Page 22 of No Mistakes (No Mercy #2)

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. I need him.

“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.”

His expression softens a little, noticing a change. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” I lie, checking my phone to see it’s now 7 p.m. “We’ve still got a few hours, right?”

Carter nods, turning back around to lower the volume on whatever alt-rock throwback is playing. It rattles through the speakers like it’s been waiting for this exact dusty road and golden light moment to happen.

Ant’s hand shifts again on the wheel, and I watch the way his thumb brushes along the leather like he’s thinking. About what, I don’t know. He's always been hard to read. But lately… It’s different.

He notices me looking and raises a brow slightly, silently asking if I’m okay through the mirror. I give him a soft smile and nod.

I wish I could tell him how I feel, about how I imagine us laughing and talking… but I don’t know if that moment will ever come.

“Mands.”

I feel someone shake my shoulder. I groan, burying my face deeper into the hoodie I’d stolen from the backseat, mumbling something that sounds like ‘five more minutes’ but probably comes out closer to a dying moan.

“Mandy,” Eva says, more insistent this time.

My eyes blink open slowly to the darkness outside my window. The golden hour is gone, replaced by a sea of black. I look around, seeing a small sign saying vacancy ahead. It takes a second to register that we’re no longer moving.

I push up on my elbow, rubbing my eye. “Where are we?”

“Motel,” she says, tugging her hair into a quick bun. “It’s just past eight. We arrived a few minutes ago.”

I sit up, noticing the front seats are empty. The driver's side door hangs slightly open, like someone got out and didn’t shut it all the way. There’s a fast food wrapper, half-crushed by my thigh, and my neck’s sore from the awkward angle I must’ve been sleeping in.

Eva glances at me, her tone soft. “You okay?”

I nod automatically, then frown. “Wait. What time did I fall asleep?”

“Right after your little rock concert moment with Carter. Maybe about forty minutes ago.”

Jesus… One minute I was fantasising about Ant’s hands on my thighs, the next I’m drooling into a hoodie in a parking lot like some lovesick groupie. Smooth, Mandy. Real smooth.

I look outside, towards the motel. It isn’t horrible , but it’s no five-star. Cheap plastic chairs outside each door. Flickering lights above red cracked paint. A vending machine nearly covered with a half-broken Coke bottle, and rubbish was scattered across the parking lot.

“Where is everyone?” I ask, voice still rough from sleep.

“Carter and Flynn went inside to check us in. Axel, Gunnar and Ant went to walk the perimeter.”

Of course they did. Because even in a fucking motel, that no doubt smells like mildew and questionable choices, the Ashford boys still like to play soldier.

I stretch my arms above my head, groaning again as my spine pops.

The cool air seeps through the cracked door, and my skin prickles where my shirt’s ridden up.

I freeze, mid-stretch, noticing movement near the vending machine.

A silhouette stands there that I could recognise even if the world were pitch black.

Ant.

He walks past, hoodie low over his head, hands in his pockets, keeping to the shadows like he was born there. He doesn’t look towards the car as he walks with purpose.

Eva gathers her things from the back seats, packing them into a small rubbish bag.

“Why did we stop?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.

“I don’t actually know. One minute, we were driving and the next, we were pulling into here. Axel mentioned something about getting some rest, but I don’t believe him.” Eva says, sounding deflated.

“Well, I won’t complain about sleeping in a bed instead of the backseat of a car. There are plenty of things I would love to do in the backseat, and this isn’t one of them.” I tell Eva, collecting my belongings.

I step outside the car, welcoming the fresh breath of air as I inhale deeply.

“It doesn’t look too bad,” Eva says, standing next to me.

I look towards the building. A light flickers above the porch, hanging from the rope like it’s clinging to life, casting a sickly yellow glow over the chipped pillars and peeling red paint.

The sign above buzzes amongst the silence, the letters ‘Suburban Studios’ shining just a little bit too bright, like it’s trying too hard to seem inviting.

The clean air is soon replaced by the smell of cigarettes from a guy who has walked outside, leaning against one of the pillars, flicking his ash into an empty flower pot.

I spot Flynn’s silhouette moving inside quickly, probably flirting with the receptionist or pretending we’re a normal group of travellers, instead of a bunch of wannabe mafia leaders and their tag-alongs.

The parking lot stretches wide and mostly empty. A few battered cars sit under the glow of dim security lights.

It’s the kind of place you’d drive past on a road trip, and feel in your gut that something bad happened here once, and maybe never left.

My eyes shift towards the vending machine near the main entrance, trying to spot Ant, but he’s already disappeared.

Just as I turn, ready to ask Eva if she saw where Ant went, the front doors slide open, and Carter steps out like he owns the damn place.

Flynn trails behind him, holding a key card and a paper bag that smells like greasy fries and regret.

“Ladies!” Carter shouts, dramatically. “Welcome to the Suburban. Where the sheets are questionable and the ice machine is definitely haunted.”

I raise a brow, pointing towards the singular card in Flynn’s hand. “Please tell me we’re not all cramming into one room. I’m not emotionally prepared for that level of trauma.”

Flynn chuckles as he approaches, handing Eva a key card from his pocket. “Relax, Mandy. Four rooms. Double beds for you two and the silent assassin and his master. I’m stuck with Gunnar, and Carter’s got the solo suite.”

