Page 115 of Light My Fire Three Times
I want to help her rebuild her life, piece by piece, and I want to be there when she needs it most.
I glance at Ivy before she steps out of the truck. She’s looking at her guys, her eyes softening as she sees them, her shoulders relaxing just a little. They’ll take care of her. I know they will.
But the sight of them, together, as a family, as a team, makes something inside of me ache.
I need to be brave. I need to step up for Olivia the way I should have from the start. It’s time to stop running from what I want, what we all want.
But how do I make that leap?
I watch Ivy walk toward her family, the tension in her movements slowly dissipating as she meets them halfway. They’re already reaching for her, pulling her into their arms, and for a split second, I’m an outsider. I’m too late.
It doesn’t have to be too late, though, right?
I can find a way to make this work. I’m sure of it. I just need to… figure it out, that’s all.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Olivia
DECEMBER 18TH
I wakeup with a headache that’s more of a reminder than anything else.
I should be sleeping, but my brain is stuck on repeat, running through everything that’s happened over the last twenty-four hours.
My bed feels too soft. The universe is telling me to take it easy, to just… rest. But I can’t. Not with the way everything feels so off.
I’m not even sure where to start. Should I be relieved that I’m not in a hospital bed anymore? Or should I be mad at myself for letting it get this far? I can’t decide.
I sit up, feeling every muscle in my body scream at me to stay put, but I’m not the type to just lie around and feel sorry for myself, even if it’s all I want to do right now.
Karl’s sitting at the kitchen table, his feet casually propped up on the empty chair beside him, nursing a cup of coffee. He’s gazing out the window like he’s got the world figured out, but I know better. He’s just an excellent actor.
“Morning,” I say, hoarser than I’d like.
Karl glances over. He’s been waiting for me to wake up. “How are you feeling?”
I rub my forehead, trying to shake the fog that’s still stuck in my brain. “Like I’ve been hit by a freight train.”
My body has been through a war, and my mind… well, my mind’s still doing laps around everything.
“You didn’t get much sleep, did you?” Karl asks, his eyes narrowing, already knowing the answer. “I kept noticing you waking up a lot.”
I shrug, trying to downplay it. “I slept some.”
That’s a lie. I didn’t sleep at all, not really. I tossed and turned for hours, too worried about everything to actually rest.
“Right,” he mutters. He knows me too well. “You need to take it easy. I mean it, Liv. You don’t want to end up back in the hospital, do you?”
I bite my lip, looking away from him. I hate that I need someone to tell me that. I should be able to figure it out on my own.
Before I can say anything, Karl’s phone rings, the sound cutting through the quiet as an unwelcome guest. He glances at the screen, then at me, his brows furrowing before he answers.
“Yeah?”
I can hear Leo’s voice on the other end, muffled but still urgent. “Karl, where the hell are you? What’s going on? I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Olivia collapsed yesterday.” Karl stands up, pacing as he speaks. “She’s okay. Just… exhausted, Leo. The doctors said it’s from stress.”
