Unbroken: A Love That Defies the World – by L.J. Hart – Chapter 9: The Safe Haven

Unbroken: A Love That Defies the World – by L.J. Hart – Chapter 9: The Safe Haven

Nathan’s apartment was small—just a one-bedroom on the edge of town—but to Ethan, it felt like the only safe place left in the world.

The moment they stepped inside, Nathan locked the door behind them and turned to face him. His eyes were full of both fierce protectiveness and deep sorrow.

Ethan stood frozen for a moment, then suddenly launched himself into Nathan’s arms again, burying his face in his neck. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered, broken.

Nathan cradled him like something precious. “You don’t have to do anything right now except breathe, okay? You’re not alone.”

They stayed like that until Ethan’s shaking finally subsided.

Nathan led him gently to the bed, stripping him down carefully, not with hunger, but with tenderness — like helping him shed the weight of what had just happened.

Once they lay under the sheets, Nathan pulled Ethan close, pressing soft kisses to his temple.

“I’m here,” Nathan whispered. “We’ll get through this.”

Ethan clung to him, breathing in his warmth. “He hates me.”

“No.” Nathan’s voice was fierce. “He hates who he thinks you are. He doesn’t know you like I do. He doesn’t see you.”

Ethan closed his eyes, letting the tears fall silently. “I wish I could just… disappear.”

Nathan’s grip tightened. “No. Don’t you dare say that. You’re not going anywhere, Ethan. Not while I’m breathing.”

For a long time, they simply lay there, hearts beating in sync, wrapped in each other.

But slowly, their desperate sadness began to transform into something else.

Something softer. Something healing.

Nathan’s lips found Ethan’s again, this time not in desperation, but in quiet devotion. They kissed slowly, reverently, like a prayer spoken in the dark.

Their bodies moved together under the covers, not chasing pleasure, but seeking connection. Comfort. Love.

Nathan’s hands moved over Ethan’s skin with tenderness, memorizing every curve, every shiver. He whispered soft reassurances between kisses, his breath warm against Ethan’s ear.

“You’re safe.”
“You’re loved.”
“You’re mine.”

As they made love in the dim quiet of the apartment, Ethan felt something he hadn’t felt in days—peace.

For a few precious hours, there was no hate. No rejection. No shame. There was only Nathan’s breath against his skin, his hands steady and grounding.

Their climax wasn’t wild or explosive—it was slow, powerful, like waves gently breaking against the shore.

When it was over, Nathan pulled Ethan tightly against his chest once more, as if protecting him even in sleep.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you again,” Nathan whispered into the dark. “No matter what it takes.”

And in the safety of Nathan’s embrace, with exhaustion pulling him under, Ethan finally slept — for the first time in what felt like forever.

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