“Quinn!”
My arms grew weak, my mind fighting harder than my body could.
But then, Max gripped my chin. “Let me do it.”
He held Landon’s wrist in his other, checking his pulse.
At my nod, he shifted into place. Compressing Landon’s chest, Max pushed deep before allowing his chest to rise. Over and over, he kept going. Humming to himself.
“Quinn, when I tell you, I need you to lift his chin and tilt his head back. You have to—We need to open his airway before you breathe for him again. Can you do that?”
“Yes.” I crawled toward Landon’s head, doing what Max said. “Now?”
“Almost. Two big breaths in, and I’m going to compress again. Then, we need to get help. Ready?”
Eyes trained on Landon’s face, I nodded. “I’m ready.”
“Okay, go.”
Max stopped pumping his arms, just long enough to pinch Landon’s nose closed and place his other hand on his throat. Two fingers over the corded vessel where his pulse would be.
I sealed my lips over Landon’s mouth and breathed.
His chest rose. Air went in. I could’ve cried with relief knowing my breath reached him.
But I didn’t know if it would be enough.
“Good. One more.”
Max directed me like he’d been doing this his whole life, and I followed his directions. I sat back as he restarted the compressions on Landon’s chest.
“Baby, I know you don’t want to leave him, but we need help.”
I stifled the cry in my throat, lips pressing tightly together as I nodded.
“Can you get up to the ledge again? I dropped my phone there when I found you. Call for help and come right back.”
I stared between them, not wanting to leave, but he was right. My voice broke. “I can do it.”
Max nodded. “Good girl, go on. I’ve got him.” He held my gaze and promised, “I won’t stop.”
Clambering to my feet, I rose on weak, trembling legs. My body froze at the sight of them. Max fighting like hell to save him. And Landon unmoving on the stone floor. Dressed in all black, he looked like an angel fallen from grace…
I snapped myself out of it, refusing to let those thoughts into my head. Climbing quickly, I reached the top of the ledge. I grabbed Max’s phone, dialed 911, and waited.
When the dispatcher picked up, I rattled off everything I knew about where we were and what had happened.
As I slid back down to the lower level, the bars of service on Max’s phone began to disappear.
But the call stayed connected.
Sound muffled in my ears as I stared at Landon.
His ashen skin. His blue lips.
Max rattled off information as he pumped Landon’s heart for him. “I’m not sure how long he was under or unconscious. Maybe not long because he’d been holding onto something under the water. To keep from being dragged away.”
The dispatcher asked a question, but I couldn’t hear it. Max nodded at whatever the dispatcher had said.
