Page 10 of Cruel Salvation

Chapter3

“Damon, a word?”

He knew it was coming but turning around and seeing his brother’s furious face, he winced slightly. “What?” He was about to leave with Lotus to go to Shadow HQ and grab what she needed before they hit the road, and he didn’t trust her to not leave without him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He considered blowing his brother off with platitudes, but the last year had taught him that life was short and anything could happen, so not to leave things unsaid. “I don’t know. Naz is vulnerable and strong, and she has this wild side to her that makes her impulsive. I knew I had to go, something inside me demanded it.”

“You care about her?”

Gideon looked shocked, even though he’d seen him carry Naz out of Hurricane’s party.

“She’s so much more than what she lets people see.”

“Brother, I don’t know if Lotus can be what you need. You want what Nadia and I have, I get that, but I think Lotus might just be too broken for you to repair.”

Damon knew his brother meant well, that he cared. If he hadn’t known Nadia so well and gotten to know her as a friend, he would have given Gideon the same warning when he started to fall for her.

“I don’t want to repair her or fix her, I just need her to know I’m there for her. I’m not some blind fool in love, that’s not what this is. I just need to be useful. Being there for someone important to me seems like a good place to start.”

Gideon ran his hand through his hair, leaving the ends sticking up before he sighed. “Just be careful and call me.”

“I will, and don’t be mad at Nadia over this.”

Gideon’s jaw tensed and he nodded curtly. Damon knew they’d have words, but he hoped Gideon listened before he ran his mouth. He hauled his brother in for a quick hug and jogged in the direction of Lotus’s voice.

Her back stiffened slightly when he walked into the now-empty dining room where she was talking to Watchdog. He knew every signal she was sending him was to keep away, but he’d never been afraid of her or the attitude she put out. In fact, it turned him on. He grinned as he stepped up beside her and she gave him a withering glare.

“What we got?”

Watchdog looked at them both, his emotions so locked down that Damon couldn’t have read what the man was thinking if he’d had a gun to his head.

“Pictures from the scene.”

He followed Nazareli’s finger and winced when he saw the carnage. The small branch of a well-known bank had not only been robbed, it had been destroyed. This wasn’t merely theft or murder, it spoke of a deep-seated desire to annihilate. Spray paint covered the walls in nonsensical symbols, a sharp weapon had been taken to the counter, perhaps an axe or machete, and everything around it was smashed or knocked to the floor, leaflets scattered, chairs torn, and in the middle were the two guards. Not only shot but shot so many times it would be almost impossible to identify them.

Naz turned her full attention to him now, and he could feel her anger like a wall of vibrating emotion. “Now do you see what you signed up for? This isn’t some jolly where you get to ride in and fix it all and play at being my protector or whatever the hell it is you think you’re doing. This is real and brutal, not just a game.”

“I know that, and I don’t have any intention of riding in and saving you. I know I don’t have even a fraction of the skills I need to have your back, but I know I need to do this. Have you never felt that? This urge that you needed to do something and you have no idea why, just that if you don’t, something monumental and life-changing will happen and you won’t ever forgive yourself?”

Naz stepped back as if he’d slapped her. Her skin was so pale, he went to grasp her arm but she shook him off and walked away.

He moved to go after her, but Watchdog stopped him. “Give her a minute. You hit a pretty raw nerve with that.”

Damon sighed and hung his head, wondering if this was a bad idea now. She clearly didn’t want him anywhere near her, so why was he pushing this? “Maybe this is a mistake.”

“Can I ask you something?”

Damon lifted his head. “Sure.”

“Why did you offer?”

He laughed humourlessly. “I have no idea. I just knew that I had to go.”

“Then don’t question it. Doubts get more people killed than following your heart.”

“You think?”