Page 47 of Hidden But Not Safe

The muffled bass continued to beat in his head. Naz turned the water warmer for the next pass, holding the warmed towel against her down below.

“It was my choice. Not like I said no. I was worried that—” She swallowed, her head falling forward, her forehead resting against his chest. “This was better. It was only one old man who could seriously work his dick. The others just watched.”

Naz hadn’t been watched. It had only ever been one at a time for him. Older men, that was familiar, but the images had all blurred together. He waited for their voices to mingle in his head and suck him down into his memories.

All he heard was his thumping heartbeat, or maybe that was still the bass, as he finished cleaning Meg.

She let her skirt drop when he pulled the paper towel away this time. Her arms wrapping tight around his waist surprised him into dropping it. Her face pressed against his shirt, muffling her words.

“Not like I was ever pure. Not since I got my period and—” Her words choked off as her grip clamped even harder.

She turned her face, her cheek nuzzling against him. “Julio was okay with someone filling up my pussy besides him. That’s not good.” Tension filled her shoulders, and Naz dropped his chin to brush against the top of her head.

“At least I don’t have to worry about an abortion again,” she mumbled. “I’m so glad they agreed to put it in after I had one.” She sighed, her grip easing so she could pull away. “I’m grateful to have that IUD. I can’t go through that again.”

“You have an IUD?”

At the sound of Julio’s voice, Meg jerked back, clipping her elbow on the sink.

The still-flowing water was the only sound in the bathroom besides that fucking bass.

Julio sneered as he released the bathroom door, stalking toward her.

Naz moved between them, making Julio pull up short.

“Move out of the fucking way,” Julio barked at him.

Naz felt the slow, sure pulse of his heart. He shook his head, waiting for Julio to make a move.

Julio snorted. “Fine. Not like I want to hurt her or anything. Not after such an epic night.” He grinned, leaning to the side to see Meg. He stabbed a finger toward her. “But don’t fucking lie to me again. Wasting my goddamn money.”

He turned away, heading toward the door. “We’re leaving soon.”

Naz stared at the shut door. He told himself it was better that Julio had backed down. Julio was a Guzman. Beating his ass in a club his family owned wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had.

He still wanted to do it, though.

Meg clutched his arm, shaking it. “You can’t do that. Not for me.”

Naz looked at her. He didn’t agree.

“You don’t even want me, Ignacio!” she snapped, releasing him. “Don’t fuck up your life.”

He continued to stare at her, and she was the one to look away.

“My face still looks awful.” Her feet slapped against the tiled floor as she moved closer to the sink, reminding him that they were bare.

Meg soaked another towel, wiping the black streaks away from her eyes before turning off the water. She tossed everything in the garbage, even the paper towel he’d dropped on the floor.

When she would have walked past him to the doorway, Naz snagged her hand, pulling her back.

She looked up at him, the sadness on her face tearing at him.

He dropped her hand to remove her shoes from his back pockets. She watched him kneel, lifting her foot at his urging, then the other. He liked the way the shoes he’d bought looked on her feet.

When he stood, a tear slid down her cheek. He reached out, rubbing it away with his thumb.

“Stop,” she breathed out, her voice choked.

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