Page 86 of Hidden But Not Safe

Apart of Naz remained on edge, waiting for that moment when something would take Meg away from him. He was convinced the cartel would find them or, worse, Meg would realize she wanted more than he could offer and leave.

She never pressured him for sex, and he slowly stopped expecting her to.

She’d found a buried pair of workout shorts for him to sleep in, loose and stretchy, though the waistband was a little tight. Wearing them was more comfortable than wearing his jeans at night. They also kept him more covered than the underwear, so he didn’t have to repeat the nightmare that waking up wearing only a scrap of cloth had been.

Her head on his naked chest and her body snuggled up against his became soothing again. Some mornings he woke with a partial erection. Having one brought the voices back, so he tried to ignore it with varying results. Going limp was easiest without Meg in sight.

Just like with eating, talking around Meg became easier each time he did it. Words that he repeated more often took less and less effort, thought they always took a bit of focus. The delight in Meg’s eyes, and her smile, made trying worth it. Nothing came as easily as saying her name, and Meg still lit up every time he said it.

The days together stretched into what felt like a lifetime, but Diego hadn’t sent his weekly text again, not yet. Naz tried to absorb every moment deep inside himself. Four abusive years of his life had blotted out everything that had come before and had overshadowed most of what had come after. His time with Meg became precious shards he tried to piece together into something that would remain, even after she left.

The laughter and voices and dimming vision only happened in those moments when he became hyperaware of his dick. Fear of the next step swamped him. That even Meg avoided talking about it both soothed his nerves and made anxiety hover in the air around them, ready to smother him at any moment.

Even with that, the days with Meg were the best days Naz had ever experienced. He couldn’t quite find the right word for what he’d found with her. Happiness didn’t feel like it was big enough. There was a sense of peace and rightness mixed with more. Meg and him. Him and Meg. Linking them together in his mind was better than the pleasure of coming he’d experienced.

Her body against his, fully entangled while they slept, both soothed him and kept him awake. The steady pressure the wound in his side had become didn’t help.

Her breathing grew even, and he thought she’d fallen asleep first, like she did most nights. He buried his nose in her hair, wanting more of her scent.

Meg’s hands tightened on him. She lifted her head, almost smashing his nose. She didn’t like to sleep in the dark, so he always kept the corner lamp on for her. The yellow glow of it made her amber eyes more shadowed than usual.

“Meg.”

Her eyes shut, as if she was absorbing the word.

“Can’t sleep?” He was proud of the reduced amount of time between his words. It was easier when he held her; his mind was more settled.

Her eyes grew moist when she opened them and stared into his. A single tear slipped out and dripped down her face.

“Meg?” he asked, his hand untangling from their wrapped bodies so he could wipe the dampness away.

“I love you,” she said, her words freezing his hand. “I love you, Ignacio. I love you so fucking much. I just love you.”

Every repeated instance of the words slipped inside him, filling him up more and more until he felt like it was too much. His feelings for her were more than his body could contain.

Naz wanted to say the words, but his focus splintered, her confession echoing in his ears.

She licked her lips, another tear slipping down her cheek. “And I—shit, don’t hate me. Please don’t hate me.”

His thumb traced along the wet tracks on her cheeks, wanting to erase them, but her tears kept flowing.

“Ne-ver hate,” Naz said, the need to reassure her breaking through his stuttering mind.

Meg loved him.

The knowledge made everywhere they touched extra sensitive, as if the overflowing emotions inside him were slipping out through his pores. He continued wiping at her tears, his thumb tingling as he did.

“Love you,” Naz said.

Meg began to sob—noisy, snotty sobs that caused her body to shake and jerk against him.

“Oh, God!” she burst out between heaving breaths before burrowing her head into his neck.

He gathered her as tightly against him as he could, wishing again that he could tuck her whole body inside his own.

Her sobs mixed with the echoing words he’d never forget.

Meg loved him.

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