I can’t do it.
“I’ll do anything—anything at all if it will get me out of hurling myself off a bridge,” I whisper. My cheeks heat as his eyes sparkle and an inquisitive grin spreads across his mouth.
“You should watch the way you word things, Erin. Someone might take that kind of statement the wrong way.”
“Or maybe the right way,” I joke—or half joke, because let’s face it, at least half of me is serious. He raises his eyebrows and I hold his gaze.
“As tempting as that is, and trust me, it’s very tempting…” He motions me to come closer. “You’re doing this, either strapped against me, or not.”
“Are you threatening to hurl me off without a harness?” I grumble. “Why are you doing this? You don’t even care that I’m sick, do you?” I accuse. I let him wrap his arms around my waist as the instructor gets to work locking me in place. I breathe in sharply when Cade’s fingers graze past the bare skin of my back.
“I’m not letting you hide behind your illness,” he murmurs, his eyes piercing mine.
“You’re going to pay for this. You know that right? The things I’m going to make you do.” I shake my head and smile. “Payback is a bitch.”
He laughs, throwing his head back. “Whatever you do to me, it'll be worth it.”
I grin, wetting my lips as I narrow my eyes at him. “If you try to run, I’ve got six little friends and they can all run faster than you can.”
He lets out a low chuckle, a look of admiration in his eyes. “Ah, one of my favourites. From Dusk till Dawn.”
“Believe it or not, me too.” I take hold of his hand, close my eyes, and we jump.
There is something to be said about jumping off a bridge and into nothingness.
The thoughts that scramble through your head, the way your body kicks into fight mode, the rush that pulsates through every part of your body. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. The whole freefall, all I can think about is dying. I’m so scared. I try not to think about it, and then moments like this happen where all I can do is drive over and over it in my head.
Is this what it will be like when the time comes? Will my body keep fighting even when there is nothing left to fight for?
We hit the water, the rope stretching to its limit before flying us back into the air. I scream, my heart pounding as I hold Cade against me and we are thrown into the water again. Underwater, all I can hear is the pounding of my heart as I clutch onto Cade’s wet body. After what feels like a lifetime, we hang still, twirling in tiny circles just above the waterline.
I feel more alive than I ever have. My blood pulsates through my veins as my mind tries to process what the hell just happened. Every emotion possible is racing through me. Cade laughs hysterically.
“That was fucking amazing!”
We’re lynched back up to the safety of the bridge and our harnesses are removed. I’m shaking and my poor head is thumping, but I’m so glad I did it.
“Are you okay?” Cade asks, slotting his arm around my shoulder.
I nuzzle against him, enjoying his warmth. Being this close to him feels right. It’s funny that I can feel so relaxed around someone I’ve known for such a short time. I guess it proves that time really doesn’t matter. Both the short time I’ve known Cade and the short time I have are irrelevant. I smile, a shiver racing up my spine as he glides his fingers down my back.
“I’m fine. Just thinking.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have forced you into doing that.”
“It’s okay. It’s not that.” I hesitate. How do I explain what I’m feeling without making him feel worse? “It just got me thinking about dying. That moment where everything flashes before your eyes. I just started thinking, is that what it’s going to
be like?”
“I think a lot about dying,” Cade replies.
I look at him is surprise. “You do?”
“Yeah. I think everyone does. It’s the fear of the unknown, not knowing what happens to us afterwards that ignites some serious anxiety for me.” He glances at me. “Do you believe in God?”
I think about it for a second. “I’m not sure. I believe in something. I just don’t know what that is.”
We walk down the streets of Venice, between the canals, towards our hotel. The breeze is cold against my wet hair. I shiver, and twist it away from my neck.