Savior Complex: A Small Town Love Triangle Romance

“No, but we cannot break things off right now. Not yet, not until we’ve given this a chance.” Her eyes light up. “We could get married this weekend. Just run away and do it, and I’ll move to the ranch. I’ll quit school and everything.”

“Do you even hear yourself? This isn’t you.”

“And this isn’t you!” she screams. “The Brayden I know and love doesn’t sleep with other women. He’s kind and generous and thoughtful and…” She breaks into a sob, falling to the floor. I kneel beside her, but don’t touch her. I lost that right long before I told her what I did.

“Please don’t do this,” she begs. “Can we just wait before calling it off? Just take a breather? We don’t have to talk about the wedding anymore. I’ll cancel it, and just forget about the deposit. But please don’t break up with me. Not now. Can we at least get past Ethan and Claire’s wedding before we do anything drastic?”

I close my eyes. I feel like the biggest dick, because now that the truth is out, all I can think about is going straight to Nina’s and letting her know that Jordy and I are over. But what the fuck will that solve? Nina doesn’t even want to see me, and judging by the way she threw both of us out of her house, I don’t think this is going to fix anything. But more importantly, I cannot go from Jordy straight into her cousin’s arms.

This is a fucking mess.

“Bray?”

I look at her, then nod. “We can wait,” I say. “But don’t think this is going to change my mind. Taking this time should give you some clarity. You deserve better, Jordy.”

“Oh, I know I do,” she says, her voice steadier as she wipes her face with the heel of her hand. “But the thing is, I love you. And I think you love me too.” She scootches over to me, her hand traveling my thigh until it lands on my cock. The traitor springs to attention under her touch, and she gives a light laugh.

“Jordy, come on.” I brush her hand away. But she scoots a little closer. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” She starts to kiss my neck, and I have to restrain myself to not push her off me.

“Jordy.”

“Please make love to me, Bray.”

“You can’t mean that,” I say, moving away from her and standing up. “I just told you I cheated on you. You should be throwing me out of here.”

She stays on the floor. Something about her just looks so defeated, and it kills me that I’m the one who did this to her. Even more, that I can’t fix it for her.

But I’m done fixing things for her. That’s all I’ve been doing this whole entire time, and look where it got me.

“I need to feel wanted,” she whispers, “even if it’s a lie.” She looks at me, her wet eyes piercing my soul. “Please.”

The old Brayden would have caved. Would have done everything he could to make her stop crying, to take away the hurt. He would have fucked her just to save her from this pain.

But I can’t, because my heart is no longer hers. Arguably, it hasn’t been hers this whole relationship. But now, there’s no other woman for me but Nina. Even if Nina never speaks to me again—and God, she has every reason to forget me—I can’t. Nina is the last woman who warmed my bed, who touched me, who owns me completely. I won’t have another. Not Jordy, and not any other woman.

It’s Nina, or no one.

“No,” I say firmly.

Jordy looks shocked for a moment. Then angry. She scrambles from the floor and starts throwing more shit at me. Her clothes, the pillows, her duffel bag. I block each of them, trying to get close to her to make her stop. Then she grabs her remaining shoe and yanks her hand back to throw it, but I catch her, locking her in my arms so she can’t move.

“Fuck you!” she screams, pounding at my chest. “Fuck you to hell. I fucking hate you. I fucking—” She pitches into a sob, her fists falling against my chest as she crumples. I hold her shaking body up, my heart breaking, knowing I’m the one who did this to her.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, smoothing her hair. I cautiously move my hand to her face, daring to wipe her tears, and she lets me. “I’m so sorry.”

“Please don’t leave,” she whispers.

“Jordy, I—”

“Not to sleep with me.” She pushes off me, wipes her face. “I know that’s dumb. I don’t even want your stupid, soiled cock. But I don’t want to be alone. Please stay with me, just tonight, just so I can sleep.”

I look at her, seeing the pain all over her face, like her heart has completely shattered.

She wore the same look on her face in the hospital when they told her our baby had died. I knew she hadn’t been excited about getting pregnant, neither of us were in the beginning. But as the months passed, we both had dreams about the future. Especially when she started to show, and when we felt our daughter’s little kicks.

Then she was taken from us, and Jordy’s face looked as it does now, like the world would end. On that day, with my ring on her finger, I swore I’d never let her hurt like that again.