Page 76 of Hidden While In Sight

“It’s difficult,” she murmured. “Living in this ‘not yet.’”

Diego’s mind latched onto the confusing words. “Not yet?”

“The world is still broken. Bad things happen. Terrible, evil things. They shouldn’t, but they do.”

Diego’s fingers tightened around her wrist again. “Things done by bad people.” He wanted the reminder. The reminder of exactly what he was—one of those people who didn’t deserve to live.

Hannah continued to stroke him. “If those things hadn’t been done, this moment wouldn’t have happened.” Her gaze was so steady, so sure. “You wouldn’t have seen what you saw last night or reacted to save that boy. You wouldn’t have saved me.” The last part came out in a whisper.

He didn’t want to remember her unconscious and bleeding in the den.

“I can’t say I understand it. I can’t say I’m happy about it. But that thought, the thought that the bad things matter, it comforts me.”

Diego’s hand slid up from her wrist to press hers against his cheek. “It makes me angry,” he admitted in a choked voice. The flashes of memories. Of things that had happened to him and to her. Of things that he’d done. “So fucking angry.”

She drew closer, nuzzling her cheek against him while her hand continued to warm his cheek. “And that’s okay,” she murmured.

He choked on a laugh, surprised at the sound, and hugged her to him.

Even with the anger, he felt lighter somehow. Especially when the murmur of the children, awake and ready for the day to start, reached them.

He kissed her hand before pulling away to roll out of bed. “I’ll pull something together to eat.”

Her hand on his arm stopped him. “I’ll go to the kitchen. You go get Connor and Emma.” She squeezed before releasing him. “I don’t want—” She looked away, swallowing. “You saved that boy last night. It was… frightening, but I know you won’t hurt my children.” Her smile formed. “They love you, Diego. Don’t be scared.”

She rose out of bed, and he wanted to grab her, keep her, claim her all over again.

“I’m not fucking scared,” he mumbled, his hands clutching at nothing because she was already out of reach.

Her joyful laugh drifted back to him. It was everything.

He went to round up their kids for breakfast.

Ramiro showed up at the house during dinner. Diego understood. He’d been less than stable the night before, and his friend wanted to check on him.

The way Ramiro eyed Connor and Emma as he came into the house cut into some of Diego’s tension. He saw right through his calm exterior. Kids fucking terrified him.

Diego took pity on him and led him out to the backyard. There was no pool. When he’d stood at the glass door earlier, he’d noticed that. Hannah had voiced her relief. He’d thought it was about Emma, but Hannah’s eyes had been on him as she’d said she never wanted one again.

The overgrown trees and ferns along the back fence provided a more soothing view anyway. Diego took a deep breath in the dimming light as the sun sank behind the trees.

“You look better,” Ramiro said.

“Yeah,” Diego agreed.

“Though anything would be better.” Ramiro’s tone grew colder. “Between Naz and you, I’m fucking done.”

Diego said nothing. The anger was fair.

Ramiro sighed. “Did she ask why? The sudden move?”

Remembering the way she’d looked at him as he entered the house last night still sent chills through him. “She saw,” he admitted. “On the cameras.”

“For fuck’s sake.” Ramiro lifted a hand to his head, rubbing it as he closed his eyes. “Then you need a second house?”

Diego looked back through the glass doors to where the kids were eating at the table with smiles on their faces. “No.”

“No?” Ramiro dropped his hand with a raised eyebrow.

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