Page 8 of Haze (Serpents of Chaos MC #2)

HAZE

Age Eighteen

“Where was she?” I ask my mom, frowning at my now passed-out sister.

She’d gone missing again. I’ve lost count of the number of nights we’ve spent out looking for her.

Aspen is a mess. She’s dropped out of school, and all she does is party and take drugs.

She’s ruined her friendship with Luella, who was once her favorite person in the world.

It’s not only our heart she’s been breaking by taking this path, but every time Luella sees Aspen, her face no longer lights up. Now it drops.

“Passed out at a party.” Mom sighs, sitting and covering her face with her hands.

It’s been a year of this, and it’s broken her.

Her marriage to my father didn’t survive it either.

He just moved out, leaving us to deal with everything on our own.

“Your grandparents have offered us their investment house if we want to move. I think it’s a good idea.

We need to get her away from here, from these people she’s surrounded herself with. ”

My first thought is Luella.

I don’t want to leave her.

Her parents—if I can even call them that—don’t give a shit about her.

Luella looks after herself, hiding under the covers while they drink and fight.

She’s been raising herself for as long as I’ve known her.

I bring her food, drive her to school and the gym, and make sure she’s okay.

Over the years, she’s grown into the most beautiful girl, inside and out.

Smart, sweet, and hardworking—she studies hard and loves to bake.

And she’s mine .

I’ve always known it, even when I didn’t want to accept it.

My girl’s not ready for me yet, but when she is, I’ll be there.

At least, I thought I would be.

“I don’t want to leave Rest Falls,” I quietly admit, swallowing hard.

“Hayden, she has marks on her arms,” Mom whispers, tears dropping down her cheeks.

Aspen’s drug use went from alcohol and weed to hard-core drugs within a few months.

She’s slipping through our fingers, and we all know it.

“If we don’t do something now, we’re going to lose her forever.

There’s a rehab center there. It could be a fresh start for us. We need this. Aspen needs this."

“Fuck,” I grit out, standing up from the couch and starting to pace.

I’m the man of the house now, and I need to step up and look after my mother and sister.

But Luella.

“Okay, I guess we don’t have a choice,” I mutter, and my mother cries harder.

To save my sister, I’m going to have to leave my heart behind.

* * *

Present

Luella’s sitting at the bar, laughing with Ora and Xanthe, their other friend. Her curly hair tumbles around her shoulders, and her lips are painted a soft pink. She’s beautiful. She always has been. My little rose might have thorns now, but I know her deep down to her soul.

No longer the girl I knew—she’s all woman now.

And she’s mine .

“You not fucking her yet?” War asks, smirking from beside me. We’re on the other side of the room playing poker.

“She’s more likely to stab me than let me in her pussy,” I mutter.

He throws his head back and laughs. “Fucking hell, Haze. Never knew there was a woman alive who didn’t want to fall into bed with you.” He pauses, scowling. “Besides Ora, of course.”

If only he knew.

I’d give up every other fucking woman I’ve ever been with just to have Luella.

“She’ll come around,” I reply, dragging my eyes back to her. There’s no fighting what we have. Trust me, I’ve fucking tried. I wanted to stay away from her, but I couldn’t. And when I didn’t come for her—she found me.

No one can tell me that fate doesn’t exist.

What we share is a once-in-a-lifetime type of connection. And I’d never say that out loud to War, but I am a fucking songwriter, and you best believe she’s been my muse for as long as I can remember. I don’t care what I have to do, I’m not letting her slip through my fingers again.

“How’s the bakery rebuild going?” Angel asks, leaning back in his chair. The scar that runs along his face might scare some, but I know how he got it, and it’s a mark he should wear with pride.

“Good. I’m paying extra to have it done faster,” I admit. “Ora got Lu to design it exactly how she wants it, and I’m going to make sure it happens. Whatever insurance doesn’t cover, I’m putting in the rest.”

It’s going to be even better than before her dream bakery. The kitchen is going to be ten times better than it was. No expense will be spared.

Scorp makes a whipping noise, and the men all laugh. It’s not like War can talk, but I don’t point that out to our VP.

“We still haven’t caught the fuckers who did it,” War reminds us, but we all know it’s the Isle of Insanity MC.

They’ve been quiet, and it’s making us nervous.

After losing a few of their members, they will be regrouping, but that doesn’t mean they won’t come back.

It’s why the women can’t go anywhere alone for now.

Until then, we’re making our own plans. We’ve increased the amount of guns we hold and are working on making some new allies.

It’s risky business to get the mafia involved, but we want the Serpents of Chaos MC to be untouchable.

“When does Curse get out?” I ask, changing the subject.

Curse is a patched member of our club. He’s been locked up for three years but is due to be released soon.

Curse is a tattoo artist and a spooky motherfucker.

He knows shit. He sees through people. Sometimes, I wonder if he can read minds.

Shame he didn’t see himself being locked up on a weapons charge.

“Next month. Suit is working on it,” War replies, grinning. “We’ll have to throw him a party… he’s going to want some pussy.”

War would know.

When he got out, he went to a club and straight into Ora’s arms.

“Can’t wait to have him back.” Scorp grins, grabbing the neck of his beer bottle and taking a long drink.

It’s not often our club doctor is here, but when he is, the man likes to let loose.

His skin has gotten tanner from all the hours he spends surfing.

I don’t know how he fits it in with his schedule, but I suppose living by the beach helps.

My eyes snap back to Luella, and I frown when I see Lore move up next to her, his arm firmly around her chest, resting just above one of her juicy tits. “He’s really fucking pushing it,” I mutter, and War follows my line of sight and grunts.

“Almost put that fucker down myself,” War mutters under his breath, then darts his eyes over to Scorp, the man Prez wanted his daughter to be with for a period of time there.

Scorp winces and lifts his hands. “I didn’t touch your old lady.”

“Only thing keeping you breathing.”

“Fuck, everyone is getting taken down one by one.” Angel smirks, shaking his head. “Put a fucking bullet in me before I become as pussy whipped as you two.”

Angel says something else, but his words barely register because I’m too busy wondering why Lore is still standing so fucking close to her.

When he kisses her jaw, I’ve had enough. Standing up, my chair flies backward and falls over as I stalk toward her. The smug bastard just smirks. We’re all good fighters. It’s a part of being in the MC, but I’ve trained longer than him.

Luella’s eyes widen as she sees me approaching, and I can only imagine what my expression looks like. I’ve never been jealous once in the time we’ve been apart, but the second she’s back in my life, I want to punch every fucker who looks at her.

“Lore, unless you want to get in the ring right now, you’ll get your fucking hands off Luella,” I snap, pulling her away from him and next to me.

Ora looks up at me with narrowed blue eyes. I know she’s not my biggest fan, but she doesn’t know me. She has no reason to be protective over my woman.

Luella was mine before she even knew her.

“You guys want to pull your dicks out and measure?” Ora smirks, having a silent conversation with Luella with their eyes. Ora suddenly laughs like a joke was told that only she can understand.

Lore crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m just friends with her, Haze. No reason to resort to violence. Is she your old lady yet?”

At the same time Luella says, “No,” I mutter, “Working on it.”

“Well, you better work a little harder,” she whispers under her breath.

My hand trails up Luella’s back under her soft curls to rest on the back of her neck. It’s a possessive hold, but she doesn’t push me away, so there’s that.

The truth is that she is not wrong.

I need to make my move with her.

I just don’t know where to fucking start.

Is she ready to hear my truth? There’s so much unsaid between us.

Or is it just going to make her run?

Only one way to find out.