around to see Daisy coming down the stairs with Ghost next to her. He’s doing up the button on his jeans, and her lipstick is smeared all over her face.

What the fuck.

I don’t see any lipstick on him, so I can only imagine where her mouth has been.

Ghost’s face is unreadable until he sees Xanthe, and then he stops in his tracks. His steel-gray eyes flicker with something I can’t name before he masks it, but his jaw is tense. The air in the room suddenly shifts, tension building. Ghost’s eyes dart to Haze, looking like he wants to kill him.

What exactly is going on here?

Daisy, on the other hand, ignores the lack of air in the room and smirks at Haze. “I told you I’d have to look elsewhere if you weren’t going to give it to me.” She steps down and walks between us, hips swaying.

Ghost and Xanthe stand there. He’s looking at her, and she’s looking down at the floor.

“Put me down, Haze,” I order, wanting to speak to her.

As soon as my feet touch the floor, I go to her, entwining my arm with hers and pulling her toward the kitchen. I look back at Haze to see him and Ghost having a low, heated conversation. Ghost pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to Haze.

Ghost’s eyes follow Xanthe until we are out of view.

When we step into the kitchen, I hear a loud bang, like someone’s thrown something.

“What was that?” I ask her, opening the refrigerator and getting her one of Ora’s pineapple juices.

“Nothing,” she replies, worrying her bottom lip. “I didn’t know Ghost?—”

“And Daisy? I think this is the first time they’ve hooked up. Ghost doesn’t do repeats,” I say, wincing as the words leave my lips. Ora told me she’d caught Ghost watching Xanthe the last time she came here for a party, but I didn’t think anything of it until now.

He must want her.

Not a surprise—she’s hot, sweet, and smart.

But her reaction to him?

That is a surprise.

Ghost is unhinged.

He’ll eat her alive.

When her brown eyes glance up at me, filled with what looks like disappointment, I realize maybe she would enjoy it.

“You like him,” I whisper, and she swallows hard, opening her juice and taking a sip. She opens her mouth to reply when Ghost steps inside the kitchen, taking her in.

“Xanthe?” His tone is pure gravel.

She keeps her eyes on me, ignoring him.

“Eyes on me, little one. She’s not going to save you,” he growls, and my eyes widen.

That commanding, deep tone.

Little one?

Shit, she’s in trouble.

Hell, I want to give him my eyes, and I’m low-key terrified of him.

Xanthe looks up at him, following the command, and Ghost, the same Ghost I’ve been told hates to touch, reaches down and gently cups her face. For a moment, she leans into his palm and soaks in his touch.

I suddenly feel like I’m intruding as the two of them stare at each other. I’m about to slowly back out of the room when Xanthe suddenly shakes her head, like she’s clearing her thoughts, and moves away from his touch. “Leave me alone, Ghost. I thought you were different. Clearly, I was wrong.”

Oh, he’s different, all right.

Different like a serial killer.

She stands, and I follow, threading her fingers with mine. “Come on, let’s go have a dance. It’s a party, after all.”

She nods. “Ghost should leave. Looks like he’s partied enough already.”

With that parting shot, we both walk out of there, but I feel her fingers trembling.

Xanthe has been keeping secrets.

And I cannot wait to hear them.