But the relief made it hard not to dive deeper.
When the water reached my neck, I turned back to face the trees. I couldn’t see any sign of Max, and I couldn’t hear him. Worse, he’d see me the second he stepped out of the trees if I didn’t find a place to hide.
Ducking under the water, I swam along the shoreline. I went as far as my lungs would carry me, which wasn’t very far at all, and I resurfaced as slowly as I could.
Gasping for air, I gulped down a few rapid inhales.
As soon as I caught my breath, I dove again.
Up ahead, a line of rocks ran down from the trees to meet the water, perpendicular to the shore. Squinting at them, they appeared to have been placed there strategically.
I made out a space between them where I could hide. From where I treaded water, I couldn’t tell for sure, but it was the only hiding place I’d found so far.
I dove under the water and swam toward it, so intent on my new pursuit, I lost awareness of my surroundings.
As I reached the rocks, a large hand clamped down on the back of my neck. Max hauled me up and out of the lake.
Water splashed as I flailed, fighting to escape his hold.
He banded his arms around my upper body, pinning mine to my sides and covering my breasts.
His chest heaved as he seethed against me. And his grip—so tight it forced the air from my lungs—trembled.
I didn’t know if it was rage or my nearly naked body pressed against him that caused it.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” he growled, his voice rising. “How fucking—This is reckless! Even for you!”
Okay. It was just rage, then.
But I could work with that.
“Well! What the hell do you expect, Max?”
I struggled against him, but he only held me tighter.
“I’m trying to get through to you, you big, dumb idiot! And you’re being fucking impossible, as usual!”
He walked us out of the water, keeping my body pinned.
No amount of kicking my legs—no growls of my own—got him to loosen his hold.
When I rammed my heel back into his shin, he groaned, but he still didn’t let me go.
Hurting him only made me feel worse, but since he was the one being completely unreasonable, my guilt pissed me off. “Ugh! Why do you have to be such a—You stubborn brute!”
I didn’t care how loud my voice was. I didn’t care if he was right, or if fighting like this was reckless. I needed something—anything—to prove I wasn’t fighting in vain.
“You don’t need to do that!” he shouted. “I told you?—”
“I don’tcarewhat you told me!”
He adjusted his grip and clamped his hand over my mouth.
Dragging me back into the trees, he waited until they shrouded us to set me on my feet.
Still, he didn’t let me go.
Spinning me around, he locked me in his arms.
