Page 178 of Drown My Sorrow

I glance sideways at Sonny, who is still looking out at the ocean. At Gael. He’s not going to help me, I realise in horror.

I turn back to the crowd. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”

“We don’t want your witchy stuff here.”

“Okay. I won’t do it anymore,” I say weakly.

“You gave the island a bad name.” Omar slaps his leg. The blow is vicious and scares me more than any words so far.

“I will leave as soon as the pack comes back. I’ll leave. Trust me, I don’t want to stay. I will absolutely go. I promise.” I’m shaking and trying desperately to give them the words they need to back off.

“They aren’t coming back for you,” Gwen sneers. “They finally saw the light.”

Her words hit true, bringing up old wounds and ripping them open.

I shift and look over my shoulder, spotting Gael running through the water.

“What’s going on?” he shouts.

Sonny glances back at the group. At me. I’m confused. He reaches for Gael, grabbing his wrist, and slaps a pair of handcuffs on him before Gael can even struggle.

I shove Sonny. “What are you doing?” My voice is shrill, panicked. “Sonny, stop!”

“Gael Dahan, you’re under arrest for the violent assault of one Natalie Livingstone.”

I gape at him for a full second. “Sonny, what are you doing? It wasn’t Gael.”

“I’ve got a witness, and Nat corroborated it.”

I whip my head back in the direction of the hotel. “She would never.”

“Well, she didn’t deny it.”

“Who would? It’s preposterous!”

“We can work this out. Aspyn, just go home. We’ll sort this out, and I’ll be out in a couple of hours,” Gael soothes, glancing at the growing crowd and back at me pointedly.

I feel like screaming.

Sonny and the crowd walk Gael up the beach and disappear. I’m left by the ocean, listening to the water lap at the sand. The sound of water, the sound of my fear.

Where are they? I need them.

Twomoreweekspass,and Gael is not allowed out. No screaming from me or Nat is unlocking that cell. I’m not even allowed to see him.

I’m going out of my mind.

Sonny is getting increasingly hostile and is now refusing to take my calls.

I hobble over to Nat and sit beside her.

“What are we going to do?”

“Call them.”

“With what? All three of our phones disappeared that first night,” I murmur. “No one will let us use a phone. I can’t get to Mitch.”

“They won’t wait much longer. They’ll come and find out what’s happened soon.”

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