Page 75 of Corrupt Me

“Why did you make me stop?” he asks, his voice rough.

“Because you are so damn conflicted, I don’t want you to burst a vein at the thought of fucking me,” I snap. My voice wavers, cracking under the weight of my deepest vulnerability.

“Bailey…” He stretches out his hand.

But I ignore it, then turn on my heel and storm away.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It’s day one, and I am barely holding on.

What starts out innocent quickly turns into temptation. Every small gesture, every smile, touch, and challenge always makes me want more. It’s impossible to feel any differently when she’s so close. But when she’s not near, she’s still all I can think about.

I’m fucked either way.

My kitten sees through me and is now playing a different game—always keeping me on my toes. I don’t know what’s happening to me. Maybe it’s her—her being a genuinely good person—but I forget myself around her. It’s like I have this implicit trust in her. Staying away only gets harder, not easier. Once I tasted the forbidden, there was no going back. Before Bailey, everything was bland and meaningless. Now, she’s all I think about—fucking her, holding her, losing myself in her.

But she doesn’t want those terms and conditions. She shouldn’t because they’re unfair. She deserves more than I can give. Bailey isn’t anyone’s temporary ride—she’s the ultimate destination. And yet, that’s all I can offer. She can take it or leave it.

A fresh layer of snow scatters to the floor when she enters the cabin, shutting the door behind her. She distracts me, so I don’t even notice Kaden coming from around the side of his cabin, carrying an armful of logs.

“If you’re looking for another place to crash, don’t knock on my door,” Kaden says from my right.

Asshole. I grab my own set of logs—anything to keep my hands occupied.

“Hunter,” he says, his voice etched with sincerity.

I rake a hand through my hair, strung so tight I might break apart any moment. “What?”

“Without Celine, I don’t fucking care about anything else. Everything I do is for her. Her love keeps me balanced. Stop being a one-man show. Bailey got under your skin, and you can’t pry her out.”

“I’m protecting her, but I am the worst thing that could happen to her.”

“Let her make that choice. I ruined my relationship once, thinking I knew better. The misery is not worth it.”

With that, he leaves while I walk inside our cabin, carrying the logs to the fireplace. As I light the fire, the flames flicker and dance before my eyes, but they don’t heat that frozen part inside me—only Bailey can do that.

Soft music pours through the sound system, and I nearly fall on my ass when Bailey comes down the stairs wearing a two-piece swimsuit that leaves nothing to the imagination. Saliva pools in my mouth.

It’s red with golden hoops, a scrap of material molding to her perfect body. She looks sexy as fuck in it, but all I want is to peel it off her—with my bare teeth.

I am instantly hard, and I groan while she approaches me, eyeing me coyly. She doesn’t possess an ounce of self-preservation, or she doesn’t care because her favorite pastime is driving me insane.

She pulls her hair into a bun and sashays outside. “I’m getting into the hot tub.”

“Is that an invitation?”

She rolls her eyes at me. “No. It’s a warning to stay away from me.”

I move to the couch, settling in with a perfect view of her through the floor-to-ceiling glass at the back of the house. Pouring myself a tumbler of whiskey, I open a chess app on my phone.

Over time, I have tried to occupy my mind and body. Fighting keeps my body and mind sharp, but chess trains my brain in patience and strategy. The world disappears around me when I am engrossed in the game. I once needed that kind of escape, but now it’s more of a hobby. And I fucking love to win.

I’ve just cornered my opponent with a checkmate after eight moves when I glance up. Bailey’s still in the hot tub, but I need to check on her, so I slip outside. The night’s crisp air freezes my breath. The Milky Way stretches over the sky, painting an image of mystery. Not even that keeps my mind occupied for long. Her head leans against the edge of the tub, her eyes closed. She’s asleep.

This girl will make me age prematurely. Either gray hairs or a heart attack are in my near future. Summoning patience, I rush upstairs to grab a towel and throw it on the bed before hurrying downstairs.

Leaning over the hot tub, I slide my hands under her knees and waist. Scooting her up, I carry her inside. She’s still fast asleep, sighing contentedly as I carefully place her down and dry her gently so as not to wake her up. I want her to know only peace. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her just like this—safe.

Tugging at the straps of her top, I unclip the front snap and remove it. Then I move between her legs and slide the bikini bottoms down her smooth legs, tossing the wet fabric to the floor. She’s flawless, pure perfection, and an unblemished beauty. I ache to trace my lips over every tiny freckle, dive into her scent, and never resurface.

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