37. Thirty-Seven
THIRTY-SEVEN
WRENLY
W ith final hugs and promises to visit again soon, we made our way out to the car. Thick snowflakes drifted down from the gray winter sky, blanketing the city in a layer of pristine white. As the snow fluttered down around us, Theo draped his arm over my shoulders, pulling me close as we walked. The crisp winter air nipped at my nose, but the warmth of his body and the joy in my heart kept me from feeling the chill.
“That went well, don’t you think?” he asked, his breath visible in the cold.
I nodded. “Better than I could have imagined. I didn’t realize how fondly they thought of my parents. It feels good to know that their death left an impact on others.”
His smile faltered slightly at my words, and he turned to face me. “Your parents’ deaths left an impact on everyone who knew them. They were incredible people, and they loved you and Gage more than anything in this world. Don’t ever doubt that.”
I leaned into his touch, letting his warmth and reassurance wash over me. “I know. It’s hard sometimes, not having them here for moments like these.”
“I understand, baby. But they’re always with you, watching over you. ”
He opened the car door for me, and I slid into the warm leather interior, grateful for the respite from the biting cold. He climbed in beside me, taking my hand as we pulled away from the curb. I leaned against his shoulder as we drove through the snow-covered streets.
We were about ten minutes from home when he slowed down and pulled onto the shoulder of the bridge.
“I almost forgot,” he said. “Do me a favor and reach into my jacket pocket.”
I gave him a curious look but did as he asked. My fingers brushed against a small velvet box, and my heart skipped a beat as I pulled it out.
“What is this?” My voice shook as I asked because I already knew the answer.
He grinned, and his green eyes sparkled. “Open it and find out.”
With trembling fingers, I cracked open the lid, revealing a stunning diamond ring nestled in the black velvet. The stone was a large, oval diamond on a thin rose gold band. It was classic and elegant, and it took my breath away.
He parked the car, the snow settling on the windshield. “It was my grandmother’s ring,” he explained softly. “She and my grandfather had a love story for the ages. She left it to me when she passed, making me promise to give it to the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.” He took the box from my hands, plucking the ring from its cushion. “And if it’s not already apparent, that’s you, little bird. It’s always been you.”
Tears blurred my vision as he slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly, as if it had been made just for me. “It’s beautiful,” I managed to say around the lump in my throat.
“Wrenly Morgan,” he began. “I know I’ve already asked you this, but I want to do it right. Will you marry me?”
Tears sprang to my eyes as I nodded, too overwhelmed to speak. I unfastened my seatbelt and threw my arms around him, burying my face in his neck as I let the tears fall freely.
“Yes! I love you so much,” I whispered, my voice muffled against his skin .
“I love you too, baby. More than I’ll ever be able to show you.” He held me close, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back.
Bright lights flooded the front of the car, and we turned to see a black SUV parked at the opposite end of the bridge.
I shielded my eyes with my hand. “What do you think they’re doing?”
“I don’t know,” Theo answered.
“Maybe they’re having car trouble?” I offered. “Do you think we should go check?”
“We can look when we drive by,” Theo said, putting the car back in park and pulling off the shoulder. “Put your seatbelt back on.”
As we approached the SUV, a feeling of unease settled in the pit of my stomach. Something about the situation felt off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Theo must have sensed it too because his jaw clenched as he neared the parked car.
Suddenly, the doors of the SUV flew open, and four men dressed in dark clothing emerged, their faces obscured by masks. My heart leaped into my throat as I realized they were armed, their weapons glinting menacingly in the headlights.
“Theo!” I cried out in warning, but it was too late.
He slammed on the brakes, the tires sliding across the icy pavement. Gunshots rang out, ricocheting off the bulletproof glass. I screamed, and he threw the car into reverse, desperately trying to put distance between us and our attackers.
“Hold on!” he yelled.
The car fishtailed on the slick road, the back end slamming into the guardrail with a sickening crunch. Pain exploded in my side as I was thrown against the door, my vision blurring at the edges.
“Wrenly?” his panicked voice pierced through the ringing in my ears. “Wrenly, are you okay? Talk to me, baby.” His hands frantically patted me down, searching for injuries.
I groaned, blinking away the spots dancing in my vision. “I’m okay,” I managed to say, wincing as I tried to sit up straighter. A sharp pain lanced through my side, and I gasped, clutching at my ribs.
He reached over, his fingers gently probing my ribs. “Nothing feels broken. We?— ”
Before he could finish his sentence, headlights through the passenger’s window blinded me before the SUV rammed into us. The impact was like being hit by a freight train. My head snapped to the right, the seat belt digging painfully into my chest as the airbags deployed with a deafening bang. For a moment, everything was still, the only sound the hissing of the destroyed engine.
We were trapped, teetering over the edge of the bridge, the deep, dark water flowing swiftly below us. I looked over at Theo, blood covering his face from a large gash on his temple. The SUV rammed into us a final time, sending us completely over the edge. The shock of the impact into the river disoriented me, and for a terrifying moment, I didn’t know which way was up.
The river surrounded the vehicle, creeping up the windows until it covered the entire car. I watched it, my head spinning from the collision. Then, icy water hit me like a thousand knives, stealing the breath from my lungs. Panic clawed at my throat as the frigid water seeped into the car, the pressure making it impossible to open the doors as the water swallowed us whole. The river’s current tossed us about like ragdolls as the car rapidly filled. I frantically clawed at my seatbelt, my numb fingers slipping on the buckle as I struggled to find the release button. Beside me, Theo was already free, yanking at my belt.
“Hold on,” he grunted, his voice strained. “I’ve got you.”
