29. Lila
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Lila
I stood in the hallway, my heart thudding in my chest as I listened to their voices in the living room.
I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop—okay, maybe I had—but hearing Ryan mention my brother stopped me in my tracks.
“Do we need to bring Nate into this?” Ryan’s voice was calm, steady, but the weight of his words hit me like a punch to the gut.
My breath hitched. They couldn’t seriously be thinking about telling Nate, could they?
The thought of it made my stomach churn. Nate wasn’t exactly known for handling things with finesse, especially when it came to me. And if he found out about the pictures, the blackmail… and them ?
I shuddered. It wouldn’t just be a mess—it’d be a disaster.
But as much as I wanted to barge into the room and tell them no way in hell, a tiny part of me hesitated.
Maybe they were right.
Maybe I couldn’t handle this alone.
My fingers trembled as I clutched the edge of the doorframe, torn between staying hidden and stepping forward.
“I mean, he’s her brother,” Ryan said, his tone deliberate. “And if this escalates, he’s going to find out eventually. Better it comes from us than from someone else.”
Escalates .
The word echoed in my head, sharp and unforgiving.
Was that where this was heading? Was this going to spiral even further out of control?
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing. I didn’t want to involve Nate, but if things got worse…
Before I could finish the thought, my phone buzzed in my pocket, the vibration startling me. I fumbled to pull it out, my heart racing as I saw Nate’s name on the screen.
Oh no.
I hesitated for a second, then answered, my voice shaky. “Hey, Nate.”
“Lila,” he said, his tone urgent. “Where are you?”
“I’m… at The Brewed Beaned Café,” I lied, glancing toward the living room where the guys were still talking. “Why?”
“There’s some guy at Dad’s house,” Nate said, his words tumbling out in a rush. “He’s asking for you.”
My stomach dropped.
“What?” I whispered, clutching the phone tighter.
“He showed up a few minutes ago,” Nate continued. “Said he needed to talk to you. He wouldn’t give me his name, but…”
He trailed off, and I could practically hear the tension in his voice.
“But what?” I pressed, my voice rising.
“He seems… off,” Nate said. “Shifty. Like he doesn’t belong here.”
My blood ran cold.
It was him. It had to be.
Rick.
I barely heard the rest of what Nate said. My pulse was pounding in my ears, my hands trembling as panic surged through me.
“Lila?” Nate’s voice snapped me back to reality.
“I… I’ll be right there,” I said quickly, hanging up before he could say anything else.
I turned, nearly stumbling as I rushed into the living room.
The guys all looked up at me, their expressions shifting from surprise to concern the moment they saw my face.
“What’s wrong?” Ryan asked, already on his feet.
“It’s him,” I said, my voice shaking. “Rick. He’s at my dad’s house.”
The room went still, the air thick with tension.
“You’re sure?” Jaxon asked, his jaw tightening.
“Nate didn’t know his name, but it’s him,” I said, my chest heaving. “I know it is.”
Colt cursed under his breath, his hands balling into fists.
Ryan stepped forward, his presence calm and grounding. “We’re going with you,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
“I don’t?—”
“We’re going with you, ” he repeated, his green eyes locking onto mine. “You’re not dealing with this alone.”
I nodded, too overwhelmed to argue.
Jaxon grabbed his jacket, his movements sharp and efficient. “Let’s go.”
Colt was already at the door, his usual playful energy replaced by something cold and focused.
This was bad. Actually, it was really bad, and it could only get worse.
The drive to my dad’s house was suffocating, the air inside the truck thick with tension.
Ryan was at the wheel, his jaw set like granite. Jaxon sat beside him, a storm brewing in his eyes, while Colt sat next to me in the backseat, his knee bouncing restlessly.
I stared out the window, clutching my hands in my lap as fear clawed at my throat. My pulse pounded in my ears, drowning out the low hum of the tires against the road.
Rick was here.
At my dad’s house.
And Nate was waiting.
I didn’t know which terrified me more, facing Rick or dealing with Nate.
When we pulled into the driveway, the chaos hit me like a tidal wave. Nate stood on the porch, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. His face was red, his movements sharp and erratic.
As soon as we got out of the truck, Nate’s gaze locked onto me, and he stormed toward us.
“What the hell is going on, Lila?” he demanded, his voice booming. “Who is this guy, and why is he asking for you?”
“Nate, just calm down,” I tried, but my voice cracked.
