Page 101 of The Meaning Of You

Cold and unmoving.

Madigan.

I kicked over and pulled his body out into clearer water, the downwash of the blades making it almost impossible to stay afloat.

I shouted for Mads to wake up, for Samuel to come help, for the fucking chopper to turn off the fucking light so I could see.

“Madigan!” I cleared his hair from his mouth, then flapped my arm wildly at the chopper for them to move away. They did, thank God, but the water was so cut up, I couldn’t tell if Madswas breathing or not. I grabbed his face and blew a couple of breaths into his lungs just in case. He gave a small grunt but didn’t fight me, which I didn’t think was a good sign.

“Can you swim him over?” Samuel called from under the jetty.

I considered the ten metres between us and called back, “I think so.”

“Good.” He started climbing out. “I’ll take him from you when you get here.”

“Listen up, arsehole.” I started towing Mads toward the jetty, my sweeping strokes punctuated with desperate pleas. “You will not die on me, understand? It’s not going to happen. Breathe, damn you. Breathe.”

But he stayed limp in my arms, cold and silent, his face lit up like a damn angel as the chopper thundered off to one side, its spotlight casting a well of brilliant light over the scene.

“Almost there, babe. Hold on.” I shot a desperate look to Samuel who’d been joined by another officer, both kneeling on the edge of the jetty, waiting for me.

Samuel’s expression gave nothing away, but I could tell he was worried. “Is he shot?”

“There’s what looks like a bullet graze on his shoulder. That’s all other than the damage to his ear where they hit him earlier. But he’s not talking, Samuel. He’s not doinganything.” I pushed Mads around into position and the two men secured their holds and started pulling him out.

They’d just broken free of the water when Mads suddenly jerked to life, coughing and choking and almost slipping back under the jetty in the process. I scrambled to keep him afloat, grabbing his shirt and hauling him onto his back to float in my arms.

And then it hit me. He was breathing. He was alive.

Relief coursed through my body, my heart hammering in my chest, tears flooding my eyes. But nothing,nothingbeat the elation I felt when those beautiful green eyes fluttered open and locked on mine.

“Oh, thank Christ.” Samuel fell back on the deck with a shattered sigh. “He’s okay.”

“Hey there.” I brushed the hair from Mads’ face and kissed his forehead.

“Hey,” he rasped back before his face pinched and he started to cough and cough—a mountain of water spewing from his mouth in between short, choking gasps. I rolled him as best I could, keeping his head above water as he cleared his lungs.

When he was done, he turned his head and pressed his lips against my bare shoulder. “We really need to work on your timing.”

I smiled like a crazy person. “Bit late for a swim, isn’t it?”

“Can we leave the touching reunion shit for later?” Samuel scowled down at us. “After he’s out.” They lifted Mads from my arms and up onto the jetty.

A minute later, I joined them.

“Are you okay?” Samuel took me aside to look me over. He glanced to where the other officer was towelling a shivering Mads while an ambulance crew made their way toward him.

“I’m fine.” I couldn’t drag my eyes from the man I thought I’d nearly lost, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

“He’s a nice guy.” Samuel turned my chin until I faced him. “Davis would approve.”

Heat rushed into my cheeks and I nodded. “I think he would too.”

I left Samuel to dry himself off and made my way over to Mads. “I can finish.” I held my hand out for the towel and the officer obliged. I stared at the long shallow graze on his shoulder, thinking just how close he’d come to being killed. Afew centimetres lower and it would have gone straight through his heart.

I gently pressed the towel to it, thanking God and Davis and anyone else that had heard my plea. When I looked up, Mads was watching me with soft eyes. I wanted to tell him everything, but I couldn’t find a single word, too frightened of what might come out.

Like he’d read my mind, he reached for my hand, holding me still, searching my face for... something. I wasn’t sure if he found what he was looking for but he smiled. He fucking smiled. Tentative at first, the corners of his mouth turning up to send my heart fluttering in my chest. Then bigger, broader, brighter, until we were both grinning from ear to ear.

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