A Perfect Christmas with Chaos (Harbingers of Chaos Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

and the kids arrive a little late, but she has two large pans of funeral potatoes ready to serve, and a huge box of rolls she ordered from the bakery by her house. I could tell right away that she was nervous and maybe even a bit flustered from the moment she arrived, but without time to dwell on it, she told me she’d fill me in later.
    Dozer ignores her like the plague, staying on the opposite side of the room. He even sits on the opposite end of the table from her. It’s probably not obvious to anyone but them, and me. And it’s sad that you can care so much about a person and yet instead of using those strong feelings to make you and the other person happy, you push each other away.
    At one point, when Bethany was talking to Rigor, who sat beside her, I saw Dozer glaring daggers her way. And it gave me the feeling that there’s more animosity between them now than there was a few months ago. It makes me wonder if something’s happened that I don’t know about.
    The other thing I notice is how silent Taz is. While everyone is talking and bantering back and forth, he seems to be in his own little world. As if mentally, he’s in another place entirely. I think he still feels guilty about what happened with me and with Warner. I’ll have to try to catch him alone later and let him know that I don’t have any hard feelings. But just in case that doesn’t smooth things over, I have an idea of how he can make it up to me.
    Thoughts of finding Ivy dance in my head. Now that the apartment’s ready, it’s time to track her down and try to pay back the favor I owe her.
    When dinner’s finished the guys go out back to have a few drinks and smoke. The kids go play out in the yard, and the women clean, gossip and share a bottle of wine.
    As I wash dishes, Lily dries. When we’re nearly done she leans in and whispers so only I can hear. “I think Goose is using again.”
    Caught off guard by her remark, I pause and look over at her. Her impeccable hair is curled and laying over one shoulder. She’s dressed to the nines, which is the only way she does it, in a black satin shirt, tight jeans, and heels that are both black and hot pink.
    Her brows are drawn together, and her eyes dart to mine for a second. “He’s been gone a lot lately. He threw up this morning. Twice. He’s sweating like crazy. I think he’s going through withdrawals. I want to ask him, but if I’m wrong, he’s going to think that I don’t trust him.”
    I hear the back door open. Stealing a glance over my shoulder, I spy Goose as he comes in and it’s as if he knows we’re talking about him, because his gaze clashes with mine. All of the guys follow him and Dozer into the house.
    “Lil’.” Goose calls her name, and both of us freeze. “Baby, come here for a second. I got somethin’ I wanna ask ya.
    The tension in the room rises and the guys are abnormally silent.
    Lily drops the rag on the counter and I watch her inhale a long breath before turning and facing him. I turn too and watch her saunter across the room to him. He doesn’t look happy. In fact he looks down right sick. Lily was right about there being something going on with him. His skin is pale and he’s fidgeting like crazy, rubbing his hands together, and then using both hands to comb his long salt and pepper hair away from where it’s starting to fall into his face.
    A hush falls over the entire room and Lily stops in front of him. It then dawns on me why Goose looks like he’s about to vomit. But it hasn’t dawned on Lily yet, because she looks around with panicked eyes, and then asks Goose. “What’s wrong, baby?” She runs her hand through his hair and tucks a piece that’s already fallen again back.
    Goose grabs her hand somewhat abruptly. He grabs the other too and holds her hands for a split second, before he drops down to one knee.
    Gasps echo around the room.
    Lily’s hand flies up to cover her mouth. “Finn.”
    “Baby, you’ve probably been wondering what