Okay so I just finished this chapter a few minutes ago and decided to post it because of all my lovely readers. Seriously, you guys are so amazing for reviewing and motivating me to write more. I'm really grateful for all the encouragement. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own OTH or any of these characters. Also, this chapter, like every other chapter, is mature so this is your warning. If you don't like it, don't read.

Chapter 20

"Stop elbowing me in the ribs with your bony arms," Brooke's husky voice snapped.

"Well, maybe if you weren't leaning most of your weight into me, I wouldn't have to stick my arms into your stomach. Do you have any idea how hard it is to practically carry you? Geez, how much do you weigh—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Brooke growled, turning to face Lucas in her crouching position. "And quit whining about every little thing. Just don't speak."

They were spying on Haley from outside her door, waiting for a sign that she might need them. However, their bickering once again got them off track of what they were originally there for.

"I'm sorry. You must have forgotten the part where you begged me to help you spy on Haley. In fact, I think I remember hearing the words 'I'll do anything.' Yeah, about that…I have a few ideas," Lucas smirked, wiggling his eyes brows at her.

Brooke's made a face of disgust, but before she could say anything, they heard a noise coming from inside Haley's room.

"Do you think we need to go in there?" Brooke squeaked, concerned for her new friend.

"Chill out, Brooke. She was probably just moving around a little. She's not a statue, you know?"

"Quit being such an ass," Brooke hissed. "She hasn't come out of there for three days. Three! Can you imagine how upset she must be? And it's not like Nathan's doing any better."

"Yeah, he has been a bit of an ogre lately," Lucas said, cringing from the memory of Nathan in his room with a bottle of whiskey.

"We have to do something," Brooke whispered, and Lucas could already see the wheels turning in that pretty head of hers.

"And what is it you have to do?" Nathan's deep voice questioned from behind them.

Brooke and Lucas fell to the ground and stared up at Nathan like deer caught in headlights. Their mouths lay open, but sound refused to come out.

"Would you mind telling me what it is the two of you are doing crouching like tigers with your ears pressed up to Miss James' door?" Nathan asked, a stoic look on his face.

Still, Brooke and Lucas could say nothing.

"No?" Nathan mocked, a hard edge seeping into his voice. "Then I suggest you go where you are allowed to be."

Before anyone could say or do anything else, Haley tried to open her door, only to find something—or someone, rather—blocking her exit.

Brooke and Lucas felt the door pushing on their backs, and they immediately scurried off the floor and onto their feet just in time to see Haley walk out.

"Wha-"Haley questioned, a confused yet slightly amused look on her face.

Her amusement, however, disappeared altogether when she saw they were not alone.

She hadn't realized how painful it would be to look into Nathan's piercing blue eyes, but there she was standing, gazing into the very eyes that broke her heart and her trust.

She remembered how cruel he was to her. How nasty and coldhearted he was.

"Miss James," Nathan said, looking her straight in the eyes, and Haley knew—she knew—that this was not the same Nathan she fell in love with, nor was it the same person she wanted to be with.

"My lord," Haley said, putting on an indifferent expression so that she appeared as if he had no affect over her.

His eyes widened a bit when she spoke, and Haley noticed the almost invisible flicker of hurt in them at her cold tone of voice. Then they went hard.

"You're supposed to be in the kitchen doing your job, maid," Nathan said, tossing the insult at her without a care. "I know you think you can slack off because you're pregnant, but while you're living under this roof—and trust me, your days are limited—you will work to keep your stay. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Haley seethed, consumed with anger at the callous way he was treating her. "As if I'd want to stay here with a beast like you anyway. Now I understand why you've so little visitors; nobody can stand to be around a cynical beast who only cares about himself."

Haley stalked passed him as she finished muttering those words to herself, and she could tell Nathan had heard her by the strangled sound that came from his throat.

Good, she thought. She wasn't going to let him walk all over her; she had too much respect and self-pride for that. If he wanted to throw nasty insults and play dirty, than so could she.

…

Nathan pushed into his room and threw a chair out of his way. He was so angry he could kill someone. And he knew just who that person would be.

She had no right, none whatsoever, to be angry with him. She was the one who betrayed him. She was the one who lied. And dammit, she was the blasted female who made him fall in love with her and then regret it every second of the day.