Carter holds up his single key like it’s a trophy. “King of Rock, paper, scissors, baby!”

“You only got it because you kept losing and the receptionist felt sorry for you,” Flynn mutters, shaking his head.

“Excuse me for securing luxury, ” Carter says, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “Besides, I snore. I’m doing the rest of you a favour.”

“More like you’re scared that someone might smother you with a pillow,” I reply, ducking out from under his arm and grabbing the key Eva’s holding. Carter puts a hand over his heart like I’ve wounded him. “Ouch, Mands. Your words cut deep.”

I walk past him, flipping him off over my shoulder as I head towards the entrance.

Once inside, I look back, seeing Eva already half-dragging her bag along behind her. “You okay back there?” I ask, stopping to wait for her.

She sighs, picking the bag up. “Honestly? I feel like I need a glass of wine after being in that car with Carter, and I don’t even drink.”

I can’t help but laugh, because I know exactly what she means. For eighty percent of the journey here, he was singing, playing random road games and acting like that younger, annoying little brother.

I look down at the key card, seeing the numbers 106 printed along the bottom.

By the time we reach the room, I’m dragging my bag along the floor, waiting for Eva. Our room had to be at the far end. The air smells like warm damp and cheap detergent, and the door makes a dull thud when I bump my hip into it.

I slide the card into the reader, and the red light blinks. I try again, slower. It blinks again, mocking me.

“Seriously?” I mutter, juggling the handle out of spite.

Eva finally catches up, dropping her bag beside me with a groan. “Let me guess. Motel card readers. The real final boss.”

She takes the card from me and swipes it with this dramatic flourish, like she’s unlocking a treasure chest. Miraculously, the light turns green. The door gives a mechanical click, and she grins at me, like she’s just performed magic. “You’re welcome.”

The room smells faintly of bleach and air freshener, trying too hard to be citrus.

There’s a faint sound coming from the ancient-looking AC unit under the window, and the bed has a questionable stain on the comforter that I pretend not to see.

Eva doesn’t even hesitate. She drops her stuff on the cleaner side of the bed and flops down, face first, with a groan. “We survived. Barely.”

I look at her, making a mental note not to touch the comforter unless I want to start glowing in the dark.

Instead, I head toward the sink area and splash cold water on my face, trying to scrub off the remnants of road trip exhaustion.

My reflection stares back at me, eyes heavy-lidded, hair a mess, and yet somehow the only thing I can focus on is Ant.

“You think the others are gonna cause trouble tonight?” I ask over my shoulder, shouting through to the room.

Eva appears around the corner, leaning her head against the door frame.

“Carter’s already causing trouble. I went to get a packet of chips from the vending machine, and there he was.

Challenging Gunnar to a push-up contest.”

I blink, water still dripping from my face. “You’re joking.”

“I wish I was. They started arguing about who had better stamina.”

I let out a groan, wiping my face with the bottom of my shirt, not trusting the towels. “Please tell me someone had the good sense to film it.”

She scoffs, walking back into the room. “We’re travelling with wild animals, Mandy.”

Before I have the chance to respond, someone knocks at the door. I step outside of the bathroom, looking towards Eva. She pauses mid-step, brow furrowing. I walk towards the door, looking through the peephole, my body freezing.

It’s Ant.

He stands there, hands in his pockets, head tilted slightly like he’s debating walking away. My heart skips, pounding harder against my chest the more I wait. I take a deep breath, opening the door.

He lifts his phone almost immediately, a message already waiting.

“Didn’t mean to wake you earlier.”

I smile, stepping back to let him in. “You didn’t. Eva did.”

She waves from her bed. “Hey, mute man. You come bearing snacks?

Ant gives the faintest smile and holds up a paper bag I hadn’t noticed before. He crosses the room in a few quiet steps and drops it onto the dresser.

“Okay,” I say, stepping closer, “you’re officially my favourite Ashford.”

He raises an eyebrow like that’s not saying much.

I catch his eyes, and for a split second, something unspoken hangs there.

A hum beneath my skin. The memory of us in that room, in the parking lot outside the shooting range and the way he cared for me when I was in their apartment. He looks away, pulling his phone out.

“Carter said you were hungry. Thought you’d like this.”

Eva whistles from the bed. “Silent and considerate? Unreal. Maybe you can teach Axel a few things.”

I roll my eyes at her, already reaching for the snacks, but my hand brushes Ant’s as he’s reaching to hold his phone out. I freeze, his hand warm, solid, yet… soft.

I look up and see he’s already watching me, but really watching. His dark eyes drink me in, like I’m a puzzle he’s been trying to solve for days. The air shifts between us, electric and still. I don’t know how long we stand there, but it’s enough to make Eva clear her throat.

Ant steps back like I burned him, and the sudden distance makes my chest ache. He holds his phone out again, and I read the message on the screen.

“Will you meet me out front in twenty minutes? I want to show you something.”

I read the message numerous times before placing the phone back into his hand.

“Okay,” I say softly. He nods, the corner of his mouth lifting into the kind of smile that could ruin a girl. As he turns to leave, his fingers brush against mine one last time, just enough to set every nerve in my body on fire.

He waves goodbye to Eva, then disappears through the door, closing it behind him.