Chapter 3: Three’s a Crowd

Michael’s POV

Never in my life did I think I'd run into her again. What was she doing here? Was she alone? Had she been thinking about me as much as I had been thinking about her? The questions swirled in my brain giving me a headache. "Michael, what a surprise," she says, the excitement in her voice not quite reaching her eyes.

"Did you come alone? You could join me," I invite. Jane had been cleared from my mind and the only thing that mattered was being with Havana even if it were just a few seconds longer. She went to speak but was stopped by the constant yelling of her name. It was a deep voice, annoying, and more of a slur than a proper pronunciation of her name.

"Can you do anything right? I told your a** to refill my drink not flirt with some guy," the man all but stumbled over to her. Did she work here? I was so confused, but even if she was on the clock this man was way out of line talking to her like this.

"Listen, man, I don't know who you are, but there's no need to talk to a woman like that," I say. Sure, the situation at hand had nothing to do with me, but as a man, you should respect a woman. I witnessed my father use and abuse my mother until she had nothing left to give and I would not sit by and watch it happen to anyone else.

"What did you just say to me?" He asked. The black hair on his head flopped around like a dirty wet mop as he became more and more animated with the conversation. Havana placed a gentle hand on his chest, but that didn't stop him puffing it out, however, it did stop him from advancing further.

"Honey, this is my friend Michael," Havana explains. The sentence shakily left her lips as she deliberately chooses her words, but my mind could only focus on one - honey. It was as if the world closed around me, and I was losing oxygen. She was perfect and yet the best she could get was an idiot who had no people skills and didn't deserve her.

"Michael, this is my boyfriend Kaden."

I could care less what his name was, my only question was his relation to her and why. How had he earned a woman like Havana when he didn't know how to talk to a woman like Havana? A soft voice cleared its throat beside me, and I notice out the corner of my eye Jane's green eyes waiting patiently. This couldn't have become more of a nightmare.

"I'm Michael's fiancé and you are?" Jane's voice brings me back to reality, I guess she decided not to wait for me to introduce her.

"Michael, you never told me you were engaged," Havana exclaims, but there was a hint of disappointment in her voice, or at least I wanted there to be.

"Have you no shame? Trying to seduce a taken man," Havana's boyfriend Kaden said. I forgot he had been standing there, my focus was stuck on Havana the entire time. Her blonde hair which was wild in the park was tamed behind her ears. The jean jacket was lost, and the soft pink dress was replaced by a short red one.

Regardless of what she wore it was clear that she and it will always be breathtaking. It was then that his words registered to me - has she no shame? The real question is, has he? How could he be so comfortable embarrassing his girlfriend and so publicly?

"You should watch your mouth. She's a lady and you will treat her as such," I said. There was no way I could or would allow Havana to be disrespected in my presence.

"If I don't?" He was baiting me to attack, and I was more than willing to give him just what he was asking for.

"Let's go Michael before anyone notices we're gone," Jane steps in front of me but doesn't dare to touch me.

The larger part of me was finding it hard to let go, but here Jane stood in her best attempt to help and there was a still Havana, her blue eyes dull as a drunk Kaden ran his hands around her waist. He was showing ownership, reminding me that no matter what happened between me and him tonight she would still be his.

“Michael, let's go," Jane repeats. Despite my better judgment, I allowed Jane to lead me out of the bar, and we didn't even get a drink while in there.

"What a douchebag," I say. The mood outside was different from the bar, this was strained Jane had something to say about what happened I just knew she did.

"Why do you want to get married?" She asked. The only person that asked me that question was my mother. Where was she going with this? I stop walking and she follows, turning to face me as I spoke.

"It's what my pack needs. My pack could use the resources that yours has to offer. Growing up my parents destroyed my idea of love so I decided I wouldn't believe in it and make my own choices. This arranged marriage is what makes the most sense. What about you? Why do you want to get married?" I ask.

"My father asked me, well demanded I accept. I’m self-absorbed and owe this to them," She answers honestly. I raise a brow to her, wanting to question her further.

"Are you self-absorbed?" This was important, I was a man who put my pack first. I couldn't be with a woman who was the complete opposite.

"Let's just say I get what I want when I want and by any means. The way I see it, I should come first and everything else should follow. After all, I'm going to be your wife, not the pack, but me therefore everything should be about and revolving around me." Was she being serious? She had to be kidding.

How could my father suggest I marry her when she was all about herself. I had a community that relied on me, and I refused to put them on the backburner for this prima donna.