50 Shades of Drake 5 and 6

More Life: Chapter Nine

    "I can't stay here."

    Darius folded his arms across his chest. 

    Destiny paced in front of him, agitated and unable to sit still. "I feel like I'm losing my mind in here. This is like...solitary imprisonment. Isn't that reserved for only the most diabolical prisoners?"

    "We don't intend for you to stay in here much longer," Darius informed her. 

    Those words halted her pacing. She turned to face him, hope brightening her face. "Really? I can get out of here?"

    "Of course," he said, and opened his mouth to continue speaking.

    She interrupted him. "I get to see my parents. And Aubrey, oh my God. There's no telling what he's going through."

    Darius held up one hand. "Destiny, I wasn't finished."

    "I'm sorry."

    He smiled and shook his head. "I should have been clearer, more concise. While we know that you shouldn't stay here long-term, you also cannot yet return to civilization as Destiny Richards."

    She frowned. "I don't understand."

    "This case is huge to us, and we want to capture everyone involved with the entire racket before you alert the people closest to you that you're alive."

    "You...want them to continue thinking I'm dead," she supplied for him.

    He sighed, but ultimately nodded. "If we don't allow them to continue thinking that way, they become targets. With you already presumed dead, their safety remains intact."

    Groaning in frustration, she turned her back to him and started pacing again.

    "This...sucks. There's no other way to put it."

    "We finally agree on something," she muttered. "I don't know how much longer I can go along with this. I miss him, Darius."

    "I know, Destiny."

     "Do you? I'm in here alone. All the time. I get bored to the point of hallucinating that he's in here with me, talking to me. I feel like I'm going fruit loops and all you guys can do for me is slide me the occasional sandwich and glass of water. I never agreed to this. I'm being held against my will. How is this any better than-"

    "I'm going to cut you off there," Darius interjected smoothly, "because we both know how this is better than the alternative. If you were taken by the opposition, do you know what they'd have you doing right now?"

    She shuddered to think what they'd have her doing right now. Wrapping her arms around herself, she struggled to think of a possible solution that would give him what he wanted and her what she needed. 

    "Trust me, we've considered all options. We have an entire team dedicated to this case and your care. Involving Aubrey would be too risky. Right now, the world sees him as a broken man who is suffering a huge loss. Once he realizes that you're alive, even if he tries his best to act the part of the broken man, the public and more importantly, the media, will see a difference in him."

    "Broken man?" she repeated, her voice cracking.

    Darius closed his eyes and lowered his head.

    She stared at him and could feel her own heart breaking at the visual his words had created in her mind. "So...he is suffering."

    Darius took a deep breath.