Chapter 18

Chapter

Eighteen

Miles waited impatiently until finally it was five-forty and he could drive to the nearby Vietnamese place he'd found good reviews for on Google. The food was ready. He paid and was on his way to Eva's.

He pulled up front and hurried to her door, carrying the food. He rapped on the door and waited and waited. His gut churned. Was she going to ignore him? Was she even home? Had they made any progress, or was he dealing with more setbacks in her trusting him and his loyalty to her?

Loud footsteps pounded toward him from the street. Turning, he saw two of Aiden's guys running his direction.

"Lieutenant Miles," one of them shouted. "Lake Eastwood is rushing Eva away from her back patio."

Lake Eastwood? What? Why?

Miles didn't waste time asking questions. He dropped the food, rushed around the side of the house, vaulted over the fence, and ran to the back patio. One glance around confirmed she wasn't there. He hurried down the sand, looking around. The two guards were only a few steps behind him, guns drawn.

There! Lake was shoving Eva onto a WaveRunner. She was fighting him, but he gunned up and over a wave.

"Stop!" Miles roared.

"I don't dare shoot," he heard one of the guards yell. They were a moving target and with Eva trying to fight, she could easily get in the way of the shot.

"Get help," Miles hollered. "Coast Guard and police."

He kicked off his shoes, flung his shirt over his head, and hit the water at a run. He pushed through with high steps until he could dive under the first wave. Then he was in his element, swimming powerful strokes out through the ocean. But even he couldn't catch a WaveRunner gunning away from him.

He swam with every ounce of strength, determination, and skill he possessed. He could hear the WaveRunner moving farther away from him, out into the deeper ocean waves. Where was Lake taking her? Was her ex-boyfriend somehow involved in the last forty-eight hours and the hits on the dark web?

If they were meeting up with a boat, Eva's chances of survival or rescue were dwindling.

Miles had always believed he could triumph and protect. Eva was the most important protection detail he'd ever had, and he was failing her.

He swam harder, faster, but his arms were fatiguing. The WaveRunner was pulling farther away. No!

Please, Father above, please help Eva. I can't get to her. Please save her.

Despair filled him. Bitterness coated his throat. A wave broke over his head as he was turning for a breath. His mouth and lungs filled with salt water instead of oxygen. He sputtered. He'd never made a mistake like that in the ocean. Not normally.

Please. I need help. More importantly, Eva needs help.

Miles had been labeled a ‘humble hero' many times, but he'd never been truly humble like this. He coughed and coughed. He didn't care if he drank the ocean. A Navy SEAL drowning was actually kind of comical.

He would be fine. The ocean wouldn't consume him. But Eva … she was in desperate danger. All he cared about was her safety.

The high whine of the motor disappeared. Miles popped to the surface, focusing on the Waverunner as he caught a breath and expelled salt water.

Nobody was on the machine. It was turning in a circle, a safety feature that happened when the rider fell off with the safety key attached to their wrist. He searched nearby and could see Eva's dark hair as she swam desperately his direction.

A boat was approaching from the south. It was pale blue, a brand-new cabin cruiser. Definitely not the Coast Guard's distinctive white with a red stripe down the bow.

"Miles," Eva cried out.

Lake's dark blond head was behind her. The sun framed them from the west, but Miles swore he could see fury in Lake's blue eyes.

"Eva!" Miles hollered, plowing through the water. He didn't feel fatigue. The water strengthened and buoyed him as he sliced through it toward Eva.

"Mi—" Eva's call was closer but ended in a garbled scream.

Miles looked up to see Lake shoving Eva under the water, his face distorted in an ugly glower .

"No!" Miles stroked through the water, praying Lake didn't drown Eva before he could reach them.

Lake saw him coming too late. Miles barreled into the man with his shoulder, knocking him away.

"Hey!"

Miles used his legs to propel his body up above the waves, rising above the water like a vengeful Poseidon, giving him the angle to slam his fist into Lake's nose. Blood spurted. The man cursed and finally released Eva. She popped up, her arms and legs churning as she gasped and sputtered and coughed.

The WaveRunner was close by, bobbing in the waves.

Miles grasped Eva around the waist, tugged her to the machine, and hefted her up. "Grab the handles."

She did, propelling herself up. "Miles!"

Lake lunged at him from behind, wrapping his elbow around his neck and choking him. The hold wasn't tight enough, allowing Miles enough slack to twist and slam his elbow back into the man's chin. Lake cursed but didn't let go.

