Jessica shook her head, the anger giving way to weariness, a tiredness that seemed to sink deep into her bones. “Protect me? Protect us? All I see is you bringing more danger into our lives.” She exhaled a shaky breath, her voice breaking slightly. “I don’t want Alvaro growing up like this. I don’t want him to live in a world where he learns fear before he even learns to walk.”
His hand clenched, the helplessness evident in his eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but Jessica held up a hand, stopping him.
“Just…stop,” she murmured, turning away, too drained to continue arguing. She pressed her fingers against her temples, willing herself to calm down, but her pulse was still racing, her frustration simmering beneath the surface.
Armando watched her, the silence thickening around them.
