You have to hurt me if you must

“You have to hurt me if you want to be a father,” Kiara whispered, her voice raspy with unshed tears. The words hung heavy in the air between them, a stark testament to the chasm that had opened between them.

Milano flinched as if struck. “Kiara, I… I don’t want to hurt you. Not physically.” He reached out, his hand hovering inches from her cheek, hesitant to bridge the distance that now felt as vast as an ocean. “What happened… it was a mistake. My desire got the better of me, and I was careless. I never intended to cause you pain.”

Kiara’s gaze was fixed on him, a mixture of desperation and a fragile hope warring in her eyes. “But you did, Milano. You hurt me. And now… now you’re talking about a baby. If you can’t even handle the intimacy without causing me pain, how will you handle being a father? How will you handle a child?” She pulled her knees closer to her chest, a protective gesture that spoke volumes. “You said you love me, but your actions… they don’t always match. You need to show me, Milano. You need to show me you can be gentle, even when it’s difficult.”