Page 24 of Their Reluctant Catch

I can’t move. My legs are locked, my breath is trapped in my throat. My pulse pounds like a frantic drumbeat in my ears.

I squeeze my eyes shut, but I can’t stop seeing it. The blood. The bodies. The silence after the chaos.

I should have done something.

I should have?—

The trees blur. The ground shifts.

No escape. No air.

I am frozen.

Helpless.

And I don’t know how to get out.

Chapter11

Colton

It’s been three days, seven hours and twenty minutes since Savannah fixed theSea Spirit, and I haven’t seen her since. Not that I’m counting the minutes!

She hasn’t been out of my damn mind.

It’s like a splinter buried beneath my skin. No matter how small, it’s impossible to ignore.

It’ll work itself out and will fade with time, but whenever I catch Todd watching me with that knowing look, I know he’s waiting for me to admit I’m just as caught up in her as he is.

He’s been trying to talk to me about ménage relationships. I can see the appeal. Hell, I can even imagine it working between us. After all, we’ve always shared everything. It’s never been a problem between us. Butthis?Her?

Savannah?

No, I don’t see how that could work.

She’s a city girl through and through. She’s also fiercely independent and prickly as hell. I must admit, I kinda like her ‘porcupine mode.’

The problem isn’t us. It’s her. There’s no way in hell she’d stick around for one rough-around-the-edges fisherman, let alone two.

Todd drums his fingers against the steering wheel, eyes on the road as we head back from town. We don’t speak, and I’m fine with that. We don’t need to fill the silence with useless chatter.

When his phone rings, it’s unnaturally loud.

He glances at the screen before answering. “Diana.” Todd’s voice is easy. He likes Diana.

A pause. Then his posture stiffens. “Whoa, whoa, slow down. Can you…” He shoots me a glance I can’t interpret. “Diana!” Todd snaps. Listens.

I shift in my seat and watch him.

His jaw tightens. “Wait—Colton’s with me. Let me put you on speaker.”

A click. Then Diana’s voice fills the van, edged with concern.

“Savannah’s been gone for hours.”

I straighten.

Todd frowns. “How long are we talking?”

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