Unbroken: A Love That Defies the World – by L.J. Hart – Chapter 4: Secrets Between Walls

Unbroken: A Love That Defies the World – by L.J. Hart – Chapter 4: Secrets Between Walls

The drive home was silent, yet electric. Ethan sat in the passenger seat, his fingers loosely intertwined with Nathan’s resting hand on the center console. The rain had returned in a light drizzle, casting blurry reflections on the windshield, as if the world itself was trying to soften the edges of what had just happened between them.

Ethan could still feel Nathan’s touch lingering on his skin, warm and tender, like a secret pressed into him. Every small movement of Nathan’s thumb against his hand sent a quiet thrill down his spine. And yet, beneath the euphoria, a knot of anxiety slowly wound itself tighter inside his chest.

Because as incredible as it felt — as free and alive as Nathan made him feel — there was still the world waiting for him outside of this car. The world that wouldn’t understand.

The world that would punish him.

As they neared his neighborhood, the streetlights painted golden streaks across Nathan’s face. He looked over briefly, his voice soft, full of something almost protective.

“You’re thinking too much again.”

Ethan exhaled, forcing a smile. “It’s hard not to.”

Nathan squeezed his hand. “We’re okay. You’re okay.”

Ethan wanted to believe him. Wanted to bottle this moment — this warmth, this tenderness — and carry it with him forever. But the moment Nathan’s car pulled up in front of his house, the familiar weight of reality crashed back over him.

The front porch light was on. His father’s car was in the driveway.

The mask was waiting for him.

Nathan must have sensed the shift. He slowed the car to a stop but didn’t let go of Ethan’s hand immediately. Instead, he traced his thumb softly over Ethan’s knuckles, voice low, serious.

“You don’t have to be anyone else when you’re with me. You know that, right?”

Ethan nodded, his throat tight. “Yeah. I know.”

Nathan leaned over, pressing one last kiss to Ethan’s temple. “Text me when you’re inside.”

With reluctant hands, Ethan finally let go and slipped out of the car, stealing one last glance at Nathan before walking toward the house.

And as soon as he stepped through the door, the walls closed in.

“Ethan! You’re late,” his father’s voice echoed from the living room.

“Sorry, Dad. Stayed at the library to study.”

His father appeared in the hallway, stern-faced, arms crossed. “You’ve been spending a lot of time out lately. Is everything okay?”

Ethan forced his expression into one of careful obedience. “Yeah. Just school stuff. Trying to keep my grades up.”

His father’s eyes scanned him, as though searching for cracks in the story. Ethan stood still, heart pounding. His father was always good at reading people. But tonight, his skin still buzzed with the memory of Nathan’s hands, Nathan’s lips — and the guilt of that hung dangerously close to the surface.

After a long pause, his father nodded. “Good. We have church early tomorrow. Get some rest.”

“Yes, sir.”

The moment his father disappeared down the hallway, Ethan exhaled shakily and slipped into his room, closing the door softly behind him.

He leaned against the door, heart racing, and finally allowed himself to exhale fully. The mask slipped, and with it, came the bittersweet flood of everything he was trying to contain — desire, fear, euphoria, shame, longing.

With trembling fingers, he pulled out his phone.

I’m home.

The reply came seconds later.

Good boy. Call me if you need me.

The simple words made Ethan smile despite himself. Nathan had a way of making even the smallest gestures feel intimate, grounding. Like a tether pulling him back from the edge.

But tonight, even with that comfort, Ethan couldn’t shake the growing tension inside him. His father’s suspicion, the lies he was already telling — it all pressed down on him like a weight. And yet, in a dark corner of his mind, another thought whispered:

I would do it all again.

Because the truth was, no amount of guilt could erase what Nathan made him feel. It was intoxicating. Addictive.

Real.

The following days were a delicate balancing act. At school, their interactions were careful — stolen glances in the hallways, brief brushes of fingers under the cafeteria table, the occasional shared smirk during class. To anyone watching, they were simply acquaintances. But beneath that thin layer of normalcy was a growing fire neither could fully suppress.

After school, they found ways to escape.

Secluded parks. Backroads. Nathan’s empty house while his mother worked late shifts.

And every time they met, the boundaries between them crumbled further.

One evening, as the golden light of dusk filtered through the thin curtains of Nathan’s bedroom, they lay tangled together on his narrow bed, breathing in sync, their bodies still slick with sweat from the intimacy they’d just shared.

Ethan rested his head against Nathan’s bare chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Nathan’s fingers absentmindedly traced slow circles on his back, lulling him into a fragile calm.

“Do you ever get scared?” Ethan whispered.

Nathan paused, then answered softly. “Yeah. All the time.”

“Even now?”

Nathan’s hand stilled. “Especially now.”

Ethan lifted his head slightly, searching his eyes. “Then why do we keep doing this?”

Nathan smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair away from Ethan’s forehead. “Because for once, I’m scared of not doing it more.”

Ethan’s chest tightened with something bittersweet. There was such honesty in Nathan’s words — a rawness Ethan had never dared to express himself, but felt so deeply.

He lowered his head again, burying his face into the warm curve of Nathan’s neck. “I hate lying,” he whispered.

Nathan held him tighter. “Then don’t lie to yourself, at least. That’s where it starts.”

The words sat heavy between them. Because Ethan knew he couldn’t hide from himself much longer. This wasn’t just a crush or a passing rebellion. This was real. And every stolen moment with Nathan made that truth shine brighter.

But the brighter it glowed, the larger the shadow behind it grew — the threat of being discovered. Of losing everything.

And yet, as Nathan’s arms tightened around him and their legs tangled like vines beneath the sheets, Ethan closed his eyes and allowed himself — just for tonight — to surrender fully.

Because in Nathan’s embrace, the world outside couldn’t touch him.

Not yet.

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