Page 78 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

I could feel my blood boil.

I wanted to say something, to step in right away, but I knew if I did, it would escalate. Lila was clearly upset, her face a mix of shock and hurt as Nate’s words cut deeper and deeper.

Her eyes glistened, but she didn’t let the tears fall.

“Stop it, Nate,” she said quietly, but I could hear the tremor in her voice. “Please.”

But he was on a roll now. “You think I don’t see it? You think I don’t see how you look at them? How you let them get so close to you? You’ve been flirting with Jaxon, Colt, and Ryan all night. You think you can play all of us like this andnothing’sgoing to happen? You think it’s just fun for you? It’s not. I know you’ve been through shit, but this…”

Lila stepped back a little, as if she could physically distance herself from the words. Her lip trembled, but she didn’t speak.

She just looked at him, her silence cutting deeper than any of his accusations.

That was enough.

My fists clenched, and my heart pounded in my chest. I couldn’t just stand there.

I had to do something, so I moved.

Fast.

“Nate,” I said, my voice hard, colder than it had been all night. My words sliced through the tension between them. “That’s enough.”

He spun around to face me, his face flushed with rage. “What the hell are you doing here, Jaxon? Stay out of this.”

I didn’t move, didn’t flinch.

“No. I’m not going to stay out of it.” My voice was steady, but I was seething. “You’re way out of line, man. That kind of shit isn’t gonna fly.”

Nate’s eyes narrowed, and I saw the muscles in his jaw twitch. He stepped toward me, his chest puffing out. “Stay out of it, Jaxon. This is between me and my sister.”

I didn’t back down. “No, it’s between you and your sisterandthe way you’re treating her. This isn’t the way to handle things, man. You don’t get to talk to her like that.”

I saw his fist ball up at his side, and I knew exactly what was coming.

He was about to take a swing, and I’d been through enough of these situations to know how to deal with it. I didn’t hesitate.

As soon as his fist came flying toward me, I caught his wrist mid-air, twisting his arm so it was pinned behind his back. He let out a grunt of frustration, trying to jerk away, but I held him in place, my grip firm and unyielding.

“You don’t get to treat her like that, Nate,” I growled. “Not while I’m standing here. Not ever.”

He struggled in my hold, his anger burning in his eyes. “You think you can take me, Jaxon? You think you’re so much better than me?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to.

My silence was enough.

Lila was standing behind me now.

“Nate, please.” She sounded exhausted. She was drained, physically and emotionally. “This isn’t you. I don’t want to fight with you.”

The moment she spoke, her voice soft but pleading, something shifted in Nate’s expression. For a split second, his rage faltered, replaced by a flicker of regret.

But it didn’t last.

His pride was too thick, his anger too far gone.

“Don’t you dare try to guilt me, Lila,” he snapped, his voice cracking slightly. “You brought this on yourself.”

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