Page 26 of Depths of Destruction
"Naomi, where are you going?" Andre follows me.
"To change."
"Slow down."
"No." I step into the tent and remove one of the pairs of shorts and a T-shirt. I pull my top off and shimmy out of my skirt.
"Naomi."
"What?" I yell, spinning into Andre's chest.
Why does he have to smell so good?
He tilts my chin up. "Take a breather."
"So you can deliver me to the U.S.? No, thanks." My insides quiver with fear. But I also feel a sense of betrayal. I shouldn't; I only just met Andre. But my attraction toward him is affecting my ability to stay emotionally neutral.
He wraps his arms around me. "Please, just stop for a minute."
I close my eyes and wish I could stay in the safety of his embrace.
"You're shaking."
"The politicians in my country...they...they'll..." I blow out a big breath.
He holds me tighter, but I continue to shake against my will.
I stare at his chest, afraid I'm going to completely lose it. "No one will know my secrets. They won't even know I'm in the government's custody. Anything they want to do to me, they will. If the story were in print, then there would be evidence...they wouldn't be able to harm me as easily. But there isn't. The public doesn't know. The government will get away with everything, plus, I'll be gone forever."
"I won't let anything of the sort happen to you," he quietly says.
I turn and gaze up. "You aren't going to try and deliver me?"
"No."
"Then you'll let me leave?"
"Naomi, you aren't our prisoner."
"Right." I spin again, putting the shorts and T-shirt on, then take the socks and use Andre's body to balance me while I put them on.
"Naomi, you can't leave right now."
Anger and fear flare through me. "You just told me I wasn't your prisoner."
He cups my cheeks. "You're not. But you need a plan. You can't just run out of here. You won't survive a night in this jungle."
"I'm not going to wait for the U.S. to come after me," I cry out.
"No one is coming right now," he confidently states.
I point at him. "You don't know if they are or aren't."
"Yes, I do," he booms, "I know the coordinates of the drop-off point and the time the plane lands."
I unlace the new shoes and put them on then kneel to tie them.
"You aren't listening to me, are you?" he barks.
