“Fuck,” he curses, ripping himself away from me and hurrying toward where he dropped the anchor.
Confused, I turn around, wondering what the hell could make him react like that—and then immediately wish I hadn’t.
The horizon is nearly black. Storm clouds are coming in fast, and from here, I can see the waves growing choppier and bigger. The water beneath us has already become more turbulent, though I’m sure this is mild compared to what’s ahead.
“Enzo?” I call out, concerned and wary. My poor heart can’t take all this stress. I still haven’t recovered from nearly getting my head bitten off by a shark, and now this.
“Let me concentrate,” he snaps, working on pulling up the anchor. Just as he says that, a strike of lightning appears in the quickly approaching storm, yanking a gasp from my throat.
Despite our very concerning situation, I want to fucking laugh. So badly, I want to laugh.
A smile cracks on my face when he throws the heavy metal on the boat and rushes toward the wheel. He catches sight of my face but doesn’t let up on his mission.
“Something funny, Sawyer?” he asks, ensuring to use my name. I don’t know if it’s to reassert power, or what, but it has the smile slipping from my face like melted wax.
“You brought me out here to make me think I’m going to die. And now look, we’rebothgoing to die.”
Chapter 8
Enzo
The boat groans and the wheel in my hand slips as a powerful wave rocks into us, salty water pouring over into the hull. The cage on the back swings, the heavy weight working against us as we sway dangerously side to side. Sweat gathers along my hairline as I fight to keep us from going under.
Cazzo, cazzo, cazzo!
Seeing Sawyer on the beach fucked with my head more than I expected it to. I had a mouthful of shit I planned to say to her, but the only thing at the forefront of my mind was to teach her a lesson. Taking her out on the boat wasn’t planned. Fucking her again definitely wasn’t planned. And now, I regret all of it.
I know better than to go out on the water without checking the goddamn weather, but today… God fucking dammit.
It’s my own fault, yet I still want to kill the little blonde thief for it anyway.
It was never my intention to kill her, and my stomach is twisted with the knowledge that I might have anyway.
“Enzo!” she screams, snagging my attention. I turn to find a massive wave building up over the boat, like Poseidon himself is reaching up from the depths of the ocean and preparing to grab onto the vessel and pull it under.
Time slows, and my heart drops. And I know… I just know that this one is going to send us over.
“Sawyer! Get up here!” I shout, but she’s already clambering to the helm, eyes wide with panic.
Just as she slams into my chest, the wave breaks, and I grab her face, forcing her wild gaze to mine.
“Deep breath, baby.”
Seconds later, the wave is crashing down upon us. A loud scream rings in my ears, but only the echo of it remains. My vision is snuffed out, and freezing water encapsulates me. I’m swept up in a powerful riptide, and the only thing I can do is succumb to nature’s will.
I feel myself spinning as I’m ripped away from Sawyer and dragged down into the deep ocean, nothing but blackness surrounding me.
Instinctively, I kick my legs, forcing my eyes open to find my bearings. The salt stings, but my adrenaline supersedes the pain. Above me, theJohannais belly-up and quickly nose-diving toward me.
My chest burns with the need for oxygen, but I can only think of one thing.
Where is she?
Swimming with all my might, I search for Sawyer but see nothing except pieces of broken wood drifting by.
I breach the surface and immediately suck in a lungful of air, only to choke on it. Taking another deep breath, I bellow, “SAWYER!”
But the sea is unforgiving, and I’m swept up by another wave, sending me spiraling once more. I’m growing tired already, so I force myself to relax until the tide releases me. Only for me to kick toward the surface once more.