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“I do hate you. And again, just trying to keep you from embarrassing yourself.”
I walk over to him, lean forward to where my face is in his. “That’s all it is? Or do you care about me even when you hate me?”
“No. I don’t care. Do whatever the fuck you want.” His anger is apparent in his tone, but there’s defeat in his body language.
“So, you’re giving up? You won’t save me from myself?” Why do I care? I don’t. There’s just something satisfying about using his empty words against him. Because he’s a liar too.
“Yep. I quit. You wanted me to leave you alone. So, I am.”
I pout my lip and lower my chin to give him a pitiful look. “Aw. Sounds like I hurt your feelings.”
“Nope. Just done with helping someone who won’t help herself.”
He’s full of shit. So I challenge him to prove it. “I’m not coming up until you jump in and get me.”
“Whatever, Morgan. You’re going to be waiting a while.”
Taking a step closer to the pool, I skim my toe across the surface in the warm water. “You think I’m lying.” I usually am.
“You wanted me to stay away. That’s what I’m doing.”
“And I’m calling your bluff. Because even if you hate me, you won’t let me go.” I rub a hand over my still bruised stomach.
He stands, slowly walking over to me. “How’ve you been sleeping, Morg? Getting a good night’s rest all alone? Or have you finally realized you need me?”
His words piss me off, but I still laugh. “Pathetic. We both know who the clingy bitch is. Who’ll always come running to save the day. You never know when to fucking stop.”
“Watch me.”
Oh, how I love a good challenge. Even if it’s an irrational one. A smile stretches across my face as I plunge into the water feetfirst in the deep end of the pool, holding my breath as I sink beneath the surface. When my feet touch the bottom of the pool, I move my arms around to push myself lower until my ass skims the pool’s plaster bottom.
It’s quiet. There’s only a quick flash from lightning but nothing else. Silence. And I hate it. Looking up, I spot a figure standing at the edge of the pool, looking down at me. I know it’s Cade, but something in my psyche sees Lenny towering above me. A surge of fear flows through me even as I try my best to push it away. The underwater silence isn’t helping me get control of my mind. In fact, the quiet is getting louder. Just like it had in the abandoned hospital. I don’t want to feel like that again.
My lungs beg for air, but I take in a gulp of water, the liquid sending a burning sensation throughout my nose. My body yearns to take a deep breath, wanting oxygen. Having inhaled the water, I’ve caused the burning to increase, and it spreads across my chest. And that’s when the pain finally overpowers the fear. The agony stronger than the terror, louder than the silence, and more intimidating than the spine-chilling hospital. The fire in my chest and nose finally drowns out everything.
I register the motion of being pulled through the water before I realize there is a strong grip on my arm, hauling me upwards. Once my head breaks the surface, I gasp for air but end up coughing, unable to catch my breath.
“What the fuck, Morgan? Are you insane?” Cade shouts, his arm around my waist as he swims to the shallow end of the pool with me in tow. Once he reaches the stairs, he lifts me out of the water, setting me on the concrete. He’s still shouting, upset, asking me questions, cursing without pause.
I’d like to respond, but I can only manage to cough and throw up some water along with whiskey from the taste of it. I sit there for a few seconds before I’m finally able to take in a few breaths.
“Were you trying to kill yourself? Do you want to die, Morgan?”
Did I?I hadn’t planned on coming up for air even though every single muscle in my body ached to rise to the surface. But no. I had wanted to feel something other than fear, but I didn’t want to die. Not that death scares me. Especially when it’s on my terms.
“Told ya you couldn’t let me go.” I choke out a strangled laugh, my throat on fire.
“That’s all you have to say right now?” Fury radiates from every inch of him.
I know I’m being a bitch, but I don’t give a fuck. “You could’ve left me under the water and been done with all of this.” I close my eyes, taking a few slow inhales as I lie on the scratchy pavement.
Cade loops an arm behind my knees and under my back, picking me up. “We need to go to the hospital.”
“For what?” I start wiggling, fighting to get out of his grip.
“Because your dumb ass probably inhaled water. Fluid on your lungs isn’t good.”
“I’m not going.” I keep squirming, finally getting free, or more like I think he can’t hold onto me as I slide down his body until my feet touch the ground. My knees feel weaker than I care to admit, so I drop down on the nearest lounge chair. “I’m good. I’ve survived worse.”
