“Yeah. It’s not serious or anything. We’re just lonely, is all.”
“From what I understand, Connor doesn’t mess around. He’s very careful where he sticks his dick. He’s said this several times.”
“We haven’t had sex.”
“Declan seems to think Connor likes you.”
“He does?”
“Oh yeah. He wouldn’t have asked you about Connor’s whereabouts if he didn’t think you could tell him. They’re very close, those two.”
“I really don’t know where Con is, if that’s what you’re getting to. I would tell him if I did.”
Dina sighs. “Promise me you’ll be careful with Connor.”
“I’m afraid you know that even though I am careful, trouble finds me anyway.”
Dina laughs. “Touché.”
I’d love to tell her that there’s no way I can navigate being a witness to a mass murder and also be in a relationship with a man who wouldn’t hesitate to commit mass murder. I should contact my witness protection team and tell them about Connor. But if I do that, I’m afraid they’ll come after him.
My week off should be about figuring out the next steps in my life. Since the hospital wants me gone, perhaps they would approve a transfer into a different city before things with Connor heat up even more. But that means leaving Dina and heading out alone with Hanna.
It means I would leave the only family I’ve found that’s been in my corner when I was homeless, left to fend for myself. It’s not like my protection unit helped out when I was down in the hospital. Once the contacts in the unit heard I’d survived Declan’s mayhem, that was all the information they needed.
My poor baby girl is stuck with such a mess for a mom. “It’s getting late.”
“It’s not even eight.”
“Oh wow. Is it really?” I yawn. “Why the heck am I so tired?”
“If I had to guess, it’s stress. Thinking too hard about getting yourself out of whatever problems you’ve acquired over your life.”
Dina understands. Her marriage was not ideal. I met her ex-husband, who threatened to kill me while I was still pregnant. That says everything about the kind of man he was. Declan made Dina a widow. We rejoiced.
I place Hanna in her new stroller. She napped late today, which is why she’s wide awake now. Those blue eyes like sky beacons look up at me, expecting me to stroll with her.
Dina hovers over the baby. “I bet she loves strolling.” Dina grabs the handles and pushes Hanna while I pick up our towels and dump them into the basket before I go into the house.
“Bye, Dec,” I say as he goes down the steps.
“Actually,” he says and stands in front of his wife, effectively blocking the way. “I’m wondering if you could stay the night.”
Dina’s eyebrows shoot up. “Well, this is new.”
Declan’s eyebrows draw down.
Dina slides next to me and intertwines our fingers.
“Oh, I get it now.” I giggle.
Dec’s eyes widen. “That is not what I meant, perv.”
Dina winks. “I’m teasing you.” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “But you can’t just ask my bestie to stay the night without explanation.”
“I can’t get ahold of my brother.”
Dina and I wait for more, but Declan seems to have finished explaining.