When Joss took a step forward, she pushed herself into the gap in the rail. The silent threat worked. He froze.
Three more seconds, and she’d have to let go or it would be too late. It was much harder than she’d thought to let go of Joss. When a gust of wind rocked her body, she almost lost her footing.
“Cle!” Joss raised his arms, but stopped when she inched back with one heel hanging over the edge.
The panic she saw on his face stirred feelings in her chest. The misery of never seeing Joss again was unbearable. As despair ripped through her heart, a rush of heat raced through her body. She’d never felt anything like it. While Joss, Cain, and Maya bore witness, a ball of fire erupted at her feet. She reeled.
What was happening?
No!
Her gaze snapped to Joss’s. His expression mirrored her shock. She couldn’t stand the look of betrayal in his eyes as comprehension set in.
She was the prey.
She wasn’t staying to witness his judgment.
“I’m sorry,” she mouthed.
Letting go, she plunged to freedom.
Chapter 20
Joss shuddered at the image of Clelia in front of the open gate in the rail. Her body was small against the backdrop of the menacing sea. The water was deep and black, a vastness of weight that could bury a person and keep her forever like a secret.
Christ. Move away from the rail.
The wind whipped her hair around her face. It was too far and noisy to speak, not that he was able to utter a word, so he pleaded with his gaze. Her beautiful, dark eyes filled with compassion. The fear mounted, squeezing his chest so hard he couldn’t breathe. He preferred anger or hatred. Anger or hatred was alive, unresolved and therefore continuous, but compassion was the result of closure, and closure meant letting go.
Compassion was the end.
Carefully, he extended his hand in a silent invitation because she wasn’t within grabbing reach. She gave another step back, wedging herself into the opening of the gate. His gut twisted. She gave him the smile he knew she was going to. It was a sweet smile that held no blame. No. He didn’t want to see it. Blame would’ve been good. Blame kept one going. Not to blame was the end of the road.
She lifted her foot and poised it over the edge. His insides churned like the turbulent water below her. He took a step forward, shaking his head, but the compassion in her wide eyes turned into an apology when she put down her foot in an unmistakable threat. He didn’t have a choice but to stop. Her body rocked in the strong wind.
“Cle!” He lifted both hands, willing her to come to the safety of his arms.
Out of nowhere, flames erupted, dancing on the deck at her feet. The shock froze him. The truth teased him even as denial set in. It couldn’t be. He’d tasted her blood.
The full impact hit him just as she mouthed, “I’m sorry,” and then she stepped over the edge.
No!
He jumped forward, clawing at the air, but she was already beyond his grip. For a split-second, her fragile body was a four-pointed star in the wind. She connected with the water, bouncing once before a dark mouth with white foam swallowed her whole in front of his eyes.
The weight of the entire ocean bore down on him. Dropping to his knees, he uttered a cry that would rip the wings clean off an angel.
Maya rushed down the steps. “What the hell?”
A baffled looking Lann peered over the bridge. Bono came running.
Joss jumped back to his feet. “Stop the boat,” he yelled. “Cut the engine.”
Lann disappeared to execute the command.
Catching the look that passed between Maya and Cain, Joss shook his head. “No. I won’t accept it. Bono, get the fucking lifebuoy.”
Bono glanced at Maya, who nodded. The boat came to a slow halt. Joss ran up the steps to the bridge for a better view. The water was quiet except for the swell caused by the boat. Fuck. He couldn’t breathe.
He went back down, pulling off his shoes in the run. “Maya, I need you. Clear a fucking path like Moses if you have to.”
Maya looked at Cain, who shook his head. She walked to Joss and laid a hand on his arm. “It won’t help.”
“Don’t fucking tell me no.”
She gave him a pitiful look. “I’m sorry.”
I’m sorry, the most dreadful words in the universe.
He turned his back on his team members.
Sorry wasn’t going to cut it.
Not now. Not ever.
He didn’t fucking think so.
Chapter 21
Near Île aux Moines, the reef parted around a narrow sand bed that ran to the beach. Clelia had dived for oysters off the coast of the island enough times with Erwan to know where the rocks gave way to sand. She knew the momentum would carry her to the back of the boat past the engines. Normally, she’d be pulled down and under the blades, chopped to pulp, but she also knew where the currents crossed.
This part of the Gulf was the most dangerous. Slipstreams of ten knots crisscrossed the bay. She jumped where the current was the strongest so that it carried her away from the yacht. There, the rocky bottom dropped to an underwater cave. Free diving had developed her lung capacity. She could easily hold her breath until the yacht was well past. She held onto the rock by the cave entrance until the slipstream caused by the boat weakened enough for her to swim back up.
When she broke the surface, she dragged much needed air into her lungs. The noise of the engine was quiet. They would’ve cut the engine to look for her. She searched the water until she spotted the yacht in the distance. The engine started up again and then the yacht turned back, but she was already through the reef and
