Safe Haven

20. Agreements

Hazard

"Omelet good?" Haven said to me from across the table. I would have responded but my mouth was on fire. What in the hell did she put into this? I could feel the tears threatening to spill over. Instead of responding I jumped from my chair and grabbed the milk carton from the fridge, pouring the contents down my scorched throat. "Haven says we're not allowed to drink straight from the carton unless we plan on drinking the entire jug!" Cade said with wide eyes. I couldn't respond. I wasn't sure I still had a voice anyways. Instead I took the jug with me as I sat back down at the table. Staring at the she-devil sitting across from me in the eyes told me everything. Oh this was no accident. This was payback. "Sorry. All you had for flavor was some ripened peppers. I thought I got all the seeds out though." I cleared my throat, needing to take another drink to douse the remainder of the flames but refusing to give in to the immense pleasure Haven was having seeing me struggle. "Cade how would you like to go play with Zax today? Ma will be by any minute now to take you over." He gave an enthusiastic nod. His grin showing a mouthful of omelet. When Lucy showed up five minutes later he had his plate clean and his juice drained. "Hello! Mr.Cade are you ready to go play?" She asked hands extended. "If that's fine with you Haven of course?" "Thank you. I have some arrangements to make today so I'd appreciate the help," Haven answered her avoiding looking my direction. Mom gave me a look I was all too familiar with growing up. I'm sure she was aware what happened but my mother had been apart of the MC for a while now. She was used to its practices no matter how unsavory some of them were. "Great. Melody would you mind joining me? I can't keep up with the two of them together! Reminds me of Hazard and Dante the both of them together. I used to have to chase them all over this place."  Melody looked at Haven, who nodded her head for her to go. I wasn't sure what kind of arrangements she thought she would be making today but I definitely knew what the end result would be. She was staying right where she was. While I could daydream and think that meant my bed my burnt throat told me to bet on otherwise.

Haven

Once the kids had left so did any notion of a good mood I may have been in. Looking at the fire in Hazards eyes I knew he was pissed. Serves him right. "So. Are you going to hear me out first before you try to make any suicide attempts?" Well at least he got right to the point. "I'm not stupid and I'm not willing to risk the kids or Punchy. When I do have a plan it will be a solid one." "Be reasonable Haven. You'll need money, something you won't be able to access even if you did have it stored away somewhere. The cartel will be tracking everything and they'll know exactly where to find you once they read who purchased the estate you were on." Shit I hadn't thought of them tracing us here through my ties with Wag. "That just shows that its not safe here either! Vega will come after me. It's better I'm far away when that happens." Hazard just smiled. "Sweets that's exactly what I want to happen. The moment they hit our territory they'll be eliminated and the problem will be taken care of." "What's in it for you?" "You," he said simply. "I didn't escape one mad man to be chained down to another. Got it? I meant what does your club get? Why risk it? I have nothing to give." I swear I'd hit him again if he smiled. Instead he seemed irritated by my answer. I knew he wasn't on the same scale as Vega but he still was on a different level than most men. Part of me was disappointed with his lack of argument regarding my comment. Instead he went into Prez mode. "Territory. The cartel has been pushing in and dealing on our turf for a while. Some of the boys would use you as a bargaining chip. Me, I'm just going to use you as bait. Now he'll come to me and when he does we'll use it as an opportunity to cut him down." "So why not do what you say your members want to do? Hand me over?" "We've been over this sweets. No one touches what's mine." "Fine. But I have some stipulations." His eye roll told me he'd expected my stipulations but he wasn't outright refusing to listen so I went on. "The kids and Punchy are protected no matter what you decide to do with me. And I want my own room and a job. I won't stay unless you let me contribute in some way." "Fine," he said through clenched teeth, "you can use your medical skills since we don't have a doctor. I've already moved the kids up here in the spare room. You can sleep in my room." "Over my..." "I'll take the couch. You're safe from me. Don't worry. I'm not into forcing myself onto women like Vega. I like my women willing." The last bit felt like a stab to the chest. He was pissed. I knew he would be, but that didn't mean I could trust him and go along with sharing his bedroom and sleeping next to him half naked. Still the thought of him finding a willing woman made me a little sick. When he didn't come back that night the sickness got worse. I didn't want him. He betrayed my trust regardless of the reasons he may have had. Still I couldn't help but wonder why would I have this kind of reaction if I didn't feel something for him still. Ugh. Jealousy was a bitch.