Havoc

13 - To make him understand

Havoc

“What’s going on here?”

Wynter’s eyes widen, scared that my father could have heard what she just said. I don’t give a shi.t if he did. I am who I am, and I will not hide anything about myself. Though I do not talk about my se.x life with anyone. That is no one’s business but mine and Wynter’s.

I pull Wynter into my arms, and she lays her head on my shoulder, not facing Red. “We were talking. What’s up?”

“Wynter, are you okay?”

I grit my teeth.

What the fuc.k does he think I’ve done to her?

My dad is a big bastard of a man and always has been. Sixty years of age, ten years my mother’s senior, and my damn hero. Always has been and always will be. However, today he seems to have it in for me. He doesn’t want me with Wynter, and he can’t deny it because it was written all over his face earlier.

Wynter lifts her head, arm around my waist, mine around her shoulder, and a smile on her face. “I’m great, thank you.”

“Your uncle is looking for you, and I’d like a word with my son in private.”

Great, here comes the damn lecture.

“Okay.” Wynter smiles at my dad and then turns to me. She wraps her arms around my neck and whispers in my ear. “Your dad doesn’t like me. Please don’t let him turn you against me, Havoc.”

“No one could turn me against you, Wynter,” I reply, and I don’t care that my father can hear me. I couldn’t whisper to Wynter; she would never have heard me. “You’re my wife, and I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She pulls away and kisses me right in front of my dad, not caring that he’s watching with a raised eyebrow. I can see him behind her. “I’ll see you in a few, handsome. Bye, Red.”

I watch Wynter walking away, and I’m mentally counting to ten before my dad rounds on me.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Havoc?”

Arms folded across my chest, I tell him, “What business is that of yours?”

“Don’t get smart with me, Cole!”

I grit my teeth. I hate it when he talks down to me like this. I’m not a kid anymore, I’m thirty-one years old! I am a grown man, for fuck.s sake!

“This whole thing is beyond fucke.d up. You get married in secret, then spend months wondering what you did to chase your wife away. Now she’s back here, and I have to wonder if she’s only here because she needs help. Do you honestly believe she’d be back here for any other reason?”

I roll my shoulders and crack my neck.

If Red were anybody else right now, I’d have broken his neck for saying that shi.t. But I don’t want an argument with my father. I know he’s concerned about Wynter and me, but he won’t convince me that Wynter is here for any reason other than she loves me.

“Wynter came back here because I dragged her back with me, not because she wanted to. I doubt she would have come here even to ask for help. She’s my wife, Dad. Do you really expect me to have turned her away, even if she did only come here for help? It’s my damn job to protect my wife!”

“You don’t think she should be with her family where she’s safe?”

Not him, too.

“You don’t think Wynter is safe with me?”

“That’s not what I meant, Havoc, and you know it!”

I run my tongue over my top teeth. I’m so annoyed right now that I’m fast losing patience.

“I’m not asking you to send Wynter to live with BlackJack, Havoc. She’s your wife, and any man worth his salt would keep his wife with him. I’m just worried about what could happen to you having her here.”

I understand, as my father, why Red would be so worried. I don’t have kids, but I imagine I’d be just as scared for my son if I were in Red’s shoes. But the fact remains that Wynter is going nowhere. I am going to keep her safe, no matter what it takes.

I don’t believe that my father dislikes Wynter; he just doesn’t like the situation we’re in. I know once Red gets to know Wynter, he’ll love her as much as I do.

“I love you, Dad, and I know you want what’s best for me. I also know that you want what’s best for Wynter. I want what’s best for her too. I know you’re worried about what’s coming. So am I, if I’m honest. But there's no getting away from it, Dad. Whoever those men are will find Wynter unless we find them first.”

I roll my neck and let it crack again. Pity it doesn’t ease the tension I'm feeling.

“Is that the only reason you don’t like my wife? Or is it something else?”

Red narrows his eyes at me, then shakes his head. “I can see why you’d ask me that. It’s not like I’ve been very nice to the girl with what I said.” He scratches his beard with his thumbnail. “I don’t dislike your wife, Havoc.”

He could have fooled me.

