Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Nori
“Who the … What the …” Warren cranes his neck, searching for the source of the voice. When Cash steps out of the shadows, a low curse slips out of Warren. “ You again?”
“Me again,” Cash grits out. His large frame takes shape in the moonlight. I can’t see his eyes, but I feel his gaze on mine, like we’re connected somehow despite the distance between us.
“You sure like to show up on Nori’s dates, don’t you?” Warren shifts his weight, hikes up his trousers.
“I live here, remember?” Cash says. “We’re neighbors.”
“Well, neighbor , Nori and I were just enjoying a nice evening together, so why don’t you try moving along?”
“Not gonna happen.”
As Cash strides toward us, Warren lets out a whimper. “Hey, man.” The words are little more than a whine. “Calm down.”
“Step away from Nori.” Cash’s voice is a guttural command. “Now.”
Warren tries moving backward and trips over the leg of the lounge chair. He cartwheels for a moment, arms flailing, then he grabs me by the elbow. I try to keep my balance, but he’s too heavy. I can’t support his weight.
So we fall together.
I’d like to say this all happens in slow motion, but our plunge is a frantic rush of shouts and cold air. Colder water. There’s no time to breathe. Warren hits the pool first, and I land on top of him.
“I can’t swim,” I shriek, just before he clambers over me, pushing my body below the surface. Panic surges up my throat. I choke, sputter, and kick, clawing at him, but his grip stays firm.
Why is he still holding on to me?
My legs pump, searching for the bottom to push off, but we’re in the deep end of the pool, several feet of water between me and the surface. I’m holding my breath—or my breath is holding me. Either way, I’m out of air in seconds. So why do my lungs feel full to bursting?
This must be what it’s like to suffocate.
My pulse races, but I will myself not to scream and let the water down my throat. Instead, I try to punch Warren to free myself, but the liquid slows the trajectory of my fist. I barely make contact with my stupid date’s chest. This only takes mere moments, although I swear my life’s flashing before my eyes.
My uneventful, loveless, adventure-lacking existence.
And that’s when I feel it.
A surge of water crests off to my left and forceful hands wrench me from Warren’s grasp. Strong arms lift me like my water-logged, completely clothed body weighs nothing.
In an instant, I’m propelled upward and out onto the edge of the pool. As soon as I’m safe, Cash rounds on Warren, who’s still in the deep end, scrambling to escape. Cash grasps him around the upper body, and lugs him into the shallows of the pool .
Away from me.
The brick of the coping is cool and slick as I crawl over to the lounge chair, choking and gasping.
A curtain of hair drapes along my face. My sweater is drenched and sucked onto to top half of my body. The bottom half of me feels vacuum sealed inside my skirt.
When Cash and Warren reach the steps, Cash hauls Warren up the stairs and out of the water—spluttering and shaking.
“Get your hands off me,” Warren squawks.
“Screw you,” Cash growls, still clutching his arm.
“I was just trying to help!” he splutters.
“Date’s over, Warren , ” Cash snaps, dragging him toward the archway. “I’m walking you out now.”
Warren fills the air with garbled protests on the way to the lobby. “Let go of me,” he wheezes.
“Not until you’re gone,” Cash grumbles. “And if I ever see you near Nori again,” he threatens, “you won’t be alive long enough to beg.”