“You did everything in your power to make ends meet for the woman you loved most in this world. You were betrayed by people you trusted, and you didn’t take vengeance on them. You taught a little boy to make a boyfriend list, and you taught other children that bullying was wrong. You, Dezzie Black, are the very definition of a good man. I bet your mother is up there in heaven, painting elves and hobbits and bragging about you to anyone who will listen.”

LATER THAT NIGHT, as Tracey slept in his arms, Diesel reflected on how good it had felt to open up to her, to share the memories he’d been running from for what felt like his whole life. She made thinking about his mother less painful, something he hadn’t thought was possible. But he was learning how wrong he’d been about that, and about himself. He loved his nomad lifestyle, but being with Tracey was better. He could practically see her collecting the bits about his life he’d shared, tucking them away like treasures. He’d wasted a lot of time trying to stay away from her, and he was starting to think she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and she stirred.

“Can’t sleep?” she whispered.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t. I was awake.” She folded her arms over his chest, leaning her chin on her hands, her smiling eyes holding his. “I was just thinking about you and your mom.”

Of course she was. She was too thoughtful to have just let those thoughts go. He kissed her forehead.

“That’s her tattooed on the back of your arm, isn’t it? The fairy?”

She didn’t miss a thing. “Yeah, that’s her.”

“Do you have any other tattoos for her?”

“That tattoo is not for her. It’s for me.”

She smiled at that. “You know what I mean—others that represent her? What does the one on your back mean?”

“The Vitruvian Man? Da Vinci used it to show the connection between the human form and the universe, bridging the gap between spirit and matter.”

“I didn’t know you were so deep.”

“I didn’t know you were so curious.” He squeezed her butt.

She giggled. “Tell me what the others mean.”

“You really do want to know all my secrets.”

“Every last one of them,” she whispered, and kissed his chest.

He fucking loved that she wanted to know all his secrets. “That’s gonna cost ya.” He rolled her onto her back, moving over her, and heat shimmered in her eyes.