“That’s where he’s going,” Sevrin grits.“He’s going to get rid of her.”
I straddle my bike and don’t wait for the rest as I head out full speed.Our town is near Flintstone, so it’s only a few minutes to get there.With Gilpin having a head start?I don’t want to think of what he’s doing or has already done for that matter.Fuck.I just claimed the woman.She can’t leave me when we’ve barely started.
The parking lot is completely empty once we get there.Anger along with panic hits me.He’s not here, meaning Norie isn’t here.Dammit, this is a huge damn place, he could be anywhere.The van comes to a stop next to me, and on my other side is Sevrin, all the other brothers fill the parking lot as well.
Wesson jumps out and shakes his head.“Sorry, Prez.The signal was there one moment and went in another direction the next.It happened three minutes ago, so we must have just missed him.”
“He must have dumped her here and left.”I snap my fingers and point at two brothers.“You two follow Wesson’s directions and get that fucker.”
Wesson gives them instructions and places the laptop on the seat of the SUV to keep tracking the fucker.I roughly shove my fingers through my hair and stare at the lake in front of me.Where the hell do we even start?Is she even here?Did he throw the crate into the lake?Did he take her with him?Was she even in the crate?Fuck.
Sevrin is staring at the lake until he suddenly runs to the left and points.“Drag marks.”
I rush after him, along with Swade, Heart, Remus, and Lumos.There are indeed drag marks and they end at the lake.The water doesn’t look disturbed and the way Sevrin keeps walking, straight into the lake as if he knows exactly where he’s going.
The man is weird as fuck, but we’ve worked together a few times.I’ve never had a moment where he didn’t know what he was doing.It’s why I follow him blindly and dive in as well.Definitely not a smart move with everything dark as shit around me.
I have to come up for air and take a deep gulp before going down again.Nothing.I can’t even see Sevrin.There’s no way I can hold my breath much longer and come up for air again.
Splashing my arms, I turn toward the shore where Swade, Heart, and the others are standing.“Has Sevrin come up yet?”
“No, man,” Heart says just as I feel movement behind me.
Turning, I watch as Sevrin surfaces.He doesn’t even gasp for a breath but simply glides through the water and drags something behind him.I reach out and grab hold of the other side of the crate, the one Gilpin has in the back of the truck.
My heart is slamming against my ribs, and for the first time there’s utter fear flowing through my veins as we drag the crate out of the water.There’s still water seeping out of the crate when we stand beside the lake and try to unlock it.
“Please, please be alive,” I whisper and finally manage to get the crate open.
Norie is in a fetal position, hair sticking to her face, clothes wet as the water slowly drains from the crate.She’s looking so damn pale and I know I have to check for a pulse, see if she’s still alive.If not I have to keep her heart pumping oxygen to the brain.Fuck.
I reach for her and gently lift her out.She’s not moving and feels damn cold to the touch.Gently placing my fingers on her neck, I search for a pulse and find nothing.
She’s so cold.“No.Fuck, no.”
I’m about to start compressions when Sevrin pulls me back.“Give her a fucking minute to breathe.”
What the hell is he talking about?She needs CPR, not standing around and doing nothing.She drowned.There must be water in her lungs...she’d been down there too long with Gilpin gone.She’s cold to the touch, not moving, and looking so damn peaceful while my heart is in havoc.
The reality of everything is crashing down on me, and I can only stare in horror.Sevrin cups the side of her face in a tender move, as if he’s silently communicating with her.Is he saying goodbye?Swade is blocking my vision as he steps in behind Sevrin.
She drowned.Gilpin killed her.Norie’s been taken away from me forever, leaving me without a chance to know what might have been between us.
