Logan
I didn’t know what came over me to want to kiss Nadine. I know we aren’t there yet, but I miss how her lips fit so perfectly with mine. I miss the taste of her lips on mine.
I thought she wanted it, too, because I could feel her heart pounding, and her nerves were all over the place.
Her eyes showed she felt the same way. But when she refused, my heart sank, and I didn’t know how to react.
She’s still here, but that doesn’t mean we can go back to how we were before Samantha came into the picture.
Could she be pregnant? The thought didn’t sit well with me. Based on her explanation and the terms of the contract, she wants to be pregnant so she can have the baby and leave.
I wasn’t sure if I imagined it, but I thought I heard her say something like, “I and the baby want you alive.” Maybe I was hallucinating.
I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off. I should be happy that she’s still here, but instead, I feel this growing unease.
Samantha’s presence in the house is only making things worse. She’s stirring up trouble, and I can see the effect it’s having on Nadine. I hate to admit it, but it’s affecting me too.
I wondered if Nadine could leave her child after six months. The thought was hard to accept, but what was I expecting? This is a two-year contract, and once it’s over, am I expecting her to stick around?
A knock at the door broke my thoughts. It was probably the nurse. I didn’t like relying on a nurse; it reminded me of how dependent I’d become.
When she stepped in, she looked uneasy, probably intimidated by my stern expression. “G… good morning, Mr. West. I’m here to help you, sir.”
I gave her a nod, my mood still sour from the awkward moment with Nadine and her refusal of the kiss. As she began her work.
The nurse helped me take off my clothes. I was grumpy about everything that had happened with Nadine, and I was starving and just wanted to eat.
As she went about her tasks, my mind kept drifting back to Nadine and our conversation.
The nurse worked quietly, and while I appreciated her efficiency, I resented having to rely on someone else.
I tried to push my doubts aside and focus on the present. I needed to eat and get through the day, one step at a time.
After the nurse finished her tasks and left the room, I sat on the edge of the bed.
Then I remembered a notification I’d received last night while Nadine was with me. I picked up my phone with my good hand, entered the password, and nearly dropped it when I saw the picture.
“No, oh my God, this can’t be real,” I muttered, staring at the image. It was Nadine and Asher, clearly in bed together, looking intimate.
My blood ran hot, and my hand started shaking. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. “This can’t be true.”
I felt a surge of panic. My hands were trembling, and I struggled to keep my composure. I needed answers, but right now, I could only sit.
Then I heard a soft knock on my door. I knew without a doubt it was Nadine. Did I want to see her right now? Could I handle the fact that she had betrayed me with Asher?
Asher is my friend, and to think they played me right under my roof was something I wasn’t ready to accept.
When she stepped in, I couldn’t hold back my anger. “What the hell is this, Nadine? You and Asher?” I growled.
She took a step back, clearly shocked by my outburst. She looked at me, with a mix of fear and confusion.
“Don’t you dare move. Stay right there and answer my damn question!” I growled, my eyes blazing with anger.
Nadine flinched, her face pale. Seeing her like this tugged at my heart, but now wasn’t the time for sympathy. I needed to face the truth.
“Start talking now!” I demanded, my voice rising with frustration.
She pointed at the phone, her voice trembling. “I swear, that isn’t me. I haven’t been with any man since I met you.”
“Then explain the photo, Nadine.”
She took a deep breath, her voice shaking.
“There must be a mistake, I don’t know.”
I stared at her, trying to make sense of her words. Then I laughed loudly, catching her off guard. “And you want me to believe that with this fucking picture?”
She looked confused, “Believe me, I have never met Asher before.”
“Oh, and you want me to believe that? You looked so comfortable when Asher came to visit. And you want me to believe that was the first time you’ve ever seen him?”
She opened her mouth to explain, but I cut her off.
“Shut the fuck up, Nadine. I thought you were different, but I guess I was wrong.”
Nadine’s face fell, and she looked like she was about to cry. “Logan, please, you have to believe me. I swear I didn’t-”
“No,” I snapped, cutting her off. “I can’t trust you anymore. Not after this. You and Asher? Right under my nose? How can I believe anything you say now?”
Nadine’s shoulders slumped, and tears streamed down her face as she clutched her chest, her whole body shaking with her sobs.
My heart pounded with anger. I was struggling to come to terms with what I’d just seen and how it affected everything.
“But I made it clear in the contract! No involvement with any other man during our damn contract,” I shouted, not caring who heard.
“And you couldn’t keep your legs closed? You had to get with my friend? Nadine, how could you be so loose?”
Her crying only seemed to fuel my anger.
“Logan, please believe me. That isn’t me. I swear,” she cried, her voice breaking.
She rushed to me, trying to hold onto me. “Please, Logan, believe me.” But I pushed her away, and she clutched her stomach, her tears falling freely.
Right now, I don’t care if she is pregnant or not. I’m sure that child isn’t mine.
“Just get out of here, right now. I don’t want to see you anywhere near me. I don’t care where you go. You’re dead to me. And as for the contract, I don’t want anything to do with you anymore,” I said, my voice filled with anger.
Nadine’s face went pale, and she took a step back, her eyes wide with shock. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She just stood there, trembling, as if she couldn’t quite believe what was happening.
“Please, Logan, believe me. That isn’t me. Please let me explain.”
I thought she stuck around because she wanted us to work. I even started feeling something for her, but now it felt like she’d taken my heart and stomped on it.
Then her sudden reaction made my heart ache even more.