Page 88 of Havoc
It’s absolutely ridiculous.
But as the three of them smile at me, I kind of love it.
The genuine friendships. The jokes. Beyond their roles within the club, they care about each other. It makes my chest tighten.
Levi’s gaze moves past me, and I watch as the smile slowly slips from his face. His back straightens, and I turn to see Venom walking into the room with a box in his hand.
“What is that?” Levi’s voice is deathly cold, but I can’t figure out why he sounds like something is wrong.
At least, not until Venom looks up, meeting my gaze before looking at Levi. His jaw is tight, and his back is stiff.
“This was just dropped off with the guys at the gate.” Venom glances at the box, then tips his head toward the room where they hold church.
But I rush forward, sensing there’s more he’s not saying. A reason his eyes keep darting in my direction.
“Does this have to do with me?” I try to reach for the box, but Venom swerves before my fingers touch it. “Is that from Titan?”
“Let me take care of this, Aimee.” Levi is at my side.
I pull away when he tries to steer me by the elbow. “Answer my question. Is this about me?”
“Aimee—”
“That’s a yes then.” I cut Levi off, spinning to look up at him. “Don’t do this, Levi. Don’t shut me out. I’ve done as you’ve asked, and I’ve stopped digging. But this is my father. You promised to at least keep me in the loop. If this is from Titan, then I deserve to know.”
Levi studies my eyes for a long moment before looking over at Venom.
From the corner of my eye, I see Venom nod slightly, confirming this does have to do with my father.
“You can’t keep me in the dark,” I tell Levi. “I won’t trust you if you hide things from me.”
And that’s the truth.
If Levi wants me to stay here, to trust him, then I need him to meet me halfway. I’ve been quiet as he’s traveledwith the club this past week. As he comes and goes and seeks out information on my father. I’ve held my tongue so as not to get in the way. But I sense what’s in that box changes things.
Levi needs to decide in this moment if he can be my partner or if he will step aside. I’ll never be under the thumb of a man again.
He must see that in my eyes because he nods, taking my hand.
Venom, Chaos, and Soul circle me as we walk into church. I’m probably not allowed in here, but I imagine they can’t open the box around patch bunnies either.
Slowly, Venom sets the box down, and I hold my breath as he lifts the lid.
Levi wraps his arms around my waist, and I lose my breath when I see what’s inside.
My father’s hand.
“We need to leave now.”
Something rattles, and I blink my eyes open and find a shadow hovering over me. On instinct, I shoot to sitting and scoot back on the bed.
“It’s okay, honey. It’s me.”
“Dad.” I squint; his face gets clearer as my eyes adjust. “How did you get in here?”
It’s been weeks since Titan has let me see him, and the circles under his eyes have darkened.
“The panels at the back of your closet lead to a storage closet.” He hurries around my room, shoving clothes andrandom items into a bag. “We need to go while they’re distracted.”
