Havoc’s Fox (Legacy #2)

Chapter 1

“I don’t know how to thank you enough for watching out for Harley.”

“No thanks needed. I’m glad I was here to protect her when she needed it.”

“I’m grateful,” Havoc said.

“Like I’d let anything happen to anyone’s baby.”

“I know. It’s just, I appreciate it.” He smiled sadly at Analise. “You home for Christmas, then.”

Analise nodded slowly. “Was hoping to surprise my parents.”

“Me, too. First time home since… well, you know.”

“Yes, I do know. I haven’t been here for Christmas since I graduated either.”

“Analise?” Bailey asked hesitantly from right beside her.

Analise turned to Bailey surprised to realize they were still standing in the coffee shop, basically in public. She plastered on her go to smile. “Bailey…”

“Here’s another coffee — on the house.”

“Thank you! I was really enjoying my coffee before I had to waste it.”

“I can’t say I agree it was a waste,” Bailey said snickering.

“What do you want to do with her?” Havoc asked, jutting his chin toward Marie-Claire.

“I just want her out of here,” Bailey said. “I thought about calling the police, but if I do, then it opens a whole mess of worms. I don’t want to have to deal with that.”

“I’m sorry,” Analise said.

“No! I’m glad you were here.”

“Me, too. Would you mind keeping an eye on Harley for a second. I’ll get her out of here.”

Analise looked at Bailey, who was looking at her. “Oh! You mean me.”

Harley leaned toward Analise with her arms stretched out.

Analise looked at the child reaching toward her and just about immediately fell in love with her. “I got you, come here, sweetie.” Analise took the little girl in her arms and held her tightly as Havoc leaned over and hefted the still unconscious Marie-Claire over his shoulder.

“You don’t have to hold her. She’s six and completely capable of standing up and walking around all by herself,” Havoc said, making ‘get down’ eyes at his daughter.

Harley grinned at him. “But I like her.”

“Her name is Analise.”

“I heard you say that. It’s a pretty name. Like a fairy.”

“I don’t mind holding her,” Analise said.

“Alright, but if you get tired, put her down,” Havoc said. He shrugged the unconscious woman who was draped over his shoulder. “Where should I put her?” he asked. “It’s cold outside…”

“You know what? Just put her down over near the side of my building. I’ll call the police and tell them there was a woman passed out against my building when I closed up for the night.”

“You think she’ll stay out that long?” Analise asked.

“Yep,” Havoc said, heading toward the door.

They watched as he walked over to the side of the building, and realized that he planned to just drop her to the ground.

Analise quickly turned Harley toward Bailey. “So, what did you ask Santa for this year?” Analise asked.

“I want a baby doll, and a bicycle, and I want some new shit-kickers like my daddy has, and I want a new BB Gun, and I want one of those doll heads that you can put makeup on…” she stopped talking when she realized that both Bailey and Analise were laughing.

“What’s funny?” Harley asked.

Analise shook her head as she tried to get her laughter under control, Bailey did the same as she slapped her hand over her mouth to try to stop her own.

“Does your daddy know you call boots that?” Bailey finally asked.

“It means the black ones that you wear when you ride your motorcycle,” Harley said. “You know what ones I mean, don’t you?”

Analise nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I sure do. But I don’t think you should be calling them that. You’re too little, and too pretty to be calling them that.”

“Why? Daddy calls them that.”

“What does Aunt Maia call them?” Analise asked.

Harley sighed. “She says that young ladies don’t talk like that, and I’m a young lady.”

“I think Aunt Maia’s right,” Analise said.

Harley canted her head a bit and fluttered her eyes at Analise and Bailey. “But it made you laugh,” she singsonged.

“Oh, dear God, that’s Havoc right there,” Bailey said.

“Flashbacks for sure,” Analise agreed.

Havoc pushed the front door open and stepped inside. “Alright. All set. She’ll be out for a little while. I think she might have hit her head again.”

“You think?” Bailey asked.

Havoc grinned.

“Here you go,” Analise said, as she leaned Harley back toward Havoc.

“Thanks, ‘Lise.”

Analise looked up sharply at his use of her nickname. “It’s Analise.”

Havoc hesitated for only a second, then gave her a single nod. “Analise.”

“Hey, how do you know my Aunt Maia?” Harley asked, realizing that Analise had used Maia’s name and nobody had told her about Aunt Maia.

“Do you remember me telling you all about where I grew up and all our family and my friends? Well, Analise is one of those friends.”

“You are?!” Harley asked animatedly. “Then that means we can be friends!”

“It sure does,” Analise said, with not quite as much excitement. She smiled at Harley who was clapping her hands excitedly as she grinned at her daddy, before she forced herself to pull her attention from Havoc and his far too cute daughter to deal with the situation at hand. “Can I help you clean up this mess?”

“Course, not. Customers don’t clean up spills. Besides, I got this. You have a family gathering to get to.”

“I’m guessing you do, too,” Analise said.

“Yeah, but mine’s just a five-minute drive. Yours is more like twenty.”

“You’re sure?” Analise asked.

“Very. Go on and Merry Christmas,” Bailey said.

“I guess I should be on my way, then,” Analise said. “Thank you so much for the coffee.”

“You’re very welcome. It’s great to see you again. Maybe we’ll get a chance to chat before you’re off on your next adventure. Tempest is my bestie, so I’m out that way a lot.”

