Havoc (Storm MC #8)

by Nina Levine

  As we rounded the corner of the house into the front yard, the front door light illuminated the area and horror engulfed me as I came face-to-face with Paul, the guy who’d been stealing off Jackson Jones. He had Carla by the throat with a knife and pure evil blazed in his eyes.

  “Fuck!” Nash bellowed and as he took a step forward to go to them, I reached out and pulled him back. This was my shit and I would deal with it.

  “Hey, asshole,” Paul yelled at me. “How does it feel? Having someone you care about threatened? Because that’s what you did to me! You took my fucking life and trashed it.”

  I held up my hands as I slowly advanced towards him. “She means nothing to me. Do whatever the fuck you want with her.”

  Carla’s eyes widened in fear.

  The words grated on their way out of my mouth. I could only imagine how they sounded to her, but I figured Paul was out to hurt me and if he thought she meant nothing, I hoped he would let her go.

  His brows lifted as he drew a tiny amount of blood from her neck.

  Fuck.

  As she winced, pain sliced through my heart.

  No fucking way was he going to hurt her.

  “Don’t you fuckin’ hurt her!” Nash thundered, shoving past me.

  Linda and Velvet screamed from the doorway and a moment later, Velvet ran down the front steps. Nash’s attention was diverted for a moment as he tried to hold her back. I ran towards Paul, desperate to move Carla out of the way.

  “Motherfucker!” Paul screamed, clinging to Carla while he slashed the knife in the air. This made it impossible for me to get to her.

  She fought him, trying to unlock his arm from around her neck, but his grip was strong. In the background, I heard Nash and Velvet arguing.

  Everything happened so fast.

  Paul and Carla struggling.

  Nash moving towards us.

  Linda screaming.

  Finally, Nash managed to get behind him while I had his attention in the front. Nash punched him hard enough for his hold on Carla to loosen, which allowed me to shove her to the side. She fell to the ground and I shifted my gaze to her for only a moment, to make sure she was okay, before turning back to Paul.

  He’d dropped the knife so I punched him as hard as I could in the gut.

  “Fuck!” he roared as he stumbled backwards into Nash.

  Nash’s hands curled around his biceps and he held him in place while I moved closer. “What the fuck made you think it was a good idea to come here?” I demanded.

  Paul’s upper lip raised in a snarl. “Marnie’s lying dead in a hospital morgue. That’s what made me come here. When I saw you at that biker clubhouse today, I was fucking ecstatic. I’d been waiting for you, wondering how long it would take for you to show up there.”

  I jabbed my finger at his chest. “That shit is on you, not me. You stole from Jackson and you chose to date his ex knowing how he felt about that kind of thing.”

  Paul struggled in Nash’s hold. “Settle the fuck down!” Nash thundered, tightening his grip.

  Paul didn’t settle down, though, and continued to fight against Nash. The anger pushing at the inside of my skull intensified.

  He’d come here and threatened Carla.

  No fucking way would he walk away from this.

  My fists clenched.

  Red blurred my vision.

  Heat exploded through me as my anger burned.

  My fist connected with his face. The crack of his bone rang through the night air. His head lolled to the side and blood oozed down his cheek.

  Nash let go and pushed him to the ground. His angry eyes found mine. “What the fuck was all that about?”

  I was more concerned with ensuring Paul was unable to hurt Carla. Ignoring Nash, I kicked Paul, rolling him onto his back. His eyes fluttered open and he groaned, but no words left his mouth. I watched as his eyes closed again and was confident I’d knocked him out enough to move him to another location. Away from Carla’s house so I could deal with him once and for all.

  “Are you gonna fuckin’ tell me what that was about?” Nash roared, every muscle in his body tense with fury.

  “That was tied to a job I did for King. Can you settle the fuck down so we can deal with this?” I snapped.

  He shoved his fingers through his hair. “Jesus!” Jabbing his finger in Paul’s direction, he said, “That shit should never have made its way to my house.”

