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He tossed her into the black ocean. She screamed and flailed before she landed with a splash.
I sprinted to the water. Thank God for the moonlight. The waves had already swallowed the circle of bubbles where she’d landed.
I shoved the bastard out of the way and dove into the water. Salt stung my eyes. I could hardly see, but I swam as hard as I could in the direction he’d tossed her.
I surfaced for air and searched for any sign of her. A hand clawed at the water several yards away. The ocean had already drifted her down the shore.
I dove under again and raced in her direction, slicing through the turbulent waves.
Ahead, something thrashed in the water, fighting to reach the surface, but losing.
Dark hair illuminated in the moonlight as JoJo sank farther into the depths of the ocean. She kicked her legs and moved her arms to no avail.
I used all my strength to reach her.
Her eyes widened when she saw me. And she held out her hands as if begging for my help.
I kicked harder, my lungs burning as I held my breath. I stretched and snagged her by the waist. Her arms fell around my shoulders as I pushed us toward the moonlight and the surface.
We broke into the night air. She coughed and spluttered. Her cheeks were pale as her chest heaved.
“I’ve got you,” I said as I swam us toward the shore.
As soon as my feet touched the bottom, I patted her back. She clung to me like she had clung to the lounge chair earlier. I could hardly get air; her arms were so tight around my neck.
I stopped moving and realized she wasn’t the only one whose chest rose and fell in a ragged rhythm. Mine was too.
“You’re okay.”
But I wasn’t sure if I was reassuring her or myself. Now that I had her, the panic of what could’ve been washed over me. She clearly couldn’t swim. Or at least she’d been too paralyzed to try. She was terrified of the water. And I’d ridiculed her mercilessly.
She buried her face against my shoulder. Her shoulders shook, but I wasn’t sure if it because she was cold or worse . . . crying.
“Need . . . to . . . get . . . out,” she panted. “Please.”
Her plea was desperate. My legs moved before my brain could register what she needed.
Since I’d heard her scream, I’d acted on instinct. To protect her.
I waded toward the shore. The waves battered us, pushing and pulling. I kept upright, cradling JoJo close to my chest. My soaking wet clothes added weight and resistance, but this ocean would not suck us in.
Chest.
Waist.
Thighs.
Knees.
Ankles.
Feet.
Finally, we broke free of the water. I sank onto the sand, still holding her. And she made no move to let go of me. If anything, she seemed to shrink against me like I was her shield.
“Told you you’re okay,” I whispered against her hair.
She shivered. The wind sliced through our wet clothes. I had to get her inside. Warm and dry. But now that we were on shore, my adrenaline had depleted.
