Chaos (Havoc Series Book Two) (11 page)

Wow. Rehab. At least it's good to know I
didn't have to worry about him harassing my angel while I was out
saving his freedom to take shots and sleep with strippers. The
thought of my mom stripping slips back into my mind. Not now.

“Grim,” Glove's voice cuts into the
conversation.

Turning around, I greet him and Lordy both.
They're dressed in their bests as well. Both in dark crisp jeans,
sporting dinner jackets, Glove's black, Lordy's deep brown, white
button down shirts, Lordy with a tie, Glove without. It's a nicer
look than when we go out. Almost like they're going to church. It's
appreciated, but a little funny.

“You look like a choir boy,” I chuckle in
Glove's direction. “Are you late for Sunday school?” Lordy laughs
and I add, “What are you laughing at? You look like you belong at
Vacation Bible School right beside him.”

We chuckle, including Leighyani, which grabs
Glove's attention.

“Leighyani,” Glove greets her with a devious
smirk.

“Ugh,” she rolls her eyes and turns her body
on its stiletto heels to escort herself away.

Pleased with himself, he smiles at me. I fold
my arms across my chest. “Why is she so disgusted with you? I mean
more than the rational amount?”

Not willing to answer he merely shrugs the
smile on his face fades. Lucky for him I see Haven come from behind
him, not alone. The two of them part and give my girlfriend space
as well as their attention. I love the way they respect her. If
they didn't I'm sure I'd beat it into them.

“Hey Haven,” Lordy says politely leaning over
to give her a slight hug.

“Lordy,” she smiles back before allowing
Glove the same. I wish she wouldn't touch him. I'm pretty sure you
can just get an STD from staring too long. “Glove.”

“Beautiful,” he greets her.

Without hesitation, I nail him in the
shoulder. He winces. It's enough she touches him. He needs to watch
hitting on her or I will continue hitting on him until he is
nothing more than a bloody pulp clearly unfit for further duty.

“Clint!” Haven squeals unhappily. I flinch
under the tone alone. It's a rare thing she uses that pitch. I
don't like her upset with me. But I don't like him hitting on her
even more. She points a stern finger at me, “You. Be. Nice. Got
it?”

Like some sort of pussy I immediately
whimper, “Sorry, angel.”

“Whipped,” Glove chuckles loudly. Lordy
shakes his head that it wasn't a wise choice.

My fist clenches in response and Haven
sweetly smiles at me. “Now you can hit him.”

“Thank you,” I nod. I plant another solid
punch in his arm, this one with intent to cause pain.

“Damn it, Grim!” he rubs where there will be
a bruise in the morning. “You're not supposed to crush the
packaging.”

I try to fight the urge to smile. Maybe the
pain recall will remind him, that even if I do have a little lady
at home who can monitor my behavior the way no one but my
commanding officers do, I can still do damage. Do. Not. Fuck. With.
Me.

“I will crush the
packaging
next if
you call me whipped again or try to use your slimy charm on my
girl.”

Glove rubs the spot again. “Noted.”

“Sorry they're being so crazy tonight. They
just got home this morning, so I can only assume they haven't
calmed down yet. Anyway, Mandy Forrest I'd like you to meet,
Michael Love,” she says and points, “Jody Lord,” she repeats the
action, “and Clint Walker.” And with my name, she slips across and
into my arms, wrapping herself around me, returning home. Her head
gently nestles on against my chest. “My boyfriend.”

I extend my hand for her to shake, “Nice to
meet you, Mandy.”

“Pleasure is all mine.” She politely shakes.
“Even hotter than those photos Haven showed me.”

There's sudden unexpected warmth in my cheeks
and my chest expands in sanctification. “She showed you photos of
me?”

“Mandy!” Haven squeaks again this time
reaching out to give her friend a playful slap.

“Of course, she did.” Mandy brushes off
Haven's action. “That's what best friends do.” Best friend huh? If
this is who she calls her best friend, I definitely approve.
“Besides I can't blame her for not wanting to keep those photos to
herself.”

I chuckle as I look down at my Angel who is
looking up at me, her bright brown eyes shimmering, “I'm glad you
had some to keep you company when I couldn't.”

