Page 135 of Depths of Destruction
"I don't want to feel death."
"You don't stop feeling when someone you love dies."
Her face scrunches and more tears fall.
How do I help her? She's in so much pain.
"I need to learn to kill. They all deserve to die." Tears fall at record speed and drip off her chin.
I wrap my hand around her head. I almost put my other palm on her back but move it down to her ass. I tug her into my chest. "No, baby. You're not a killer. But I promise you, I will make them pay."
"I couldn't fight back," she cries.
"Shh."
"He did whatever he wanted to me, and I didn't fight back." She sobs.
My heart shatters and a pain ripples in my chest. I'm Naomi's man. Rescuing people is my job. Santiago didn't just physically hurt her, he tried to break her piece by piece until there was nothing left. He left scars on her soul. And I was right there but didn't stop him.
What kind of man am I if I didn't protect her?
But no matter what he did to her, she is going to be put back together. If I have to stitch every piece of her an inch at a time until she has the light in her eyes again, then I will, no matter how much time it requires or how hard it is. "You couldn't have. You survived. That's the most important thing."
A painful wail hits my ears, and it takes all my strength not to put my arms around her, but I don't want to hurt her back. So I pull her ass closer to my body and kiss her head.
She's right. The depths of destruction have sunk their claws into Naomi. She's been in its pit, but she doesn't belong there.
I made a promise to her if she ever went down, I'd bring her back up. And I need to figure out how to do so quickly before she sinks any farther.
23
Naomi
"Behind closed doors,"Ezra mumbles.
Santiago pushes his hand in the back of my pants and sneers, "If you weren't valuable to me, then you'd be getting what they get. One day, I'll find you, and this will be your fate. For now, I'll have to play with you in some different ways."
The sound of whips cracks through the air before the zapping of my spine ricochets in all of my nerves.
"Ahh," I scream in pain.
"Naomi."
The electric shocks continue. "Ahh."
"Naomi."
Ezra cries out in pain next to me.
Something rips my skin. I'm sobbing.
"Naomi, baby, wake up." Arms move around me.
I hit back.
"Naomi," Andre says louder.
My eyelids fly open, my fists are against his chest, and his arms are around me. Tears soak the silk nightgown Annabella left for me to wear.
