CHAPTER 83: SACRIFICE

Nathan’s POV

I gently led her to the bed and helped her sit. Her eyes were still red from crying, and an uncomfortable ache bloomed in my chest. I hated seeing her like this. Broken. Fragile. Her tears... they were my weakest point. And I just prayed she wouldn’t figure that out too soon.

"I’ll get you some water," I whispered and walked over to the mini-fridge. I took out a bottle, poured it into a glass, and returned to her.

When I handed it to her, she whispered a soft "thank you" before taking a slow sip. I watched her in silence, my arms folded across my chest, trying to keep myself together.

My heart felt like it was being torn in two. The thought of sharing her—my Hailee—with two other men made me feel sick. But what choice did I have? This is what she needed.

Her emotions were tangled, confused, and unsure. If one month was what it would take for her to sort herself out... then I’d endure it. Even if it killed me inside.

Because sometimes love isn’t only about how you feel. Sometimes, it’s about sacrifice. Even if it means sacrificing your own happiness for theirs.

She placed the glass down slowly on the bedside table and looked up at me with those soft, puffy eyes. Eyes that used to drive me mad with frustration... now they were the very thing breaking me.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I know I’m asking for too much."

I didn’t say anything. I just stood there, my chest tight, my jaw clenched, trying to keep it together.

She reached out suddenly, her fingers curling around my wrist. That simple touch made my breath hitch.

"I don’t want to hurt you, Nathan," she said, her voice trembling. "I’m just confused."

I slowly sat beside her. My hands rested on my knees, not trusting myself to reach for her just yet.

"I get it," I muttered, barely above a whisper. "One month... and after that. No more sharing. No more confusion."

She nodded quickly, tears slipping again down her cheeks. "Okay. I promise."

That was it. That one word—promise—broke something in me. Or maybe... healed it a little.

Without thinking, I reached up and brushed away her tears, my thumb soft against her cheek. Her skin was warm beneath my fingers. Too warm. Too familiar.

Her lips parted, her breathing shallow.

My hand moved to the side of her neck, pulling her gently closer. She didn’t resist.

"I hate that I still want to kiss you," I whispered, my voice rough with emotion.

"Then kiss me," she whispered back. "Please."

That was all it took.

I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers, slow and soft at first. Her hands grabbed the front of my shirt, and she kissed me back like she’d been waiting for it. Like she needed it to breathe.

My fingers slid into her hair, pulling her in closer as my mouth deepened against hers. She whimpered softly, and the sound sent a jolt straight through me. I kissed her harder, with more hunger, more frustration, more pain... and still, it wasn’t enough.

She climbed into my lap without thinking, straddling me. Her legs wrapped around my waist as our kiss grew wilder, more desperate. Her hands tangled in my hair while mine gripped her waist, holding her like I was afraid she’d vanish.

I pulled back just enough to look at her, my forehead resting against hers, both of us panting.

"We should stop here, Hailee," I murmured. "I can’t control myself... not when it’s you."

"I don’t want you to stop," she whispered, her fingers running down my chest, trembling. "Not tonight."

I kissed her again, this time slower. Deeper. My hands slid under the hem of her shirt, feeling the heat of her skin against my palms. Her body shivered in my hold, and she gasped softly when my thumbs brushed the sides of her ribs.

Her gasp stirred something primal in me, but I held back, waiting, watching her face, needing to be certain.

Hailee’s trembling fingers found the hem of my shirt. Slowly, she tugged it upward. Her eyes never left mine. The moment the fabric passed over my head, her hands pressed flat against my bare chest. She stared, wide-eyed, as if memorizing every inch of me.

"You’re shaking," I murmured.

"So are you," she whispered back.

I didn’t deny it.

She leaned forward, her lips brushing my collarbone, so soft it barely felt real. The sensation made my entire body tense with desire. I wrapped my arms around her again, burying my face in her neck, drawing in her scent like I needed it to live.

Her fingers moved lower, past the line of my stomach, trailing down to the edge of the towel I’d wrapped around myself earlier after my shower. Her hands hesitated.

"Are you sure?" I asked, my voice tight with restraint, my hand cupping her cheek.

She nodded, then bit her lower lip before whispering, "I want this. I want you."

With that, she gripped the towel and tugged. It unraveled from my hips, falling away and pooling between us.

I let out a shaky breath.

Her eyes dropped to the space between us, and her breath hitched. Her cheeks flushed, but she didn’t look away. Instead, she leaned forward again and kissed me—slow, tender, reverent.

"I missed you," she breathed against my lips.

I pulled her closer, lifting her slightly as I shifted backward onto the bed. Her thighs cradled my hips, and her hands found their way back into my hair. I rolled us gently so she lay beneath me, and I hovered over her, brushing strands of hair from her face.

"Say it again," I whispered.

Her eyes welled up again, but she smiled through the tears. "I missed you."

I kissed her forehead, then each cheek, then finally her mouth—slowly, reverently—while my hands caressed her sides, worshipping every inch of her body I could touch.

Just as I was about to lose myself completely in the softness of her lips and the heat of her skin, I pulled back. My breathing was heavy, ragged, my body straining against the need to have her right then and there.

But something darker stirred in me.

She blinked up at me in confusion. My hands were still on her waist, but the tenderness had vanished from my touch. It was now possessive.

"You really think you’re going to get away with all the shit you’ve put me through?" I murmured, my voice hoarse and husky.

Her breath caught.

"I should punish you for everything, Hailee. For asking me to share you."

Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t speak. A slow, wicked smirk crept across her face instead.

"I’m ready," she whispered seductively. Tempting. Submissive in the most infuriating, perfect way.

That was all it took.

The shift in me was instant. My entire presence changed to dominant. My voice turned into a command—firm and authoritative.

"Then take off your clothes."