Page 139 of Salvaged Hearts

“Can’t leave him,” I panted, too terrified to argue but too broken not to try.

“Sinking now,” she noted, tears in her eyes. I nodded as Mattie started to cry, the water reaching us in the back.

“No tears, Mattie. Save your breath, baby girl,” I instructed, nodding as she did the same. “I need you to focus.”

“Breathe,” Leighton coached, grabbing both of Mattie’s arms. “Breathe.”

“We’re all going to take one big breath together, right before I break the window, okay?”

Nodding frantically, Mattie said, “‘Kay.”

“The water is going to rush in. It’s going to be really fucking cold. No matter what, you hang on to me unless I’m pulling you down, understand?” Leighton instructed. This time Mattie justgave a nod, her eyes flicking to the blackness filling the cab, only Royce’s head bobbing above the water.

God dammit, Royce.I unconsciously shifted back toward his motionless form in the front seat. His beautiful babies and Miranda’s bright smile flashed through my mind. He said they’dtaken her. The image of his bloodless face collided with his words.When we didn’t turn you over…

When those men failed on the beach, and Miranda showed up hysterical…were their children at riskthen? Was he innocent in this? Forced into it with his family on the line?

Leighton’s words yanked me back to the task at hand as she grabbed Mattie’s face in her palms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Eyes on me. I’ve got you.” When they wound their hands together, Mattie gripped on so tight her knuckles bleached white. Our breaths reduced to rapid-fire pants as the water hit our ribs.

“Ready?” I asked, looping my hand through Jax’s vest strap. It would be a damn miracle if I could haul Jax to shore.Two grown men? I’d just die trying. And if that icy water climbing up his chest hadn’t jolted Royce awake, perhaps there wasn’t a man left to save.

Leighton’s only response was a curt dip of her chin.

“On the count of three.” They both nodded, and I gripped the window breaker in my fist, praying the thing worked. “One,” I breathed, positioning the device against the top corner, where the glass would be weakest. “Two.” Leighton shifted her body so her feet were braced against the seat instead of the floor. “Three.” With a press of the button, the thing punched a hole through the glass, sending a stream of water pouring in as vicious cracks spiderwebbed across the broad panel. “Big breath,” I instructed, forcing my shallow, panicked gulps of air to deepen.

With one last glance at Leighton, we both raised our arms to break it free, and the water rushed in.

Greyson

“Jesus Christ,”Ollie cried as he came up beside me, hands gripping his hair as tears welled in his eyes.

It was the gaping wound at the end of the bridge that had my heart slamming against my rib cage as we sped across the bay and down to the bank below.

No.

It wasn’t possible. Wasn’t… couldn’t be…

My brother seemed to be in shock. His mouth was unhinged, disbelief prying his eyes open wide.

I was frantic. Eyes scraping from one horrible thing to another.

Red and blue lights tore right past the wreck.

The hole in the wall of the bridge.

The taillights of a black SUV bobbing out of the water, nose, and windows already swallowed by the darkness. Fifty yards out. Maybe more.

I was waist-deep in freezing water before a familiar voice barked, “Hart!” I didn’t turn, eyes prodding the rippling waves for any sign of life. Of survivors. “Let first responders do their job. You’ll get yourself killed.”

Luke’s voice sent my eyes slamming closed. By the time those cops and EMTs reached the bank, the girls would be out of air if they weren’t already. Fuck that. If the option was going home alone or not at all, I’d take the latter.

“You won’t make it out there in time,” he warned, voice closer. “They’re gone, man.”

No.

Not my Mattie.

Not my wife.

---