Page 77 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

Samantha hesitated, glancing at me. “Do you want me to…?”

“I’ll handle it,” I said quickly, though my voice was trembling.

She gave me a concerned look before nodding and stepping back toward the ballroom.

“I’ll be inside if you need me,” she said softly, giving Nate one last wary glance before disappearing through the door.

Now it was just the two of us. The cold seemed sharper without her, biting at my skin as I faced my brother.

“What’s going on, Nate?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. “Why are you out here?”

He let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “Why am I out here? That’s rich coming from you. Shouldn’t you be inside, batting your eyes at Jaxon? Or Colt? Or Ryan?”

His voice dripped with sarcasm, each name landing like a punch.

I flinched, the venom in his tone taking me off guard. “Nate, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb, Lila,” he snapped, his words harsh and slurred. “I’ve seen the way you look at them… the way they look at you. Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for me? My little sister, throwing herself at my friends.”

His words hit like a slap, and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks in a mix of anger and humiliation. “That’s not what’s happening, and you know it.”

“Oh, really?” He took a stumbling step closer, his voice rising. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re enjoying the attention—dancing with all of them, letting them fight over you like some… some prize.”

“Stop it,” I said sharply, my own voice shaking now. “You’re drunk, Nate. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I know exactly what I’m saying,” he spat, his face twisted with anger. “You’re making a fool of yourself. And me.”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

“That’s not fair,” I whispered. “You don’t get to judge me for?—”

“For what?” he cut in, his voice dripping with scorn. “For acting like some… some flirt? Like you can’t pick one and stick with it?”

The words hung in the air, sharp and cutting, and for a moment, all I could do was stare at him, my chest tight with hurt and fury.

“You don’t know anything about what’s going on,” I said finally. “You don’t know what I’ve been through, what I’m feeling. You have no right?—”

“I’m your brother,” he said, his tone biting. “I have every right. And if you think I’m going to stand by and watch you make a fool of yourself…”

Oh shit.

This was bad.

Reallybad.

I didn’t know how much more of this I could take.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

Jaxon

It wasn’t just yelling—hewashurtingLila.

I froze for a second, my breath catching in my chest. She was standing there, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her head lowered, as if trying to shrink into herself.

Nate’s words hit her like fists.

“Why are you acting like this, Lila?” His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the anger in it. “Flirting with all of them like it’s nothing! Like you’re just out therethrowing yourselfat them!”

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