Page 53 of Depths of Destruction

"I umm..." I blow a big breath of air out.

"Had a relationship with this guy?"

"Yeah."

"It was serious?"

How do I even answer that?

I swallow hard. "On and off."

"For how long?"

"Twenty years."

His jaw clenches. "Do you love him?"

"Notinlove, but yes. I love him and always will."

Andre takes a deep breath as he stares at the house.

"I—"

"Do what you have to do, Naomi," he says without looking at me.

"Andre—"

He turns to me. His expression is stone, and I can't figure out what he's thinking. And it scares me. "Go. You don't need to say anything else."

My insides churn. It's another situation I've never been in before. Darien's someone I would never want to hurt, but I don't want to hurt Andre, either. Most of all, I don't want to jeopardize anything growing between Andre and me.

I search his eyes, but they reveal nothing. My stomach drops.

He points to the house and booms, "Go."

I get out of the truck and knock on the door. No one answers. I walk around the house and toward the sea.

Darien is on the boat, cleaning it. His black hair has silver in it, which wasn't there two years prior. The back of his body still is all muscle and his skin is sun-kissed, as usual. He spins when I step on the dock and lets go of the hose. "Naomi?" A smile fills his face. He quickly steps out of the boat.

"Darien."

He pulls me into a hug and kisses my cheek.

His embrace is warm, familiar, and comforting. But it only feels as any friend's would. At least, on my end.

"What are you doing here?" Hope springs in his eyes. I hate I'm going to crush him once again.

"I need your help. I'm in trouble."

He cups my face, and his warm brown eyes fill with worry. "Why? What's wrong?"

"You haven't seen the news?"

A line creases between his eyes. "No."

"There is a reward for me."

"Reward? What are you talking about?"