Page 29 of Haze (Serpents of Chaos MC #2)

LU

Trying to move around doesn’t work well for me.

One of my legs has a giant bruise, and while I’ve pulled out the small pieces of glass in my arm, there’s one big one that I’m going to need help with.

I don’t know how long I’ve been lying here, but it feels like about an hour before Grip opens my door, this time without Pippa.

He has a bottle of water in his hands, and he sits on the edge of the bed next to me, studying me.

“Spoke to Rome. He said he agrees to my terms, and they will be here in twenty minutes to do the trade,” he says, lifting the bottle of water to my lips.

I open my mouth and take a few sips. He’s surprisingly gentle as he helps me.

“How’s your arm?” he asks, his brow furrowing. His demeanor is a whole lot different without Pippa around, which is interesting.

“I’ll be okay,” I reply, not wanting to give him anything to use against me.

“Let me see,” he murmurs, reaching over and having a closer look. “Fuck, that looks deep.”

The door slams open, and Pippa stands there with two hulking men behind her. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Making sure she doesn’t bleed out before the Serpents get here,” Grip comments, his voice nonchalant. He quickly stands and crosses his arms. “She’s going to need to go to the hospital.”

“I don’t give a fuck what happens to her,” Pippa fires back, and I wonder how she holds so much power with these men. Ora told me that a man named Wyatt said she was now the president of the Isle of Insanity MC, but I haven’t seen anyone with a president patch.

I have no fuckin clue what’s going on right now other than I’m being used as a pawn.

I need to do whatever I have to, to survive.

The two men behind Pippa step inside the room, and I ignore them even though I know their eyes are on me.

“Shame we don’t get to sample some Serpents’ pussy,” one comments while the other one licks his lips.

Yuck.

“No one touches her,” Grip demands, standing in front of me to block my view. “We get the money and weapons, and then we let her go. That’s the deal.”

“Shame her man is away,” Pippa adds, smirking.

How did she know that?

“Oh, you don’t know? Aspen owed us, so she called him in. Seems she doesn’t like you much. In fact, she sounded happy at the idea of getting rid of you.”

Okay, ouch.

We might not have anything to do with each other now, but once upon a time, she was my dearest friend.

“Yeah, I thought you’d like to know that.” She smirks. “She stole from us, though, so I have no problem throwing that bitch under the bus. I hope she gets what’s coming to her.”

“What did we do to you?” I ask her, trying to figure out where she fits into this. There’s hatred behind her eyes, and that doesn’t manifest out of nowhere.

“John was my man, did you know that? He was the president before the Serpents killed him. I loved him. And you all took him from me. You will pay for that,” she sneers, turning around and storming out, the two men following behind her.

Only Grip remains.

“She was his sidepiece,” he adds, and my brows rise, my lip twitching.

I don’t know how I can find anything funny right now, but I have to get my licks in when I can.

With that, he also leaves, and I lay back, feeling helpless.

It’s not a nice feeling.

I must fall asleep because eventually, I’m woken up by gunshots and screaming.

“Where is she?” I hear, and I force myself to sit up.

“I’m in here,” I yell as loud as I can, getting up and banging on the door.

I keep going until I hear someone unlock it, and then I step back. My hand is still covering the wound on my arm, and I’m hoping I can make it to the hospital in time because my vision is starting to blur.

All I remember before I collapse is two sets of identical blue eyes.

* * *

The next time I wake up, I’m in a hospital bed, my mouth is dry as hell, and Haze is sitting in the chair next to my bed, holding my hand. His elbows are resting on his knees, and his eyes are on the floor. He looks miserable.

“Haze?” I rasp, and he quickly lifts his head.

“Baby.” The look on his face devastates me. His hazel eyes are red and filled with pain.

“Water,” I rasp.

He quickly stands and brings a glass to my lips, patiently waiting while I sip it down. “Lore?”

“He had a concussion and cut on the side of his head, but he’s back at the clubhouse. He’s fine. He’s already asking for the women to play nurse for him.”

My lip twitches. “How long have I been here?”

“A few hours. Bones and Skull brought you here. The doctor had to pull out all the glass in your arm. They said you likely have a concussion too.”

Lying in bed, I twist my neck to face him. I’m feeling a whole burst of emotions right now, and although Haze is here, he wasn’t here when I needed him. Will I ever come first to him?

I think I need some space to clear my head and some rest.

