Chapter 14
FINDING PEACE
MARCUS
The suite is a flurry of activity as everyone packs their bags, preparing to meet the plane that will take us to The Ranch Lily booked in Montana.
Amidst the chaos, my thoughts keep drifting back to her.
Obsessing. Every interaction, every fleeting glance she throws my way, lingers in my mind.
But I know this isn’t the time to act on those feelings.
Jax needs our focus, and the band desperately needs to regroup.
I push my thoughts to the side and return to packing my bags. Then I head to the living room and into Jax’s room.
Jax is a mess. Misery radiates off him in waves, and he snaps at anyone who gets too close. His eyes are glazed, a mix of withdrawal and pain overtaking his usual brooding intensity, making him more of an asshole.
He stopped halfway through packing his belongings to yell at the nurse. Now, Lily and I are working together to pack around him while he sulks nearby, arms crossed and glaring at the floor. Dylan stands in front of him, trying to help him put on a jacket.
“Get off me,” Jax snarls, jerking away from Dylan with a sharp motion. His arm flings out, shoving the jacket Dylan has been struggling to convince him to put on for the past five minutes. The force sends it flying to the floor, his anger radiating through the small space.
“Jax, we need to get going,” Dylan says, his voice steady but tinged with irritation.
“I don’t need your help!” Jax barks, shoving Dylan back. His movements are erratic, and his whole body is shaking.
Lily steps in, her voice firm but soothing. “Jax, we’re doing this for you. For all of us really. You need to be somewhere safe and the rest of us need to catch up on sleep. It’s been a rough week.”
“Safe?” Jax scoffs, his eyes wild. “There’s no safe place for me. Just leave me here.”
“Jax, you are safe with us, always. I promise.” Lily holds up both her hands in a placating manner and meets his gaze unflinchingly.
Dylan and I exchange a worried glance, ready to intervene if things escalate further. Jax glares at Lily, but her calm, unwavering tone seems to reach him. He finally relents, offering a slow nod and allowing us to guide him out of the suite.
As we maneuver him into the van, he mumbles curses under his breath, his eyes distant and unfocused. Seeing him like this—so angry and so broken—eats at me. I know there is nothing we can do. These are his demons to face down, but I hate feeling useless.
The ride to the airport is equally as tense. All of us keep a watchful eye on Jax, his irritated grumbling and erratic movements stirring a concern everyone seems too hesitant to voice.
Outside the windows, the city streets blur into the quieter countryside, where the sun dips low, painting the horizon in shades of gold and pink. I sit next to Lily, my hand finding hers. Her fingers tremble slightly, and I squeeze them gently.
“We’ll get through this. You made the right choice to book the retreat,” I murmur, trying to reassure her.
She turns to me, gratitude and fear mingling in her eyes. “Thank you, Marcus,” she whispers, her voice soft but heavy with her unspoken emotion. She gently squeezes my hand, and I squeeze hers back twice, a silent reassurance.
When we arrive at the airstrip, the sleek private jet waiting for us feels like a lifeline—another step closer to the retreat and the reset we all desperately need. The cool air wraps around me as I step out of the van, the quiet almost surreal after the relentless chaos of the city.
We carefully load Jax onto the plane, his groans of irritation morphing into strained discomfort as the effects of his pain meds begin to wear off.
Lily takes her place beside him, handing him a few pills from the bottle provided by the nurse.
Her calm determination seems to force Jax into compliance.
And I naturally gravitate towards her quiet confidence, choosing the seat on her other side.
The flight to Montana feels endless. None of us speak, the air filled with cautious optimism we’re all too afraid to disturb. The steady hum of the engines takes the place of conversation, a constant backdrop to the deliberate silence enveloping the cabin.
Lily sits close to Jax, monitoring him closely with worry clear on her face. I watch her over the top of my iPad, unable to stop myself from admiring the way she pours so much of herself into taking care of everyone around her.
When we finally land and disembark, the air feels fresher, cleaner, like a promise of something better. A rugged man in a worn Stetson steps out of a blacked-out SUV parked on the runway, greeting us with a warm smile.
“Welcome to Montana,” he says, extending his hand. “Name’s Tom. I’ll be taking care of y’all while you’re here.”
I shake his hand firmly and say, “Thank you for having us. I’m Marcus, and that’s Dylan, Jax, Enzo, and Lily.”
He nods at each name, tipping his hat respectfully before gesturing toward the SUV. “Alright, let’s grab up your stuff and get y’all over to The Ranch.”
Tom helps me load the luggage into the trunk while Dylan, Enzo, and Lily settle into the seats inside, with Jax wedged between them. I climb into the passenger seat next to Tom.
The drive down the empty country road is calm, framed by stretches of farmland. Occasionally, Tom points out landmarks or details he deems important. After about twenty minutes, we slow down, turning onto a paved driveway marked by a bronzed archway that reads “The Ranch.”
The Ranch is breathtaking. Rolling fields stretch out in every direction, dotted with grazing cows.
It takes several minutes on the private road before a structure comes into view, growing more impressive as we approach.
The main house, a sprawling western-style estate, stands proudly against the majestic backdrop of mountains.
Its massive wrap-around porch offers sweeping views of golden fields, all bathed in the soft, warm hues of the setting sun.
Behind the main house, a smaller guest home sits quietly, with a large red barn further beyond, completing the idyllic scene.