But he couldn't. He just couldn't turn it off, his love for her. He tried, and even with her betrayal playing over and over in his mind, when he saw her this morning, everything seemed to disappear.

Her beautiful honey filled eyes and her soft, luscious lips—god dammit, it wasn't fair! And then her eyes turn cold and she spoke with such detachment. It hurt. It hurt like something fierce he'd never experienced before, and that made him want to lash out. And he did.

He did, and he wasn't sorry. He was going to teach her that she should have never crossed him, and he was going to make her feel all the pain he did.

That was the last thing he promised to himself before he let the whiskey drown out his sorrows.

…

Haley sighed, walking quickly to her room. She had just finished a whole day of non-stop working, doing anything she could to keep her mind off of Nathan.

She'd managed to avoid him for the rest of the day, and she was eager to go to her bed and let sleep overtake anything that burdened her thoughts, if just for a little while.

She saw a dark figure when she neared her room. It was slouched, unmoving, and for a moment she was truly scared.

As she got closer, she realized what it was.

"Nathan, what are you doing here?" Haley sighed, still angry and hurt over what had happened that morning and the past few days.

He didn't lift his head, but Haley could smell the stench of whiskey from where she stood. She sighed again.

His head snapped up, the warm yet dark lighting shadowed his pained face, and for a moment Haley saw her own pain mirrored in his eyes. Then his face turned into a cruel sneer.

He pushed back from the wall and took a step forward, looking very much like he was hunting. And she was his prey.

"Well, well, if it isn't the lying whore," Nathan slurred, stumbling towards her. His arms grabbed at the wall to steady himself, and then he leaned closer to her.

Haley could feel his warm breath on her neck, below her ear. His heat surrounded her, suffocating her senses and heightening her desire. Nathan continued to taunt her in his condescending voice.

"I've got to give it to you, Haley. You really had me fooled; you should be proud," Nathan said mockingly, clapping his hands. "Although, this probably isn't your first accomplishment. It's a wonder what spreading your legs can get sluts like you almost anything you want."

A loud crack echoed through the hall as Haley slapped Nathan with as much force as she could muster. She glared at him, her eyes full of tears, and she shoved him as hard as she could to walk past him.

He stumbled back, but not before he grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her into him.

His lips fused with hers as he slammed her against the wall. Haley whimpered in pain, but Nathan was too far gone to notice.

Haley started to push at him; she wanted to push him off. She wanted to kiss him. God, all these confusing thoughts were racing through her mind, but one thing in particular was how good it felt to be in his arms again.

She gave in to her desires, winding her arms around his neck and letting her tongue outline his lips.

Nathan growled with need and shoved her harder against the wall, grabbing her thigh and twisting it around his waist. He ground his hips into hers, and she instinctively cuddled him between her thighs and pushed back.

Nathan tore his lips from hers' and started to lay hot, open mouthed kisses on her neck. Haley moaned in pleasure and trailed her hand down his chest to the top of his pants.

She slipped her hand inside and grabbed his rock hard dick. Nathan growled and shoved jerkily into her hand, pressing his face into her neck.

"Fuck, Baby," Nathan moaned, licking up her neck to nibble on her ear. His breathing was harsh and excited, making Haley even more hot if that was possible.

Nathan's own hand slipped under her dress and searched until he found the very heat of her. His hand pushed aside her panties and started to stroke her pussy, causing her body to quiver and her hand to squeeze his dick harder as Nathan moaned once more.

"God, Baby, you're so wet," Nathan panted, his voice almost inaudible. "I want to fuck you so hard."

Haley froze the moment those words left his mouth. Something snapped inside her and she forcefully shoved him away, catching him off guard and sending his tumbling to the floor.

Haley gasped, trying to catch her breath as overwhelming tears blurred her vision. This was all she was to him, a good fuck. He didn't love her; he never had. His distrust for her had shown that.

God, she was such an idiot! How could she actually think he would love her the way she loved him.

Nathan lay unmoving on the ground, his jaw clenched tight and his eyes averted to the wall. He was trying to catch his breath also, Haley realized, most likely regretting what just happened, she thought bitterly.

Haley gave him one last glance and walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. Nathan faced her locked door, staring at the one thing in the world he'd been terrified of losing.

Her.

Please review! Thanks for reading :)
Love,
Sadie