Page 118 of Undisputed Chaos
“Are we?” Estelle challenged lightly, but her cheeks flushed as Jax's arm tightened around her.
Sierra just smiled, completely unrepentant as Connor's massive hand found the back of her neck. "Worth it."
We made our way out of the maze, properly chastened andthoroughly schooled by women who were supposed to be the ones getting scared. The irony wasn't lost on any of us.
"Cotton candy," Isla announced as we emerged into the main carnival area. “We need sugar to celebrate our victory."
"Victory?" I protested. "What victory?"
"We successfully terrorized three of the most dangerous men ever,” she replied primly. "I'd call that a victory."
I couldn’t argue with that. We were fucking monsters, yet bested by a house of mirrors and three wicked girls.
We hit the food vendors with force, the girls diving into delicously greasy carnival cuisine. Cotton candy, funnel cakes, skewers—they sampledeverything.
"This is disgusting," Estelle announced, then immediately took another bite of her deep-fried Oreo. "Completely disgusting and absolutely perfect."
"The combination of sugar and regret," Jax agreed, stealing some of someone’s fries. "Classic carnival experience."
I watched Isla work her way through a cloud of blue cotton candy, her tongue darting out to catch the sticky sweetness, and warmth settled in my chest.
Not the usual possessive heat, though that was definitely there, but something deeper. Contentment, maybe. The kind of peace I'd never thought someone like me deserved.
She was mine. The thought carried weight now, permanence that went beyond obsession. And I was hers.
Connor nudged my elbow, his own expression thoughtful as he watched Sierra glare at the powdered sugar raining all over her lap.
"Different," he observed.
"What?"
"This. Having them here. It changes everything."
He was right. For ten years, it had been just us—three damaged men who'd found each other and built something that resembled a family.
We'd been content with that, or so we'd toldourselves. Then the girls had arrived, one by one, and suddenly contentment had become something richer.
"Better," I said finally.
Jax tossed us a nod. "Much better."
The Ferris wheel called as the night grew later, its lights reflecting off the harbor water beyond the carnival grounds.
The girls wanted to ride together, naturally, which meant we got to watch them from the neighboring gondola like three protective stalkers.
"Think they're plotting something else?" Jax asked as our car began its slow ascent.
I wasn’t sure it could hold our combined weight of like 750 pounds.
“Yeah,” Connor replied. "Question is what."
I leaned back in my seat, watching Isla's profile as she pointed out landmarks to Sierra and Estelle.
The city spread out below us, all glittering lights and dark water, but I only had eyes for her.
The carnival lights caught in her hair, animating the way she gestured as she talked, the smile that seemed to be permanently attached to her face tonight.
This is what happiness looked like.
