Page 117 of Light My Fire Three Times
“I’m trying to help her!” Leo growls, full of raw frustration. “You think I don’t see what’s going on? You think I’m the one who doesn’t get it? She’s my damn friend, too, Karl. I’m doing what I think is best for her!”
“Maybe you should listen to what she thinks is best,” Karl shoots back. “She’s the one who’s been dealing with this, not you. She’s the one who gets to make the choice.”
My chest feels tight, my breath coming in shallow bursts. I want to calm things down, but it’s like no one’s hearing me anymore.
“Both of you,” I say, trembling. “Just stop.”
But neither of them even acknowledges me. Leo’s eyes stay locked on Karl, filled with defiance, while Karl’s glare is cold and firm.
I feel the walls closing in, the space between us suffocating. The anger swirling around us is too much for me to handle right now. My heart races, and I know I need to get out of this before it goes any further.
Without warning, Leo throws up his hands in frustration, turning away from both of us.
“You know what? Fuck this,” he spits. “I can’t do this anymore. If you two want to sit around and pretend everything’s fine, go ahead. But don’t expect me to sit here and watch.”
I watch in stunned silence as Leo storms out the door, his footsteps heavy and fast.
The door slams behind him, leaving me standing amid this wreckage. I feel hollow. The fight took everything I had left to give.
Karl looks at me, his face softening as he takes a step closer. “I’m sorry, Liv. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
I shake my head, blinking back tears. “I didn’t either. I understand why he wants to attack, but this is a legal thing. I can’t just…”
Karl holds me. It’s rough to see Leo like that. It reminds me of when I first met him, when it seemed like he hated me. Iknowhe’s on my side now, but that doesn’t make any of it right.
I blink rapidly, trying to push the rush of emotions back down, but they’re already spilling over the edges.
I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing, but the lump in my throat makes it impossible to get a good breath in.
Karl watches me for a moment, his brow furrowed in concern, before he steps closer.
His hands hover for a second, unsure, before they settle on my shoulders, pulling me into a gentle but firm hug. I can feel the tension radiating off him, his muscles tight beneath his shirt.
In this moment, Karl is everything I need.
Karl’s expression softens even more, and in that moment, everything else fades away. The world outside, the mess of my legal battles, Leo’s fury, it all disappears as he leans down, just enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath against my skin.
His lips brush against mine, soft at first, tentative, asking for permission to stay, to be here with me in this moment, despite everything.
My heart stutters, a mix of emotions flooding me all at once. I don’t think about the implications or the mess. I don’t thinkabout anything except that he’s here, and in this moment, that’s enough.
The kiss deepens, slow and steady. The world’s still spinning, but we’ve found a place to stop, to breathe, just to be.
The tension I’ve been carrying melts away with each gentle press of his lips, and for the first time in a long time, I feel… safe.
When we pull away, neither of us says anything right away. The air between us feels different now. Lighter, but still heavy with unspoken words. Karl’s eyes search mine, as if he’s trying to see if I’m okay, really okay.
“I’m here,” he says. “Whatever you need.”
I nod, finally feeling I can take a breath that’s all my own.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my hand sliding gently over his chest, where I can feel the steady thrum of his heart. “You have no idea what that means to me.”
CHAPTER FORTY
Leo
DECEMBER 20TH
