But the sneer that cuts across his face like lightning reveals his answer.
揂nd what? Let you get away with it? Let you get away with everything??He stands again, his fists flexed into rocks, trembling furiously at his sides. 揊uck that and fuck you, Cole. I gave you all an easy way out梱ou and Destiny and that mouthy badger bitch who never shuts up.?
If he weren抰 planning to crack my skull open, I抎 smile at how he describes her. Because that抯 my Eliza, my love, my everything梐 woman who still wouldn抰 take one speck of his shit, even when he threatened her.
揑 gave it to Aster桰 gave her an out梑ut fuck.?He抯 breathing ragged, entirely consumed with pain and anger. 揥hat is it with you people? Why are you all too stupid to fix your lives??
I have no answer, just my gut dropping.
This isn抰 the time to process his vicious, slurring words.
He looks at me darkly, his mind made up, death flashing in his dark eyes. It抯 not just the lightning overhead.
Snarling, I grab the ax handle, making it an extension of my body as he drags himself up, plants his feet, and charges like a brazen bull.
I hold my breath, counting slowly.
One.
Two.
Three.
Now!
I lurch aside just as he blows past, his fists flying, punching and swearing at the air.
One strong swing is all it takes.
A sickening crack!
The wooden handle connects with the back of his head.
There抯 so much force it vibrates up my arm.
When I regain my balance, I look down. Just in time to see the jackass slumping to the ground, hissing like a deflated balloon into unconsciousness.
Fuck.
Lightning cracks across the sky in a web. The thunder booms so loudly it shakes the entire boat, and then there抯 just this eerie silence, everything falling still except for the drumming rain.
Thud.
I almost miss the sound the first time.
It抯 buried in the rain抯 white noise. But then I hear it again, it抯 rhythmic and not coming from the sky.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Shit. That抯 somewhere on the boat.
I tighten my grip on the axe and start moving toward the cabin, calling, 揈liza! Eliza are you here??
Thud-thud-thud.
The back of the ship.
I move toward the sound as fast as I can through this mess. As soon as I turn the corner, I find several massive fishing chests, the kind that can hold at least a hundred pounds of fresh meat.
Shit.
If he threw my girl in a stinking coffin of a fishing chest, I might just stalk back to his worthless carcass and kill him all over again.
I have no idea which one she抯 in, but I just know.
There aren抰 many other places to hide her on a ship this small.
Thud! The banging sounds more urgently than before.
The center chest.
Using the axe, I position myself carefully.
揈liza, hold still!?I yell.
With a savage swing, I hack through the lock and tear the lid off.
Eliza comes up coughing, sticking her head up into the rain with a deep, gasping breath of relief. She抯 a mess, red-faced and slick with sweat and ocean rain, sobbing so hard she抯 quaking.
I don抰 even hesitate.
I抦 just grateful as hell she抯 alive.
Fucking alive.
Reaching down, I haul her out of the chest, cradling her so close to my chest it hurts. 揙h, shit. Eliza. I抦 sorry. I抦 so goddamned sorry, sweetheart.?
She wraps her arms around my neck weakly, still sobbing and straining for air.
揓ust breathe. Nice and slow,?I urge, kissing the top of her head again and again.
Go ahead. Ask me if I care that she smells like three-day-old octopus moldering in the sun.
She抯 too stunned, too hurt to speak.
She doesn抰 need to.
I cling to her like a second shadow, hot fury and relief storming my blood, running my fingers through her wet mop of hair.
I need her to stay with me.
Almost as much as I need to remind myself that she抯 here, she抯 safe, and it抯 a miracle when she抯 always been too fucking gorgeous and softhearted for this world.
Seeing her like this hurts a hundred times worse than if Troy hurled that blade through me, but having her arms around me梚t抯 like feeling my soul come home.
I抦 about to try helping her to her feet when we抮e both blinded. A blaring spotlight rakes over us and a booming voice speaks through loud helicopter blades, 揢S Coast Guard! Come out with your hands up.?
揥e抮e getting off this ride,?I whisper, kissing her head again. 揅an you walk??
For a second, she just looks at me, her eyes big and glassy like she can抰 decide if she likes what she sees.
揈liza??I urge.
But she sucks in a breath and releases a final hitched sob. Then she抯 limp in my arms.
I stand, panicked, feeling for her pulse, her breathing, her vitals.