Page 28 of Undisputed Chaos
"Now, are we training, or are you two just going to make eyes atyour iPads all day? Because I have an angel to impress, which means I need to stay in fighting shape."
As we settled into our workout routines, I caught Connor and Jax exchanging another look—half exasperation, half understanding.
They'd been where I was, after all. They knew what it was like to find the one person who made the monster inside purr instead of rage.
Soon enough, there would be three iPads at the edge of the mat. Three fighters watching over their girls. Three monsters, tamed just enough to be dangerous in all the right ways.
CHAPTER FIVE
Adrian
The guys and I circled each other in the ring, gloves up, feet light. Jax tossed a lazy jab my way, just enough to make me dance back and flash him a grin.
“Careful, Lion,” I taunted, bouncing on my toes. “Don’t want to mess up your manicure.”
Jax smirked, rolling his shoulders. “You wish you had hands this pretty, Catalyst. You’re all scars and ink.”
“Scars are just trophies,” I shot back, feinting left and swinging right. He blocked, but I felt the impact travel up my arm, satisfying as hell.
Connor snorted from the ropes, his eyes never leaving the spar. “You two gonna fight or flirt all day?”
Jax flashed him a grin. “You jealous, Killer? Don’t worry, you’re still my favorite brooder.”
Connor just shook his head, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
I loved sparring with these two; no one else could take a punch or a throw joke like the brothers I grew up with.
We'd been through hell together, knew each other's demons intimately. They'd seen me at my worst, back when anger was my only language and violence my default setting.
Jax came in fast, a blur of gold and muscle, but I ducked, letting his fist whistle past my ear. “You’re getting slow, old man,” I teased, circling him. “Star keeping you up too late?”
He laughed, sharp and bright. “Better than you, psycho. At least my girl didn’t run like I was the villain in a horror movie.”
I grinned, not even pretending to be offended. “She’ll come around.” I threw a quick combination that had him dancing backward.
“Besides, at least I don’t have to get hit by a car to make my girl like me.”
Connor barked a laugh, the sound rare and rough. “He’s got you there, Jax.”
Jax’s cheeks flushed, but he didn’t miss a beat. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
I bounced on my heels, hands up, energy crackling through me. “Never. I mean, who does that? ‘Hey, Adrian, hit me with your car so I can impress the pretty teacher.’ You’re lucky I didn’t flatten you for real. Would’ve saved us some therapy bills.”
Jax rolled his eyes, but the smile tugging at his lips said he wasn’t mad at all. “Worked, didn’t it? She’s mine now.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I conceded, throwing a playful jab at his shoulder. “Next time, just try flowers. Less chance of internal bleeding.”
Connor stepped into the ring, massive and silent, his presence shifting the air. “Enough talking. Let’s see if you can still hit me.”
I grinned, adrenaline surging. “Bring it, Killer.”
We traded blows, the sound of fists on flesh echoing through the gym. Connor was a fucking tank—every punch calculated, every movement efficient. I let him land a body shot, just to feel the burn, then slipped away, laughing.
“Still got it,” I panted, shaking out my arms.
Jax leaned on the ropes, watching us with that lazy, predatoryamusement. “You’re both getting soft. Too much time playing house with the girls and the cat.”
Connor shot him a look, black eyes flat. “You wanna go, Lion?”
