"All because of small-minded people who can't handle anything that doesn't fit their narrow worldview," Blake corrects, his voice firm. He sits up fully, the sheet falling to his waist and revealing his sculpted abs and broad chest. Even now, even in the middle of this conversation, I notice. Notice the way his muscles shift when he moves, the strength in his shoulders.
"Blake's right," Jack says, his thumb stroking my cheekbone. "This isn't your fault. You didn't vandalize your own classroom. You didn't send those threatening notes. You didn't create the gossip or the parent complaints."
"But I created the situation." I pull away from Jack's touch, needing distance to think clearly. "I came back to Riverside with secrets. I got involved with all three of you. I made choices that led to this."
"We all made choices," Noah says quietly. His green eyes are serious behind his glasses he'd just put on as he studies my face. "Throughout history, people have faced persecution for unconventional relationships. In ancient Rome, in Renaissance Italy, in Victorian England. Society has always struggled with anything that challenges the status quo. But that doesn't make what we have wrong."
"It makes it dangerous." I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warm room. "You're all suffering because of me."
Jack moves closer, his hands finding my shoulders. "Look at me, Mia."
I force myself to meet his gaze. Those hazel eyes with gold flecks that I see every time I look at our sons.
"I chose this," he says firmly. "I chose to tell Robert the truth. I chose to defend you to the school board. I chose to be with you despite the complications. Those were my decisions, not yours."
"Same here," Blake adds, his hand finding my knee beneath the sheet. His touch is warm, grounding. "I knew what I was getting into. I'm not some rookie who doesn't understand the playbook. I made my choice with my eyes wide open."
"And I'd make the same choice again," Noah says, his fingers tracing patterns on my back. "Every time. Without hesitation."
Tears blur my vision. "You say that now. But what happens if?—“
"Then we figure it out," Jack says simply.
"How can you be so calm about this?" My voice cracks. "Everything is falling apart."
"Because you're worth it." Blake's brown eyes are fierce as they meet mine. "You're worth fighting for. Worth the risk. Worth whatever consequences come."
The tears spill over now, hot tracks down my cheeks. "I don't deserve you. Any of you."
"That's not your call to make," Noah says gently. "We decide what we're willing to risk. We decide what matters to us. And you matter, Mia. More than jobs or reputations or what small-minded people think."
Jack pulls me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me. "We're not going anywhere. No matter how hard this gets."
Blake moves closer, his hand sliding up my thigh beneath the sheet.
Noah's mouth finds my shoulder, kissing a path up to my neck. Jack's hands slide into my hair, tilting my head back for his kiss.
They make love to me slowly, desperately. Each touch feels weighted with meaning, with promises and fears neither of us voice.
Afterward, we lie tangled together in the darkness. But I can't sleep. Can't stop the thoughts spiraling through my mind.
My father's rejection. My mother's disappointment. And everything else. All because of me.
I think about the twins, sleeping peacefully at Noah's apartment with the babysitter. They don't know their world is crumbling.Don't understand that their mother is destroying the lives of three good men who made the mistake of caring about her.
Maybe I should leave. Pack up the boys and disappear again. Protect these men from the fallout of loving me. Let them rebuild their lives without the weight of my baggage dragging them down.
The thought makes my chest ache, but it also feels like the right thing to do. The noble thing. The only way to stop the damage from spreading.
Jack's arm tightens around me like he can sense my thoughts. "Don't even think about running ... again," he murmurs against my hair. "I can feel you planning your escape."
"I'm not planning anything."
"Liar." His voice carries affection despite the accusation. "I know you, Mia. I know how your mind works. You're thinking about leaving to protect us."
Blake shifts beside me, his brown eyes opening. "That's not happening."
"You don't know what I'm thinking," I protest weakly.
