Chapter 31

I woke up, tangled in the sheets and the faint scent of cologne still clinging to the fabric. A sudden chill crept in as I reached for the empty space beside me. Christian and Haiden were both gone. My heart fluttered with a mix of fear and confusion. Where could they have gone? With a sigh, I rolled over and grabbed my phone from the bedside table.

Multiple texts and missed calls from Noah blinked at me, each notification pulsating with urgency. My stomach twisted. Noah had this uncanny ability to sense when something was off, and right now, I'd bet my last dollar he was going to erupt.

I hit his number and brought the phone to my ear, bracing for a storm.

"Hailey!" His voice was explosive the minute he picked up. "Who are those two guys you left with?! And where have you been for weeks? Did you go back to the strip club?"

I winced at the accusations, struggling to find my words amid the barrage. "Noah, I—"

"Just tell me, Hailey! It's not like you to just disappear like this. You're scaring me!"

I took a deep breath, letting the raw edge of his panic wash over me. "They're my boyfriends, Noah. Christian and Haiden. And I wasn't gone on purpose. I just… I needed time to figure things out."

Noah paused, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "So you're back in that life? You were doing so well." His tone softened, revealing the concern lurking beneath his anger.

"It wasn't like that! They asked me to quit my job. They didn't want me in danger. They offered to take care of me." The words felt heavy, loaded with a mixture of guilt and relief. It was the truth, but it felt surreal, acknowledging it out loud.

"Take care of you?" he scoffed, disbelief lacing his voice. "That sounds all too easy, Hailey. What do you really want? I thought we had agreed you'd pursue your dreams, not settle for a cozy spot in some guy's nest."

I leaned back against the headboard, suddenly feeling every bit of discontent swirling within me. "I love working, Noah. It fills me with purpose. But I also don't want to put them in a position where they're constantly worrying. They already have so much on their plates."

"But what about you? What about your happiness?" I could practically hear him pacing on the other end. He had the knack for getting animated even through the phone.

"I don't know, okay?" My voice cracked, frustration spilling over. "What if staying with them means I have to give up some parts of myself? But then I think about going back to the club and worry about what that would mean for us. I don't want to go back to being that girl—the one who danced for money just to make ends meet."

Noah sighed, the tension easing slightly. "Hailey, you have to figure this out for yourself. Don't just react to their wants. You need to choose a path for you. Whether that's in the club or not, it should be your decision."

His words echoed in my mind long after we hung up. What did I want? I wanted to escape the darkness that came with my old life, but I also loved the rush of performing, the feeling of control over my body and confidence radiating from the stage. Being in love with two men who adored me was new and intoxicating, but was it enough to carve out a life?

I slipped out of bed, the cold floor sending a little shock through my body, jolting me to action. I wandered over to the kitchen, the sunlight streaming through the window, illuminating the space with a soft glow. The mansion felt empty without them, as if their laughter and warmth lingered in the air, waiting for me to call them back.

I needed to talk to them. To face this question of identity that was gnawing at me. Was I ready to let go of my past, or would I always be bound to its echoes?

As I poured myself a cup of coffee, a sound from the bedroom drew my attention. It was a soft shuffle, and slowly the door swung open to reveal Christian, ruffling his hair, followed closely by Haiden. They both looked a little sheepish, perhaps aware of the tension that had brewed in their absence.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Haiden said, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around me.

"I was just about to call you both," I confessed, my heart racing nervously. "We need to talk."

As their faces shifted from playful banter to serious contemplation, I realized that whatever I had to say, I had to be true to myself—and to them. No matter where this journey would lead me next, I was determined to find a path that was truly mine, with or without the weight of expectation hanging over my heart.