  Carla inserted herself between us. “This is not your house, Nash. And give Havoc a break, it’s not like he could control that asshole.” She glared at Nash as her breaths came hard and fast.

  I loved her determination, but I didn’t want her fighting my battles.

  “I agree, Nash, and I’ll take care of him so he never has another opportunity like this again. Now, are you gonna help me or are you gonna continue with your bullshit?” As I said this, I attempted to move Carla from between us but she refused to budge.

  Shrugging out of my hold, her angry gaze met Nash’s.

  “This is why I don’t want you with Havoc!” he yelled at her. “He’s mixed up with a lot of shit and it could blow back on you, like this has.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake, can you hear yourself? You are so hypocritical! Havoc is involved with the same stuff you are,” she argued back.

  I reached for her arm and turned her to face me. “Babe—” I started, but Carla’s eyes widened as she looked past me.

  Her hand flew to her mouth and she screamed, “Havoc! No!”

  I spun around to see what had caught her eye and came face-to-face with Paul again. He’d regained consciousness while we’d been arguing and held the knife in his hand. He had the same look of evil in his eye as before.

  “Fuck you.” He snarled as he stabbed the knife at me.

  Hot, piercing pain radiated from just below my chest.

  Heat I never imagined ever feeling.

  “Oh, my God, Havoc!” Carla’s cry penetrated my subconscious, but I couldn’t respond.

  The last thing I remembered seeing was Paul going down after Nash punched him.

  26

  Carla

  “That was a huge knife, Nash, and there was so much blood! And why the fuck is it taking so long for the doctor to come out and tell us what’s happening?” My skin itched and my chest felt like it would explode from the onslaught of emotions raging through me. Fear, anger, frustration, hatred. I wanted to kill the man who had done this to Havoc.

  Nash's strong arms circled me and he pulled me close. “Havoc’s a fighter, babe. I’ve seen him survive fights I didn’t think he’d pull through on. And he’s in the best possible place.”

  “Nash is right,” Velvet agreed. “And the doctors are busy working on him. You don’t want to drag them away from what they’re doing.”

  I stared at them. “It’s been hours!” All my fears collided and I could no longer hold back my tears.

  I can’t lose him.

  Nash held me until my tears stopped. “Like Velvet said, the doctors are looking after him and they’ll be out when they have news. And I’m sure it’ll be good news.” His words surprised me. He’d been so angry with Havoc when Paul threatened me. The gentle tone he’d just used was a vast change.

  When I pulled out of his embrace, I whispered, “Thank you.”

  He nodded and let me go. “I need coffee. You want one?”

  “Yes, please.”

  He pointed at the seats. “Take a load off and don’t go anywhere.” He took drink orders from Mum and Velvet and then left us.

  I watched him leave before taking a seat next to Mum. She slid her arm over my shoulders and pulled me close. “Havoc means a lot to you, doesn’t he?”

  Nodding, I replied, “Yes. More than I realised.”

  “I think he’s good for you, baby. I’ve never seen you so happy with a man before.”

  I rested my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. It had been a long night and exhaustion embraced me. I wanted to stay awake for Havo
c but the act of resting my head caused my body to relax.

  Mum murmured something but her words floated past without me deciphering them.

  Havoc has to survive this.

  I need him.

  “Carla Walker?”

  My eyes snapped open and I lifted my head.

  When I saw a doctor approaching, I jumped out of my seat. “Yes.”

  My breathing slowed when I took in the grim expression on his face, but I fought to remain calm. Who knew, maybe he always looked like that?

  “I wanted to give you an update on your partner,” he said. I had to tell them Havoc was my partner for them to give me any information. “He’s had a significant liver laceration that has resulted in massive internal bleeding. The severe blood loss caused his blood pressure to drop dangerously low. We’ve given him a blood transfusion to replace the lost blood volume and prevent his body from going into shock.”