Tom slows the SUV to a stop just outside the main door to the house. “I’ll show you inside, then leave you be.”
“Thank you, sir,” Lily offers quietly from the back.
Tom nods and steps out of the SUV, striding confidently toward the house. The rest of the group follows him, but I hang back, watching as Dylan and Enzo carefully guide Jax inside, with Lily close behind them. I walk behind her, briefly distracted by her hips swaying with her stride.
Inside the house I pull my attention away from Lily to glance around. The décor is rustic mixed with modern, with exposed wooden beams and plush furnishings. The living room features a stone fireplace and leather sofas and the kitchen has granite countertops and a farmhouse sink.
Tom shows us around, his boots clicking on the hardwood floors. “The fridge is stocked,” he says, pointing to the kitchen. “If y’all need anything, I’m in the second house out back. I’ll put your luggage on the porch for you before I head off.”
The group murmurs a chorus of thank-you’s as Tom departs, and we quickly turn our attention to exploring the remaining rooms, which turn out to be mostly bedrooms. There’s also an office and a small studio, which is probably why Harris agreed to this location.
“I claim dibs on this room!” Dylan yells from the bedroom furthest down the hall. “The bed in here is massive.”
Lily laughs. “They all have king sized beds.”
“This one is definitely bigger,” Dylan insists as he pops his head out of his room.
Lily shakes her head but doesn’t respond to him. Instead, she turns to the rest of us. “Enzo, Marcus, Jax, do you have a room preference?”
Enzo claims the room closest to the kitchen, and I take the one directly in the middle of the hall.
We settle Jax in the room between us, ensuring he’s within easy reach if he needs help.
Lily ends up in the bedroom second from the end of the hall, with a window that frames a perfect view of the mountains.
I can already imagine how stunning it’ll look during the sunrise.
Once everyone’s rooms are decided, Enzo takes the first round of Jax sitting and I head out onto the porch to grab the luggage, dragging it into the living room.
Lily joins me, picking up the bag the nurse packed for Jax.
She pulls out the instructions, scanning through them for what feels like the seventh or eighth time, sighing deeply.
“Lily,” I say softly, stepping into the kitchen. “Put it down and come with me.”
She looks up, her eyes filled with anxiety. “Marcus, I can’t. I need to make sure everything is in order. What if we forget to do something and it makes everything worse?”
“Just for a minute,” I insist, taking her hand. “You need a break. One minute to worry about yourself is okay.”
Reluctantly, she allows me to lead her out to the porch. The sun has just dipped below the horizon, leaving a soft afterglow that paints the fields in golden light. I sit on a rocking chair and pull her onto my lap.
The gentle creak of the chair and the cool breeze work their magic, and I feel her begin to relax. “My mom would’ve loved this place,” I say quietly.
She looks up at me, her expression softening. “Your mom?”
“She passed when I was young,” I admit, the memory bittersweet. “She always dreamed of moving out of the city and living somewhere more peaceful. Probably somewhere just like this.”
“Do you have any other family?” She asks quietly.
“Just the band. They’re my family now.”
Lily scans my face quietly, then tilts her head up and kisses me, her lips soft and warm. I slide my arm around her waist, pulling her closer as I instantly react and deepen the kiss. For a moment, everything feels perfect.
“We should head inside,” I murmur, pulling back with a grin. “Don’t want to give Tom a show.”
She laughs softly, and I help her to her feet, snagging her hand as I walk into the house.
I tug her along beside me as I retreat to my bedroom.
As soon as the door closes, the outside world disappears entirely.
I kiss her again, slower this time, savoring the taste of her lips.
She melts into me, her hands threading through my hair, pulling me closer as I guide her backward toward the bed.
The scent of fresh linen and the distant hum of cicadas outside create a backdrop for our own symphony of sighs and whispers. Lily’s skin feels impossibly soft beneath my fingertips, her breath hitching as I trail my hands across her, committing every curve and dip to memory.
I lean over her, pressing a trail of kisses down her neck, lingering at the hollow of her collarbone.
Her breathless moans are a soft symphony, a reward for every touch.
My hands glide over her body, tracing the outline of her breasts, her waist, her hips, reveling in the way she responds to me.
She arches beneath me, her fingers digging into my back, as I tease and explore her in the ways I have been thinking about for days.
“Marcus,” she whispers, her voice trembling with desire. “Please.”
I couldn’t deny her, even if I wanted to. And I don’t want to.
Slowly, I peel off her clothes and slide inside her, feeling her warmth surround my throbbing length. We move together, our rhythm steady and slow, creating a connection beyond just the physical aspect of our bodies joining together. Each thrust bringing us closer together.
“Lily,” I murmur against her skin, my voice rough with emotion. “You feel incredible.”
Her eyes lock onto mine, her expression a mix of vulnerability and desire. “So do you.”
I lean down, sealing my lips to hers, licking across the seam of her mouth as I quicken the rhythm of my movements. Her soft sighs against my lips spur me to thrust deeper, my hands sliding under her ass to lift her into the motion.
Breaking our kiss, I bend forward and take one of her nipples into my mouth, licking and suckling against the sensitive peak. The sensation sends her spiraling over the edge, her body tightening around me. The intensity of her release pulls me over the edge right after her.
As we come down from our shared high, I hold her close, feeling the steadying rhythm of her heartbeat under my palms. Leaning in once more, I kiss her gently, then close my eyes.