Page 135 of Can You Take It?

I kick faster, bubbles rushing past my face.

Three.

My vision starts to blacken around the edges.

Two.

My hand breaks through the surface, but I can’t tell if I’m too late.

One…

Chapter 36

IZEL

I’m still cuffed, sitting in this goddamn interrogation room, and I hate Richard right now. I’m practically shaking with anger and fear. His teammates are useless, pacing around, muttering into their radios, but none of them can give me any answers. I’ve never prayed so hard in my life. I’ve never asked God for anything, but right now, I’m begging for Richard to be safe.

How could he do this? How could he throw himself into danger like that and leave me behind? The thought of him out there, risking everything, makes my chest ache. I can’t stop thinking about that moment when he looked into my eyes, the way he confessed his love. And then, he fucking cuffed me. He handcuffed me like I was some criminal to keep me from following him.

I’ve never felt so powerless. I’ve spent my whole life fighting for control, clawing my way out of every shitty situation, and now here I am, stuck in this room with my wrists bound, while the man I love is out there, facing down death.

Every time someone walks past the door, I tense up, hoping it’s him. But it’s never him. It’s always just another faceless agent, another useless figure who can’t tell me anything.

“Please,” I mutter. “Just let him be okay.”

I glance around the room, looking for anything, any sign of hope. But there’s nothing. Just cold metal chairs and a table that feels like it’s a million miles wide. My hands are starting to go numb from the cuffs, and I shift uncomfortably, trying to find a position that doesn’t hurt. But it’s useless. Everything hurts right now.

The door opens and my heart leaps into my throat. But it’s just Emily. “Any news?”

She shakes her head. “Not yet. But we’ve got people on it. We’re doing everything we can.”

“Everything you can?” I snap. “That’s not good enough! He’s out there with a fucking bomb! I need to know he’s safe!”

Emily looks at me with pity, and it makes me want to scream. “I know you’re scared,” she says softly. “We all are. But Richard’s tough. He’s going to get through this.”

“Don’t patronize me. You have no idea what this feels like. You’re not the one sitting here, wondering if the person you love is going to die because he decided to play the hero.”

Emily opens her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. “Just get out. I can’t deal with this right now.”

She hesitates, then nods and leaves.

The minutes drag on. My heart feels like it’s going to burst from my chest. I’m angry, I’m scared, I’m...everything. I think about all the things I should have said, all the times I should have told him how much he means to me.

Now I realize how much I depend on him, how much I need him. And if he’s not okay... I don’t even want to finish that thought. But the moment I know he’s safe, I swear I’m going to get miles away from him.

A cup of coffee slides across the table in front of me, the fifth one in God knows how long. I snap, finally beyond annoyed.

“I said I don’t want any fucking coffee!” I don’t even bother looking up. I’m too pissed off to care who’s trying to be nice.

“Good thing it’s not for you then,” comes a familiar voice.

That voice. My head snaps up so fast I think I might’ve pulled something. Standing there, covered in dirt, looking exhausted but very much alive, is Richard. For a second, I’m frozen. Then I’m out of the chair, flinging myself at him.

“Hey baby, I’m covered in dirt,” he says against my hair.

“I don’t care,” I murmur, clutching him even tighter. I was thinking I needed to get away from him, but now that he’s here, that thought seems impossible. And the damn cuffs are getting in the way.

“You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were dead. I hate you so much right now.”

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