She bites her bottom lip and squeezes me
closer, “I'm glad you can keep me company now.”

Mandy sighs, “Could you two stop being so
damn adorable? Keep this up and I'll have to call the cute police
to put you in Precious Prison.”

All of us chuckle at the remark. Mandy
doesn't strike me as anything special from the outside. She's
taller than Haven by a couple inches. Olive skin. Dark brown
shoulder length hair that shapes her face. Dark features. Slightly
exotic. Her frame is smaller than Haven's, but her hips are
similar. She's got more ass than tits. The black dress she has on
is short, but reveals nothing for the eyes up top. Nothing
thrilling physically, but her attitude is definitely a winner. My
eyes glance over at my two friends. By the look on Lordy's face he
agrees with me, but the way Glove's jaw is on the ground I think
it's safe to say he's more than impressed.

“And nice to meet you both by the way.” She
offers them each a smile. “Haven's told me a little about you as
well.”

“Hopefully good things,” Lordy offers a
polite smile.

“Is there anything bad about me?” Glove's
response urges me to have a comeback when Haven gives me a gentle
squeeze. Fine. I'll let that one go. Before Lordy can toss in a
quip either, he licks his lips and gives her the famous Glove grin,
“So Mandy, huh? Like the song?”

“Like the song.”

“Makes me wanna sing to you...” his
flirtation is followed by my eye roll.

“Well. Don't.”

Her quick remark stumbles him back as she
merely smiles. Definitely glad her and Haven are friends. I hope
all of her friends are this quick and easygoing.

“And where's your other friend?” I look down
at Haven.

With a shrug she answers. “Michele couldn't
make it.”

Not taking his rejection well Glove clears
his throat, “If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get a drink.
Lordy?”

“Sure,” he says knowing someone's going to
need to help repair the ego damage to Glove. “Excuse us.”

“Of course,” Mandy scoots to the side
allowing them to pass by.

Once out of ear shot I say to her, “I think
you hurt Glove's feelings.”

She folds her arms across her chest, a small
black clutch dangling from her finger tips, “I'm sure he'll live.”
I fight another smirk as she continues, “So Clint, are you excited
for Haven? Being in the top five of our class?”

“You're in the top five?” I glance at her as
she slips away a bit.

“Yeah,” she beams brightly.

“I thought you knew.” Mandy looks
confused.

“I haven't had the chance to tell him yet,”
Haven tries to explain fiddling with her hair in the process. Her
nervous trait.

“Why not?”

“Well he was away without ways of
communicating remember? And then when he finally got back today
we...were a little busy,” a blush spreads across her face before
she looks down slightly embarrassed.

I don't. I hold my head up proud. I slept
with my girl. That's something to be excited about not ashamed. I
reminded her who worships that body. Loud and clear. Mandy glances
at me and tries to hide her smile, completely aware of what is
being communicated. Glad it's fucking clear.

After a small snicker behind her hand, “You
really can't get enough of her, can you?”

“Mandy!” Haven squeals.

“Not possible.”

She sighs still smiling, “Do you at least
know about her job offer?”

“No...” the realization I know less and less
about Haven begins to spin into a knot in my stomach. Tightly. What
else don't I know? How much more could there possibly be? I mean
she's a high ranking student, she's got a job offer, and did she
get offered to bake brownies for the president while I was gone
too?
Be rational Clint. Don't be an asshole.
Feeling like a
shitty boyfriend, I turn my attention to her, “What job?”

Her hand gently touches my arm as if sensing
my shame, “Michele's family owns a fancy bakery downtown and
offered me a job as soon as I graduate. It's no big deal--”

“No big deal?!” Mandy fusses hitting her
shoulder with the bag. Unconsciously, I wince. No one should ever
hit her. “Haven, do you know there are people who have been baking
their entire lives, in some of the fanciest places around the
world, who can't get a job at that bakery?”

“What? Are their cakes made out of gold or
something?” my attempt at a joke is to lighten the mood that's
attempting to swallow me whole.

“Might as well be,” Mandy mutters. “Anyway,
it
is
a big deal. Like a HUGE deal. She should be
proud!”