  Internal bleeding.

  Blood transfusions.

  Going into shock.

  The room spun while my brain processed all that.

  This can’t be happening.

  “Miss, are you okay?” The doctor took hold of my elbow and encouraged me to sit again.

  “Carla.” My mother’s voice dragged me from my haze and I blinked as she came into focus. “Take a deep breath, baby.”

  I sucked in as much air as I could.

  I can’t breathe.

  The doctor gently touched my arm. “We’ll let you know when we have new information.”

  As soon as I nodded, he left.

  Just like that.

  I didn’t know what I was looking for from him, but it wasn’t any of that.

  Havoc was stabbed.

  Stabbed!

  People die from that.

  What else were you expecting?

  The room spun and the darkness engulfed me.

  * * *

  “Carla.”

  Nash.

  “Carla, can you hear me?”

  A hand rested against my cheek and I flinched awake. Nash’s face hovered above mine and I took in the deep frown settled on it. “I can hear you,” I mumbled as I tried to get my bearings.

  He moved his face and slid his arms under my armpits. Lifting me off the floor, he settled me on a seat and crouched in front of me. “You fainted and fell off the chair. Luckily, Mum kinda caught you so that your head didn’t hit the floor. How are you feeling?”

  I touched my head. “I’m fine.” My fear for Havoc crept back to me. It was funny how someone could come into your life so unexpectedly and then be such an important part of it so fast. I had that deep-in-my-bones feeling that I would be heartbroken if something happened to Havoc.

  Nash’s eyes searched mine before he stood. Passing me a bottle of water, he said, “I’ve gotta go and deal with some club shit. Will you be okay for awhile without me?”

  “Has something happened?”

  A look crossed his face as if he was carefully weighing his next words. “Let’s just say that once we’re done, Havoc won’t have to worry about being stabbed again.”

  I knew what he was saying. I was sure it should have caused some sort of emotion in me, disbelief perhaps, but the only emotion it triggered was relief. And it felt like justice.

  “I’ll be good. Don’t worry about me. You just go and take care of what you need to.” I reached for his hand and added, “Thank you.”

  He spoke with Velvet for a few moments before kissing her goodbye and leaving the three of us alone. Nash had left a message with Havoc’s sister, but so far, we hadn’t heard from her. I knew his dad was in hospital, but I didn’t know which one. I hoped his sister would arrive soon because his father needed to know what had happened.

  Mum, Velvet and I sat waiting for the doctor for what felt like an eternity, but in reality was just over two more hours. Two hours were a long time when you were waiting for the kind of news we were waiting for.

  As the doctor approached, I bolted out of my seat.

  Same doctor.

  Same grim look on his face.

  My heart sped up.

  “Tell me it’s good news.” The words gushed out of my mouth.

  He nodded, but the grim expression he wore didn’t change. “He’s out of surgery and will be moved to intensive care where we’ll monitor his vitals. His condition is serious, but for now he is stable.”

  “So he’s going to be okay?” Please say yes.

  “It’s too soon to say for sure, but he’s stable for now. We need to keep an eye on his liver enzymes and make sure his blood pressure stabilises.”

  Oh, God.

  He’s not saying yes.

  I stared at him, willing him to say something else, something good, but in the end, all he said was, “If you want, you can head up to ICU now and wait for him. It will still be some time before you’ll be able to see him, but if you let the nurses know when you get there, they’ll notify you as soon as you can go in.”

  My words were captive in my throat, so Mum thanked the doctor. My heart crumbled as he left.

  Dizziness circled my head and my legs threatened to give out on me.

  He’s going to be okay.

  He will pull through.

  He has to.

  My chest tightened with fear.

  What if he doesn’t?

  27

  Carla

  “Here, I got you coffee,” Nash said as he sat next to me and handed me a takeaway coffee.

  “Thanks.”

