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“Find your peace, Santiago, before it’s too late.”
He gave me a stern look. “And you need to do the same. Whatever is going on with you and your mother has affected every decision you’ve made.”
I almost lashed out, but knew he was only trying to help. “She lied to me again. She’s been lying to my father for years. Some relationships can’t be repaired, not matter how much you want them to be. That’s not the case with Manuel.”
While he accepted what I was saying, I could tell he was retreating to his shell all over again, just like I’d done after the phone call with my parents. What I wanted more than anything was the truth. The one thing Santiago was right about was that I couldn’t find the happiness and peace I’d been searching for until I either accepted my parents the way they were or demanded answers.
I crawled away, shifting to my feet. “This is truly perfect.” I walked around him, staying near the edge of the water. He had a way of forcing me to take a glimpse into my past, just like I’d done with him. I thought about my mother’s eyes, the way she’d looked at me as if she was trying to figure out who her own daughter was. What I hadn’t said was that she’d never searched my eyes, not once that I could remember. Was she trying to determine whether I could ever forgive her? There wasn’t a chance in hell.
I glanced toward the sky, noticing the clouds had changed, the stronger breeze driving them across the dimming light. The humidity had increased, beads of perspiration trickling down my forehead.
As I continued walking, I was careful, the change in the slope more significant that I’d realized. Now the water was at least twenty feet below. I peered over, studying the jagged lava rocks lining the rim of the lake. From this vantage point, the waterfall seemed even more powerful, the way the fall crashed against the water a mesmerizing sight. I walked a few additional steps, noticing a few rocks cracked off the edge.
“Don’t get too close,” Santiago called.
“I’m not, but it’s so beautiful.”
“And dangerous.”
I peered over, taking a single step closer.
“Willow. Don’t. Get back here. I mean it.”
I shot him a look, blowing a kiss. He immediately stood, reaching out just as a gust of wind shifted through the trees. While not strong, it was powerful enough I lost my footing on the uneven rock, tumbling toward the water. The earth gave away beneath my feet and seconds later, I’d slipped over the edge, pitching forward. My screech echoed in my ears, lost almost immediately in the roar of the tumultuous water.
“Fuck!” Santiago yelled as he raced forward.
Gasping, I managed to grab the edge of a rock with one hand, my other arm dangling to the side. I slammed my feet against the rock, trying to feel my way into finding a secure spot. My fingers were already slipping and as I tried desperately to shift my body’s weight in order to grab onto another rock, Santiago’s face appeared above me.
“Don’t look down. Look at me,” he commanded.
My breathing labored, I was torn between the need to find out how close I was to falling to my death and obeying his order.
“Look at me, Willow.”
I finally shot him a look, struggling to breathe. He was lying over the edge, his hand only a few inches away. I managed to snag my fingers on one of the rocks, the surface slippery. The second I tried to pull myself up, I almost lost my grip.
“Pay attention to me. Reach for my hand.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Oh, hell. You can do anything you want. Remember?” He stretched his body further over the edge until our fingers were almost touching.
The wind continued to increase, shadows blotting out the sun. I took several deep breaths, still staring into his imploring eyes. As soon as my foot slipped, I threw my hand out. Santiago grabbed my wrist, his strong hold almost painful.
“Keep looking at me,” he growled, cocking his head as he started pulling. “Try and get your feet secured on the rocks.”
As he struggled, I slammed my hand against the rough surface, trying to keep my mind off thoughts of the rocks below. I kicked out, fighting to find a foothold. When I did, I pushed myself up, every muscle aching.
“That’s it.” He’d managed to get to his knees, crawling backward, grabbing my arm with his other hand. Even though his hold was strong, I slipped, his hand now wrapped around my hand.
“I can’t.”
“Fuck. Yes, you can. Push!”
I concentrated on his eyes, fighting as he jerked me up inch by inch. When he finally dragged me over the edge, the force he used dumping my body on top of him, I finally issued an agonizing cry.
He wrapped his arms around me, his chest heaving. “You’re okay. Goddamn it, woman. I almost lost you. Again.”
