CHAPTER 18
HEALING AND REFLECTION
JAX
The first thingI notice when I wake up is the smell of coffee drifting through the house. The second is the faint sound of hushed voices and soft laughter filtering in from the living room—comforting, yet distant. The third, and most surprising, is that my first thought upon waking isn’t about drugs. That realization settles over me like a strange kind of relief.
I rub the sleep from my eyes and push myself out of bed. My body aches—a dull, persistent reminder of what I’ve put it through. The cravings are still there, lurking in the back of my mind, but they’re quieter today. The detox side effects have eased too, for the most part, leaving me feeling almost human.
For the first time since we’ve been at The Ranch, I realize I’m alone in my room. The emptiness feels strange. I step into the hallway, pausing at the entry to the living room.
Marcus, Enzo, Dylan, and Lily are sprawled out on thecouch, limbs tangled in a mess of blankets. The sunlight streams through the windows, casting everything in a soft, natural glow. They look peaceful, like a family that’s weathered a storm and is finally on the other side of the chaos, able to catch their breath.
For a moment, I hesitate. Guilt claws at me, sharp and unrelenting. I don’t feel like I belong here, like I deserve to be part of this quiet, unspoken bond they’ve built.
“Hey,” I mutter, my voice rough from sleep.
Marcus is the first to stir, blinking as he untangles himself from the pile. His blond hair sticks up in all directions, and he nods at me. “Morning.”
Lily stretches, her eyes meeting mine. They’re warm, but there’s concern behind them too. “Jax… you okay?”
Dylan and Enzo glance over, yawning and shifting. For a moment, I wonder if they all decided to sleep out here just to be together. The thought stirs a flicker of jealousy in me, but I shove it down before it can grow.
Dylan grins lazily, running a hand through his unruly hair. “You look better today, man.”
I shrug, unsure of how to respond. “I, uh… about yesterday. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bail like that after our talk.”
Dylan waves me off, his usual carefree attitude in place. “Don’t sweat it. We all need time to reflect sometimes. Yesterday was a lot.”
But it feels like more than just a momentary lapse. I rub the back of my neck, staring down at the floor. “I should’ve stayed. Should’ve… done better.”
Marcus crosses the room, his hand steady as it lands on my shoulder. His blue eyes meet mine, calm and unwavering. “You’re here now. That’s what matters.”
I nod, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. “I’ll make breakfast,” I offer, the words tumbling out before I can second-guess myself.
Enzo raises an eyebrow, his skepticism as sharp as ever. “You? Cook?”
A weak smile tugs at my lips. “Yeah. I’m full of surprises today.”
Lily watches me for a moment, then smiles. “That sounds perfect, Jax.”
They shuffle off to clean up, leaving me in the kitchen. I pull ingredients from the fridge, my hands trembling slightly as I crack eggs into the pan. The sizzle of bacon and the soft crackle of toast in the toaster fill the room, grounding me in the moment. For the first time in weeks, the simple act of cooking feels like a small victory.
When the others return, they take their seats at the table as I finish plating the food—scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s the best I can offer.
For a while, we eat in silence, the clinking of forks and soft scrape of plates filling the air. It feels… normal.
Eventually, I break the quiet. “I don’t deserve this,” I say, the words heavy but honest.
Lily looks up, her blue eyes steady and unwavering. “Yes, you do, Jax. You just have to believe it.”
I shake my head, the weight of my mistakes pressing down like a physical force. “But what if I’m too broken to fix?”
Dylan leans forward, his usual humor absent. “We’re all a little broken, man. Doesn’t mean we can’t put the pieces back together.”
Enzo, surprisingly quiet, nods in agreement. “You’ve got us, Jax. Stop shutting us out.”
The words hang in the air, their weight settling over me. For the first time in a long while, I feel like maybe—just maybe—I’m not as alone as I’ve convinced myself I am.
