Page 47 of Kai
“Yes!” Relief gushed through me. “I’ll ride the surfboard.” To the moon and back, if it meant sticking with him. “I won’t even cuss you out loud.”
A warning flashed in his gaze. “It could get hairy out there, dangerous.”
“I don’t mind hairy.” I could handle it. “And I’m from Wyoming, so I can hike.”
He furrowed his brow. “This could also entail a lot of hurry up and wait.”
“I can hurry up and wait with you.” I rushed to the sliders. “Give me a sec.”
As soon as I got to my berth, I stripped and donned my quick-dry leggings, a dark rash guard, socks, and sneakers. If there was a steep hike involved, I would be ready for it. On my way out, I swiped a baseball cap to ward off the sun. By the time I got back to the deck, Kai had his gear ready and his surfboard in the water.
“Flotation device.” He pointed at the ultralight life jacket on the table, the same one I’d worn before. “Ready?” he asked after I strapped it on.
“Ready,” I assured him, pulling on the yellow tab. “And…”
“And?” He stood at the edge of the deck, facing me.
I swallowed my pride. “Thanks for letting me tag along.”
“Never thank me for hearing you or for trying to understand how you feel,” he said. “It’s the least you deserve.”
His words eased the pressure in my chest. His insightmade me feel seen, accepted as I was, fears and all. The verdict was out. Kai was not an asshole. He was the opposite of that, and since he’d already proved he wasn’t an idiot, a gold digger, or an asshole, this meant he was impossible to categorize. Unless I made up a new category: none of the above.
He was unlike anyone I’d ever met before, and yes, we had a connection. I didn’t understand it, but I liked it. For the first time ever, I wanted to connect with someone outside my family. With Kai.
He turned and faced the water. The muscles of his calves and thighs flexed as he bent his knees and jumped. He dove into the sea in perfect form, arms outstretched, fingers and toes pointed. His body pierced through the surface with barely a splash. Gliding beneath the water, he turned around and emerged next to the surfboard. He brought it to the edge of the steps. After fastening his weapon to his back, he steadied the board with one arm and tapped the surface.
I took a deep breath, donned the baseball cap, and after marching down the steps, went on all fours and transferred to the board. Resting on my shins, I nodded to Kai.
He hooked the buoy and his ruck to the back of the surfboard, then fastened the board’s leash to a small harness attached to his shoulders. Turning on his belly, he kicked his legs, swung his arms, and dipped his hands in the water, propelling himself across the cove, towing his load—including me.
He swam hard and fast, and the surfboard followed a few feet behind him, slicing through the water, drawing small ripples in its wake. He closed the distance to the beach at incredible speed. His strokes were perfect. Why couldn’t I swim like him? Why couldn’t Ibelike him—kind, insightful, and chill?
As we approached the shore, I replayed the conversation we’d just had in my mind. I was ready to face off againstwhatever danger awaited us. The mercs frightened me, but the question echoing in my head terrified me even more.“What if we’re meant to be together?”
Chapter Sixteen
Cece
After a steep ascent that robbed me of breath, we arrived at a rocky ridge on the summit of the tallest cliff. Piles of stones crowned the ridge. I plopped down on a patch of red dirt and leaned my back against a rock, gasping for air, willing my thighs not to cramp. We’d tackled a thousand-foot ascent over narrow trails and steep slopes, and yet not even my fear of the mercs could prevent me from taking in the spectacular views that surrounded me.
Looking down to the west, the cove that cradled the catamaran sparkled like a fossil caught in a polished azurite oval. The boat was currently cloaked. The new technology was incredible. You couldn’t detectSerenityat all. I just hoped the shield would hold.
The view to the east was wilder. Sheer cliffs plunged directly into the raucous surf. An icy shiver ran the length of my spine when I looked down at the massive waves pummeling the towering cliffs. I really hoped I would never have to face such a vicious assault.
The blasts of the waves echoed all the way to where I sat, punctuated with explosions of water spray and fracturing foam that looked like tiny white bursts below. The wind blew steadily up here. At times, it buffeted my face and forced me to hold on to my cap.
Showing zero signs of fatigue, Kai lay on his belly next to me, scouring the horizon with his binoculars, his body concealed between boulders. His carbine lay by his side, ready for action. He lowered the glasses and checked his Tak, tracking thesuspicious boat.
“Anything?” I asked, lifting my hat and wiping the sweat off my forehead.
“Nothing yet.” He studied the screen. “They’ve made several stops along the way.”
“Maybe they’ll veer off.” I fanned my face with the baseball cap.
“That would be nice.” His tone told me he wasn’t counting on it.
“Since we’re waiting…” I lost my courage and let my words trail off.
