Page 59 of The Truth

That’s when she saw the man coming right at her. He looked at her. Hazel eyes met hers. “Ayla?”

“In theriver.”

He just kept moving.

44

Gunn would never forgetthe sight of Ayla swimming in the middle of the river that had run behind his church building the entire eighty years the church had been there. There were graves of his neighbors and family in that graveyard behind the church. The river wound through the Texas land, almost deceptively lazy.

And thereshewas. “Gunn!”

In the middle of it. “Ayla! I’m coming for you.”

Pastor Wil was already halfway to her. Gunn started into the water, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. He’d been shot. There was no denying that. But… he was getting her out of that water. Getting her to Emerson, where she would besafe.

“Gunn! You’re okay! Hang on, I’m swimming back to you. Be careful; it’s kind of deep in front of that doofus right there!” She started toward him, cutting through the water so easily. “Stay there, I’m coming!”

Adam Davidson’s oldest son was almost crying, begging someone to get to him now. Gunn just… left him there. If he got too close to that man, he’d be breaking a commandment without regret. There was onlyonereason Ayla and Hezekiah Davidsonwould both be in the water right now. If Gunn put his hands on that man, he would never stop. He just wouldn’t.

And he couldn’t say for certain if he’d even regret it.

But… he was going to meet the woman meant for him halfway. She didn’t have to do this alone.

He got to her, lifted her arm over his uninjured shoulder, and balanced her as they just stood there.

“You are bleeding. How badly did he hurt you? I heard the shots and I thought--” Her breath hitched. “I was terrified they’d killed you. He had evil eyes. The same eyes as the man who hurt me before. And I was afraid he’d killed you.”

“I am just fine.” He wasn’t, but… he wasalive.And so was she. He pulled her as close as he could, keeping them both balanced in the water. She would need help gettingoutof the water. “I am here. And we are safe now. Emerson’s tying up the men inside.”

“Someone want to explain to me what happened here?” Wilbur Hunter asked. He had Hezekiah Davidson up on his feet now, ten to twelve feet away from where Gunn stood.

“That guy right there tried to drown me. He’s part of that cult from Nebraska, I think. They were afraid of what Gunn and Emersonknew.His father is an evil monster. He went inside, and I heard gunshots and I thought—and he dragged me to the river and I lost my crutches. But then… we were at the river and he’d said he couldn’t swim. But Ican.And I rolled into the river to get away from him.”

“He shot Gunn,” Emerson said, coming up behind Gunn now. “They’re… taken care of… inside. Davidson’s daughter is watching them. Yelling at her father, actually. Come on, Gunn. Let’s get your girl to the shore.”

“I am not going to be able to lift you,” Gunn told her. “But… this is the only time I won’t be able to carry you when you need me to, I promise.”

“It’s not that you are always able to, you know. It’s that you alwayswantto that matters. Because I know… you love me, Gunn Hiller. It’s kind of hard to miss, you know.” She gave a grin that he would never forget. Her hair was plastered to her head, her clothes clung. She had red marks on her face, probably from a man’s hand. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

“I think I have loved you from the moment I picked you up at the library that first night. God… put you right in front of me.”

“And Gunn’s not too blind to see that,” Emerson said. He leaned down as Wil frog-marched acryingHezekiah Davidson toward the shore. A sheriff’s SUV pulled in. Emerson scooped her up gently. Gunn held out a hand to make sure his friend stayed steady. “Let’s get you to shore.”

“Yeah, I can so handle the swimming-for-my-life thing—I’ve recently been told I am part fish, you know—but gettingoutof the river might have been a real problem. Or… maybe I would have just sat on that rock on the other side there, like a mermaid? I could have done it very dramatically, I think. Don’t drop me, okay? Unless… this is some Hope Life baptism ritual I am so not aware of, anyway?”

“I won’t drop you. You have my word on that.”

“I think, Emerson Riordan, that you are one of the best men I have ever met, too. You should probably remember that. Whoever finally captures you to be her man will be a very lucky woman, too.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Emerson made his way toward the flattest part of the shore. Gunn stayed close, ready to catch her if he had to. The mud was thick where they were now.

“Can we get Gunn to the ER now? I need to take care of him, so that we can makeplansfor forever, you know. As soon as we possibly can.” She just looked at Gunn, a vulnerable expression in her blue eyes he would never forget.

Gunn just nodded. “As soon as we can make it happen. I can’t think of anything I have ever wanted more.”

“So do I need to send my marrying suit to the cleaners?” Emerson asked.

“As long as they have fast service, Reverend Riordan. I am a woman on a mission.”

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