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He fought for breath. “You should never have gone through that pregnancy, much less losing the baby, without me.”

She sucked in stuttering breaths between her sobs. “I was scared and so stupidly in love with you. I couldn’t risk you turning your back on me. It would have broken me completely. But then the accident… It felt like fate’s way of punishing me for wanting to keep even part of you forever. It’s so hard for me to even look at babies. I’m happy for Matt and Madison. I love them to death but?—”

“You wanted our son.”

“More than you’ll ever know. Leaving you broke my heart. But losing that baby destroyed me. I…I tried to pretend I was fine,” she whispered. “That I could move on. But then I’d pass baby stuff in a store window and feel like I couldn’t breathe. Every time I saw a mother holding her child, it was a fresh wound. I’d even bought a onesie,” she admitted brokenly. “I hid it in a drawer, never told anyone. After the accident, I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away. I still have it.”

And now she’d fallen into the hands of people who had intended to sell her to a callous bastard eager to breed her, then potentially sell her babies… Fuck, how had she managed to keep herself together here?

He’d first been attracted to Haisley for her sass. He’d always known she had backbone. He wasn’t less furious with her choice to run and take their child with her, but her absolute steel to handle these last few weeks impressed the hell out of him.

“I know you probably hate me,” she wailed. “Once we get out of here, you don’t have to?—”

“Stop. Don’t make any more decisions for me. I’m angry that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me. Fucking furious,” he scratched out hoarsely. “I should have been there. I would have been there. Baby, I could never hate you. Even after you’d gone, even when I tried, I couldn’t. I’m heartbroken that you went through all that alone. That we lost our son.” He cupped her face, thumbing away her tears. “And I need you to know something. I made a mistake, too. I wasn’t just having fun with you. I told you that the night before…you were brought here.” He let out a desolate sigh. “If I’d grown a pair back then and proposed, you would have known how I felt. You wouldn’t have had any reason to run.”

“You couldn’t have known that?—”

“You were pregnant, no. But I knew what I wanted. I was in love with you. Still am.” He swallowed hard. “I want it all with you, Hais. Marriage, babies, growing old together. I’ve never stopped wanting that.”

“Even after…everything?”

“Especially after everything.” He kissed her forehead and wiped away her tears. “We’re going to make it out of here. And then we’re going to build the life we should have had.”

She cupped his cheek, her gaze so open and honest. “I love you so much. I’m sorry I was such a coward.”

“You were protecting your heart and our baby the best way you knew how.” He exhaled, pressing his cheek to her wet one. His heart still ached. Maybe it always would for what they’d lost.

“No more secrets between us,” he said, voice raw with the weight of emotion.No more walls. No more blame.He cupped her face, brushed his thumb over her tear-streaked cheek. “We face everything together from now on.”

Haisley nodded. “Together.”

And just like that, the past loosened its grip.

They held each other as the storm raged outside, both aware that dawn might bring fresh danger. But for now, in the dark with their hearts laid bare, they were stronger than ever. Whatever came next, they would face it as one.

“As soon as I can, I’m putting that ring on your finger where it belongs.” Nash tightened his grip on her. “No more time lost. No more secrets. No more running.”

She pressed closer, her tears dampening his skin. “Promise me we’ll make it out of here.”

He wished he could. But in this hellhole, there were no guarantees. “I’ll do everything in my power to get us home safe. To give you the family we both want.”

Thunder crashed again as they clung to each other, their love stronger for having weathered the storm of secrets. The future was uncertain, but finally, their hearts were in perfect sync.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

February came. Nash watched Haisley drift awake in the pale morning sunlight. She’d fallen asleep beside him on the window seat last night, both of them curled together while watching the stars. After he’d carried her to bed, her hands had found his in the darkness, their fingers interlacing as they’d shared passion, followed by more unspoken thoughts about their lost son.

Despite the surveillance, despite the danger, they’d grown closer this past week. Now, her sleepy smile warmed places inside him he’d thought had frozen over when she’d left him.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then stood and stretched. “You’re thinking too loud.”

“Just lots on my mind.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, drinking in her familiar vanilla-musk scent while he could, before she made her way to the bathroom.

They’d been here too long. This place kept trying to chip away at her soul, but she remained so damn brave. Fierce. Ready to fight. He’d never been prouder—or more terrified for her.

Nearly a week had passed since she’d confessed the devastating truth about their son. Her admission had changed everything between them. Now when their eyes met across a room, he saw not just love but absolute trust. Each casual touch carried the weight of shared grief and renewed hope. But that made the horror of this place harder to stomach. This trafficking operation was bigger than any of them had first imagined, and the intel they’d gathered made his blood boil.

Unfortunately, their sources were drying up. Martinez in maintenance had gone silent. Lia, Gray’s secretary, had vanished—and Nash tried not to think about what that might mean. Even Karliah hadn’t picked up anything useful at the spa lately. This fucking investigation felt like three steps forward and two steps back.