With a final tug, the belt came loose, and he pulled me into his arms. As the car filled with water, the pressure made my ears pop. “What are we going to do?”
“We have to wait until the pressure equalizes,” he said urgently, his voice muffled by the rising water. “Then we can open the doors.”
I nodded, trying to quell the panic rising in my chest. The icy water was already up to our waists, numbing my legs. He pulled me close, his strong arms encircling me protectively.
“Take a deep breath,” he instructed. His voice was calm despite the panic in his eyes. “When the car is fully submerged, I’ll open the door and we’ll swim out together. You have to kick hard, and don’t let go of me, no matter what.”
I nodded, my teeth chattering. The water reached our necks, and I took a final gasping breath before it closed over our heads. The silence was eerie, broken only by the creaking of the car as it sank deeper into the river’s depths, hitting the bottom with a thud. Theo tugged me toward the door and braced his feet against it.
With a forceful push, the door burst open, and the surge of water almost wrenched me from Theo’s grip. We tumbled into the murky depths, the current threatening to drag us away. I kicked vigorously to reach the surface with Theo dragging me along. My lungs were on fire, desperate for air as my vision narrowed. Just when I felt I couldn’t hold on any longer, we broke through the surface, gasping and choking. The freezing wind stung my face as we bobbed in the turbulence. The current tried to drag us back down, but Theo’s strong arms kept me afloat.
“I’ve got you,” he panted as he swam us toward the embankment. “Just hold on.”
My teeth chattered violently as he dragged me through the frigid water. Each stroke was a Herculean effort, his muscles straining against the current and the weight of our waterlogged clothes. The rocky embankment seemed impossibly far away as my consciousness wavered, the cold and shock taking their toll. But his strong strokes propelled us forward until, finally, my feet touched the rocky bottom.
We stumbled onto the shore, collapsing onto the frozen ground in a shivering heap. He immediately pulled me into his arms, his body shaking violently against mine.
“Are you okay?” he asked through chattering teeth, his eyes roaming over me, checking for injuries. A sudden, terrifying thought struck me, and I clutched my stomach. “The b-baby . . .”
“Shh, it’s okay. The baby is okay,” he soothed, though I could detect a tremor of fear in his tone. He massaged my arms in a desperate attempt to revive warmth in my frozen skin. “We need to get help.”
With unsteady legs, he hoisted me up beside him. I clung tightly, my legs buckling under the strain.
Before we could register what was happening, masked men descended upon us, encircling us with their weapons pointed, blocking any chance to flee.
In an instant, one of them landed a brutal strike against Theo’s temple, knocking him to the ground. I screamed as rough hands seized my damp hair from behind, yanking me away from him.
“Theo!” I cried in agony.
I thrashed against the unyielding grip of my captor. Panic surged through my veins as I fought desperately to break free, but it was futile. The man holding me was built like a tank, his arms like steel bands around my waist. Meanwhile, Theo managed to stagger to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury as he confronted them. There were four in total—the same masked men we had seen earlier in the SUV.
“Let her go,” Theo snarled, his fists balled at his sides. Blood trickled down his face, yet he barely flinched from the pain.
The men responded with mocking laughter—a harsh, jarring sound that sent shivers down my spine. The man gripping me tightened his hold, his fingers sinking painfully into my arms. “Not a chance,” he sneered. “The boss has plans for her.”
“Your boss can go to hell,” Theo spat. He lunged forward, his fist connecting with the jaw of the closest assailant. But it made little difference. Outnumbered and outmatched, his strength had waned under the chill of the river.
I writhed and screamed, clawing at my captor’s eyes, but his iron grip on my throat stifled my cries.
“Not so fast, princess,” his gruff voice growled in my ear. The odor of cigarettes and stale sweat emanated from him, making my stomach churn. “You’re coming with us.”
“No!” Theo bellowed, summoning every last bit of strength to break free and rescue me as they dragged me up the embankment and back to the road.
Theo fought like a man possessed to reach me—his fists a blur of furious strikes landing on jaws and noses with sickening crunches. But for every opponent he knocked down, another took their place, delivering relentless kicks and punches that eventually drove him to his knees.
“Theo!” I screamed in vain.
The man holding me clamped a gloved hand over my mouth. “Quiet, bitch,” he snarled, dragging me toward the waiting SUV.
Tears streamed down my face as I fought against him with every ounce of strength I possessed, but my body was weakened from the icy river, and my limbs were heavy and uncooperative. He yanked my arms painfully behind my back before he zip-tied my wrists together, then tossed me into the back seat of the SUV.
Panic clawed at my chest as I struggled to sit up, my bound hands making it nearly impossible. Hot tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision. I had to get to Theo. I had to help him. Fear for his life, for our unborn child’s life, consumed me. The man grabbed another fistful of my hair, wrenching my head back painfully.
“Don’t even think about trying anything,” he warned, his breath hot against my ear. “Or I’ll put a bullet in that pretty little head of yours.”
The SUV lurched forward, tires screeching as we sped away from the bridge, away from Theo. A wail of despair tore from my throat. “No! Theo!”
My heart shattered with every mile that separated us. The man beside me kept a bruising grip on my arm, his fingers digging into my flesh through the soaked fabric of my dress. I shivered violently, my teeth chattering as the adrenaline wore off and the icy chill of my wet clothes seeped into my bones.
“W-where are you t-taking me?” I managed to stutter.
The man sneered, his cold eyes glinting behind his mask. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
I swallowed back the rising panic, trying to calm my racing heart. I had to stay strong for Theo and our baby. Tears pricked at my eyes as I thought of Theo, battered and bleeding on the riverbank.
Please let him be okay , I prayed silently. Please let him find me.