“Tempest…”

“Brandt’s mate,” Bailey said.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I’ve been out of touch for a while,” Analise said.

“Malta,” Bailey said, chuckling. “And the bugs and the heat.”

“Lord, yes,” Analise said.

“Well, hopefully, I’ll get to visit a little with you before you go. What you do is fascinating.”

“I’d like that, Bailey.” Analise hugged the girl then gave Havoc and Harley a little wave before she hurried out of the coffee shop. “Merry Christmas!” she called over her shoulder. When she glanced back to wish Bailey a Merry Christmas, her eyes caught those of Havoc’s daughter, Harley. Analise smiled at her, and winked. The little girl winked back and smiled brightly at Analise.

Havoc turned to watch Analise go, and caught her and Harley sharing a little grin. He smiled, too. Until he realized that the moment Analise noticed he was looking at her, her smile disappeared and her features morphed into a cold, emotionless mask. His smile faded quickly. “We’ll be right behind you,” he said, partially for something to say, and partially to let her know that he’d be going to the family Christmas, just like she was.

“Of course, you are. Why wouldn’t you?” Analise asked. She made a pish-posh kind of expression, then walked out of the door. “See you guys there,” she said, as she let the door close behind herself. She got into her rental car, turned the heater on full blast, took a deep breath and sat there with her hands on the steering wheel for a few seconds, trying to calm her racing heart. “Bad idea, Analise,” she said to herself. “Coming home for Christmas was such a bad idea.”

Putting her rental car in gear, she backed out and headed toward the compound. “Such a bad idea,” she muttered again.

Havoc watched her back out, then turned back to Bailey. “Sorry about all the trouble. Do I owe you anything?”

“For what? You didn’t do anything.”

“Want me to help you clean this mess up?”

“Like I told Analise, I got it.”

“Alright, just trying to help.”

“I know. You back in town for long?”

“Just Christmas break. I’ll be going back in a few days.”

“Your little girl is precious.”

Harley lifted her head from her daddy’s shoulder again and smiled at Bailey. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You look just like your Aunt Hellen.”

“You know my Aunt Hellen?” Harley asked.

“I do. I know all your aunts and uncles. We all went to school together.”

Havoc’s brows furrowed a bit, trying to remember her.

“Don’t worry. You wouldn’t remember me. I didn’t run in your crowd,” Bailey said when she realized he didn’t know who she was.

He nodded and pursed his lips. “Smart girl. You do look familiar, though.”

Bailey smiled at him again.

“Can I have a milkshake, Daddy?” Harley asked.

“It’s not milkshakes, baby, it’s coffee.”

“But I have some yummy treats. You like brownies or donuts?”

“Yes!” Harley exclaimed.

Bailey’s gaze met Havoc’s to ask his permission.

Havoc nodded.

“You want to come pick out what you want?”

“There’s nothing in the windows,” Harley said pointing to the glass display cases.

“I put it all away because we’re closing until the day after Christmas, but you can come into the kitchen and pick what you want.”

“Okay,” she said, wiggling for her daddy to put her down.

Havoc followed them into the kitchen and waited while Bailey let Harley choose what she wanted.

But then Bailey reached for an unassembled box, assembled it quickly and loaded it down with an array of pastries. When she was done, she carried it back to the front counter, used a couple of pieces of tape to hold the overstuffed box closed and handed it to Havoc. “You know what? Give this to Remi, or at least take this to your family. Tell them I said Merry Christmas and thanks for all the business through the year.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

“I want to. Besides when we open next, I’ll have to make all fresh ones anyway. If I take them home, I’ll just eat them all.”

Havoc accepted the box from her. “Thanks, I’ll give it to them.”

“You’re welcome. Merry Christmas, Havoc.” She looked at Harley. “I hope you get everything you want from Santa this year.”

“Me, too!” Harley exclaimed happily getting powdered sugar all over her jacket from the cream filled donut she was eating.

“You, too, Havoc. I hope you get all you want for Christmas.”

Havoc looked at Bailey’s face, really looked at her. He hadn’t lied, she did seem familiar, but he honestly had no clue if he’d ever even been in the same class with her or not. He thought of her words… what he wanted for Christmas. All he’d ever wanted just walked out the front door, and it was clear she’d never want him again. “I’m pretty sure that won’t happen. But I got these donuts and cakes to make me smile,” he said.

“Might send you into a sugar coma, but you’ll be happy getting there.”

Havoc chuckled as he walked toward the front door. He opened the door and turned back to Bailey. “Merry Christmas, Bailey. And look, if I ever did anything to offend you in school, I’m sorry. I hope you’ll overlook it. I’m not that person anymore; frankly I’m embarrassed that I ever was.”

Bailey shook her head and scowled at him. “Don’t give it another thought. You never did anything to me. We were never in the same place long enough.”

“Like I said, smart girl,” he repeated. He stepped out of the door and glanced down the street to where the police had discovered Marie’ Claire on their own and were trying to pick her up off the street and get her into the back of their cruiser. He hurried to get into his truck, strapped Harley in, handed her the box of sweets, and started the truck. He waved at Bailey once more before he backed out and headed to the compound. “This is such a bad fucking idea. I should have known better,” he muttered.

“What, Daddy?” Harley asked from the back seat.

“Nothing, baby, just talking to myself.”