Page 109 of No Mistakes

Smoke rolls across the yard, Carter coughing and waving his hand, but still grinning like he just conquered the world.

“See?” he wheezes. “Flawless execution.”

The yard erupts with laughter-deep, unrestrained, the kind that only comes when the danger’s finally over.

Ant presses a kiss against my temple, his voice soft but sure, steady in a way that still makes my chest ache. “Welcome to the family, trouble.”

And for the first time, I know he’s right.

But as the fireworks crackle overhead, my gaze drifts to Flynn. He isn’t laughing like the others. He stands off to the side, his focus on a girl sitting quietly on the porch swing. The same girl I once fought for in that ballroom full of monsters. Flynn leans down, speaking softly, and she smiles shyly up at him, her blanket slipping from her shoulders. A different kind of spark ignites in that moment, one that has nothing to do with fireworks.

Ant’s lips brush close to my ear, low enough that no one else can hear. “Do you think they’ll notice if we’re not here?”

I smile, turning my face toward his. “No. But this time,Iget to wear the mask.”

His smirk is instant, wicked, and warm all at once. “Only if I don’t catch you first.”