MARCUS
The suite isa 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 andglaring 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 mainhouse, 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.
