“That water is coming. When it rises high enough, it’ll be too late. We won’t be able to find our way out on the other side. Deep breath. Do it now.”
He pulled in a breath with me.
“That’s it. Another.”
I drew in a shaky breath.
“Good girl. Now, you don’t let me go, and you keep swimming until we reach the surface, alright?” He pressed his forehead to mine. “We’re going to make it.”
Swallowing down as much fear as I could, I nodded. I clutched his hand so tightly, my nails dug into his skin.
But I wouldn’t let go.
“One…Two…Three!”
We jumped, diving into the black water. Cold pierced me from all sides. I froze in shock. I didn’t kick. I didn’t swim. I couldn’t think as my body sank.
Paralyzed by fear, I succumbed to the cold.
Landon pulled me out of it.
As he swam, he pulled me forward. Towing me along. Leading me until my brain caught up.
Pitch black water surrounded us. I couldn’t see anything, but I kicked with him. Paddling with one arm, I kept the other clenched tightly around his. I surged forward only because he wouldn’t leave me behind.
As we fought through the dark, I waited for a sign of light.
Any hope the surface was coming.
But there was nothing.
Panic spiked the longer we swam. My lungs burned for air. It was running out. We were running out of time.
Landon stopped, tugged me toward him, and found my face with his hand. He sealed his lips over mine, pushing air into my lungs. Lingering just for a second before he pulled back and kept moving.
Terror lanced my chest.
That kiss.
The way his fingers gripped my hair, the way he squeezed—it felt like the last one. The one you give someone you love when you might be out of chances.
No.
I kicked harder.
No. I hadn’t even told him yet. I hadn’t told any of them.
My legs burned. My arms stiffened, but I forced myself to keep moving.
I refused to die like this. I refused to die when I’d come so far. Not now. Not when I’d wanted to be done before. When I’d almost given up after my dad—I refused to accept it.
There was no fucking way my life ended here.
As soon as I had that thought, a streak of light appeared in the darkness.
Landon kicked harder, propelling us toward the surface.
My lungs seized, but I could finally see, and I wished I hadn’t been able to.
