CHAPTER 86: JEALOUS

Hailee’s POV

My heart stopped the moment I heard his name. Dane.

I froze completely, my body stiffening against Nathan’s warmth as the soft knock echoed again in the room. My breath caught in my throat, and I could feel Nathan’s arm tighten around my waist protectively.

Why was he here? Right now?

I pulled back slightly to look at Nathan, but his expression was unreadable, his jaw tight, his dark eyes locked on the door like it had personally offended him. I could feel the heat of his irritation rolling off him.

"Hailee," he murmured, his voice low, as though warning me not to move.

But I couldn’t help it—I shifted slightly under the blanket, my nerves fraying. Dane was standing on the other side of that door, and something inside me... broke.

I didn’t want him to see me like this.

I didn’t want him to see us like this.

Nathan noticed. He always noticed. His grip tightened on my hip, pulling me back into his chest like he was staking his claim without words.

"Who told him he could come here?" Nathan growled under his breath, more to himself than to me. He tilted his head toward the door. "What do you want, Dane?"

There was a pause. Then Dane responded. "I need to talk to Hailee. It’s... important."

My stomach twisted. My pulse was so loud in my ears I could barely hear anything else.

Nathan slowly shifted upright, the blanket slipping from his shoulders. The air around him was darker now, heavier. He looked down at me, his jaw hard.

"Do you want me to tell him to leave?" he asked quietly, but there was a steel edge to his voice, like the answer he wanted was already clear.

I bit my lip, my hands twisting in the sheets. Part of me wanted to say yes, to let Nathan chase Dane away and stay here in the safety of his arms. But another part of me—the same part that had been tearing me for days—felt a painful pull at Dane’s words.

"I..." My voice came out shaky. "I don’t know what he wants, Nathan. Maybe it really is important."

Nathan’s eyes hardened at that.

"Important to him," he muttered. "But is it important to you, Hailee?"

I looked away, my chest aching. I didn’t have an answer.

The knock came again, softer this time. "Hailee? Please."

Nathan didn’t take his eyes off me as he reached for my shoulders, pulling me gently upright.

"You can get dressed and leave," he said firmly, his voice low. More like he was being forced to say it. He stood and pulled on his sweatpants, his broad back tense as he raked a hand through his hair.

"Nathan—"

"Hailee," he cut in, turning his dark gaze on me. "Please. Just get dressed."

I nodded silently.

He walked to the door and cracked it open, stepping out into the hallway before I could say another word.

I scrambled off the bed, clutching the blanket around me as I searched for my clothes. My heart was racing so fast I could barely think straight. Dane was here. Dane wanted to talk to me. And Nathan... Nathan was right outside with him.

I slipped into my shorts and tugged my shirt over my head, smoothing the fabric down with trembling hands. My legs felt unsteady, but I forced myself to move.

When I opened the door, the hallway felt colder than the room had.

Nathan was standing there, his tall frame blocking most of the narrow space, his arms folded tightly across his chest. He looked like a storm contained in human form, and Dane stood just a few feet away from him, his expression unreadable.

Nathan turned his head slightly when he saw me, his jaw tightening as his eyes swept over me—making sure I was properly dressed. Then, softer than I expected, he said, "See you later."

I swallowed hard, nodding.

Dane’s gaze flicked to mine, and he gave a small motion with his hand. "Come with me," he said quietly.

I glanced up at Nathan, searching his face. He didn’t say anything at first. He just held my stare, his expression blank. Then he stepped back, allowing me to pass.

I walked past him, my shoulder brushing his arm, and I could feel the tension radiating from his body. My heart felt heavier with each step, but I followed Dane down the hall without looking back.

Even as I did, I could feel Nathan’s eyes on me.

Dane didn’t speak as we walked. The silence between us was thick, awkward, and tense.

By the direction he was leading, I could tell he was taking me to his room. When we reached his door, he paused for half a second—just enough for me to realize I hadn’t taken a full breath since I left Nathan’s room.

Then he opened it.

Before I could blink, he pulled me inside and slammed the door shut behind us.

"Dane—"

My words were cut off as he grabbed my waist and spun me around, pinning me gently but firmly against the door. His mouth crashed into mine, raw and possessive, and all the air rushed out of my lungs.

The kiss was nothing like Nathan’s.

It wasn’t soft or questioning; it was possessive. Fierce. Like he was claiming me all over again. His hands cupped my face, then tangled in my hair as his lips moved over mine like he was starving.

My fingers gripped his shirt out of instinct, clinging to him, because everything in me felt like it was unraveling.

He pulled back just enough to speak, his breath hot and uneven against my lips. "I’m sorry... I was jealous."

His voice was low, rough, wrecked.

I tried, Hailee," he murmured, pressing his forehead against mine like he was clinging to the last bit of control he had left. "You have no idea how long I stood outside Nathan’s door... listening to your moans."

A tortured groan rumbled from his chest as his fingers tightened possessively on my waist, dragging me closer.

"I need to hear you moan like that for me," he whispered, his voice thick with hunger.