I untangle myself from him. “Never.”
His expression is downright devious. “This should be interesting.”
“Isn’t it, though?” I glance over at Kerri, who looks like an abandoned puppy. “Stop by my table before you go. I want to introduce you to my friend.”
Havoc follows my gaze. His eyes narrow, and his stare lingers on Kerri long enough for me to suspect my insane plan might work. “We’ll see.”
“She’s fancy,” Discord says as he steps toward the counter.
“Kerri Ward is beyond fancy. She’s Brighton royalty.” I direct my answer at Havoc. “But I’m trying to convince her to move to Mayhem.”
Finally, Havoc drags his gaze away from her and slices me with his haunted eyes. “It takes a certain type of person to survive this town.”
As if on their own accord, my eyes shift. My gaze moves to Havoc’s arms, and even with tattoos decorating them, I see familiar scars marring the skin. Scars and fresh cuts that cause my stomach to twist. When he notices where I’m looking, his expression turns dark.
I hide my anguish, but it’s not easy. “If I survived Brighton, Kerri can handle Mayhem.” I jerk my chin at Matthew. “You’re next, boys.”
I march back to the table, trying to unsee the damage on Havoc’s arms. Impossible. Much has changed in seven years, yet some things, apparently, have stayed the same. Guilt gnaws at me. Obviously, he’s still hurting, and that kills me. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so stubborn. Not with him. But then I remember that friendships work two ways, and he never reached out to me either. So, there’s that. Still, though, I feel like shit as I walk away, the weight of Havoc’s secrets suddenly a burden too heavy for me to bear.
As soon as I slide back into the booth, Kerri pegs me in the face with a balled-up napkin.
“What the hell was that for?” I demand.
“For leaving me,” she hisses.
I roll my eyes and point to where Havoc and Discord are placing their order. “I was right over there.”
“I can’t believe you know those men.”
I cup my mouth with my hands and whisper super loud. “They’re Unholy.”
“Obviously,” she drawls.
“They’re harmless.” I almost choke on my whopper of a lie.
There isn’t a harmless bone in any Unholy’s body, and if the rumors are true about Discord, he’s the worst of the bunch.
“They don’t look harmless, but as long as they stay away… Faith, they’re coming over to our table. Why are they coming over to our table?”
“Because I told them to.”
“Why would you invite them over here?” Kerri’s spine stiffens, and she clenches her jaw so hard I fear she’s going to crack a molar.
I shrug. “Because Havoc and Discord are my friends.”
Currently, they’re practically strangers, but incidentals and all that…
“I’myour friend,” she grinds out between gritted teeth.
Havoc cuts off any further protests when he reaches the table. He glares at Kerri. “Faith says you’re royalty.” His voice is an angry rumble. If he clutches his coffee cup any harder, he’s going to wear it instead of drink it. “That true?”
Kerri blinks at him for a second, then shakes her head. I can’t blame her for being stunned into momentary silence. I totally sabotaged her, and I’m not even guilty over it. “No, I’m not royalty.”
Havoc gives her a slow once-over. “Whatever you say, Duchess.” Then to me, “You going to make Jester’s life hell?”
“Who?”
The corner of his mouth lifts in a nasty, crooked grin. “Seriously?”
