Page 52 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

I could feel the weight of his gaze, like he was piecing together something he didn’t quite like.

He glanced at Colt and Jaxon, both of whom were trying to act casual, but I could see the tension in their bodies, the way they shifted on their feet, their eyes flicking to Lila.

“Good,” Nate said, his voice firm. “It’s good to see you all survived the storm. What a nightmare!”

He moved farther into the room, and I stayed close, unwilling to let him go too far without knowing what he was after.

Behind him, Colt and Jaxon exchanged uneasy glances. I caught Colt fiddling with his sleeves, his jaw tight.

Jaxon shifted his weight on the counter, looking like he was trying not to care but failing at it.

I glanced over to Lila, who was by the window, wrapped in that damn blanket.

She looked fragile, almost lost in the oversized fabric, her hazel eyes searching the room. Her gaze met mine, a silent plea in her eyes, and I gave her a small, barely noticeable nod.

Nate followed my gaze and his expression softened, a hint of concern replacing the initial wariness in his eyes.

“Lila,” he said, his tone gentler now, his steps slow as he moved toward her. “You okay?”

She nodded quickly, her lips curving into a forced smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Yeah. I’m good,” she said, but the words felt hollow.

Nate wasn’t buying it, and neither was I.

Fuck.

“You sure?” he pressed, stepping closer, his protective instinct kicking in. “It’s bad out there. We never normally have this, it sucks. We can’t even ski.”

“I’m sure,” Lila replied, her voice a little too quick, too sharp. “It’s fine. I’m still glad I came.”

Nate’s face softened, and he put a hand on her shoulder, his thumb brushing over the fabric of her blanket. “Yeah, me too.”

That hit me hard.

He was so protective of Lila.

We hadn’t eventhoughtabout him last night.

Jaxon cleared his throat, breaking the silence that hung in the air like a thick fog. “We’ve been keeping her company. Weathering the storm together.”

Nate reached out, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Well, I just wanted to check in. I’ll head back before the roads get worse. If you need anything, call me.”

“We will,” she promised.

As Nate turned to leave, he gave me a quick nod. “Thanks for keeping an eye on her, Ryan. All of you.”

“Of course,” I replied.

He left without a hint of suspicion, and the door clicked shut behind him, leaving only the sound of the storm outside.

The second he was gone, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My chest finally loosened, and I ran a hand down my face, trying to shake off the tension that still clung to me.

“That went well,” Colt said, grinning.

“Too well,” Jaxon added, though he looked just as relieved.

Lila stayed quiet, her eyes on the door, but when she looked at me, there was a flicker of gratitude in her hazel gaze.

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