Read Chaos (Havoc Series Book Two) for Free Online Page A

smile. Normality is what I need now. I need to put
all thoughts of Old Man Banks and his murder behind me. I need to
put them behind one titanium wall to never be penetrated. I need
Mindy to smile and fuss at me. I need Haven to smile and kiss me. I
need to go for a jog. Hit the gym. I need to get back into my life
because it's mine . Because it hasn't been sacrificed just
for someone else to live. I get to live too.
    Sensing my needs as she always has, she picks
up her cup trying to hide her trembles. “And?”
    “And how much is coming home with us?”
    “None with that attitude.” her eyebrows rise
as she crosses her legs.
    “She made enough to feed an entire base of
Marines,” Haven speaks up from my chest, wiping away any remaining
tears, humor clearly trying to creep into her voice.
    “Damn. That's a lot of soup.”
    Her lips scrunch up as humor attacks her as
well. “I had some time.”
    I shake my head. “Maybe we can take some to
Glove and Lordy later.”
    “I do like the one with the accent.” Mindy
leans back, relaxation hitting her with each passing breath. Good.
I need her back to normal. God, it’s hard to be away from her for a
day. “Which one was he?”
    Haven turns her body around, so her back is
resting against me, my arms snaked around her stomach, nestling her
the way we both need. “That's Lordy. He's from Georgia.”
    “He's adorable,” she giggles. “And the one
with enough arrogance to fill an ocean. That's Glove?”
    “Right,” I concur from behind her.
    “He's got a couple lessons to learn like you
did, Slugger.”
    Our eyes meet and I see an obvious remark in
them. Slugger. I'm still her boy. I'm still her unbloodied son. And
like any good mother, she wants to know about her son's friends.
Who he's influencing and who is influencing him. I love her. I
really do.
    “Mind if I take my girl home?”
    “Please do.” The corner of her lip twists up.
“I need to put my face on. You can see the wrinkles lines you give
me from space.”
    Chuckling, I shake my head. “Oh it's my fault
you have wrinkles?”
    “Of course.” she takes another sip of her
coffee. “You're not an easy kid to raise Slugger.”
    And that's the truth. In a very serious tone,
after all a Marine—no a Walker, a Walker is only as good as his
word. I've never been prouder to be one. “I'll try to do
better.”
    A tear looks like it's trying to weasel
itself onto her face, so quickly she says, “Go, go home you two.
I'll bring you some soup and homemade bread later.”
    “Yes ma'am,” I politely nod and wrap an arm
around Haven's shoulder leading her back towards our home. Our
home.

3 days Til Deployment (Thanksgiving)
     
    Gathered around the formal dining room table
of our home, I listen to the sound of laughter filling the room.
While most dinners and social functions are at Mindy's since she
does the majority of the cooking, we all agreed that since this is
Haven's first Thanksgiving, our first Thanksgiving as a family,
that it would be best to do it at our home. We haven't had people
over like this since before mom died. Sitting around this table
still gives me an eerie feeling, like any moment mom is going to
appear over my shoulder and pop me for not tucking my dress shirt
in. Or forgetting to button the last button. But I know she's not.
That's a pain I can't just shake. But like everyone else, I have to
move forward.
    Mindy places bowls of mash potatoes, sliced
red potatoes, and even brown sugared sweet potatoes in front of
us.
    I lean back, my arm on the back of Haven's
chair. Continuing to argue with Doug who is leaned against the back
of our couch with a beer gripped in his hand, I shake my head. “No
way they're gonna win this season.”
    “Have you seen them play? What do you think,
Whiskey?” his rebuttal is followed by another batch of testosterone
added to the mix.
    “I agree with the Slugger on this one.” he
places the turkey on the table, close to the potatoes.
    “I'm with