Page 29 of The Claiming

It doesn’t take long before a shard of light hits us and she stops, retrieving her phone and shining the light on the opening at the end of the tunnel. “I was right.”

Her triumphant declaration is accompanied by a shocked gasp. “Oh my God, it was easy. You were right.”

I am close behind her and a little sad that this pleasant escapade has ended and reply, “I told you it was easy.”

She laughs softly as she scrambles toward the light at the end of the tunnel and, as she pulls herself out onto the soft grass, she jumps up just outside the entrance.

As I join her, she stares at the river separating freedom from imprisonment and sighs.

“The only way out is to swim.”

“Of course.”

She stares at the river that is wide enough to be a challenge and yet enticingly close to freedom.

“So, you have another choice. Crawl back the way we came, or swim to the other side.”

She shivers and I’m interested to hear her answer.

As she turns, she regards me with a fresh challenge, causing me to chuckle inside.

“I’ll swim. It will wash away the dirt from the tunnel.”

“Are you sure? It’s not the warmest of days, and the river will be cold.”

“I can deal with that. Can you?”

She returns the challenge to me and I shrug, leaning down and removing my sneakers. Tying the laces together and slinging them across my shoulder.

“I’m up for that.”

For a second, I detect admiration in her eyes and then she does the same, both of us knowing there is no chance in hell of keeping those sneakers dry, but it will help our swimming when they don’t weigh us down.

I nod toward the river. “After you, sweetheart.”

She hesitates before she turns to the river and, taking a deep breath, poises on the edge of the riverbank.

“Have you swum in this before?” She asks, her hesitation strangely endearing.

“Of course. It’s perfectly safe.” I reassure her and as she turns, her smile momentarily stuns me. I have such an incredible urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her stupid. As far as I know, she’s the only person I’ve ever felt that way about.

Then her gaze softens and she whispers, “Thank you, Frankie. I mean that. I appreciate the tour, but it changes nothing. I’m still intent on winning.”

“That makes two of us.”

I reach for her hand and as we stand on the edge of the river, I growl, “We’ll go together.”

“Together.” Her eyes shine as we turn to the river and then, with no more words spoken, we jump as one.

FIFTEEN

CASSIE

It takes my breath away. If I was cold before, it’s nothing compared to this. The water is like ice and as I surface, the shock renders me speechless. It’s a sudden rush of adrenalin I wasn’t expecting and as Frankie surfaces beside me, he grins, “Race you.”

He has spoken my language because rather than dwell on this, his challenge spurs me into action and as we take off, it’s with a determination to be the first one to reach the other side.

I am lighter and faster than him, but he is more powerful. He matches me stroke for stroke and it only increases my competitiveness. I am a fast swimmer, but the current is stronger than the pool and it takes all of my dwindling energy just to keep up with him.

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