The best kind.
His grip on my hair tightened as my arms moved under his so I could place my hands on his shoulders to hold him there. “Maybe you should.” My words came out all breathy. “I think it would do wonders for your foul mood.”
Another growl rumbled from his chest and he pulled my hair, yanking my head back. We watched each other through lust-filled eyes. There was no denying the attraction we felt for each other.
With one last tightening of his grip on my hair, he rasped, “Go.” He let me go as he took a few steps away from me.
The way he’d said that word was as if it was the last thing he wanted me to do, but the one thing he needed me to do. Havoc had never frightened me before, but in that moment, he did.
As I walked out of the motel room, I worked to steady my breathing as the concern swept through me.
What the hell has gotten into him?
* * *
“I don’t get men sometimes,” I complained to Velvet over the phone an hour later. I’d arrived back at the motel room to find Havoc gone. That hadn’t surprised me. What had surprised me was the note he’d left me on the bed.
I’ll be back in a few hours.
Need to blow off some steam.
I’m an asshole.
“What do you think has gotten into him?” Velvet asked.
I settled myself in the centre of the bed with my legs crossed. “I’ve got no freaking clue. It’s like he changed from this guy who asked me to come with him for some fun and sex, to this moody, dark guy who turns angry for no reason.”
“Well, I get why he was pissed about the Nash thing. You’ve gotta admit you were at fault there for not telling him your brother is a member of Storm.”
I sighed. “Okay, okay, so I probably should have told him that, but he got shitty at me for wanting to have sex on his bike. He’d agreed to it before we left Brisbane and then when I brought it up, he snapped at me and said he’d send me home if I pushed him about it.”
Velvet remained quiet for a moment. “Carla, what are you doing with him?”
I knew from her thoughtful tone what she was getting at, but I didn’t want to get into it with her. Hell, I didn’t want to get into it with myself. “I’m just having some fun. And some good sex. That’s all.”
“From where I’m standing, it doesn’t sound like you’re having too much fun with him. And as far as the sex is concerned, you can find that with another guy if that’s what you really want.”
I moved up the bed so I could lean against the headboard. Pulling my legs up against my chest, I wrapped my free arm around them and groaned. She’s right. “I don’t know anymore,” I murmured.
“What do you mean?”
Aargh.
“I don’t know what I’m doing with my life anymore. I lost my job, my teacher failed me, which puts my plan off track, and I started sleeping with Havoc all at the same time. I never wanted to start liking him. I mean, he’s not exactly the kind of guy I see myself settling down with, but I think I’ve bloody well gone and started liking him.”
“So walk away now before it gets complicated, before you start to have real feelings for him. If he’s not what you want in a man, don’t settle.” She was speaking sense and my head was listening, but my heart didn’t seem to want to play along.
“I know that’s the smart thing to do…” My voice drifted off while my thoughts consumed me. Havoc was as far from my ‘perfect’ man as he could be, but who knew if my ideal guy even existed.
“Nash told me he’s the last guy you want to be hooking up with.”
At the mention of Nash’s name, irritation prickled my skin and I sat forward, folding my legs together on the bed. “What has Nash said?”
“He doesn’t trust Havoc around you. Said something about him being violent, but he didn’t give me details. What he did say, though, was enough to convince me that you really should think twice about this.” I loved the way Velvet gave me her opinion without lacing it with judgement. I knew she’d be there for me, whichever way I chose to go.
“I know Havoc is violent, but he’s never been violent towards me.” Images of our last conversation flashed through my mind and I did my best to push it aside. From everything I’d seen of him so far, his mood swing seemed out of character and I was the kind of person who believed in second chances. And as much as I’d felt frightened earlier, I believed he wasn’t a man I needed to fear.
“Well, I’ve never met the guy, and you’re the one who has been spending all this time with him, so you would know better. Plus, I also know that men tend to show the women in their lives a different side to what they show the men in their lives. I’m presuming Havoc has an entire part to him that Nash doesn’t even know exists. Just promise me you will go slow and be smart where he’s concerned.”