Page 27 of Rescuing Nathaniel

It was too much.

She couldn’t hold on any longer.

Despite her best efforts not to let it happen, her mouth opened, and foul-tasting water rushed in.

Ava choked on it and knew it was going to claim her.

For a second, she considered the possibility that death might be her best option. She’d already told Nathaniel what she remembered so he could pass along that intel, and she was only slowing him down. Without her, he’d already be back home. If she was dead, the men hunting her couldn’t take her back to that hell she knew she wouldn't survive a second time.

A hard slap on the back had her choking and gagging as water spewed out of her mouth.

“There you go, get it all out,” Nathaniel’s voice urged right before a palm hit her again between the shoulder blades and she coughed up more water.

The burning in her lungs had spread to her throat, but her surroundings were coming back into focus, and Ava realized they were no longer in the river. Now they were sitting on the shore beside it, Nathaniel was on his knees beside her and had her draped over one of his arms, supporting her weight, while he forced her lungs to expel the water they’d inhaled.

Once again, this man had saved her life.

There were no more gunshots, no more shouting voices, he’d managed to get them safely away from the men after them. At least for now.

They’d be back though.

She was worth too much to them to let her go.

Plus, she knew too much. She was the only person to ever escape and she’d seen faces, heard names, and while she didn't know anything specific, all the bits and pieces could be pieced together to form a picture that might lead to the capture of those involved in the ring.

Letting her live was not an option.

But for now, she was alive, and Ava just wanted to enjoy that fact.

“Thank you,” she whispered, voice hoarse and hurting, but she needed Nathaniel to know how grateful she was for everything he had done and was doing for her.

“Thought we agreed you weren't going to keep thanking me,” Nathaniel grumbled as he scooped her up and carried her over to a clump of ferns.

“You wanted me to, I never agreed,” she reminded him.

“Fine.” He let out a long-suffering sigh she was pretty sure was just his way of trying to help her relax, but then his face grew serious. “I need you to stay here and not make a sound while I quickly scout our surroundings.”

While she wanted to beg him not to leave her, she knew better than to do that. He was doing it anyway, and if she begged it would only make him distracted, and that could get him killed.

“Be quick, please,” she whispered.

His eyes bored into hers for a moment, and she wondered what he was searching for, but then he gave a quick nod, stood, rearranged the branches and leaves covering her, and disappeared.

To pass the time, Ava counted the seconds.

She was up to four hundred and twenty-three when she saw a figure in black moving swiftly toward her.

Almost like it knew exactly where she was hidden even though there was no way he could since the man wasn't Nathaniel.

There was nothing she could do to stop it from happening.

It was like she blinked, and the man was there, ripping away the ferns and grabbing at her.

No.

She wasn't going back.

No matter what she had to do.

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