Page 46 of No Mistakes

Carter is leaning against my car, already halfway through a packet of peanut M&M’s that the girls must have gotten him. Axel’s eyes flick to me when I hand over a drink. I don’t say anything. Just unlock my car and climb in.

I turn the car on, feeling the AC hit my skin instantly, but it doesn’t get rid of her words that stick to me like glue.

I’ve never been to one.

Like hell she hasn’t. Not anymore.

Everyone else slowly climbs into their designated vehicles, and I quickly pull out my phone, looking up fairgrounds nearby. I find one a few hours away, and I text Axel in our group chat, telling him there is a change in plans and that we won’t be getting to Chicago tonight. Because now, I’m going to make sure her dream comes true.

Withme.

CHAPTER 21

MANDY

“Can you turn the volume up?”I ask, leaning forward between Ant and Carter’s seats.

Carter groans. “Mandy, we've been listening to the same five songs over and over for three states. I’m developing a twitch.”

“You already had a twitch,” I mutter under my breath. “And your playlist sucks. It’s all angry white men screaming about their daddy issues.”

“Excuse you,” Carter shoots back, twisting around in his seat with a mock glare. “It's an emotional expression through aggressive lyricism.”

“Sure,” I say, with no emotion. “Because nothing says deep like shouting about lighting someone’s car on fire.”

Ant’s hand slides from the gearstick back to the wheel, knuckles tight, veins flexing beneath his skin as he shifts lanes. And just like that, I lose my train of thought.

God, those hands.

Big, rough, controlled. I remember seeing him break a man’s nose when Axel decided to try to play hero. But here, driving along the sunset with one hand casually gripping the wheel, like he owns the fucking road? It does things to me. Bad things.

I imagine those fingers curling around my waist, dragging me closer, sliding beneath my waistband with the same ease they have holding the wheel. My thighs clench at the thought, and I sit back quickly, hoping neither of them notices the heat creeping up my neck.

I take a deep breath, centring myself to hear Carter still talking, thank god. “You know what we need? Snacks. Real ones this time. I’m fed up with fake pretzels.

“Why are you always thinking about food?” Eva asks, waking up from her sleep beside me.

“I burn a lot of calories keeping this family together.” Carter says proudly.

Ant snorts softly, barely audible. But I catch it, and so does his brother.

“Did you just laugh at me?” Carter gasps. “Antonio Ashford, did you just-holy shit. Say something. Go on. Tell her I’m right.”

Ant taps the screen on his phone a few times before chucking it towards Carter, making sure to keep his eyes on the road.

“You burn calories annoying the hell out of everyone.” He reads.

He clutches his chest like he’s just been shot. “Betrayal! In my own carpool!”

I smile, relaxing a little now that the attention is off me and the hot mess of thoughts running wild in my head. Ant glances at me briefly through the rear-view mirror before going back to concentrating. The moment’s small, almost nothing. But my heart skips anyway.

I can’t help but think about how he took control in my room, the dominance radiated off him and fuck, I needed that in my life. Ineedhim.

“Hey.” Carter snaps his fingers in front of me. “Where’d you go just now?”

I blink, looking around. I see Eva with her hood up, leaning against the window, asleep again, while Carter stares at me.

“Nowhere. Just tired.”