it already.”
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you a choice.”
I eyed him carefully. Michael’s deals always came with a steep price. I’d learned that the hard way too many times to count. “What?”
“Try to stab me, and I won’t kill you.”
I blinked back at him. “W-w-what?”
He held his arm with the gun out to the side. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to hurt you. Just to remind you I can. But I won’t kill you. All you have to do is shed a little of my blood. A few drops, and you’ll be free.”
I opened my mouth to speak and then closed it again. None of this made any sense…Until suddenly, it did. And it broke a little something inside me. My brother wanted, more than anything, to turn me into the monster that he was. Maybe it was so he wouldn’t be alone any longer. Perhaps it was because he knew that would hurt me the most, and pain had always been his drug of choice.
I looked into Michael’s eyes. I could still see a glimmer of the little boy who’d loved Matchbox cars and ice cream sundaes. The little boy my parents would’ve given anything to save. “No.”
“I’m sorry. Did you just say ‘no?’ That you’d rather have death?” He was completely incredulous.
“I’d rather choose life. Even if that life is shorter than I hoped.” Without another word, I jumped. I pushed off the cliff as hard as I could. Hoping and praying I would clear the rocks and land in the water. But even if I didn’t, I would die as my own woman. The one who played violin and sat for paintings. The one who fed chickens and learned how to grow a garden. The one with friends and a man who loved her with his whole heart.
And as I fell, I could’ve sworn I heard Brody yell my name.
51
Brody
My muscles seized, but I kept running as I yelled Shay’s name. I was too late. Just a few minutes earlier, and I would’ve made it. Would’ve been able to save her.
I barely noticed Griffin taking Shay’s attacker to the ground. I only had eyes for the cliff. I skidded to a stop at the edge, searching the water below. I couldn’t see a damn thing. The only thing I knew was that she wasn’t on the jagged rocks. She had to have made it to the water. There was only one thing to do now.
I jogged away from the cliff just as Griffin called, “I got him.” I think I gave a nod and then started running, hoping I would clear those same rocks Shay had. Griffin yelled for me to stop but I didn’t. I hurled myself over the side, arms windmilling as I kept my gaze on the water below.
The force with which I hit pushed all the air from my lungs. Ice-cold seawater surrounded me as I struggled to break the surface. I clawed at the water as I reached for sunlight. My head broke through, and I sucked in air with a desperation I’d never experienced before.
The moment my lungs filled, I began scanning the waters around me, searching for any sign of Shay. Nothing. I was just about to dive under the waves when I caught a glimpse of brown hair against the rocks.
No. I swam as fast as I could, fighting the waves as I went. I sent up a silent prayer as I reached her. “Shay, can you hear me?” I lifted her unconscious head above the water, using my other hand to press two fingers to her neck. There was a faint pulse. But I didn’t feel any breath against my neck where I’d rested her head.
We needed to get to shore. Anywhere I could give her mouth-to-mouth. I locked my arm around her body and begun swimming parallel to the shore so I could round the rocks. With each stroke, I willed Shay to stay with me. I needed her. More than she would ever know.
I reached a break in the jagged rocks and pulled Shay ashore. I quickly tipped her head to the side, letting any water drain out of her nose and mouth. My brain whirled. I’d been a lifeguard one summer in high school, but that was forever ago. I could only hope that the CPR lessons had stayed with me.
I tilted Shay’s head back, opening her airway. I placed my cheek over her mouth, hoping for signs of breath. Nothing. I didn’t