Page 89 of Haven

His jaw tightened. “I don’t like you datin’ a Viper.” He attempted to make his tone sound playful, but I knew he hated this.

I laughed. “Well that’s too damn bad. She’s in my bed now, and I’m fixin’ to abandon you to go home to her.”

His demeanor shifted. “You brought a Viper here? Haven Mykel.”

“Don’t Haven Mykel me, Axel James.”

“If Cinder⁠—”

I didn’t want to tell him she was possibly dead. “She won’t cause any trouble, I promise. I like her, Dad, like a lot. I ain’t gonna lose her over a feud. I won’t lie, couldn’t care less what happens ‘cause I’ll have her, and Rory feels the same.”

“I don’t like it, but if you’re safe, then I’m fine with it for now.”

“Thank you. Where’s Luke?”

He rubbed his temples. “He is at the port.” He didn’t have to explain anymore. “I think I’m done after this. Your pops is turning in his grave.”

“Yeah. Tell ‘em to leave. I’m gonna be okay. We are gonna be okay. We’ll have help, Dad. Rory will make sure of it.”

He grabbed my hand, giving me a reassuring squeeze. “I can’t lose you, Haven. Your parents were my best friends, and I never thought I’d be a dad, but here you are. The greatest blessin’ I ever had.”

“Hey now, old man, you're gettin’ emotional on me. You and Daddy taught me how to shoot before I could even tie my shoelaces. I can take care of myself, don’t you worry. I’m not that little girl anymore.”

“Newsflash, sweet pea—you’ll always be my little girl, even when you’re fifty and pushing me around in a wheelchair.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. I’ll tell Luke to leave Crestview next time I see him.”

I walked out of my dad’s office and made my way towards the exit. There was a gorgeous woman waiting for me in my bed. It was like she knew I was thinking about her, because my phone rang with her new ringtone.

“Rory, I’m on my wa⁠—”

“Hades, someone’s trying to break in.”

I grabbed my keys out of my pocket and raced out of the clubhouse. “I’m almost home, baby.” I was eternally grateful I decided to install bulletproof windows in my Camaro. My dad said I was paranoid, but I told him I was a single woman with enemies. The only reason I had enemies was because I didn’t take shit from men.

Seventy-Five

Rory

Afew days passed since Hades officially asked me to be her girlfriend, but I was already labeling us after I came down here. There was something special about Hades. Maybe it was her beauty and her brains, or maybe it was the fact that I didn’t have to fight for her to love me. She chose her feelings naturally. Hades would treat my heart the way it deserved without me having to ask. It also terrified me. How did I love naturally without forcing it? This would be something we would learn together.

Hades would be home in a few hours, and I knew I needed to figure some things out. I sat on the detective's number and jotted down everything I would talk to her about. I opted against telling Hades because I didn’t want her to worry, but I knew I needed to do this. When Hades got home, I would curl up with her and sob, but I had to take control and start finding out more about my past.

“Calloway,” the woman said as she answered her phone on the first ring.

“Uhm, hi. I don’t know if you remember me. My name is Rory er, Aurora Vincent. You handled my case in Nevada.”

I heard her shuffle things around. “Yes, Au—Rory. I wasn’t expecting a call. What can I do for you?”

“I wanna know information on my case. I can’t remember anything, and it’s affecting me now. There was a news article I read about a boy. He was found wanderin’ and talkin’ about a princess?”

“We never found out who he was. We took him to the hospital to get checked out, but he snuck out. We tried to find him again, but he evaded us. I wish I could tell you more.”

I swallowed hard. “Did you find anythin’ there? Was there any evidence of another kid there with me?”

She sighed. “If there was another kid with you, it would’ve been another girl. There were a lot of princess dresses and clothes. Jude Booker didn’t have any known children nor did he have any other foster kids. I don’t know why he started with you.”