  After I took a sip, I stretched my back. The clock on the waiting room wall told me it was just after 5 a.m. We’d been at the hospital for about nine hours and I could hardly keep my eyes open. I didn’t want to sleep, though. I wanted to be awake when the nurse came to tell us he was conscious.

  They’d allowed us in briefly once they had him settled in the ICU, but he’d been connected to tubes and had been sedated. He hadn’t looked like the strong, dominating man I knew, and it had thrown me. I’d visited loved ones in hospital before but seeing Havoc lying on that bed unconscious with all those tubes was too much. The knowledge he could die had slapped me in the face.

  I wanted to rip those tubes out and shake him back to life.

  I wanted to take back the invitation to dinner at my mum’s. If he hadn’t been there he would never have been stabbed.

  I would have given anything to have him bossing me around again.

  I’d been talking to God for the last few hours, promising all sorts of things if Havoc pulled through this. Hell, I’d even promised not to argue with everyone as much—something I knew I’d struggle with because arguing and me went together.

  “You should think about heading home and getting some rest,” Nash said. He’d returned an hour earlier and had sent Velvet and Mum home to get some sleep. We still hadn’t heard from Havoc’s sister, which continued to concern me.

  “No. I want to be here when he wakes up.”

  “I know, but I can call you when he does and you can come straight back.”

  I held his gaze. “I’m not leaving, Nash, so don’t keep on me about this, okay?”

  He gave me the almost-scowl that he gave me when he was frustrated and nodded. “He better fuckin’ appreciate your concern for him.”

  “A bit like yours, right?” He’d impressed me with the way he’d been at the hospital and taking care of club shit for Havoc. But I knew from the tone he’d just taken that he was still in denial about how he felt.

  His almost-scowl morphed into a full scowl. “I’m here for you, not him.”

  I was tired and over his issues. Sighing, I said, “Nash, you guys are club brothers. You’ve known him for years and had each other’s backs for as long. I don’t understand why you can’t get past this bullshit.”

  “I don’t think you will ever understand the level of responsibility I feel for you, Carla. As far as I’m concerned, I’m gonna be looking out for you till the day I die. Any man who wants to be with you will have to jump t
hrough fuckin’ hoops to get my approval, because over my dead body will I allow another man to harm you the way our father has.”

  His eyes held a depth of emotion I rarely saw from him and I reached for his hand. “One of these days you’re going to realise you get more with honey than vinegar, Nash Walker. I love you for looking out for me, and I know we will never stop pissing each other off, but I need to tell you that if you were to share your heart more like you just did rather than getting all bossy and assholey, we’d get along so much better.”

  His eyes softened. “Assholey fits me better, babe.”

  I swatted him. “Ask Velvet what she thinks. I’m sure she’ll agree with me.”

  He grinned the trademark Nash grin. “I’m sure I could persuade her not to.”

  I shook my head. My brother always had a way of making me smile and forgive his annoying ways.

  He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “If you won’t go home, I want you to put your head on my shoulder, close your eyes and get some sleep.” His eyes met mine and his grin was gone. “No arguments.”

  “God, always so assholey,” I muttered, but I did as he said.

  Weariness had claimed me and I knew I needed sleep, even if I didn’t want it.

  “That’s because you’re always so damn argumentative. I bet Havoc would agree with me on that.”

  I smiled.

  He was softening; it would just take him some time to admit it.

  * * *

  Voices pulled me from a deep sleep and I blinked as I straightened.

  “I’m Havoc’s sister, Yvette.”

  I squinted. The sun streamed through the window of the waiting area straight into my eyes, obstructing my view of the woman speaking.

  Nash removed his arm from my shoulders and stood. Extending his hand to her, he said, “Nash. We were wondering where you were.”

  Yvette grimaced. “My phone battery died and I wasn’t at home to charge it. Worst timing.” She looked in the direction of the ICU before turning back to us. “Is he awake? And what the hell happened? I couldn’t really make out too much in your message except for the fact he was here.”