“Very,” my face looks onto Haven's. With a
gentle finger I lift it up so her eyes are in mine. “Extremely
proud, angel. Promise me, you'll tell me all about it when we get
home?”

“Promise,” she softly says, nodding, looking
a little relieved.

Did she think I'd be mad that she hadn't told
me? Disappointed. Yes. Then again when has there been time? Our
tongues have done most of the ‘I love yous’ and ‘I miss yous’. In
fact, most of the conversations we've had today have been in the
sheets. Didn't seem like such a bad thing until now. It's alright
though. We can get through this. Besides she's not the only one
with something to share. I just hope Glove doesn't let blow it
again for me.

“I'm gonna go grab a glass of water. Want
anything?” Haven softly smiles at me eager to please.

“Why don't I grab it for you?” my desire to
please her almost as eager as her own.

“I've got it,” she places a hand on my chest,
the heat from her hand shooting through my body straight for my
groin. Yup. It's that easy to turn me on when it comes to her.
“I'll be right back...”

My attention follows her until she's out of
sight, which is when I hear Mandy let out a deep sigh, “You really
are just head over heels for her huh?”

“You have no idea.” I toss my eyes back at
her, a crooked dopey smile on my face.

“Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you pick
Haven up from school this Friday and you can go with us to our
favorite little place for a drink?”

“Haven's not old enough to drink.”

“She doesn't drink. She always has water and
food, but Michele and I do. It's fun. It's this cute little hole in
the wall place. She loves their fried pickles.” I didn't even know
Haven ate fried pickles. I've never even had one. “It'll be
fun!”

“Sure.” I nod. “Thanks for the invite. How
about we keep it between us and I surprise her?”

“Oooo romantic,” Mandy coos biting her bottom
lip in awe. “She's so lucky...”

Romantic? Me? I've been called many things
but that isn't one of them, but hey there's a first for everything.
After all Haven's helped me change in so many ways I wouldn't be
surprised if I changed into a bit of a romantic too. As for lucky?
I think it's loud and clear to everyone that I'm clearly the lucky
one. And if she forgives me for being snapped away to school right
away, I'll be even luckier.

Hectic. That's what life has become. I
thought once we had my welcome home party life would settle back
down to something comfortable I could agree with. I was beyond
fucking wrong. That night after the party, by the time we got home,
we were both so wound up again that we had sex three times before
basically just passing out. I got Haven to tell me a little about
school, but not enough to make me feel like I know any more about
it then I did before.

Haven's been so busy with school, which takes
up most of her day and early evening, I barely see her. Mindy drops
her off on her way into the city while Mandy usually drops her off.
I offered to do both, but Haven insists that I relax and enjoy my
time at home. I don't have time to relax. In fact it feels like I
don't have time for anything. I wake up I run. I get home she's
getting ready for class. We're lucky if we eat breakfast together.
She's out the door and I hit the gym for training. There are laps I
have to be able to make under a certain time. A few other marks to
meet, but swimming is the one I wasn't prepared for. By the time
I'm home from training, cleaned, and presentable, there's some
errand to run. Something dad needs. Helping Mindy move something in
her backyard. Helping Felix move or paint furniture. And then it's
dinner with whomever, wherever usually with Mindy and Doug since
I'm finally home and that's where Haven eats when dad's working the
evening shift or spending the night with his girlfriend. By the
time dinner's over, Haven's exhausted and either has to study or
just wants to curl up beside me with a book, falling asleep on my
chest usually no more than 10 pages in. I will say that's the part
of the day I look forward to the most.

After wrapping up some paperwork on base, I
have just enough time to make it to Haven's school to pick her up
on time. I haven't told her yet about school. I know I need to, but
the timings not been right.

Pulling into the parking lot, I kill the
engine as I wish I could kill Glove's voice on the other end of the
phone. “No.”

“Come on. I really think that Mandy just
didn't spend enough time with me to really get the depths of my
soul.”

“You have to have a soul before it can have
depths, Glove.”

“Ouch, Grim. If you cut me do I not
bleed--”

“Lubricant.”

“If you hurt me do I not cry--”

“Again the answer seems to be lubricant.”