Page 35 of Cruel Salvation

Simon looked up, his watery bloodshot eyes only seeing Lotus as his beacon in the dark and Damon felt immense pride for what this amazing woman had achieved. He could see the toll it was taking on her, how her own guilt was trying to latch on and drag her down, but he wouldn’t let that happen.

“How? I killed those innocent people. I snapped.”

“No, you didn’t. I think you’ve been drugged again.”

“But how? It was all destroyed. You promised.”

“And I meant it. But we think it’s Kelly. She isn’t who you think she is.”

“What?”

“Her real name is Andrea Peston.”

Damon saw the colour drain from Simon’s face.

“Like Dr Peston?”

“His daughter.”

“Oh my God, how and why would she do this to me?”

“I don’t know but we’re going to find out.”

“Does it even matter? I’m still facing life in jail. I might as well be dead.”

“I’ll help you.”

Simon looked and seemed to notice him for the first time. “And who are you?”

“My name is Damon and I’m a solicitor.”

He could feel Naz watching him but kept his gaze on Simon. He wasn’t doing this to win points with her. He wanted to help this man because he believed him.

“Why would you help me?”

“Because I believe you and I think an awful thing has been done to you.”

Gratitude passed behind the man’s eyes and he nodded.

“We’ll need you to stay here for a while, but we’ll get you some food sorted out and a book and bed.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Nazareli stood and moved past Simon, squeezing his shoulder as she did. “We’ll fix this.”

“I’m not sure I’m worth fixing. I have so much blood on my hands, redemption is impossible.”

“I don’t believe that. You did wrong, Simon, but you weren’t in control of it. Nobody is past salvation.”

Damon wondered how she could see that about Simon and not herself. She was so hard on herself, so determined to push people away because she deemed herself toxic, but he knew it was fear that drove her. She loved so hard and had suffered so much loss in her life that she didn’t trust anything good to last. He would prove to her that it could, and they would, because with every second he spent with her, he fell even more in love with her.

The door closed behind them and he watched her visibly sag from the emotion of the conversation. He couldn’t not hold her and let his natural reaction to soothe her win out. He pulled her to him and she went, her arms coming around his waist as he cradled her close, kissing her head.

“You okay? That was rough.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I just hate that this is happening to him.”

“Yeah, it’s shit, but we’ll figure it out and help him.”