Page 18 of Cruel Salvation

“I know, but I just know deep down he wasn’t born evil. No baby is born evil. I just wish I could’ve saved him. That I could’ve been the brother he needed.”

“And what about what you needed? You needed a father, and you didn’t end up an evil baby-stealing megalomaniac.”

“No, true, but I had Gideon.”

“You two are close.”

“Yeah, we always have been. We’re very different but I’d die for him and I know he would for me too.”

“You’re lucky to have that.”

“Yeah, I am. What about you, you ever want siblings?”

Nazareli speared her fingers through her hair, shoving the length back over her shoulder and settling against the side of the small couch facing him.

“Sure. When I was a kid, I wanted a brother or a sister, but I wanted a brother more. But after my mum was killed, I was so angry and confused it was all I could see.”

“I didn’t know she was killed. I’m sorry.”

He expected her to shut down at the slightest sign of vulnerability, and yet he couldn’t not offer her some kind of comfort, even if it was a risk. He lifted his arm, and she shocked him when she ducked under it and cuddled into his side.

“She was murdered by a man she thought she loved. He’s dead now, but it led me to this path. Honestly, looking back, it’s amazing I’m alive. I was so rash and angry, and I had no thought in my head except vengeance.”

“Well, I’m very glad you’re here.”

“Me too.”

He was about to ask more when her belly grumbled loudly in the silence and her cheeks went pink, as he chuckled.

“I should probably feed you.”

“Whatever is cooking smells good.”

“Don’t get too excited, it’s only chicken and tomato pasta.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Damon stood, his arms feeling instantly empty and bent to place a kiss on her head, her scent familiar and sending a bolt of lust to his dick. But it was more than that, today, if not this conversation, had shown him that he wanted more with Nazareli Holt. He wanted to take care of her, to protect her even if sometimes that was from herself.

“Stay here, I’ll be back with food. Do you want a beer or wine? I saw some in the fridge.”

He saw her cheeks pink and her shoulders stiffen slightly but then she smiled. “Just water, please.”

“Be right back.”

He pulled her phone off the side table where he’d placed it. “I put your phone on silent but kept an eye on it and nothing came through.”

“Thanks.”

The rest of the evening was pleasant. They didn’t go deep again, preferring to keep the conversation on Simon and his plans and that was okay. He felt like he’d made progress in knocking down some of those walls she had sky-high around her and that was a start.

That lasted until eleven pm when a call came through that there was an active shooter, believed to be Simon Dorsey and Kelly Jones, targeting a power plant not far from them