Goddamnit, she’s just like her father. Just like all of us.
Slowly, she guides the woman into the water, holding on to her vest. I tense as they reach the deepest spot, and the woman slips from Alena’s grasp, disappearing underwater, so Alena goes under, after her.
I tug the rope, my heart exploding.Alena, baby, no!No, no, no!My thighs flex, ready to jump in after them, but they emerge. First the victim’s head, then Alena’s as she uses her strength to pull the woman to the shallow water, to the rocks until they find footing.
I hold out my hand for the woman to pull her to safety, but she flinches away.
“I got her,” Alena shouts over the roaring water. She won’t let the woman’s vest go.
So I reach out to Alena, pulling my future wife to safety. Idon’t give a fuck what I have to do to make it happen. This woman is every badass thing I need in my life.
She steps onto the rocks beside me, her smile instant, then disappearing. Turning, she pulls the woman to her. “You’re okay. I got you.”
Wrapping her body around the trembling woman, half exposed, she shields her from dozens of men on the shore. “What the fuck are y’all gawking at?” Alena rages like the river. “Give me a blanket and show her some respect!”
I turn, catching the space blanket a crew member tosses to me. Some look like pros. A few stare like pervs. “Here.” I hand it to Alena.
Carefully, she wraps it around the tiny woman who cowers so close to me. Her big, aqua eyes, terrified. Her long, dark hair, hanging in wet ropes. Her brows bend, scared. Her skin, alabaster. Her face, like a doll’s, like…
Fuck, she looks familiar.She looks like the victims my mom, brothers, and I have saved in the past…
But she looks like more.
I can’t place it.
EMTs approach from the shore, trying to bring the victim up on the platform, but she clings to Alena.
“I’m going with her,” Alena tells them. “I won’t leave her, so fucking take me with you, or I’m taking her home and keeping her safe myself.”
A lump forms in my throat, witnessing Alena’s strength. She has no idea how much we’re alike.
I don’t make a scene. I try not to make it any more obvious that my future wife just impressedandscared the shit out of me. I’m already worried my shouts gave my love away.
CHAPTER TEN
LOCH
Hours later,I sit in my truck, waiting outside the hospital where they took the woman.
Earlier, I grabbed some dry sweats from my backpack and changed out of my dripping clothes.
Night falls, and Alena’s still in there with the woman.
I watched police enter. Looks like the Feds did too. Our boss. The fire chief. The whole fucking town is here, but I wait until the wee hours, and most have left, before Alena steps out of the sliding glass doors of the Emergency Room.
From my lowered car window, I whistle as I do for Mutt, and she turns, a tired smile lifting her cheeks as she trudges my way.
Climbing into my truck, we don’t say a word. Somehow, we just get each other. I hand her the third cherry cola Slurpee I bought for her down the block. The others melted while I waited.
She swipes away a tear. “Thank you.” She sighs before sucking on her red straw and resting her head on my shoulder.
It feels so fucking right.
As we wind up our mountain, she worries, “I won’t be able to sleep. I’m too worried about Sasha.”
“That’s her name?”
“Yeah. It’s all she’d say. Nothing else. I don’t think she can speak English, or she didn’t want us to know where she’s from.” She pauses. “When they tried to examine her, like a woman’s exam, she freaked out, and I don’t blame her. I told them to leave her the fuck alone until she’s ready. She’s been through enough. Don’t think I made any friends with the Feds.”
