LOGINharper's POV
His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back into his chest. I can feel his breath at my neck, his heartbeat against my spine. He lifts me like I weigh nothing at all, carrying me away from the table and sinking onto the couch with me in his lap.
I fold into him, legs shaking, arms limp, chest still heaving.
His hands stroke my hair, my back, and he kisses my forehead, then my cheek, then finally, my lips, soft and slow. Not demanding. Not punishing. Just Nathan.
“You’re my good girl,” he whispers against my mouth. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”
And I believe him.
Even broken, even used, even ruined by everything he just did to me, I feel more held now than I ever have in my life.
I bury my face in his throat and let myself fall apart, knowing he’ll be the one to put
Nathan's POVI glance at Mason. He nods once.“Yeah, send it. If she’s safe, Harper deserves to know and maybe even see her again.”“Consider it done,” Greg replies. “I’ll send it along with everything else I’ve gathered. Keep it locked down, Nathan. If these files leak, the case will collapse before it even begins.”“I won’t lose them. Don’t worry. Call me if you find anything else.” I hang up and set the phone down slowly.Mason leans back in his chair. “So we were right. Her parents didn’t die from some natural tragedy.”I hear footsteps, and I wave him silent. “She’s heard enough today. Don’t say anything yet.”He nods and straightens as Harper walks in, Theo right behind her.Theo grins,
Nathan's POVI’m honestly glad Theo took her upstairs. I need the space to think, to piece all of this together properly. There’s too much going on, too many threads crossing each other, and I can’t connect them with her near me. I step into the office, and Mason glances up from the chair, his mouth already curled in a knowing smirk.“He stole her,” he says with a chuckle. “At least he shared for a little while.”I roll my eyes as I shut the door behind me. “I’m fine with it. I need to figure this shit out, and I can’t do it when she’s in the room looking at me like I’ve got all the answers.”Mason leans back in the chair and stretches his arms. “Do you think—”“No, I don’t think. I know,” I cut him off before he can finish.
Harper's POVNathan’s voice lowers, soft and thoughtful. “It happens. Usually once or twice a month. His system burns out, and everything slows down. I guess even his mind needs a break from all that chaos sometimes.”That makes me smile. The idea of Theo’s mind waving a little white flag and forcing him to pause. It’s oddly comforting.“I’m glad he’s okay,” I say quietly.“He will be,” Nathan promises, and I believe him.I let the warmth of Nathan’s presence settle over me a moment longer, the last of my worry about Theo softening as his voice sinks into me. I feel like I could fall asleep here, cocooned in a bubble of safety I didn’t think I’d ever have again.I hear the creak of the door opening, the familiar sound of boots on the floor, and the air shifts around us.
Harper's POVNathan’s arms are warm around me, steady and slow, like the world outside doesn’t exist. I don’t think I could move even if I wanted to. Not because I’m sore or tired, but because something deeper has shifted inside me. I’m floating, still half-caught in the haze from before. The ropes, blindfold and the gentle weightlessness that felt like being held together by something stronger than bone.Then Nathan.I breathe him in as I rest my cheek against his chest, the slow thump of his heartbeat grounding me. My body is curled into his side, draped across the couch like I’ve melted into him. I feel his fingertips trace along my thigh, and even that tiny motion sends a soft ripple of warmth through me. I’m not fully here. Not yet. But it’s okay, because he is. He’s always steady, even when everything else isn’t.
Theo's POVI step away for a moment to gather a few other things I’ll need, keeping one eye on them as I move. When I turn back, Mason has finished the structure. He’s stepped back to give her space, his hands falling to his sides.She’s suspended just slightly, her weight cradled in the tension of the ropes. She’s not bound tightly. There’s enough give to keep her comfortable, enough support to hold her fully. Her body is turned slightly to the side, one leg bent, the other extended, arms tied behind her. It’s balanced. Precise. Artful. She doesn’t look restrained. She looks held.Mason doesn’t say a word as he steps away.I move closer and gently kiss her cheek, then her lips. She’s still calm, still settled, still breathing slow. I press the gag to her mouth, and she parts her lips without hesitation. No protest. If anything, she l
Theo’s POVShe watches me closely while I carry her up the stairs, her arms looped around my neck, her gaze unreadable. I try to think of the right thing to say, something that’ll make sense of what I’m doing, but the words don’t come easily.“I’m not crazy,” I start, then grimace. “Okay, I am. Let me rephrase that. I’m… sane right now. Or, well, saner than usual.”She laughs softly, like the whole thing is mildly amusing, and I can’t help but smile at the sound. It’s not that I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I do. I’m trying to tell her that this isn’t about edge play. I’m not dragging her upstairs to lose myself in blood or control or pain. I’m not pushing her into something because I want it. This isn’t for me. It’s for her.







