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He was useless. Calla was going to die. For all his money and power, he was a useless piece of shit who would watch her die right in front of his goddamned eyes—
The gurney suddenly shifted.
Mack did it.
The bastard actually did it.
Liam wanted to whoop with joy but instead he shook himself and made sure to hold the tubing clear of the water.
Mack came up to the surface, wading wildly with one arm and tugging at the gurney with the other. Jaysus, he was a terrible swimmer.
“Take the tube so she can breathe,” Liam said.
And for once in his life, Mack didn’t argue. He reached over the gurney and took the tube carefully while Liam braced his legs against the side of the ambulance and pushed the gurney out the back.
Calla sputtered for breath as her head finally came clear of the surface and Mack tossed the tubing aside, one hand coming to her face. She spit and blinked. Jaysus, Liam couldn’t imagine how traumatizing everything she’d just been through was.
Even now. She was still locked to a heavy hunk of metal and they were in a lake.
“We’ll get you out of here, baby. Everything’s all right now.”
She just shivered, apparently out of quick-witted responses. Liam couldn’t fucking blame her. He pushed the gurney all the way free of the ambulance, using the doors for the last little bit of leverage before swimming on his own.
Calla’s feet immediately began to sink. She yanked her knees up, twisting and floating but being dragged down by her wrists attached to the gurney.
“Mack, can you get her feet?” Liam asked, trying to keep his voice calm. He wasn’t sure how good a job he was doing by the way Calla whimpered. He stayed at her head, pumping his legs furiously under the water to keep her afloat.
“We’ve got you, baby. It’s just a little way to shore.”
Thank God it wasn’t a lie. While the reservoir dropped steeply off from the road, there was enough silt built up by the roadway. When Mack swam around to the foot of the gurney, they were able to wedge the wheels onto solid land.
Behind them, the ambulance kept sinking until only the top corner of the doors was visible. Medical paraphernalia floated all around.
Even wedged on the soil, the water was still deep enough that Calla’s waist and legs were submerged. When Mack moved around closer, she threw herself into his arms. Well, as much as she could with her hands still cuffed to the damn gurney. Liam tread water, lifting Calla’s cuffed wrist to get a better look at it. There had to be some way to get it off.
Then he heard sirens in the distance. Thank Christ. He’d gotten into his share of scrapes throughout his years where Garda had gotten involved to be wary of the bastards—but he’d never been happier to hear the police were coming. They’d be able to get Calla free.
“Help’s coming, baby.” Liam pushed some wet hair out of Calla’s face and dropped his forehead against hers. Mack kissed her, all three of their heads close together. Just like they should always be.
Which was when he remembered his last words to Calla about her only being with him for his money.
“I’m sorry I was such a fecking idiot and didn’t trust you,” Liam said, words tumbling out one after the other. “Everyone I ever loved before has let me down. Just wanted me for what I could give them.” Even his da. He was only worth something to Ciarán if he could prove himself worthy of the O’Neill name and legacy—a standard which his da always set impossibly high. Maybe because he never really believed Liam was his son.
“But you aren’t everyone else. You’re Calla.” He grabbed her face between his hands. “You’re the woman I love.” Jaysus. It was so obvious now. “I was a coward not telling you before.” He hadn’t even been willing to admit it to himself. Not before that horrible moment when the ambulance went over the road into the lake and his heart stopped beating.
Calla was worth taking a chance on. She was worth everything. And Mack. He had Liam’s heart too, the big bastard. Calla was the glue, but the three of them were the perfect fit. When he was with them, it felt more right than anything had in his life. Two people who wanted him just for… well, himself. Who found him worthy all on his own.
Liam grasped Mack’s bicep and pulled him close as they both embraced Calla. For her part she cried and laughed and hugged them back.
Until a loud growling shout came from above.
“You’ll never be anything but my bitch.”
Mack jerked back from Calla and Liam right as the figure above them, blood streaming from his—crotch?!—leapt down from the road, knife raised over his head.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
MACK
