Page 31 of Peaceful Chaos

Her mouth pops open, but she doesn't speak. Probably can't find the words. I don't think they've talked about what is happening with the three of them. Now she's being thrown in the deep end and there will definitely need to be a serious discussion between them, or there are going to be other problems to come from this mess.

"Jen should move in with Ford and I," Shane adds.

Jen doesn't have the same qualms against speaking as Amber does. "Shane Michael McKinnick, if you want me to move in with you, then you have to ask me. You can't just use this crisis to move me in with you."

Shane punches the seat in front of him. "Damnit, Jen! There's nothing wrong with me wanting to keep you safe. I know we had plans. Things change, but the goal is that we end up together. I love you, and I want the future we planned."

Jen crosses her arms and scowls. "Fine, if Amber is okay with this temporary arrangement, then so am I."

"Jennifer Anne Danvers," Shane says, mocking the tone she used. "There isn't a goddamn thing about us that is temporary. When we take this step forward, we aren't going backwards."

"Amber?" Lucien asks.

She drags her eyes away from the window. "What do you want me to say? We aren't them. We haven't put a label on whatever is going on between us. Half the time the two of you seem to pretend nothing is happening. Now you want me to live with you?"

Teddy turns around to face her. "You're right. We haven't put a label on anything. But before whatever started between the three of us, there was the two of us. Yeah, it was new. Still is, really. But I have feelings for you. Is it so insane that I'd want to protect you?"

She turns back toward the window. I reach out and grab her hand, squeezing it once. She looks at me, and I roll my eyes. I'm granted with a smirk and she mouths, "Men," and shrugs.

We pull up to a large complex, just as Javier described. The perimeter fence is brick with a large iron gate. There are flood lights and security cameras mounted at the top of the wall. A guard is posted at the gate, and if it's anything like Mt. Chaos, he's only one of many.

The guard opens the gate and waves us through. Javier guides the car along a curved road and parks in front of one of the buildings, located smack in the middle. He turns off the car and turns around to face us. "This building is in the heart of the complex. I don't have any fear of your safety here, but as an added security measure, I wanted to make sure you were surrounded by Chaos."

Lucien chuckles. "We're always surrounded by chaos."

* * *

The alarm goesoff in the morning, and I groan. Sin and I christened every surface in the apartment last night. The freedom of being completely alone, more than just for a few hours here and there, made us go a little wild. We finally fell asleep as the sun was rising.

"Make it stop," I beg, pressing a pillow over my head to block out the light and sound.

He pulls the pillow away from my face. "I thought you wanted to go back to school," he says. I crack my eyes open to see him smirking at me.

The fog starts to clear from my sleep deprived brain, and I jolt out of bed. I rush around digging through the bags we left packed by the dresser.

"There's the enthusiasm I was expecting," he teases.

"School makes me feel like I'm not sitting still waiting for the future to happen. This is our chance to make our own path. Aren't you excited?" I ask him.

He peels back the blankets, uncovering a body I'll never get enough of. "See something you like, princess?" he asks as he catches my eyes lingering a little too long. Can't help myself, the man is cut like a marble statue. Even Michelangelo’s The David has nothing on my man's perfection.

I throw some clothes at him. "Get dressed. Stop distracting me with your sexy muscles."

He chuckles and slaps me on the ass. "Shower with me."

"We're never going to make it to school," I half-heartedly complain. Truthfully, I can't get enough of him.

"I'll be quick," he says.

I roll my eyes. "You've said that before, and you're never quick."

An hour and a couple of orgasms later, we're both dressed and meeting the others at the vehicle in front of our building. An agent waits for us in the car. "Your security teams are already in place at the school. Two other vehicles are waiting near the gate to follow us on the way to school."

"All agents have been vetted and have no ties to my father, right?" I ask. I know my uncle is supposedly working undercover with Damien, but even someone who has every reason to hate him seems to be bending to his influence. I don't want them taking any chances with my loved ones.

The agent glances at me through the rearview mirror. "Javier doesn't do anything halfway. You'll be protected, and that's not something all of you need to worry about. I remember college. That's enough on your plate. Worry about that and let us focus on security."

I look over at Sin and raise my brows. His eyes land on the guard and his scowl is enough of a response for me to know we're on the same page. There's no chance in hell we aren't going to take an active interest in our own security.

The agent pulls into the parking lot nearest the administration building. The previous quarter ended during our forced absence. None of us are looking forward to the testing we have to complete in order to get credit for the classes we had to miss.

It's only thanks to Brett that we're being allowed to make up our finals and register for classes. There've been a lot of strings pulled in my life, from having my own dorm while I was at boarding school, to being allowed to remain on campus during holidays, but this is the first time the favor is actually a benefit to me.

I cringe internally, because this is bound to bring more attention to us. Part of me wonders if we shouldn't postpone going to school until after my father is dealt with, but who knows how long that could take. We've waited long enough to live. Extra scrutiny or not, we're going to keep moving forward.

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