“I reacted badly, and I had no right to say what I said to Wynter. I can admit that, Havoc. I’m sorry, and I will apologize to Wynter. What you’re doing for your wife is what any decent husband would do, and no one has the right to tell you otherwise.”

I nod my head slightly while pushing my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

“No, they don’t. To be honest, I’m not sure why Wynter has been given the reception that she has. No matter the person who joined this club, their Old Ladies, or their kids, I’ve welcomed them all the way you and Mom taught me to. I brought my wife here after months of wondering why she left, and she’s treated like a damn leper by my own family!

“I didn’t expect you to roll out the banners and throw a party, but being civil would have been nice, Dad. It hasn’t been easy for her, you know. Wynter has nightmares about those men and what they might do to her. She even jumps now and again at certain loud noises. She doesn’t deserve to be afraid of her own shadow.”

Red nods his head in thought. “You’re right, she doesn’t. Wynter has no idea at all what those men want from her?” I shake my head. “And she can’t think of any reason they’d be looking for her?”

“No,” I shake my head.

“So, she doesn’t actually know they mean to hurt her?”

I stare at my father for a second. I hadn’t thought about that. Wynter never sticks around long enough to find out what those men want. It’s not completely crazy to think they’re not out to hurt her. I can’t, for the life of me, think what else they could want, but I can’t rule anything out.

“I guess there’s only one way to find out. I’m gonna have to draw them out.”

“What we do is speak with Jett. If he thinks it’s a good idea, then we’ll find a way to sort this, I promise.” Dad clasps my shoulder in his big hand. “Do you honestly love this girl, Havoc?”

“I wouldn’t have married her if I didn’t. Did I realize how much I loved her until she walked away from me? No. When I found out where she was, I knew I had to bring her home. Wynter is everything to me, Dad, and I have to keep her safe.”

“You’re sure that she loves you?”

I sigh. “I don't doubt that Wynter loves me, Dad. She left because she was scared that I didn’t want her after she told me about her father. It wasn’t the case; I just didn’t say anything immediately because I was trying to get my head around what she’d told me.

“No one will ever understand what Wynter and I have. Maybe you do because I believe you have it with Mom.”

I watch a smirk creep across his face. Red knows exactly what I’m saying. He loves my mom more than anything in this world. My dad is the reason I knew I’d fallen for Wynter within days of knowing her. The love and adoration he showed my mother, the way he would hold her, dance with her, and kiss her, making her laugh, taught me how to make a woman smile. How he would look at her like she was an angel on earth and kiss her while touching her cheek softly taught me how to care for a woman. How Dad would do anything for Mom because she was all that mattered to him is what taught me how to love.

I learned a lot from this man. That includes forgiveness. I forgave Wynter for leaving me because I understand why she did. And to be honest, I wasn’t exactly blameless. I should have chased after her. I didn’t, and nothing can change that now.

My dad looks at me for a moment, just looking at me. “Just be careful with your heart, Havoc. I’d hate to see her break it again. I never again want to see you as hurt as you were when Wynter left you.”

“Wynter isn’t going to break my heart again, Dad, because she’s home for good. Please try to understand what she means to me.”

Dad smiles while clasping the side of my neck. “I see what Wynter means to you, Havoc. It shines in your eyes. You’re my boy, and I just want you to be happy. I love you. You know that right?”

I nod at my dad and chuckle. “Of course I do. I love you, too, Dad. But I need your help. Please help me to keep my wife safe.”

Dad smiles. “I would do anything for you, Havoc. Of course, I will help keep Wynter safe. I promise that nothing will happen to your wife while I’m still breathing.”

“Thank you, Dad.”

“You never have to thank me for anything.”

I know that.

I let him hug me. It’s not something I do often, hug my father. I’m a grown man, but it’s still nice now and again.

After making my way back inside, I stand watching my girl as she talks to BlackJack and Taylor. All three of them are laughing. Seeing Wynter smiling the way she is right now warms my heart. I helped put that smile on her face, and it makes me damn proud.

Wynter notices me watching her, and she winks seductively in my direction. I’m going to ravage that girl before the night is out. She’s in trouble, and she doesn’t even know it.