I stretched and missed, tilting towards the water at a dangerous angle. A muffled shriek that barely registered. My body was free enough to slip from the window now. I could die just like this.
“Come on, violet.Give me your hands.”
Bracing my feet on the seat, I balanced and pushed higher. Our fingertips touched. It wasn’t enough.
I almost slipped, and a sob came out. It couldn’t be this close. They came for me. I just needed one more inch. The only way to reach him was to push myself past the point of no return.
“Trinity,” Aiden said. “Trust me. I’ve got you.” I was shaking my head, but he nodded. “You will not fall. I will not allow it. Nowmove.”
I bent my knees, took a breath, and jumped. Aiden’s hand closed around my bound wrists, digging in. My fingers grasped at his arm and my feet were caught in the window, body suspended at a terrifying degree.
A loud, metalgroaningrippled through us. The glass pulled on my feet as the magnet released the car straight into the ocean. The splash boomed.
I screamed, hanging over nothing with only Aiden’s hand saving me from falling. And I was slipping.
“Fuck.” He moved, head disappearing. The tape was too slippery. I was going to fall. There was no way.
Aidenlungedand caught me with the other hand. Clung to me with both of his.
“Don’t let go,” Aiden said, gripping my hands tighter. “Don’t you fucking let go, Trinity.”
I held onto his wrists, but all I could feel was the emptiness beneath me. I couldn’t even say anything to him because they’d taken my voice. Silenced me.Again.
Gunshots rang out behind us, and shouting. Theo’s voice. “Hold on.”
I screamed again as the crane moved, lowering us back down and back over the deck of the ship. My heart wouldn’t slow. My breath came in frantic intervals because I wasn’t safe yet. It wasn’t over yet. Would it ever be over?
Hands reached for me from below. Touched my feet. Legs. Steadied me as the crane stopped.
“Got her?”
“Got her.”
Aiden kept his eyes on mine. “You can let go now, violet.”
I shook my head. The fear was still wrapped around me like barbed wire. It tore into me with every second, and I couldn’t let go.
He nodded. “You’re safe. You won’t fall. I promise.”
Closing my eyes, I obeyed.
I slipped into someone’s arms, my feet on solid ground.
“That asshole had a knife,” Theo said. “Here. Stay still, sweetheart.”
My eyes were still closed, but I felt the blade they spoke about slowly cutting away the tape on my arms, legs, and face. It pulled my hair where it was stuck. I couldn’t bear to open my eyes. I couldn’t?—
Arms came around me. Smoke and leather and clove.Bastian. My legs gave out, and he came with me. All of a sudden I was screaming. Every scream I couldn’t have and every moment of knowing I was going to die without them. Alone.
I couldn’t stop. Anger and terror and grief. All of it echoed over the water. I never opened my eyes. If I opened my eyes it was real and I needed all of this to be a dream. This never happened.
They didn’t quiet me. They held me. I didn’t need to see them to know how terrified they were. All our scents were bitter and sick, drowning in the dark truth of what almost happened.
When I opened my eyes, I was in Aiden’s arms.
The tears didn’t stop. I didn’t know if they would ever stop. I hiccuped, trying to speak. “You saved me.”
“If you’d fallen, I was going into that water after you.”
