Page 17 of Cruel Salvation

Bending, he lifted her legs up and rolled her slightly so her neck wouldn’t stiffen and placed a throw from the basket in the corner over her body. Her phone was in the kitchen where she had set it next to the weapon she always carried on her.

Sliding the ringer to silent, he put it where he could see it in case an important call came through and turned the burner on the hob down. She needed rest more than food right now.

Sitting at the bottom of the couch, he gently lifted her feet onto his lap and pulled out his own phone to text Gideon.

Damon: At the house, no news. All safe.

Gideon: How was the scene? Did you blow chunks?

Damon smiled at his brother’s teasing.

Damon: No, but it was pretty intense. A lot of anger there.

Gideon: What does Lotus say?

Damon: She agrees, but I have a feeling she’ll look for a resolution that doesn’t end in his death and I’m not sure that’s possible.

Gideon: She has a big heart. Don’t tell her I said that. She still scares me.

Damon: ;) I won’t tell her but you’re right, she does.

Gideon: So do you. Be careful. I know you like her, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.

Damon: I’m fine.

Gideon: Nadia says to make sure Lotus eats.

Damon: Yes, mum.

Gideon: ;)

Damon set his phone aside and stroked his hand over Nazareli’s ankle as she shifted. His brain began to replay the day. He’d started feeling lost and unsettled, then had somewhat of a plan and now he was in a safe house with the woman who was coming to mean so much to him.

In the last year, his life had turned on its head and nothing felt right except when he was with this brash, funny, brave, caring woman. She was everything he never would have seen himself falling for and yet here he was, trekking across the country on a mission to keep her safe when she was a deadly killer.

“That’s a very serious face.”

He turned his head, his gaze landing on her sleepy face, her features soft. “Just thinking.”

Nazareli was hugging the soft green throw to her chin, her eyes mellow with sleep as she watched him, and he wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss her. Not to seduce, rather because he wanted that connection with her, but he knew if he broke the spell he might not get this time back.

“What about?”

“Life. How much mine has changed in the last year and how I wished I could go back and change certain things.”

“Like what?”

“I wish I’d been a better brother.”

Naz frowned. “Gideon loves you.”

Damon blew out a breath and leaned his head back against the couch, closing his eyes. “Not to him, to Carter. I wish I’d made more of an effort to bridge the gap between us. To be the brother he needed despite Marsha. Then maybe he wouldn’t have become what he did.”

“You were a child, one grieving the loss of a parent at that. You can’t blame yourself.”

“I know, but when I was a teenager I should’ve pushed back. Should’ve made more effort to be in his life instead of allowing her to drive the wedge deeper.”

“Regrets don’t change things and we can all look back with hindsight and play the what-if game. All it does is steal hope and instil misery.”