“Rika,” I breathed out, my heart aching like I had a knife lodged in it. “Are you okay? How did…?” I trailed off, feeling my stomach coil at how close I’d come to losing her.
She nodded and started to shake, her face cracking as he started to cry. “He hit me after you shot him,” she choked out. “It knocked me out long enough for him to tie me up. By the time I came to, he was forcing me over the edge.”
I pulled her along, swimming back to the yacht. We climbed up onto the deck, Kai holding her as I pulled her up.
“How did you get free?” I asked.
“The shard.” She opened her fist, shivering. “I took it after you tossed it on the bed.”
I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her and squeezed her so hard, my body shook.
“Where’s Damon?” I asked Kai, seeing him pull Will up and untie his hands.
But it was Will who answered. “He took off in Pithom’s speed boat while you guys were under.”
I just closed my eyes and squeezed Rika in my arms.
Kai and Will climbed the steps to the main level, and I pulled her along. She needed a hot shower, a warm bed, and me.
We walked across the deck, and I spotted Trevor laying at the edge of the pool, bleeding and struggling to get up.
He could barely lift his head.
I didn’t know how many shots he’d caught out of the three I’d fired, but the blood spilled over the deck and he was breathing heavily.
“Michael,” he said, sounding out of breath as he held his hand against the wound on his chest. “Take the boat into port. I’m bleeding.”
Kai and
Will stood near, watching him, while I held Rika in my arms, anger and hatred boiling inside of me.
None of us made a move to help.
He’d nearly killed her. Tried to kill Will, Kai, and threatened to kill me.
“Michael,” he pleaded. “I’m your brother.”
I stood there, not seeing a brother. I saw blocks go over the edge. I saw Rika dumped like she was garbage and Will sent to the bottom like he was nothing.
I could’ve lost them. I could’ve lost her.
Forever.
Where was my brother then?
Something fell behind my eyes, and I didn’t blink. I may not have been able to choose between the lives of Rika and my friends, but I had no trouble choosing between them and my brother.
Raising my foot, I planted my shoe on his shoulder and shoved.
He grunted and grappled for my leg, fear rounding his eyes before he rolled and fell into the pool, his arms flailing as he sunk lower and lower. He tried to struggle. Tried to grab at the water like it was a wall he could climb.
But only his eyes broke the surface as he drifted to the bottom, peering up at us and seeing his hope only feet away, not coming for him.
“Michael.” Rika looked at me, breathing hard. “You…please. You’ll have to live with this forever.”
But I just turned my gaze back to Trevor, keeping my feet planted where they were.
I knew she didn’t want me to do it. I knew she worried I’d regret it, and I’d suffer consequences. I knew, no matter what, that Trevor was my brother, and he’d been a part of both of our lives.