Page 120 of Risky Passion

“Viper!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “Look at me!”

His face was pale, gray, ghost-like.

Oh fuck. Is he alive?

No. No. No.

Viper’s mouth parted, and his cracked tongue rubbed over his bottom lip.

Relief smashed through me.Thank God.

The water surged again, rolling over their faces. I lunged forward, my arm scraping painfully against the jagged edges of the rough wood as I reached farther into the gap. My fingers found Blade’s thumb, and I held on, refusing to let go.

“You’re not dying here!” I yelled, my throat raw.

The comms crackled.

“Onyx just reached us,” Watts said. “Rescue team is heading in.”

“Tell them to fucking hurry!”

Water lapped at Blade and Viper’s noses. “You hear that, Blade, Viper? Rescue is on the way. Just hang on!”

The wreckage above gave a sharp crack that sent a shiver down my spine. I didn’t dare look up.

Another wave surged in, covering their faces completely.

My breath caught in my throat as I squeezed Blade’s thumb and screamed, “Hang on. You fucking hang on!”

Blade’s fingers tightened around mine, faint but deliberate, and his head broke the surface again, gasping for air. But Viper didn’t move.

No. No, no, no.

I stretched my other hand into the gap, my fingers splashing into the water as I reached for the top of Viper’s head.

“Hey!” I shouted. “Look at me, you bastard!”

My fingers brushed against him, but he didn’t respond. I tapped the top of his head, once. Twice.

Viper’s face rolled upward, and he sucked in a wet slurp of air.

“That’s it, buddy. Only a few more minutes.” I turned toward the gap where Onyx had vanished. “Onyx!” I whistled.

She barked in reply and sounded like she was ten miles away.

Another wave crashed over Viper and Blades faces.

“Rescue is nearly here,” I yelled down to the men. “Hold on.”

Onyx barked sharply, her paws skittering on the wreckage as she shot back through the gap and ran straight to me. She nuzzled against my face, her tongue swiping at my cheek.

“We’re in here!” I called out to the rescue team still out of sight, my voice raw and desperate as I waved my flashlight beam into the gap.

A beautiful, familiar face appeared that was so unexpected that I thought I was hallucinating.

“Maya?” I gasped. “I thought you were in the hospital.”

“Got out two hours ago.” Her tone was brisk and commanding as she scrambled to me. “Lucky I did. I’m the smallest one to crawl through that mess.”

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