A stranger. A wave of loneliness washed over him and his chest felt tight. He drew in a slow breath, holding it, trying to calm his now rapidly pounding heart.

He managed to keep his expression impassive, but it was hard. That she’d firmly put them back in the friend zone was a bitter pill to swallow. Hell, it wasn’t even the friend zone. They were in the colleague zone. She was making it perfectly clear.

“I’ll keep searching.” Because there is no more “we.” No more “us.” Not that there ever had been anything real between them. Just his stupid hopes and dreams. It was high time he accepted it. But it hurt. So much that the need to punch something was almost more than he could control. I need to get out of here. Away from her. From this.

She opened her mouth on what was sure to be a protest, but he stopped her with an upheld hand that visibly trembled. “I need to go out for a little while. Check the casinos. But I don’t want to leave you alone.” Because even though she’d pushed him away, he still cared. He was still responsible for her and the boys. He would stick with this until the boys were safe, until their immediate future was resolved. But he needed to get away for a little while. Needed to be able to breathe.

“We’ll be okay,” she said levelly. “Maybe I’ll ask Kendra to come over and watch a movie with us later.”

Officer Kendra Cullen was a good choice. She was an even better choice if her Fed boyfriend accompanied her. Not that Diesel didn’t have confidence in Kendra’s abilities, but Special Agent Jefferson Triplett was as big as Diesel and could protect Dani and the kids as well as he could.

He smiled tightly. “That sounds good.”

She gave him a knowing look. “I’ll ask her to bring Trip with her.”

“Am I that obvious?”

She nodded. “Yeah, you are, but that’s okay. If it makes you feel better, I’ll even ask Scarlett and Marcus.”

And that was it, the straw that broke his back. The thought of Scarlett and Marcus, married and happy, Scarlett expecting their first baby. Diesel was so damn happy for them, but it was one more reminder that his friends were paired off, living their forevers.

While I . . . sit here. In this house, with kids who weren’t his, the homey kitchen where he was just a visitor. And with the woman who isn’t mine. And as much as he wished it, she might never be. He could feel her impending rejection.

He’d welcomed the interruption when Michael had thrown open the basement door because it meant he could go a little bit longer without her saying the words he dreaded. Find someone else. This isn’t going to work.

Go away.