Page 142 of Kai
Crack.
My skull collided with the merc’s face. Bones crunched, and a warm splatter ran down my back. I saw stars, but I didn’t have time to deal with the pain that shot through me. In unison, Kai lunged from across the deck. Even with his face mangled,Levine recovered his balance. He clung to me, lifted his gun, and shot.
Kai staggered. My heart plunged, but the brave Marine kept coming. Levine adjusted his aim, targeting Kai’s head instead. There was only one way out of this.
Clawing my fingers, I jabbed them through his underwear and grabbed a fistful of the merc’s balls and dick. I squeezed and twisted with all I had. The brute screeched so loudly my ears rang. He didn’t let go of me or lower his gun, but for a millisecond his grip around my waist faltered.
I planted my feet on the deck and bent my knees. Then I pushed backward with all I had. Levine’s ass skimmed the gunwales, but this time around, he had no way of regaining his balance. He went over, taking me with him. At the last moment, he twisted in midair and had to make a choice.
It was the gun or me.
He chose the gun and let go of me.
I fell.
The seconds lengthened to show me the details of my death. I caught a glimpse of the clouds above, rushing past as I dropped; of the merc, catching the edge of a porthole and then dangling from one arm like a bloody bag of shit. I drew a big gulp of air, my last breath on this earth.
My back hit the water. I might as well have hit a concrete slab. My bones rattled, and some of the air swooshed out of me. I locked my lips and held my breath. The ocean embraced me on all sides. My bound arms prevented me from fighting the lethal gravity pulling me down. Down, down, I went, into the ocean’s endless void. Entwined in the sea’s relentless arms, I sank into the dark water.
Chapter Forty-six
Kai
“Cece!” I cried out as she went overboard along with the merc.
Ignoring the pain of the wound that had grazed my shoulder, I ran to the railing and scoured the ocean for signs of her. Nothing. Fuck Levine. Damn the fickle ocean. Curse the sea gods who’d betrayed me once more.
“Not again,” I implored, squinting into the dark waters. “Not Cece. Please, not her.”
That’s when the asshole rocketed up, and clinging to the railing, took another shot at me.
I leaped out of the way just in time. The round whistled past me, not an inch from my nose, but the fucker wasn’t done. He raised a beefy hand, grabbed a line, and pulled himself up higher, shooting some more. I rolled away from his line of fire and came to a crouch behind the outdoor kitchen.
Fucking asshole.Was he even human? Nine lives weren’t enough for this animal. I didn’t have the time to deal with the beast. Cece was in the water. With her hands tied. Terrified. Drowning.
Like Malia.
The water was where I needed to be.
I peeked out of the corner.
“You killed her,” Levine roared, balancing on the other side of the railing, blinking the blood off his broken face, and lifting his gun yet again, looking for me. “You stole her from me!”
As psychos came, Levine topped the charts, but I didn’t have time for his shit. My muscles coiled to pounce. No mercy. Cece wasn’t the only who had her martial arts down. Krav Magawas as lethal.
As Levine climbed over the railing, I bolted out in front of him. Surprising him with a burst of speed, I landed on my guard, stepped forward, and lifted my rear leg. Bending my knee, I chambered my leg and snapped it forward with all the violence my body could unleash. The top of my foot hit the brute’s right hand.Crack.His bones crunched.
The gun flew. Pivoting on my foot, I whirled, chambered my leg again, and giving the fucker no quarter and no time to attack, delivered another powerful roundhouse kick, this time to his head.
The man staggered, pitched forward, and dropped. A quick check showed me that the beast was still breathing. Too bad, and yet every second that passed counted. Every moment brought me anguish, knowing I might never see Cece again.
I also knew what she’d want me to do, how she’d want me to honor her efforts. I raced to the cabin, grabbed the syringe, and after returning to the downed motherfucker, stabbed him in the neck and pushed the plunger all the way. Pressed for time, I threw open the spare anchor hatch, tossed him inside, then shut the hatch, secured the lock, and jammed the handle for good measure.
“Cece!” I shouted as loud as I could as I raced into the cabin, pushed a button, and dropped the anchor. “Cece, over here!” I yelled while I turned all the boat’s lights on. If Cece could see the catamaran, I had a chance to find her.
I kept shouting her name as I donned my gear and pulled out my whistle from the front pocket. Racing death, I got on my surfboard, grabbed the oar, and began paddling. All the while, I blew the whistle in my mouth.
The memories of another search in a different life clouded my head and brought a sob to my throat, but I swallowed it.The ocean gives, and the ocean takes, I’d told Cece.It’s the rule ofthe sea.I willed the Pacific to be in a giving mood tonight. I’d barely survived Malia and Leilani’s deaths. If Cece died, I was done.
