Page 23 of Cruel Salvation

Chapter7

“Oh my God,I’m so bored.”

His instinct was to sneak up behind her and tell her exactly how they could fill their time, but they’d reached a tentative peace that felt, not good, because good would be her in his bed, but fragile, balanced, and easy. Their relationship had changed since the tears two nights ago. They’d struck up a friendship without the underlying angst that had always seemed to be between them.

“Want to play cards?”

“No, I want to do something useful.”

“We could head back to the compound if you like. You’ll have more than just me for company then.”

“No, we are where we need to be, and your company isn’t so bad.”

He put a hand over his heart. “Stop with the compliments, I can’t handle it.”

He ducked the cushion she threw at him and laughed. “Idiot.”

Placing the cushion back on the couch, he stood. “Come on, let’s go take a walk or go into town.”

There’d been no more sign of Dorsey or Jones. It was as if they’d fallen off the face of the earth. Lotus wasn’t surprised by that as, apparently, he was a very good soldier, but it made Damon uneasy. The thought of a threat to her hiding somewhere was so much worse than knowing what was coming and being able to face it head-on. The shell casing they’d found that had been left for them was exactly what Lotus had said it was, a high-grade military round, not easily available.

“We can’t, but you can take me to the drive-through. I want a burger and fries and a chocolate shake.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Everyone knows banana shakes are the best.”

She patted his face, her fingers soft and delicate as she sashayed past him. “Wrong as usual.”

As much as he loved her opening up to him, like she had the other night, this confident playful side of her was his favourite. Lotus wasn’t meant for the dark emotions that haunted her, she was meant for smiles and fun and love. She only ever showed him a glimpse at a time but when she did, it was like a lightning bolt to the heart.

As he drove towards the nearest burger restaurant, they argued playfully over the merits of milkshake flavours, both firmly entrenched in their respective camps. It was easy and mundane and gave him a tiny insight into what life could be like for them without the constant threat of death and destruction hanging over them like an axe about to fall.

He found himself watching the road more closely than normal and he could sense Lotus was watching more carefully than usual too, but even that didn’t dim the pleasure he got from being around her. The fact that she was a potential target too made him feel sick if he let himself think about it, but after talking to Gideon last night he felt a little better.

This was all new to him but as Gideon had explained, it was second nature to these women, and it was the life they lived. If he wanted to be with Nazareli, which more and more he thought he did, then that was a part of her life and always would be. Now he just needed to figure out if he could live with that.

“Light’s green.”

“Shit.” He put the car in gear and pulled into the drive-thru.

He ordered for them both and he grinned to himself as Naz scarfed down one of her burgers on the drive back. It was good to see her enjoying food again. She’d had a couple of rough days, feeling unwell and looking pale, and he suspected it was the stress of it all, but now she looked a little better. Still stunningly beautiful, no matter what, but her sadness and the defeat he’d sensed from her had woken a primal protective side he’d never felt for a woman before. Yes, he was protective of Nadia but that was because she was family. This was different, he’d stand against anyone who came for Nazareli. Even if she didn’t need it or want it, he had this desire to shield her.

As they sank down, side by side on the couch in what was their temporary home, he heard her sigh and looked down.

“Feel a little better now you’ve eaten some junk food and had your chocolate shake?”

He gave an over-exaggerated shudder, and she punched his arm, before he snatched her hand and drew her under the curve of his arm. He thought she might fight him but she settled into his chest and her body went lax as if all the tension was draining from her body.

The scent of her body wash wafted over him, and he inhaled it like a dying man sucking on oxygen.

“This is nice.”

Her hand stroked his chest, not in an overtly sexual way, although his dick wasn’t getting the memo, but in a connected way.

“It is. You feel right in my arms.” He didn’t get a response and wasn’t really expecting one. “Tell me about Rykov.”

She tensed and tried to sit up, but he held her close. “Don’t run. It’s only a question, Naz, and you don’t have to answer it. I just know he was important to you, and I want to know more about him.”

He felt her still and then seem to make a decision as she relaxed back into his arms. “What do you want to know?”