Page 137 of Falling Too Late

It clattered at the end of the dock, and I ran for it. My shoe caught on a loose board, causing me to stumble and land on it.

“Jon!” I screamed his name, getting his attention. He had her under again. For a moment, it seemed like he was going to stand up, pull her up with him. His blue eyes locked on me.

My heart pounded in my ears.

Ba-dump.

The hand that clawed at his arm stilled, dropped under the water's surface.

Ba-dump.

Then his face hardened, and he pushed down harder while still holding my gaze.

I brought the gun up, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

I caught his eyes as they widened with realization before the bullet hit.

It shattered his face into something unrecognizable. Like it was in slow motion, he fell to the side, floating in the water. Blood pooled around his body. I jumped in and waded out into the lake, pulling Wren up and getting her to the shore.

“Come on, sweetheart, breathe.” I patted her face a few times, but she didn't stir. Her lips were blue and there was a gash in her temple. Dread filled me.

Tipping her head back, I started CPR. “Come on, Wren.”

One. . .two. . .three. . .

Breathe life into her.

One. . .two. . .three. . .

Force air into her lungs.

Clasping my hands on her chest, I press down over her heart again.

One. . .two. . . Crack!

There goes one rib.

Three.

She was breaking under my hands, but I wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t. This couldn’t be the end.

“Please, God, I’ll never let her out of my sight again. Please just give her back.”

I could hear the whine of the dogs, my heart breaking as I looked down at her unnaturally pale face and blue lips.

“Fuck!”

I didn’t stop, I wouldn’t stop even if I had to cut my own heart out of my chest and put it in her.Wren Jacobson will live.

I cursed every god and deity there was, desperate to get my girl back andfinally, she choked out a mouthful of water.

“Come on, Wren.” I rolled her to her side, and she stopped coughing and took a deep breath. I looked to the sky, exhaustion taking over me. Tears ran hot down my face. I could barely keep King off her as she took in more deep ragged breaths.

She’s alive.

“Alex!” I looked over my shoulder and Mario was running our way. He took in Jon’s dead body and then looked down at Wren. “I heard the gunshots, what the hell happened?”

“I can’t explain now, I need to get her to the hospital.”

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