Chaos (Havoc Series Book Two) Read Free Page B

unit where she told me they would stay
until I was ready to face it. To face her loss.”
    “And when was that?”
    “Hasn't happened.” Sir turns back and tugs on
his line reeling in a small fish.
    Wow. Sir hasn't dealt with mom's death any
more than I have. No wonder it's so hard for him to look at me in
the face. I'm a walking reminder the one person he loved most left
him with nothing. He didn't mourn any more than I did. Both of us
are trapped in her memory in completely different ways. He had a
life with her before me. Years together. I wonder if Haven were to
die would I handle it any different? Would I be any less withdrawn
or cold than him? Is he really as cold as I think he's been or has
he been trying in the only ways he knows how? Talk about a cluster
fuck.
    The silence returns. Sounds of light
splashing from the fish deciding whether or not to be lured to
their death is the only thing keeping my thoughts from eating me
alive. Occasionally my eyes drift over to Sir, the man who’s DNA I
have coursing through my veins, realizing with each passing glance
I'm not just my mother's son, I'm also his. And I don't know much
about either of them.
    “What was she like, Sir?”
    Not looking up, he remarks, “Who?”
    “Mom.” His eyes cut over at me a sec before
returning to water. “I mean I was just kid when she died, ya know?
And she was quite a woman before she had me. At least...at least I
like to think so.”
    “She was...” his face automatically lifts in
spirits, the memories clearly hovering above him. “She was
something special.”
    Bravely, I state, “So tell me what she was
like, Sir.”
    “What do you wanna know?”
    “How'd you meet?”
    His face tightens like the memory is
strangling him on the inside. The reaction should warrant me to
back off. Back down. Leave this uncharted territory and never
return. It's not like I haven't pushed him enough already, giving
nothing in return. But I wanna know. I need to know. If this is the
last moment we have together before I spend the rest of my life
behind bars, I want to take her with me.
    “I was 21, been in the Navy for two years at
that point. The boys and I were on leave, so we headed out
drinking. We ended up at a strip club downtown. Apparently, we
picked the right night because within the first few minutes of
being there, your mother appeared on the stage in this little white
number. Blew me out of the water.”
    My mom was a stripper? Do I even wanna know
the rest of this story?
    “There was something about her, ya know? I
mean yeah, it helped she was half dressed, but there was something
about the look in her eyes. She didn't look dead on the inside like
the others. There was a spark there. A flame waiting to set the
world on fire, it just needed the gasoline. And I wanted to be that
gas, Clint...”
    “After her performance, she disappeared
behind the bar to make drinks. According to the other girls, she
only stripped on Saturday nights for one show which was why the
place was extra packed; the rest of the week she stayed out of
sight behind the bar. When we were getting ready to leave, I looked
around for her. I wanted her to have my number. I wanted her to
know I was more than just some horny bastard looking to bang a
stripper. No surprise I couldn't find her. I figured she went to
change but when we made it outside and were headed for the car, I
heard sounds coming from the alley next to the building. I took
off. Jamie was pinned against the wall by some moron's hips; the
bastard's hand was lunged up her top. I fucking lost it. Pulled him
off her and started swinging. Punch after punch. She was screaming
at me the entire time that 'she wanted it!' that 'he paid for it!'
that I needed to 'back the fuck off!’ I didn't give a shit. I
couldn't explain to her why I couldn't let that jackass use her
like that. I didn't even know her. All I knew was she deserved
better than that.
    “When the frat boy prick tried to say the
same thing, I