Page 119 of Rescuing You

No. No, she wouldn’t believe it. She couldn’t.

Michael bent toward her. “Let’s get to Lesvos and then talk about it again. And maybe, between now and then, you can get your sister to trust me.”

Mention of Lesvos had her turning toward the distant island.

“See how close it is?”

Close?

They defined that word differently.

The Greek island was only four miles from the coast of Turkey—at the shortest distance. But that route would land them, Michael had explained, on the north side. They needed to head for the eastern edge of the island so they’d land between the city and the airport south of it. That route would also take them farther from the coast guard who, if they spotted them, would assume they were refugees and push them back into Turkish waters.

At least, that was Michael’s reasoning. Not that he’d ever done this before.

The moon shone between the clouds, its light wavering and inconsistent. Even so, Michael had promised he’d have no trouble navigating them to the island.

But the water looked menacing. Black and angry, reaching toward her as if to pull her in.

So different from the river that had almost killed her years before.

Different, but deadly.

She could still feel the warmth engulfing her, dragging her to the bottom. Her panic as she’d tried to claw her way to the surface. Knowing she’d never make it. Knowing the murky water would take her life. Her lungs nearly exploding in pain.

But her father grabbed her and pulled her up. Seeing the moment through the eyes of an adult, she understood that his anger had only been a mask for fear.

He’d told her to stay away from the river’s edge. She’d defied him—and almost died for it. Maybe she should have learned to be an obedient daughter after that, but the only lesson she’d taken from the incident was to stay far, far away from water.

Michael squeezed her hand. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“I know.” She looked up at him and found him watching her, eyebrows lifted.

“Do you?”

“You have gotten us this far.”

He kissed her forehead, the gesture tender and disarming. “I wish there were another way.”

Jasmine returned, stepping to Leila’s other side.

Michael let go of Leila’s hand and grabbed one of the orange life jackets he’d purchased that morning. He dropped to the water and rested it on the surface. It floated, bobbing on the gentle waves. “See?”

“It will hold our weight?” She had to shout the question.

“An eagle could hold your weight.” Grinning, he included Jasmine in the remark.

He was trying to be funny.

Leila tried to smile.

They both failed.

He sighed, put the wet life jacket over his own head, fastened it, and waded in. He plopped down and lifted his booted feet above the waves.

The life jacket kept him afloat.

“You believe me now?” he yelled.