Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked

you talk to him? Draw him closer?”
    She nodded, the movement jerky, and wet her lips. “Earl Harte? What the hell are you doing?”
    “Don’t antagonize him,” Garrett growled.
    “That’s how my mom always talked to him,” she whispered.
    “Kyra? You bitch. What’d I tell you would happen if you chose him over me?”
    Sonya shrugged her shoulders. He motioned for her to say something else to Earl, but she was at a loss.
    “Y-you said I had another chance,” Sonya replied. “Tell me what you want me to do.”
    Garrett squeezed her hand in approval. “Good, keep him talking. Hopefully it’ll buy us time until the Calypso arrives.”
    If it kept her out of the water, she’d recite the constitution. Cranky hadn’t responded to the last question she’d asked, which had her worrying her bottom lip again. She was going to chew through it at this rate.
    “Earl, tell me what you want me to do?”
    “Why, Kyra?” His words slurred. “Why did ya have to do it?”
    “Do what?”
    “Make me hurt you,” he whined.
    Hell, this was like déjà vu. This could be Aidan talking to her.
    “You haven’t hurt me, Earl.” Not yet. “And you don’t have to. Just tell me what you want me to do?”
    “I want you to die, Kyra. And this time, I want you stayin’ dead.”
    A chill sank into her bones. Garrett’s hold on her tightened. He rose up again to look over the rail and this time aimed and fired off a shot. A cackling laugh followed, and then a homemade pipe bomb, fuse lit and smoking, whistled into the air, landing a few feet from them.
    “ Shit! ” Garrett grabbed her. Before she could utter a protest, she went flying overboard into the black water as the bomb exploded aboard her boat.

C HAPTER T HIRTY- S IX
    Icy needles pierced Sonya’s skin as the ocean reached up and eagerly swallowed her. Down, down, down into the depths of hell, invisible talons dragged her to a waiting watery grave. She kicked and lashed. Everything inside her screamed. Water blinded her eyes. Filled her mouth and nose. Smothered, strangled, and squeezed the life out of her.
    She broke the surface and choked in large breaths of air. Coughing up the bitter taste of saltwater, she blinked as it stung like acid in her eyes. She thrashed. The deep wrapped around her ankles and pulled at her feet. Water splashed, toying with her as she panicked. Then the killing clutches towed her under again.
    There was a score to settle, Sonya knew. Finally understood. She’d cheated this unforgiving ocean before, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to again. Her number was being called, and damn it, there was no way she’d avoid answering this time.
    Pain exploded in her chest, and her lungs flamed with the need for air.
    This was it. Everything she’d feared since she was fifteen. She’d known she’d die this was—the way she’d been meant to all those years ago. She hadn’t been destined to live through the Mystic’s sinking.
    Suddenly everything went still and through the murky water, Sonya saw her twin. Floating like an angel, peaceful, beautiful, but sporting that ornery look she always got on her face whenever Sonya did something Sasha didn’t like. Sonya reached a hand out for her, but Sasha shook her head, and she swore Sasha mouthed the word “fight.” Then she was alone in the freezing darkness. The pressure in her chest returned, burning for breath, the pain worse than anything she’d ever experienced. She struggled, kicked her legs, her arms striking up, angling down, as the motion of swimming returned to her like retained muscle memory.
    Her head emerged into the night air and she gasped for breath. Her heart thumped like a drum solo, her breathing choppy as she attempted to gulp in as much air as her body could possible hold. She treaded water and took in her surroundings, while panic still shivered through her. Any minute now the water would reach for her again.
    The Double Dippin’ smoked but wasn’t aflame…and a crazed man’s voice cackled over the serene darkness of the night.
    Garrett .
    Where was Garrett? Sonya whipped around, her eyes straining the blackness to find him. He wouldn’t have left her. He knew how scared of the water she was—
    A body floated face down a few feet from her.
    A prayer—a tortured sob—escaped as she swam toward him. Grabbing his arm, she turned him in the water, until his face floated up. Then he sank like an anchor taking her down with him.
    Damned if she’d let this ocean