Page 86 of The Boss

“I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. Just rest, but try and stay awake.” I brushed hair from her face while still keeping her afloat. Anger washed through me, the emotion erupting in my system so powerful spots of blood formed in front of my eyes. I would kill the people responsible and take great joy in doing so, torturing them for hours until they begged to die. Would I grant their wish? Fuck, no. I’d start all over again.

She shifted only moments later as I tried to keep us from drifting further out to sea. I was finally able to grab a broken-off wing, using it as a float. The rest of the wreckage was gone, lost to the water’s depths. With no boats in sight, timing would soon become crucial. My arm hurt like a son of a bitch, cut on the plane’s glass as I’d pulled us from the cockpit.

Blood was in the water.

Sharks could smell the sweet copper from hundreds of yards away. My heart thudded rapidly as I continued pushing us closer to the shore, hampered by a stronger current from the tide rolling out. This was one of the most dangerous things I’d been involved in.

But nothing was going to stop me from protecting her. Even if doing so meant taking my last dying breath.

“Where are we?” she asked, her voice a little stronger.

“Not far from the shore.” It was one huge lie, but I didn’t need her to panic at this point.

“Liar,” she breathed. “You’re… terrible at it.”

I chuckled, but the sound was hollow. “We’ll be safe soon.”

When she grabbed my hand, able to turn her head slightly, ugly emotions swelled up from within the very depths of my being. I wasn’t good at reacting to anything out of my control. This day, this horrible moment only reminded me of how dangerous my world truly was.

“My head hurts.”

“I know, baby. You’re going to be fine.” I continued to search for a return of the assailants, but they appeared long gone. My bet was they were certain we’d be fed on by the sharks.

Minutes passed, at least thirty if not more. There were no sounds, no sense that help would arrive in time. I continued to try to reach the shore, ignoring exhaustion and self-doubt. She drifted in and out of sleep, increasing my fear she would soon slip into a coma.

The rage continued to build, every thought and image penetrating my mind one of violence and death. As a stronger wave splashed water over us, I did what I could to protect her. My hands were slightly numb, yet nothing would force me to lose my grip.

While I knew she remained alive, every breath she took seemed shallower. Goddamn it. This had been my fucking fault. If I hadn’t insisted on heading to the island alone, this never would have occurred.

“It’s not your fault,” she whispered minutes later.

“Like hell it isn’t.”

“If I forget to tell you. I had a really good time.”

I brought her closer, able to feel life ebbing from her lithe body. I closed my eyes, daring the gods or the devil himself to heed my call.

The sound was in the distance. Uncertain if I was hearing things or not, I swam around in a circle, still searching for sharks.

Willow lifted her head, her agonizing sigh penetrating my eardrums. “A boat,” she managed.

“Maybe.” Another sound from behind us caught my attention. I turned my head, hissing as soon as I did. My worst fears were recognized. The fuckers were rare in this part of the world, even if the Great White shark had been witnessed on more than one occasion.

But the water had been baited, the lure strong. My arm continued to bleed.

Time was running out.

The next sound confirmed a boat was headed in our direction. There was nothing left to do but wait.

I sighted two fins in the distance, both indicating the beasts were headed in our direction. I struggled, but managed to yank my gun from my pocket. The barrel was filled with water, which would dramatically decrease the range that the bullet could hit. The fuckers would be allowed to get too close before I was certain a gunshot would stop their advance.

But goddamn it, I had to try.

“Willow, you need to gather your strength,” I told her as I hoisted her onto as much of the wing’s debris as possible. “Hold on. Whatever you do, hold the fuck on. Help is on the way.”

She listened to me, grabbing as much of the edge of the wing as she could.

As the sharks approached, the sound of the speedboat became louder. But the predators were fast, able to move quickly through the water.

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