The boat was bearing down on them. Miles could see a crew that definitely wasn't here to help him and Eva.

"Go," he gritted out to Eva, pointing toward the shore where her bodyguards would be waiting.

"No," she cried out, thankfully staying on the machine as she continued to cough out the water from her near-drowning.

She wouldn't leave without him. Shoot. She needed to. Miles could duck under the water and swim back to shore before the boat knew where he'd disappeared to, but Eva's safety was all that mattered.

He ducked down into the water, taking Lake with him. The man's grip slackened, and Miles shoved his arms off. He pivoted and rotated Lake around in front of him, then grabbed Lake's arm. As he surfaced, he kept Lake's face underwater and yanked on his arm until he heard a pop.

Lake's garbled scream assured him the man's shoulder had come clear of the socket. With a dislocated shoulder, he wouldn't be choking Miles anytime soon, drowning Eva, or following them.

"Miles," Eva cried out, reaching for him.

"Scoot up on the machine," he urged.

Lake surfaced, whining and cursing them.

The pale blue boat was a hundred feet away, slowing to approach them.

Miles dodged behind the WaveRunner, grabbed the sides, and pulled himself up. It rocked dangerously. If they went in, they'd be in trouble.

He heard more motors approaching from the northeast. That didn't make sense. He glanced over and saw two WaveRunners angling their direction from the beach. Miles had no idea whose side they were on. He couldn't make out their faces yet.

"Mr. Eastwood?" a man called from the boat.

"Shoot them!" Lake screamed. "Kill them!"

Miles pressed the button to start the WaveRunner. They needed distance and they needed it now.

The machine didn't start.

Lake held up the bracelet with the key that disengaged the motor when the rider fell off, grinning viciously as the blood from his nose mixed with the water.

"Kill them!" he screamed.

Men appeared at the railing of the boat, aiming assault rifles down at them. Miles grabbed Eva and yanked her off the machine, falling to the side that would give them some cover and concealment .

Shots rang out. He tugged Eva under the water, praying she'd be okay after almost drowning half a minute ago. Her eyes were wide and terrified.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and angled them in the water away from the boat. He feared they wouldn't get enough distance before Eva needed to surface. Unfortunately, it wasn't dark enough outside to hide.

The WaveRunners from shore were suddenly in his vision.

Eva tugged at his arm. He had to let her surface and get some oxygen. He cradled her in his arms to shield her. If anybody was getting shot, it was him. He eased them up out of the water and encouraged, "Take a breath quick."

She gasped for air.

He heard more shots and instinctively safeguarded her. Men were yelling. The boat motor roared to life. He hoped Eva had gotten enough air as he prepared to take her under and attempt an escape. He needed the Coast Guard to show up. Soon.

"Lieutenant Coleville," a man yelled.

He looked toward the voice and blinked in surprise. Aiden's guards. Josh and Tyler. On WaveRunners, taking shots at the retreating boat.

Kicking to keep himself and Eva up, a wave slapped him in the face. He didn't care. He spit and stared.

The pale blue boat was speeding away to the south.

"You all right?" Josh called. "Eva?"

"We're both okay." Miles looked down at her. She coughed and looked half-drowned, but she was breathing and she was in his arms. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, clinging to his wet shirt. "Miles. Oh, thank you."

The whine of a WaveRunner surprised him. He looked up to see Lake pressing on the accelerator awkwardly with his left hand, his right arm hanging uselessly.

A shot rang out. Lake screeched as blood spurted from his left hand. He fell off the WaveRunner again.

Miles whipped around to see Tyler grinning.

"Nice shot," he said.

Josh eased his WaveRunner over and Miles helped lift Eva out of the water and up behind the security guard.

Another boat raced in their direction. Miles tensed, squinting. White with a red stripe. Oh, please.

"U.S. Coast Guard," came through a bullhorn.

"Finally," Tyler muttered, coming over toward Miles with his WaveRunner.

Miles climbed on. He'd never been so relieved to be out of the water. He looked over at Eva, who was leaning her head against Josh's back, still pulling in deep breaths of air, her hair hanging around her face. Her dark eyes focused on him, and she smiled.

Miles could hear Lake not far away, still cursing and now moaning in pain. The Coast Guard would take some time to sort this out, and he was afraid Lake's associates in the boat were long gone. But Eva was safe.

Thank you , he breathed. His prayers had been answered.