Page 55 of Lawless Rivals

“I’ve got ya.” I slide an arm around her from behind, locking it across her chest before securing her back against me with a hand braced hard against her stomach. “Relax. I’ll have you out of here in a few minutes.”

Water crashes over us both, and her fingers scrabble at my arms, gripping tighter as she struggles to breathe.

I haul her higher against my chest and clamp my arm tight around her middle, keeping her face clear as best I can.

The current slams into my back, furious now, trying to tear her from my grip and drag us both downstream.

Every step is slow and brutal, a test of strength and balance.

When my boot finally finds mud instead of stone, relief hits hard, and I use it to drag us the rest of the way out, hauling her onto the bank before dropping to my knees beside her.

She coughs, folding in on herself as water pours from her mouth, her whole body shaking.

“Fuck, Keira,” I breathe out her name, crowding into her space, my hands gliding over her shoulders, her cold arms, her back, checking for blood, for anything that shouldn’t be there. “Are you hurt? Talk to me. Did ya smack your head?”

I sweep wet strands away from her eyes and cup her cheeks, forcing her gaze to meet mine.

“Breathe,” I tell her, even as my heart hammers harder. “You’re safe now.”

My hands move to her arms, rubbing up and down to force heat back into her bones.

“Get the fuck off me.” Her voice breaks as she yanks her arms away. “I’m hardly safe, Saint—stop touching me.”

My muscles lock when she scrambles sideways on hands and knees, coughing and spluttering, soaked through, fury burning bright in her eyes.

“That was all your fault,” she hisses. “I almost drowned. Being with you is the least safe place I could be.”

I don’t move.

Keira wraps shaky arms around her midriff, shoulders caving as the fight drains out of her all at once, leaving her shivering and spent in the grass.

I stay where I am, kneeling in the mud, breathing hard.

She’s right, and there’s fuck all I can do about it. My responsibility ends with getting her home alive once the deal’s done.

Until then, I’ll keep my head straight. Keep my hands to myself.

“We need to dry off,” I tell her, pushing to my feet and turning back to grab my coat. “Bran bolted, so we’re stuck out here till someone comes looking. And I’m not marching miles in wet clothes.”

Keira huddles in on herself, drawing her knees to her chest as she sits there shivering.

“C’mon, get up.” I tuck my gun into the back of my jeans. “We need to find shelter and get out of the wind.”

“Wonderful,” she mutters. “I have to endure you alone for God-knows how long.”

The wind whips around us, her teeth chattering loud enough to hear it over the river. My balls are turning blue, hypothermia nipping close, and my patience is wearing thin.

“Either you stand,” I say, “or I carry ya. You choose.”

My gaze drills into her.

She pushes herself upright, but it’s clear straight away she’s got nothing left when she tries to stand.

Her legs tremble, knees wobbling as she sways on the spot, lips already tinged blue.

She doesn’t make it two steps before I’m on her, draping my coat around her shoulders and wrapping it tight. Once she’s covered, I sweep her up off her feet and haul her against my chest.

“Put me down,” she mutters, hands fisting the coat to keep it closed.