Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“Oh, God. What happened?”
Theo shook his head. “Hard to really say. It was all so fast. He fired a few shots, but Wayland wrangled the gun free.” Theo covered his bandaged arm. “I got a little graze, but nothing serious. Wayland knocked Ace over the head with one of the vases on deck, and when Ivy saw us, she fled — along with a duffle bag full of cash. We think she took the jet ski, but we couldn’t be sure because we knew we had to find you and get you off the boat.”
“So she’s gone? She never got caught?”
“She did, by the Greek police. Wayland called them as soon as we saw the smoke coming from the boat. By the time we were down getting you, they had already pulled up, along with the firefighters.”
I shook my head, trying to take it all in. “And Joel?”
Theo’s jaw ticked. “I walked in on him standing over you with the gun pointed at your head, and I swear, Aspen, I just… I blacked out. All I could think about was getting you to safety.” He swallowed. “I’m ashamed to say I beat him to a bloody pulp first, though.”
Theo really did look ashamed of himself, and I squeezed his hand to encourage him to continue.
“I lunged so fast he didn’t see me coming, he was too focused on you. The gun went flying out of his hand and I had him pinned and I just… lost it. Wayland had to tear me off him, and then he threw Joel on his shoulder like a bag of potatoes while I carried you up the stairs.” He scoffed then. “Part of me wanted to tell Wayland to just leave Joel to burn.”
I shook my head. “You did the right thing.”
Theo shrugged. “I don’t know. Regardless, by that time, the police were already on board. They took Ace and Joel to shore while another boat searched for Ivy, and Wayland and I took you and Chuck in the tender.” He smiled a little then. “There was an ambulance waiting for us at the dock. And then…” He gestured to our surroundings. “I’m sure you can infer the rest.”
I leaned back into the pillows. “Jesus… what a nightmare.”
Theo nodded, sighing again as he leaned in to kiss me. “The worst one of my life.”
We pressed our foreheads together, resting for a while before my eyes shot open again. “Emma? The rest of the crew?”
“They’re fine. No one was harmed.”
“And what happened to Joel and Ace and Ivy?”
At that, Theo shrugged. “Not sure. They’re in custody now, I’m sure we’ll have an update sooner or later. But for now, just know they’re somewhere where they can’t hurt you. Or anyone else.”
My heart heaved a relieved sigh at that. “I just can’t believe this all happened.” Suddenly, my stomach bottomed out again. “Oh God, Theo. Your boat! Philautia!”
“It’s okay,” Theo said on a chuckle. “The fire spread pretty quickly, and with all the commotion on board, it was first priority to vacate it before anything else.” He shrugged. “She suffered too much damage to salvage.”
“No!”
He laughed again. “It’s okay, Aspen. It’s just a boat.”
I scoffed. “I don’t think anyone else on this planet would agree with you that it was just a boat.”
“What I mean is, it’s not important. It’s material, something that can be replaced. You, on the other hand,” he said, his brows bending together as he pulled my knuckles to his lips again. He kissed them softly. “Are not.”
I tried to smile, but my stomach was still so tied up in knots I barely managed it.
Theo swallowed. “I thought I lost you.”
My face twisted with emotion, and I pulled him into me, awkward as it was over the bars of the hospital bed, until his lips met mine. I held that kiss for as long as he’d let me, and then Theo pulled back, taking my hand in his again and watching me with tears in his eyes.
We stayed like that for a long while, Theo holding my hand in his and kissing my skin with soft, featherlight touches as his eyes flicked between mine. The more we were silent, the more at ease I felt. I savored every warm touch of Theo’s hand, thankfulness filling me like helium in a balloon.
We were alive.
We were okay.
Nothing else mattered. Not right now.
I let my eyes close, let the relief flood me like the warm water of a bath after a long day. Theo kept his hold on my hand, and then I felt his fingertips brush against my face, and I leaned into his palm with a smile.
“Aspen?”
“Hmm?”
“Marry me.”
I nearly choked on my own spit as I sat up, eyes flying open again. I stared at Theo like he’d just confessed an addiction to watching foot fetish porn, and it only made him grin.