Page 4 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

He reached out his hand, offering it to her as he had every time she had boarded the boat before.

She took it automatically.

His hand felt cold and heavy as stone as he pulled her up toward him. Seeing her tears, he brushed them away with a fingertip.

When he spoke, his voice was deeply regretful.

“I wish you hadn’t seen that.”

She swallowed, trying not to recoil at his touch.

“I’ll never tell anyone. I can’t tell them what I didn’t see. No one has to know. Let’s just go to dinner. I made reservations at Gino’s. They have those clams you like back in stock.”

She was babbling, her voice sounded shrill and alien, but she didn’t care. As long as she could keep him talking, there was a chance she might get out of this alive.

Her husband studied her silently, his dark eyes boring into her soul. When he didn’t respond, she thought maybe things would work out. If they could just go to dinner, she would make a plan to get the hell away from him. She didn’t need his love or security.

She only needed her life.

She stared beyond him, hoping desperately for any witnesses that might be able to stop him.

But the dock was as empty as his eyes.

He placed a hand on each of her shoulders. “I wish I could believe that, but we all know how terrible you are at keeping a secret.”

And as she started to plead with him, much as the other man had done only seconds before, Marko’s hands slid across her shoulders until they reached her neck.

And he squeezed.

Blinded by the pain and gasping for air, she bucked, lashing out. The diamonds on her wedding ring caught him on the cheek, drawing blood, startling him.

She felt the pressure relax from her neck and greedily gulped in a lungful of air...

But then he swung at her with a blow so hard that she dropped to the ground, hitting her head.

And then the world went black.

---