Page 80 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

She looked up at me, her hazel eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I don’t even know where to start, Jaxon. Everything feels so… complicated.”

I hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Then start with this,” I said softly. “You’re not alone in this, Lila. You’ve got people who care about you. Me, Ryan, Colt… we’re here for you. Even Nate, when he’s sober and thinking straight.”

Her lip trembled, and for a moment, I thought she might break down. But then she nodded, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Can we get out of here?”

I nodded. “Whatever you want.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

Lila

I saton Jaxon’s worn leather couch, my knees pulled up to my chest and a blanket draped over my shoulders.

The room was dimly lit, a single lamp on the side table casting a warm, golden glow over the space.

The faint scent of cedar and leather that always clung to Jaxon’s things surrounded me, usually comforting, but tonight it wasn’t enough to soothe the storm brewing inside me.

Jaxon sat in the chair across from me, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped tightly together like he was trying to keep himself from fidgeting.

Ryan leaned against the far wall, arms crossed over his broad chest, his green eyes focused on the floor.

Colt was perched on the armrest of the couch, his leg bouncing up and down as he clicked his lighter open and shut in a rhythm that was anything but calming.

None of us spoke.

The silence in the room felt heavy, like we were all trapped under the same oppressive weight, but none of us knew how to lift it.

I adjusted the blanket around my shoulders, my fingers gripping the edges tightly.

“Thanks for letting me stay here,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jaxon’s head snapped up, his blue eyes locking on mine. “You don’t have to thank me, Lila. You can stay as long as you need.”

Ryan made a sound low in his throat, something between agreement and frustration.

“We just want to make sure you’re okay,” he said, his voice gruff.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure what “okay” even meant anymore. “I’m fine,” I lied.

The words felt like ash on my tongue, and I could see from the looks on their faces that they didn’t believe me.

Colt let out a harsh laugh, shaking his head.

“Yeah, you’re real fine, sweetheart,” he muttered, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Your brother just tore into you in front of half the damn town, and now you’re holed up here like some kind of fugitive. Totally fine.”

“Colt,” Jaxon warned, his tone sharp.

“What?” Colt snapped, flipping his lighter shut with a loud click. “We’re all thinking it. Someone has to say it.”

Ryan sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “This isn’t helping.”

“Nothing’s helping,” Colt shot back, standing up and pacing the room. “We’re all just sitting here pretending like we know what to say, but none of us have a damn clue, do we?”

I pressed my lips together, trying to hold back the surge of emotion threatening to bubble over. He wasn’t wrong.

“No one asked you to fix it, Colt,” I said, my voice trembling. “I don’t need you—or anyone else—to fix this. I just… I don’t even know what I need.”

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