Because I’m so exhausted and overwhelmed right now, I could cry. “You weren’t there.” It comes out as a broken whisper. “I needed you, and you were off saving someone else.”

It might make me sound selfish, but he’s my man . If I can’t rely on him to be there for me, who can I rely on?

I’m hurt.

And I’m angry.

The latter presents itself a lot easier than the former.

“I know. I’m so fucking sorry, Luella. I wasn’t there when you needed me. I fucked up.” He reaches for my face, then suddenly drops his hands in defeat when I turn my head, letting them hang at his sides.

“I just need to be alone right now,” I reply softly, staring in front of me at my hands.

“Luella, don’t do this, please. You know I’d do anything to protect you. Anything?—”

“Anything except put me first. I know you have responsibilities with Aspen, and I never want you to not help your sister. I just need time adjusting to the reality that if you are going to run off without warning every time she calls, I’ll be alone…

” I trail off, swallowing hard. “I’ll always come second.

I just need some space until I heal to be okay with that. ”

“You shouldn’t have to be okay with that.

I’m so sorry, baby. I fucked up badly. You don’t come second to me, and I never should have made you feel that way.

It won’t happen again, that I can promise you.

” He stands, leaning over me and pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“I’ll give you some alone time, but I’m not fucking going anywhere.

I’ll be out in the waiting room. I’ll come and check on you in a bit.

I’m not leaving you, Luella. I’m never leaving you. ”

When I’m left alone, only then do the tears fall.

The next time the door opens, it’s Ora. Her face drops as she takes me in, her arms coming around me. “I was so fucking scared.”

“You and me both,” I reply, forcing a smile. “But I’m okay.”

She sits on the edge of my bed. “Only you would still look beautiful after a kidnapping.”

My lip twitches. “Now I know you’re lying.”

Her blue eyes twinkle before she dips her head toward the door. “Haze is out there, looking like he was the one in a car accident. He refused to leave your side from the moment he got here.”

“He wasn’t here.”

“I know,” she replies, gently cradling my face. “But he couldn’t have known this would happen, Lu.”

“I know that, but it still happened,” I blurt out, my lower lip trembling.

“Lu, he loves you. He knows that?—”

“Haze didn’t save me,” I whisper, swallowing hard. “The club did. If I waited for him, I’d probably be dead right now.”

“It should have been me saving you.” My head snaps to the door, where he’s leaning against it, watching me. His hazel eyes are filled with pain, and tension rolls off him in waves. “If anything had happened to you…”

Ora kisses my cheek and quietly leaves while Haze sits and takes my hand back into his.

“I’m tired of having to save everyone, and while doing so, it almost meant losing the only person who makes me truly happy.

From now on, I will put you first, Luella.

Aspen is an adult, and I won’t be running to her every time she calls from now on. ”

“I’m not giving you an ultimatum, Haze. I know you care about your sister.”

“I know you’re not, but I need to be the man you deserve. I will be the man you deserve. I should have been here, and from now on, I will. I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”

I open my mouth to tell him about Aspen purposely calling him away, but I don’t want to hurt him. Still, he should know the truth.

“What, baby?” he presses, gently pushing my curls off my forehead.

“Pippa said she asked Aspen to call you, to lure you away from me. I don’t know if it’s true, but…”

The air in the room instantly shifts. “She did that?” he whispers, his brow furrowing as his eyes shut.

“She did. I’m sorry, Haze. I considered not telling you because I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“No,” he replies, giving my hand a soft squeeze. “Always tell me, Luella. Always . That’s it, she’s done.” He places a soft kiss on my cheek and then takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I owe my club brothers a debt I’ll never be able to repay.”

“You’re not perfect, Haze. And neither am I. We will get through it.”

“You are perfect to me,” he replies, his lips moving to my knuckles.

“I’m not. I run my mouth a lot.”

“I like your attitude.” He grins.

“I overthink…”

“I don’t mind overexplaining.”

My heart melts.

“I think baking solves all life’s issues.” I smile.

“That’s not a flaw, baby girl. I love that you’ve found your passion in life. And you are damn good at what you do.”

“I love you, Haze.”

“I love you more, Luella. Even if you have a fucking pet spider in the shower that you won’t let me kill.”

“Leave Harry out of this.”

He shakes his head and runs the pad of his thumb over my lower lip. “Fucking crazy about you. Never going to let anything happen to you again.”

“You better fucking not.”

He smiles, and that dimple pops out.

And all is right in my world again.