Page 240 of The Protective Gryphen

With the broom, he reached out to him, giving him the wider end to grab onto.

“No matter what happens, if that ice breaks, you hold onto that broom for dear life. That’s how I’ll be able to find you in the water. If you let go, I’ll never get to you. Do you hear me, Ian.”

Oh, well, Ian had no plan of letting go.

Instead of speaking, he just nodded.

As Gryphen moved closer, he went to his ass and dug the back of the skate blade into the ice to brace himself. Then, he began slowly pulling Ian toward him.

It was mere inches at a time.

The whole time, Ian held on and never looked away from Gryphen’s determination-filled eyes.

When in doubt, bet it all on a Marine.

And he was.

His life was, once more, in Gryphen’s hands.

When Ian was finally within reach, Gryphen stopped pulling.

“Listen, Ian. When I get you closer, I need you to sit on your ass, loop your legs around my waist, and hold onto my body. I see the cracks, and they are running right under me. We’re going to have to move back slowly. I’ll get us there, but only if you’re calm and listen.”

Ian would do whatever he said.

“I hear you, Gryphen.”

“Okay, Baby. Now, slowly go to you knees,” he said, holding out his hand and dropping the broom beside him.

Ian did as he asked, and he got into position. The whole time, they heard more cracking.

Their combined weight was too much for the ice.

“Go to your ass, and I’ll slide you toward me.”

He did what he was asked to do, and it wasn’t long before Ian was pulled toward him. He put his legs over his, and he locked them behind Gryphen’s back.

Now, he was pressed against him.

To calm him down, he tried to reassure him.

“Hey, sexy. Come here often?” he asked Ian, even as he felt the ice cracking between them.

“I’m sorry I planned this.”

He lifted his chin.

“Hey. You didn’t do anything wrong. The ice wasn’t strong enough. When Graham tested it, he didn’t take into account that I outweigh him. Add your bodyweight in, and we were just too much for it.”

He clung to him.

“Now, you just let me do all the work, and you hide your face in my neck. IF we go through, promise me that you don’t let go no matter what. I’ve trained in cold water. I know how to get us to shore, but you can’t freak out or let go. I’m literally your lifeline.”

Well, ask and he would receive. Ian wasn’t letting go of the man no matter what.

With the back of Gryphen’s skate blades, he painstakingly moved them backward inch-by-inch, and it took quite a while.

As they were close to shore, Ian still had his eyes closed.

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