Chapter 269
Chapter 42
Graham’s hands moved with urgency, his fingers fumbling as he reached for his wallet, the weight of his desire pressing heavily on him. The silver foil packet slipped out, landing softly in his lap as he tossed the wallet aside, his focus entirely on the woman lying beside him. His breath was ragged, his heart pounding as he tore open the condom wrapper, his eyes never leaving her. Isla lay languidly on the
bed, her body still trembling from the intensity of their shared
passion. Her eyes were half–closed, her long lashes casting delicate
shadows on her flushed cheeks as she watched him with a mixture of
desire and uncertainty. She had pulled the duvet up to cover herself, her shyness still evident despite the intimacy they had just shared. Graham’s lips curved into a half–smile, a gesture meant to reassure her, to let her know that he would take care of her, that she was safe with him. But then something caught his eye–a glimmer of light
peeking out from beneath the edge of the duvet.
Graham’s fingers stilled. His breath hitched as his gaze snagged on something small but unmistakable–the delicate diamond pendant resting against Isla’s bare collarbone. A single, glinting reminder of a
moment long past.
His chest tightened as recognition settled in. He knew that piece of
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jewelry well. He had picked it out himself three years ago, on his
father’s behalf, for Isla’s 16th birthday. Back then, she had been a
quiet, wide–eyed girl, still holding onto the innocence of youth,
clutching that little box with pure delight as she unwrapped it. It had
suited her–simple, elegant, untouched by the weight of the world.
And now, here she was, in his bed, looking at him with something
uncertain in her eyes. In bed with a man, who wasn’t in a committed
relationship with her. Who had promised her nothing. The realization
of what he was about to do crashed over him like a tidal wave,
drowning out the heat of his desire. He was moments away from
taking her, defiling her in his bed, with no finesse, no romance, no
tenderness—just a hurried, shameful act born out of desperation and
lust.
A foreign sensation twisted in his stomach, his grip loosening until
the condom packet slipped from his fingers, forgotten. His wallet hit
the bedside table with a dull thud, but he barely heard it. What the
hell was he doing?
The realization hit him with such force that it almost made him
nauseous.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. It wasn’t supposed to be
like this–hurried, desperate, driven by frustration and need rather
than anything real. He had cornered her into this, hadn’t he? He had
given her no choice but to be here, to offer herself in exchange for a
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house, as if she were some kind of bargaining chip. And for what? His
own gratification? His own need to feel in control?
He let out a slow breath, his jaw tightening.
Isla was only 19. Young. Inexperienced. Still figuring out the world.
And here he was, seconds away from taking something from her that
she could never get back.
His stomach twisted harder. He hadn’t even thought about what this
meant for her–what it would mean tomorrow, next week, or years
from now. Had she even wanted this for herself? Or had she just
convinced herself it was the only way?
For the first time in a long time, Graham felt something unfamiliar
creep in–shame.
His eyes traced her face. She was waiting, hesitating, watching him
like she didn’t quite know what to expect. Did she even realize that
he had just woken up from the fog of his own reckless desire? That he
was suddenly standing at the edge of something irreversible?
He swallowed hard.
Without a word, he shifted back, breaking the contact between them,
forcing space where there had been none. He ran a hand down his
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face, exhaling deeply. The weight of what almost happened sat like a
stone in his chest.
What the hell had he almost done?
Graham pressed his fingers to his temples, inhaling sharply as shame
curled through his veins like fire. His body was still taut with unspent
desire, his skin heated from where he had touched her, where she had
yielded beneath him. But the realization of it–of what he had been
about to do–made his stomach turn.
He had nearly taken her. Nearly crossed a line he could never uncross.
And for what?
A transaction. A deal.
His jaw clenched so tightly it ached. What kind of man did that make
him? Had he truly fallen so far?
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
