14
FIONA
I gaspedfor breath as the water engulfed me. I sank down, down, until my survival instincts kicked in and I started to push toward the surface. It was so cold, my chest felt as if it was being squeezed. I couldn’t relax enough for the sensation to ease. My head broke through the surface and I sucked air into my lungs, filling them as much as I could, which still wasn’t enough.
Something splashed into the water beside me and I mopped the spray from my eyes. A moment later, Zeke surfaced gracefully, his recovery making mine look like a fish on a hook. Why couldn’t the damn man be bad at something?
A shiver wracked my body, and I became aware of the hulking form of the yacht behind me. The police sirens were still wailing and the lights had gotten much closer. The cops were on a boat of some variety and seemed to be trying to intercept theClaudette. Had someone tipped them off about the auction?
“What now?” I asked, struggling to breathe enough to stop myself from getting lightheaded.
Zeke tilted his head to the left. “Swim that way.”
I kept my movements as soft as possible, afraid that someone above might hear us and look over. We’d been lucky that the police sirens had masked the sounds as we hit the water. If not for them, someone certainly would have noticed us slip overboard. Zeke and I gradually put more distance between ourselves and the yacht. The night grew darker as we left the glow of artificial light. As my eyes adjusted, I began to make out a shape emerging from the dark.
A dinghy.
Kade sat within it, his powerful arms rowing it toward us. When he drew level with us, he reached over the side, offering me his hand. Zeke boosted me from behind and I clambered over the edge, not even caring that I knocked my knee against the metal railing. I was so glad to see him. He gestured behind me and I turned to see a set of towels and a blanket.
I dried myself, shivering the whole time, and did my best to squeeze the frigid water out of my hair before huddling beneath the blanket. Meanwhile, Kade helped Zeke into the boat. I passed him a towel and he did the same as me, then gestured for me to let him join me beneath the blanket. He pressed up against my side and pulled the blanket around his shoulders. His body was surprisingly warm and, slowly, my shivers eased.
Kade continued to row until we were far enough away that the engine wouldn’t be heard, then he turned it on and steered us toward the shore. The entire time, none of us spoke.
When we reached the shore, a car was waiting for us. Iwrapped the blanket around myself and Kade handed Zeke a towel, which he slung around his waist.
“What just happened?” I was bewildered.
“That wasn’t really the police,” Zeke replied, sounding a little smug. “It was a diversionary tactic so we could escape. I have an alert button on my watch and when I pressed it, Kade knew to activate the extraction plan.”
“You couldn’t have told me what to expect?” I asked as we got into the car.
“You were scared enough,” Kade said. “We didn’t want to worry you when we knew it might not come to anything. It was a simple plan and Zeke knew he could execute it without you being aware of it beforehand.”
I narrowed my eyes, suspecting that Kade had been the one who’d made that decision. He could be overprotective, especially when it came to women. I liked to think Zeke respected me enough to have told me otherwise. Of course, he could have said something even if Kade didn’t like it and he’d chosen not to.
Nope, I was angry with both of them.
“I’d have liked a say in the matter,” I said. “Besides, isn’t it illegal to impersonate the police?”
The car started moving, and the driver cranked the heat up—a fact I was grateful for.
Zeke shrugged. “Following the rules has never been my thing.”
I looked at Kade. While Zeke wasn’t the best rule-follower, Kade historically had been. At least, other than the time he’d gone rogue when Sage was in danger, and really, who could blame him for that?
Kade’s expression turned sheepish. “Sometimes there’s room for exceptions.”
Right.
“So, are we going back to the office?” I asked. I really wanted to get Zeke alone and demand some answers.
The men exchanged a glance.
“We’re going to a safe house,” Zeke said. “Just in case anyone is tracking us. It’s unlikely, but better safe than sorry.”
“Will there at least be a change of clothes for me there?” I couldn’t believe they’d organized all of this behind my back. It hurt. I’d thought we were a team, but they were acting as if I were just a child to shepherd around. I had less experience than them, but I was smart and I could be practical. They didn’t have to treat me like I was made of glass. Or as if they didn’t trust me. I’d had enough of that in my life. Nobody had trusted me after the accusations the police spread four years ago, but I’d thought these men were different.
“Yes,” Zeke said. “We had a bag packed for you.”
