Temptation Wins Again [POV: Vincent]
The dashboard clock read 5:45 PM.
Fifteen minutes before I was supposed to be home. Fifteen minutes before I walked into the house Abigail had carefully decorated, the dinner she had probably spent all afternoon preparing, the eager anticipation in her eyes as she waited for me to find out what I already knew.
She was carrying a boy.
I had known for weeks now. The moment Dr. Owens casually mentioned it during one of my visits to the hospital where Abigail works, I had pulled her aside and made her spill. I couldn’t wait.
But what was the point of rushing home now? I had already secured the surprise she had planned for me. And Evie—that damn woman—was going to be there. Watching me. Judging me.
I gripped the steering wheel, debating whether to go home or drive in the opposite direction.
Then, out of instinct, I picked up my phone.
Me: Can I see you? Just for a bit. Only talk, I promise.
I hit send before I could overthink it, not really expecting a response.
Hannah had been ignoring my messages for days. Blocking my calls. Pretending that what happened between us never happened.
But I knew she hadn’t forgotten.
I hadn’t.
Not the way her body felt beneath mine. Not the way she gasped when I touched her. Not the way she clawed at my back when she came apart in my arms.
Not the way she made me feel alive.
The text bubble appeared almost instantly.
Hannah: Stop bugging me.
A slow, knowing smirk stretched across my lips. I leaned back in my seat, exhaling a quiet chuckle. The more she resisted, the more I wanted her.
My fingers hovered over the screen, considering my next move, when another message notification popped up.
This time, it wasn’t from her.
Mr. Harrison: Hey, just wanted to say thanks again for recommending Hannah. She did well on her first day. You were right—she’s a sharp one. Seems eager to prove herself.
My smirk widened.
I already knew she would do well.
Because I had put her there.
One Week Ago…
It had been a mistake to sleep with Marilyn. She had been eager, willing, and just desperate enough to let me do whatever I wanted.
But the moment it was over, I had laid there, staring at the ceiling, and all I could think about was Hannah.
The way she tasted.
The way she moaned my name.
The way her body had fit so perfectly against mine.
Marilyn had been good—but Hannah had been intoxicating.
So I did what any sane man in my position would do.
I searched for her.
She had no social media, nothing for me to track, no way to casually insert myself back into her life. It was frustrating, infuriating, because I wasn’t done with her yet.
Then, by chance, I found her profile on a corporate job-seeking site. She was looking for an entry-level office job. No experience. Just a name, a resume, and a desperate attempt to change her life.
It felt like fate.
The moment I saw it, an idea took root in my mind.
I had connections.
Mr. Harrison owed me favors—plenty of them. I gave him his freedom so he can marry his childhood sweethear. The least he could do was hire one girl on my recommendation.
A simple phone call. A few carefully chosen words.
And just like that—Hannah had a new job.
Now, it was only a matter of time before she saw it for what it was.
A gift.
From me.
For her.
Because I wasn’t done. Not yet.
Present
I locked my phone, my decision made. I could tell myself that this was nothing. That it was just a game. That I wasn’t risking everything again for the thrill of the chase.
I could tell myself that I would stop before it went too far. That this was the last time. That I would change when the baby came. That I would be better. That this was the very last time I’d betray Abigail.
I gripped the steering wheel, revving the engine.
