Instead, he’s sacrificing himself to give Kai and I a chance.
I sprint harder, ensuring his sacrifice isn’t in vain.
I reach the end just as Kai jumps. I jump with her, our hands reaching out as we fall into the water. I feel the blow of the bomb, but it’s not as strong as it should be. Beckett got to it in time. The only reason Kai and I are both alive is because of him.
The water welcomes us in, and I know we are safe. I should be relieved we survived it. Instead, my heart throbs for the loss of family. When we surface, we will have to face that loss. Kai lost a father, who in the end, proved that he loved his daughter in the worst possible way and paid the ultimate price to protect her.
I lost a brother, my only chance at family left to show that the blood that runs through the Black family’s veins isn’t evil, but good. I thought Beckett was one of the bad ones. I thought he was as broken as my half-brothers, but he proved to be a knight willing to give his own life so Kai and I could have a chance at a normal life.
The loss is going to hurt. My heart is already bleeding for his sacrifice. I didn’t even know his first name. I didn’t get to tell him he was my brother, even if on some level, he had suspected it himself. Now he’s gone, and I can never repay his sacrifice.
Kai’s hand finds me in the water, and we both start kicking for the surface. All I can do now is to continue to protect the woman he gave everything for.
18
Kai
We crack the surface of the water. And take a deep breath together. We are alive. I don’t fucking know how. Each detonation brought us all one step closer to death, but somehow, we made it to the water.
I know we aren’t completely safe. Felix could have men in the water ready to chase after us. But from those explosions, I don’t think Felix figured any of us would survive.
Enzo immediately grabs me in his arms as we both tread water. His hands run over what he can of my body, checking for injuries. But I don’t feel hurt; I doubt I even have a scratch on me.
“You okay?” he asks, his voice breaking.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
He puts his hands over my stomach. “The babies?”
They both kick, answering for me.
He exhales some of the pain etched on his face. But it doesn’t all dissipate.
“We need to get to the yacht,” he says.
I nod, knowing it’s going to be difficult for me to swim that far this pregnant and exhausted.
Enzo looks torn as he notices parts of the dock floating behind us. He knows I’ll need some help swimming, but he doesn’t want to leave me a single second.
“Go,” I say.
He wants to argue, but he really doesn’t have a choice. He nods, then dives under the water so he can swim as fast as possible toward a piece of the dock I can hold onto while we swim to the yacht.
I take a deep breath looking for signs of Beckett or my father, but I see none. Did the blast send them farther into the ocean? Are they staying afloat somewhere in the wreckage behind me?
I spot Enzo swimming back with what looks like a buoy.
“Here, hold onto this, and I’ll pull you,” he says, pushing the buoy out in front of me.
I grab onto it with my arms, realizing how exhausted I am for the first time as I get some relief.
Enzo starts swimming, and I know he won’t wait for my father or Beckett to catch up.
“Did you see any sign of Beckett or my father?” I ask.
Enzo is silent; he just starts swimming. Did he not hear me?
“Enzo?” I ask, after he swims for a minute without talking to me.