Page 155 of Chaos

Ruin huffs.

The screech of a bolt sliding free makes him huff again, makes me wince as he curls his lips back over his teeth, but as the gate creaks open, he doesn’t flee. Only when I tug at the rope looped around his neck does he move, clomping footsteps matching my slow pace, so contradictory to the rapid thump of my heart.

I don’t breathe—I don’t think anyone does—until Ruin is out of the paddock. Away from it. Hooves scuffing the green grass that surrounds us and goes on for acres upon acres. Yet still, he remains at my side.

With a controlled exhale that’s the closest I can get to a euphoric cheer, I glance at Carmen as I gently clutch a fistful of sleek, dark mane. “So we’re going full cowboy on this, yeah?”

She nods and points two thumbs to the sky.

“Is recklessness a symptom of withdrawal?”

Grace shoves our mouthy-ass sister so hard, she almost topples off the fence. “Jesus, little one.”

Scrambling to rebalance, Eliza thumps her right back. “What?”

Shooting both of them a warning scowl, I cluck my tongue dismissively. “I’m not in withdrawal.”

God knows I wouldn’t be out here working if I was. I wouldn’t feel oddly… good. Clear-headed.

Fuck me.Serene.

Guess that old age adage about a problem shared being a problem halved has some merit. Fuck me again.

And fuck my smartass little sister too.Affectionately. “Sounds like something someone going through withdrawal would say.”

A short, low whistles makes every head, human or otherwise, whip toward the woman striding across the yard towards us, both hands braced on her hips.

“You two.” Lux lifts her chin at the pair still straddling the top of the fence. “Leave your sister alone.”

Eliza, ever the smartass, salutes. “Yes, mother.”

“And you.” Lux shifts her high-browed attention to me, a weary sigh escaping downturned lips. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I blink, pure innocence. “Obeying the man.”

Carmen lifts a hand. “I’m the man.”

Lux redirects the same question to her employee. “What is she doing?”

As if she has a fucking echo, someone else repeats the damn question.

“God.” I sigh, my turn to be weary as yet another spectator joins the ever-growing crowd. “Has no one ever ridden a horse around here?”

Finn is not impressed by my theatrics. He stands beside Lux, stance exactly the same, expression no different either. Jesus, even their voices blend together in perfect harmony as they both utter a firm, inarguable, “No.”

“No?” I repeat incredulously, playing the fool as if I don’t know damn well that they’re not answering my rhetorical question. “Liars.”

Two sets of deep brown eyes narrow, but it’s Finn who clarifies, “You’re not getting on that horse.”

“Oh, really?” My head falls so far to one side, it’s practically resting on my shoulder. “I’m not?”

He kisses his teeth so loudly, I’m sure the noise carries all the way to Haven Ridge. “Lottie.”

I copy his tone—his no-nonsense stance too. “Finn.”

“Baby,” comes out next, as casually as if he were saying my name.

My eyes widen, flying towards Carmen who looks… completely unsurprised. Shit, she’ssmirking. Shaking her head like she’s amused, and then nodding once when we lock gazes.

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