“Call the police,” Silas growls, his voice cold and unrecognizable. He kneels beside me, his gaze frantic as he inspects my body for any signs of injury. His hand hovers over my arm, unsure whether to touch or stay away, as if any contact might break me. “I’m sorry.”
“Were you involved or not?” I snap, my voice harsh and raw.
“No, Bunny, how could I possibly?—”
“Then don’t be sorry.” I try to stand, but dizziness overtakes me, and my knees buckle. Silas catches me effortlessly, scooping me into his arms and setting me gently on a nearby lounge chair.
“Let me go!” Matt’s voice cracks as he struggles against the Walker brothers’ grip. “Silas! This was your girlfriend’s idea. I had nothing to do with it!”
I see the shift in Silas immediately, his face hardening, his entire demeanor changing. He walks over to Matt, and without hesitation, he steps back and kicks Matt square in the face. The sickening sound of impact makes me wince. Silas grabs Matt by the collar, lifting his bloodied face off the ground, forcing him to look at him.
“Do you hear that sound?” Silas snarls, his voice dripping with venom. In the distance, the wail of ambulance and police sirens echoes closer. “They’re coming. And guess what, you piece of shit? I have cameras all over the property. So call your daddy, get the best lawyer money can buy, but you’ll be inside for alongtime.”
Without waiting for Matt’s response, Silas drops him back to the ground and turns his attention back to me. He grabs a towel from a nearby stand and wraps it around me gently, his hands shaking as he does.
The police and paramedics swarm the scene. I’m ushered into an ambulance, despite my protests that I’m fine. They need to check for bruises and signs of water in my lungs. The flashing lights and distant sirens create a surreal blur.
Silas accompanies me to the hospital, sitting quietly in the corner of the ambulance, his face unreadable as the paramedics work on me. His eyes avoid mine, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking.
At the hospital, doctors and nurses come and go, checking my vitals and asking questions I’m too tired to answer. I glance over at Silas, still standing quietly by the door. The weight of everything presses down on me—the near drowning, the violence, the confusion.
“I’m sorry for accusing you without proof,” I whisper, my voice raspy and weak.
Silas looks up, his face tense. “I’ve given you plenty of reasons over the years to think I’m capable of something like this,” he mutters, his voice tight with barely restrained anger, though not at me.
“No,” I shake my head. “I thought it was you at first because I knew it was a man, and yes, I hesitated, but I couldn’t believe you were capable of something like that. You’ve been many things, Silas, but physically violent was never one of them.”
Silas walks over to the bed, standing just beside me. His hands are balled into fists, his jaw clenched. “Michelle saw us,” he says, his voice low. “The kiss. My attempt to spend the night with you. She asked Matt and his friends for help.”
“Where were you?” I ask, my voice shaky.
“When you left, I went to the guest house to be alone.” His cheeksflush briefly. “I heard the shouting, and I thought they were just drunk. But when I saw you under the water ...” His voice trails off as he crosses his arms, swallowing hard. “Don’t worry. They’re going to pay for what they did. Every single one of them.”
He steps closer, placing a kiss on my forehead. The gesture is tender, but it doesn’t erase the lingering tension between us. Without another word, he turns and walks out of the room, leaving me alone with the echo of everything that justhappened.
Now
Silas settles into the armchair beside me, his hand resting on the backrest, just inches from my shoulder. His body is angled toward me, close enough to feel the tension in the air. “Go ahead,” he says, watching me closely.
I cradle my cup, steadying myself. “The night of the incident, you said you were at the pool house when you heard the screams. Do you remember?”
Silas nods slowly, his expression darkening. “Yeah, it’s hard to forget that night.”
“What were you doing there?” I ask, my voice soft but firm.
He hesitates, a half-smile creeping across his face. “I’m not sure I want you to know.”
I stay quiet, letting the silence stretch out between us. People usually filled gaps like this—feeling the discomfort of it. Sure enough, after a sigh, he gives in.
“Alright, alright!” He shakes his head. “I was, you know … dealing with my erection.”
I stare at him in disbelief before bursting into laughter. “You’rekidding, right?” My laughter is uncontrollable, and Silas joins in, flashing one of those rare, disarming smiles that makes me forget myself for a second.
“Nope,” he chuckles. “But I didn’t get anywhere with it,” he adds as the laughter faded. “That night, when I heard you scream, my legs wouldn’t carry me fast enough. I thought I wasn’t going to make it in time.”
“But you did,” I say, the mood suddenly shifting. “Unfortunately, I didn’t see things clearly after that. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t regret accusing you.”
Silas looks out toward the sea, his gaze distant. “Don’t worry. There was so much chaos back then. Anyone would’ve thought the same.”
