Page 85 of The Boss

Dimitrios

Water.

The rush of saltwater slamming into the cockpit meant a critical failure. I’d done my best to land softly, but a wave had appeared out of nowhere, turning what was left of the fuselage on its side.

The plane would sink within minutes. I had to get us the hell out of here. I looked over and instantly I was driven into a series of emotions I rarely felt. I wasn’t the kind to panic. I’d been rammed from behind, plunging into a concrete wall. I’d been in a fire, barely managing to escape alive.

But I’d had only me to give a shit about.

And revenge.

When I looked over at Willow, seeing blood on her face, her head tilted to the side and her body unmoving, panic almost settled in. “Willow. Can you hear me?” I was already fighting with my seatbelt. At least I’d managed to communicate ourlast coordinates before we went down. However, the plane that had shot us into oblivion was still flying in a circle around the wreckage.

The bastards would continue to do so until they were certain we were dead.

With the cockpit filling with water, I had seconds to get her out safely. Jerking the seatbelt away, I crawled over to her. Water was already up to her shoulders, rising rapidly. She’d be completely underwater soon.

“Willow. Honey. Wake up.”

As I fought with the thick canvas strap holding her down, I was rewarded with a single moan, her eyes fluttering open briefly. Goddamn, they were dilated. She must have hit her head. I would kill the motherfuckers who’d put us in this position.

The plane lurched under just as I managed to yank her free. I gingerly eased her body into my arms, pulling her back with me. With one hard thrust of my boot, the window was kicked free. I placed her arm around my neck, praying she’d hear me. “We need to get out of here. If you can hear me, hold on as tightly as you can.”

By some miracle of God, she tightened her grip on my neck, opening her eyes for a second time as I maneuvered a portion of my body out the window. The plane shifted again, the nose taking a solid dunk into the ocean water.

Seconds meant everything right now. It the plane started doing a freefall, saving both our lives would become a dicey venture.

I pulled her with me as water now came in through my window. Damn it. I was losing the battle. Like hell I was. Nothing was going to take her from me.

Not now.

After taking a deep breath, I held the latch and pulled us carefully from the window. Another lurch and we were dragged down. Everything was clear, but my eyes stung from leaking fuel. I wasn’t a praying kind of man, but that’s exactly what I did. Once she was free, I kicked hard against the fuselage, driving us away from the plane. With seconds to spare, I headed for the surface.

If the fuckers were hovering, they’d need to come low to hit us with bullets, but right now, I wouldn’t put anything past their capabilities. Who the fuck had found us and how? The question would be answered immediately after I got us both to safety.

The Harbor Corps had better help me on this. We were still a couple of miles out from shore and I wasn’t certain her body wouldn’t shut down by the time I was able to swim to safety. It was entirely possible she had internal injuries. I couldn’t be certain, which was why moving her rapidly was such a bad idea.

Breaking the surface, I gasped for breath, but didn’t waste time before checking her. Willow’s face was ashen, her lips no longer rosy. Damn it. Her mouth was open. She’d possibly swallowed water into her lungs. I turned her over, being as gentle as possible and patted her back. Being in the water made it awkward. When she didn’t respond, I rolled her onto her back, doing my best to give her mouth to mouth.

Seconds passed, maybe a full minute. I pulled back, catching my breath. “Come on, baby. Come back to me.” I repeated the action for as long as possible before breaking free again.

Still nothing. When I started to repeat the effort, her body lurched and she suddenly coughed, spitting out several inches of saltwater.

I pulled her to me just as the plane rolled over our heads. The odds they’d seen us were too damn good. Taking her back under now could mean she’d drown within seconds.

The moment the pilot turned, heading straight for us, I covered Willow’s body with mine. That was all I could do to protect her. When they passed over, while zooming low to the ocean, every thought was about shooting them out of the sky. I watched as they continued heading east, further out into the ocean. There was no way of knowing when they’d return.

I’d put out a mayday so at least someone would be coming for us. If my men were on the fucking ball, they’d heard the call for help as well. I’d made certain both houses were wired with communications to and from the Harbor Corps. Had they heard anything about an unmarked plane or had the pilot gone through the traditional pre-flight checks? That included talking with one tower or another.

I would find out.

Her quiet moans drew my attention again. Thankfully, she was alive. The water was warm, but there were predators underneath. I’d need to keep a close eye on our surroundings prior to our rescue.

If that hadn’t been intercepted and denied as well.

“Can you hear me, little dove?”

Her eyelids fluttered open. “Di-mi-tri-os.”

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