Page 15 of Drenched

But the whole cabin felt tense, like we were balancing on the edge of something we couldn't quite see.

“This'll guide us,” Jonathan said, setting the container down on the table with a little too much force. His tone didn't leave room for argument, not that anyone seemed inclined to push back at the moment.

Kim and Jamie gave half-hearted nods, but I just couldn't shake the heavy feeling in my chest. My eyes kept drifting back to the algae jars on the table. Their faint green glow pulsed almost rhythmically, as if they were alive and waiting for something.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my nerves because I knew it deep in my heart that the ocean held secrets we couldn’t imagine. And tomorrow, we were going to dive straight into its jaws.

Chapter Six

The sky was still dark when we reached the boat, and the stars were barely visible. As the first hints of dawn blurred the horizon, my breath came in clouds, the cold slicing through every layer.

Our dive gear sat waiting near the edge of the boat, and I couldn't stop staring at it. I wasn’t sure what came next, but a pit of dread settled in my stomach. I had to push past the fear. Logic and science had to come before superstition.

Jonathan held the algae jar tight in his hand. The deeper we went, the more the algae started to glow. What looked dead on land came alive down here, brighter and brighter.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. Kim peeled off her jacket in the center of the boat, moving without a care in the world. She put on her wetsuit with such grace she made it look like a ball gown. She was perfect.

I wasn’t.

I sighed, resigning myself to the task at hand. It was my turn now. Unzipping my jacket and yanking it off, followed by my thermal shirt and leggings, I shivered as I grabbed my wetsuit. The neoprene felt stiff and uncooperative, like I was wrestling a stubborn animal to get it on.

That's when I felt it, their eyes on me. Not just quick glances now, but full-on stares. Jonathan didn’t bother pretending. Jaime’s awkward attempt to look casual only made it worse.

“Looking good, Professor,” Jaime hesitated and looked away quickly.

I froze, the wetsuit zipper halfway up. My face burned, and not just from the cold. “Are you serious right now?” I snapped, glaring at him. “You're gonna be that guy?”

Kim looked up, stifling a laugh, and walked over to smack Jaime on the back of the head. “Seriously, grow up.”

“What?” Jaime mumbled, rubbing the spot like she'd actually hurt him. “I was just complimenting her.”

“And you,” I snapped, turning to Jonathan. “If you're gonna stare, at least try not to make it so obvious. It’s embarrassing, for you.”

His smirk didn’t waver. “What can I say? I’m a hot-blooded man. And I like what I see.”

My stomach twisted, disgust coiling tight. The man didn’t know the meaning of subtlety, or decency.

Across the deck, Trevor’s jaw clenched, his eyes burning with quiet fury. His hands gripped the wheel tighter than necessary. He looked ready to snap Jonathan in half, but he stayed glued to the helm, the boat’s steady drift keeping him anchored.

I met his gaze, one brow lifting in silent challenge. Control your man.

He swallowed hard, his jaw working, but didn’t say a word.

Kim rolled her eyes and stepped closer. Her voice dropped, meant only for me. “Don’t let them crawl under your skin. Boys are idiots. It’s in their DNA.”

“Clearly,” I muttered, tugging the wetsuit’s zipper up and yanking the gear into place.

Once all four of us were ready, Jonathan gave the signal to dive. He went first, stepping off the edge and disappearing into the water with a practiced, effortless motion. Kim followed.

Jaime lingered for a moment, giving me another one of his infuriating half-smiles before he stepped off the boat and vanished into the depths.

I stood at the edge, staring down at the black water below. It looked endless, like it could swallow me whole. My pulse roared in my ears. I forced the dread down. There was no turning back now.

“Just do it,” Trevor yelled from behind me.

I took a deep breath and jumped.

The ice cold water stabbed through me. It took a second to get my bearings. It was freaking cold. My chest felt tight, and the hiss of my regulator cut through my ears, sharp and metallic. I tried to get my breathing steady, but every inhale felt too quick, too shallow.

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