Page 92 of The Sinner's Bargain

I sent my body over the edge as hers hit the water in a crashing crescendo. I struck ice and darkness a second later. Murky nothingness enveloped my senses, destroyed my perception of direction as I fought to find Blue.

From above, halos of light shattered the surface. It illuminated the weeds and swaying algae. But no Blue.

I kicked to where I was sure she’d landed. My side was throbbing and my lungs burned, but I didn’t stop. I kicked, eyes stinging as I searched the gloomy depths.

A movement caught the corner of my eye. A frantic little flail I would have ignored it as debris caught in the disturbance of my currant if it wasn’t for the pale, gold strips floating just out of sight.

I plunged after it as it sank into a dark void where the spotlights above didn’t reach. It rose up around her, a threatening maw pulling her in.

I caught her.

My fist closed into her coat and I dragged her back to me. Her limp body sagged against mine, but I held tight before kicking up.

The first rush of air hitting my lungs had me gasping with triumph. I sucked in another as I pulled Blue higher.

She came awake with a choking cough. Her body bucked as if trying to pull free of the water’s icy clutches. Her lungs clutched at air. At me. Fighting for freedom while fighting for safety.

“Easy, love,” I wheezed. “I got you. Are you hurt?”

Her wide, terror filled eyes found mine. “Where is he?”

My hold tightened. “Who?”

Her head pivoted, twisting to search the banks, her breathing ragged. “The man in the maze.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

THORAN

“He was ... he was following me. Saying my name.” Her already pale complexion went ashen as she recalled the event. “He was right behind me.”

I pushed back a strip of hair caught across her face, plastered to her cheek. “He’s not getting anywhere near you. I promise you that.”

There was more to the story. I could see the hesitation in her eyes before she blinked and glanced up at the shore. “Did you jump in after me?”

“I wasn’t letting you go in without me.”

A quiet softness settled over her face. The kind that made me painfully conscious of her mouth and my own hunger to taste her. She was close enough that it wouldn’t have been hard to do, except she was shivering hard enough to take a chunk out of my lip if I tried.

“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, sweetheart.” I pulled her closer. “But we’re going to get you home and dry first.”

Hold on her secure, I propelled us to the rocky edge where Cyrus stood waiting for us with his men. I hoisted Blue up, propping her on the nearest rock for them to pull her up first. I ignored the second set of hands waiting for me until she was securely on solid ground.

There were a lot of things that needed to be addressed, a lot of questions crowding my thoughts, but it all took a backseat until I had Blue safely back to the house, away from the frigid temperatures clawing at exposed, wet flesh.

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