Page 41 of Hidden But Not Safe

‘She belongs to Julio Guzman.’

“Well, shit, Naz. We can’t afford to piss the cartel off, and the Guzmans run everything. Why the hell do you think I placed you with that low-level thug?” He scrubbed his hand over his jaw, his beard rasping. “You kill him, shit is going to go down fast. Don’t do it for a quick fuck. I get it, if she’s making your dick work, but—”

Naz slammed into Ramiro, taking him to the floor as his vision edged black. A snarl filled his ears, the sound of it startling him as he realized it came from him. It was enough to edge his awareness back. Ramiro shoved him away.

“For fuck’s sake!” Ramiro heaved out a breath, wincing as he dragged himself into a sitting position. “I’m sorry. Just breathe, kid.”

Naz’s lungs burned. Laughter filled his head. He focused on the next breath, making it the only thing in his mind—the unsteady inhale followed by a whooshing exhale. He could do better. The next wave of air pulled deeper, and the next, until he’d settled enough to look toward Ramiro again.

Ramiro gazed steadily back. “You with me?”

Naz nodded.

Ramiro prodded at his stomach. “Your punches still hurt like hell. This is on me. I should have watched my words.” A smile twitched his lips. “I was just surprised. You looked comfortable with her.” His gaze shifted back to Naz. “I’ve never seen that before. You’re not even comfortable with me. Diego, maybe, but I don’t get to see it.”

Naz leaned to the side, snagging his phone from where it’d fallen and tapping at the screen. He turned his new message so Ramiro could see.

‘Because you’re an asshole.’

Ramiro choked out a sound before his head fell back against the desk and he started laughing. It was loud and big, just like the man.

Naz hadn’t been joking. His eyes narrowed as Ramiro wound down, wiping at his eyes.

“Shit, I needed that. Summer told me I’ve been an asshole lately, too. Everything’s just been a bit much. Not only with Diego, though he’s gone fucking crazy, and not like he did with you.” Ramiro considered it. “I need to get him out of that damn house.”

He shoved to his feet, reaching for the papers Naz had picked up for him. “This should help.” He let the packet plop back down to the desk. “What will help you? Should I get you out of there?”

Naz shook his head. He was fine. Before entering the office, he would have said he was better than fine. He’d lost a lot less time recently. Each moment with Meg seemed to draw out, cementing him into the present more and more.

“Fucking hell.” Ramiro moved away from the desk and toward the door. “At least let me meet her properly.”

For a big man, he moved fast. Naz was left scrambling after him.

Meg and Summer were laughing together on the couch, holding the tea cups that Naz always declined. It wasn’t like he could drink the tea, it’d just dribble down his chin, and the cups looked delicate as hell.

Somehow, the blue-designed etching looked even more delicate in Meg’s hand.

Summer shot a tight smile toward Ramiro. “Did I hear fighting?”

Naz ducked his head.

Ramiro sighed. “I poked the bear. It’s fine.”

Meg laughed. “Naz is the bear? Maybe a teddy bear. A cuddly one.”

A prickly heat crawled up Naz’s neck. He ignored the way Ramiro and Summer stared, focusing instead on Meg’s smiling eyes.

“You two…cuddle?” Ramiro asked, his voice sounding tight. He was going to burn a hole into Naz if he kept staring like that. Ramiro cleared his throat. “I thought you belonged to Julio Guzman.”

Meg turned to set her cup on the table, her smile tightening. “He told you that? It’s true enough. Naz and I are just…friends.” Her mouth twisted around the word, but she pushed to her feet, smiling at him again. “He’s a good person to have at your back.” She faced Ramiro, her eyebrow lifting. “You don’t agree?”

“He’s a pain in the ass,” Ramiro said.

Naz gave him the middle finger.

Meg burst out laughing. She moved around the couch, her arms wrapping around his arm. “We should get going. We wouldn’t want Julio thinking we ran off together.” She squeezed his arm, her smile not fading this time.

Ramiro still stared at him when he said goodbye, and Summer waved at them before shutting the door.

---