Page 76 of Hidden But Not Safe

Like she said, she hadn’t been thinking about him, but Naz didn’t blame her at all.

“Meg.” He leaned down, pressing his lips against her forehead, even if it wasn’t an actual kiss. “Don’t…die.” The words moved his lips against her skin.

She made a sound, one like broken glass, and then her arms were on him, dragging him down to her, wrapping herself around him as tightly as she could. Her face pressed into his neck, soaking it in tears.

He tried not to give her his full weight, but he needed to hold her at the same time. He managed to shift them to their sides and not right off the couch, tucking her into his body, ignoring the ache from the gunshot wound.

She’d been driven by fear. If she was ever afraid like that again, he wanted her to use him in the same way. Because, yeah, she’d tried to goad Julio into killing her, but she’d run to Naz at the same time.

She hadn’t been worried about him dying, but he’d gladly die for her.

Anything to let her live even one more moment longer than him.

He wouldn’t want to live that extra moment without her anyway.

Meg’s sobs slowed into hiccupping sighs. She wiped her running nose along his strangling collar, but she didn’t pull away.

“I’m such a mess,” she mumbled into his body. Her legs shifted between his as her tension eased. “Maybe this works because you are, too.”

She tilted her head back, looking into his face. Her hand snuck up, the finger tracing along his cheek. “When you disappeared like that, I wasn’t scared of you. Not exactly. Not at all when I realized you’d still protect me over yourself.” Her finger drifted, finding his lips, brushing over them so lightly it should have barely registered, but his breath stuttered to a halt just to focus on it.

“I could have lost you. And it would have been all my fault.”

He’d been focusing on her guilt and wanting to erase it.

A different need rushed inside him as he realized what was behind her words.

Meg liked him. Not just liked. She valued him.

He wasn’t a piece of shit in her eyes. Or even something to be used, though she had used him.

She’d once said he made her happy.

It was the same for him. Her giggles, her smiles, her words, they all made him so fucking happy. Holding her, giving her gifts, taking care of her, all of that was happiness, too.

And he needed every part of what made up Meg to be his.

“So you don’t get to die either. Okay?” Meg said.

He leaned into her, pressing their lips together. Her lips moved, and he realized he was feeling her smile against him.

She let out a laugh, kissing him briefly before she snuggled against him again. “I’m starting to think you really like kissing,” she said, her voice holding a teasing joy.

Naz’s cheeks warmed. He pressed his hands against her back, wanting her even closer.

“I’m taking the kiss as agreement. You’re not going to die either. We’re stuck with each other now.”

Those were the best words she’d spoken to him yet.

Chapter 23

Meg sat at the counter eating her sandwich. She held one of the triangles she’d cut in one hand while the other played with the small giraffe, and she kept sneaking looks at Naz.

Those looks made him think she wanted to say something. It was odd for Meg not to say whatever was on her mind. She took a bite, catching the dripping grape jelly with her finger.

Peanut butter and jelly was not something Naz could force down.

He wore the clothes she’d washed, and she’d been right. It was a relief to be back in his own shirt and jeans.

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