lifted the terrified dog up to her. My broken hand ached as I reached over and pulled his claws out of my skin as if I was pulling out a series of thick, curved splinters.
Cassie’s face was pale and worried as she grabbed the dog and handed him to Charlie. Then she reached back down to me. “Give me your hand, Dray.”
The wild motion of the waves made it hard to tread water, and my broken hand proved useless. I reached for the edge of the dock with my good hand. Rivers of blood flowed from the series of holes left behind by Pete’s claws. Just as I took a deep breath to haul myself up with one arm, a powerful wave rolled out from under the dock. I lost my grip, and the water threw me violently up against the hull of the Lucy. My head shot backward and I felt the vibration in my skull. The world went hazy. I felt my body being sucked below the surface just before everything went black.
I was lying face down on the mat in the octagon, but I couldn’t get up. My limbs wouldn’t move. Then two hands grabbed me, but they weren’t my opponent’s.. The hands were soft and gentle, and they held me tightly and pulled me along. When my head broke the surface, the cold air startled me into consciousness. I coughed and spit out the burning salt water in my throat. Cassie struggled to get me to the dock, and I tried hard to shake off the dizziness. I’d had plenty of concussions, too many as the doctors had told me, but that thwack to the head coupled with the relentless icy tide had zapped me of my usual strength.
Cassie had jumped in to save me, but now she was the one struggling to stay above the surface. I pulled her small, shivering body against me. Her arms wrapped around my neck. Her chin trembled uncontrollably. Charlie had recuperated from the terror of seeing his little dog getting sucked under the waves. He was leaning down holding out an unsteady hand.
The wrap the nurse had given me was now sinking to the bottom of the marina. I reached up to the dock with my good hand. “Charlie, I’m worried we’ll pull you in. We can pull ourselves up. Cass, grab hold and I’ll push you up.”
She nodded weakly and reached up. Her white fingers clutched at the edge of the dock. I slid my hand down beneath her bottom and pushed her up until she was able to pull herself onto the dock. She was coughing and shivering wildly, but she turned around and leaned over to help me. She held out her hand. “Dray, reach for me.”
“I smacked my broken hand on the hull. I’ve only got one good hand, and I don’t want to pull you in again.” Water slapped the side of my face, and my ear filled with salt water. I was done being battered by the boats and the tide. I reached up and hauled myself onto the splintery surface of the dock with one arm.
It took me a few seconds to catch my breath. I pushed to sitting and pressed my hand against the back of my head. A painful lump was forming.
Charlie stood over the two of us with Pete in his arms. The dog was even smaller soaking wet, but he still managed to lift his lip and snarl down at me. Charlie gave him a little shake. “He just saved your life, you ungrateful, spoiled mutt.” Charlie looked down at me. “I don’t know how to thank you two.”
“I’m just glad we were around, Charlie. I think we’re going to head in and dry off.”
“Right, of course. Hurry inside.”
Chapter 9
Cassie
Dray’s bare chest rose up and down with deep breaths. His hazel eyes darkened as he stared at me almost as if I’d just appeared from a puff of smoke. A puddle of saltwater grew beneath our feet. I still had my boots on, my favorite pair but now a pair I would have to toss.
The horror of the event that had just taken place caught up to me in one sharp spurt of emotion and I burst into tears. Cautiously, as if he thought I might run from him, Dray stepped toward me and wrapped his arms around me. It was the first time he’d held me in months, and my tears flowed faster. His skin was
Cassie’s face was pale and worried as she grabbed the dog and handed him to Charlie. Then she reached back down to me. “Give me your hand, Dray.”
The wild motion of the waves made it hard to tread water, and my broken hand proved useless. I reached for the edge of the dock with my good hand. Rivers of blood flowed from the series of holes left behind by Pete’s claws. Just as I took a deep breath to haul myself up with one arm, a powerful wave rolled out from under the dock. I lost my grip, and the water threw me violently up against the hull of the Lucy. My head shot backward and I felt the vibration in my skull. The world went hazy. I felt my body being sucked below the surface just before everything went black.
I was lying face down on the mat in the octagon, but I couldn’t get up. My limbs wouldn’t move. Then two hands grabbed me, but they weren’t my opponent’s.. The hands were soft and gentle, and they held me tightly and pulled me along. When my head broke the surface, the cold air startled me into consciousness. I coughed and spit out the burning salt water in my throat. Cassie struggled to get me to the dock, and I tried hard to shake off the dizziness. I’d had plenty of concussions, too many as the doctors had told me, but that thwack to the head coupled with the relentless icy tide had zapped me of my usual strength.
Cassie had jumped in to save me, but now she was the one struggling to stay above the surface. I pulled her small, shivering body against me. Her arms wrapped around my neck. Her chin trembled uncontrollably. Charlie had recuperated from the terror of seeing his little dog getting sucked under the waves. He was leaning down holding out an unsteady hand.
The wrap the nurse had given me was now sinking to the bottom of the marina. I reached up to the dock with my good hand. “Charlie, I’m worried we’ll pull you in. We can pull ourselves up. Cass, grab hold and I’ll push you up.”
She nodded weakly and reached up. Her white fingers clutched at the edge of the dock. I slid my hand down beneath her bottom and pushed her up until she was able to pull herself onto the dock. She was coughing and shivering wildly, but she turned around and leaned over to help me. She held out her hand. “Dray, reach for me.”
“I smacked my broken hand on the hull. I’ve only got one good hand, and I don’t want to pull you in again.” Water slapped the side of my face, and my ear filled with salt water. I was done being battered by the boats and the tide. I reached up and hauled myself onto the splintery surface of the dock with one arm.
It took me a few seconds to catch my breath. I pushed to sitting and pressed my hand against the back of my head. A painful lump was forming.
Charlie stood over the two of us with Pete in his arms. The dog was even smaller soaking wet, but he still managed to lift his lip and snarl down at me. Charlie gave him a little shake. “He just saved your life, you ungrateful, spoiled mutt.” Charlie looked down at me. “I don’t know how to thank you two.”
“I’m just glad we were around, Charlie. I think we’re going to head in and dry off.”
“Right, of course. Hurry inside.”
Chapter 9
Cassie
Dray’s bare chest rose up and down with deep breaths. His hazel eyes darkened as he stared at me almost as if I’d just appeared from a puff of smoke. A puddle of saltwater grew beneath our feet. I still had my boots on, my favorite pair but now a pair I would have to toss.
The horror of the event that had just taken place caught up to me in one sharp spurt of emotion and I burst into tears. Cautiously, as if he thought I might run from him, Dray stepped toward me and wrapped his arms around me. It was the first time he’d held me in months, and my tears flowed faster. His skin was
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