“Calm down?” He threw his hands up. “How the hell am I supposed to calm down when some creep shows up here, looking for my sister, and then this shows up?”
He shoved a manila envelope toward me, his hand trembling with fury.
I froze, dread curling in my stomach as I took it. I didn’t even have to open it to know what was inside.
The pictures.
My hands shook as I peeled it open, and sure enough, there they were.
The photos.
I didn’t need to say anything. He had a copy of the pictures that spoke a thousand words.
Tears blurred my vision as I clutched the envelope to my chest, my entire body trembling.
“Where is he?” Jaxon growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Nate pointed toward the side yard. “He’s lurking around back. Said he’d wait for her to show up.”
Without another word, Jaxon and Colt took off, their movements swift and purposeful.
“Lila,” Nate said, his voice sharp, “what’s going on? Who is this guy? And why the hell are there pictures of you with…” He gestured toward Ryan, his face contorting in disbelief. “ Them? ”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. What could I even say?
“It’s not what it looks like,” Ryan said, stepping forward, his voice calm but firm. “But this isn’t the time to explain. Right now, we need to focus on keeping Lila safe.”
Nate’s eyes narrowed. “Safe? From who?”
Ryan hesitated, glancing at me before answering. “Rick. Her ex.”
Nate’s face darkened, his fists clenching at his sides. “The guy who screwed her over? He’s behind this?”
“I think so,” I whispered.
Before Nate could respond, a loud crash came from the backyard, followed by Jaxon’s voice shouting, “Get back here, you son of a?—”
My heart leaped into my throat and I bolted toward the sound, Ryan and Nate close behind me.
When we rounded the corner, I saw Colt pinning Rick against the side of the house, his forearm pressed against Rick’s throat. Jaxon stood nearby, his fists clenched and his eyes blazing with fury.
“You think you can come here and intimidate her?” Colt snarled, his voice deadly. “Not on my watch.”
Rick struggled against him, his face red. “Get off me, you psycho!”
Before I could process the scene, Biscuit bolted out of the house. My little corgi tore across the yard like a furry missile, barking so furiously it would have been almost comical if the situation weren’t so terrifying.
“Biscuit, no!” I shouted, but he wasn’t listening.
Rick’s face twisted with irritation as Biscuit darted around his legs, barking up at him as though the little dog could take him on.
Biscuit might have been small, but his big-dog attitude didn’t know any better.
“Get this damn dog away from me!” Rick snarled, trying to shuffle back from Colt’s grip.
But Biscuit wasn’t backing down. He darted in closer, his growls turning into sharp, angry yips.
Rick’s face contorted, and he raised his leg.
My heart stopped. He was going to kick him.
“Don’t you dare!” I screamed, my voice cracking.
Before his foot could connect, Jaxon lunged, shoving him back so hard Rick stumbled and nearly fell. Colt pressed him harder against the wall, his knuckles white as he restrained himself.
“You just made a big mistake,” Jaxon growled, his voice low and lethal.
Rick, however, wasn’t done. His face flushed red with anger, his words turning venomous.
“You think you’re too good for me, Lila?” he spat, his voice dripping with malice. “Parading around like some little innocent when you’re nothing but a slut. Sleeping with these guys?”
He jerked his head toward Jaxon, Ryan, and Colt, his sneer deepening.
“I always knew you were trash. You’re mine , Lila! You were always supposed to be with me!”
My chest tightened, nausea rolling through me as his words cut like jagged glass.
My legs felt like jelly, but before I could crumble, Biscuit let out a sharp bark and darted closer to Rick, baring his tiny teeth.
“Biscuit, stop!” I cried, panic clawing at my throat.
My little corgi was brave, but he had no idea who he was up against.
Rick’s wild gaze dropped to Biscuit, his lip curling in disgust.
“Stupid mutt!”
He lifted his foot again, but this time Jaxon was faster.
Jaxon grabbed Rick by the collar and yanked him forward, his piercing blue eyes blazing with fury. “You even think about hurting her or that dog again, and I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your miserable life.”
Colt’s grip on Rick tightened as he leaned in, his voice cold as steel. “Say one more word about her. I dare you.”
Rick let out a humorless laugh, but there was an edge of desperation in it. “You think you’re her knights in shining armor? She’s just playing all of you. That’s what she does! She’s nothing without me.”
Was this man insane?
Had he forgotten that he conned me and then stood me up?
What the hell was going on?