Damien
"Grab onto me," I told her, glancing back over my shoulder. "I'm not letting you drown on my watch. I’ve still got months of that marriage contract to get through."
She laughed but did as she was told, climbing onto my back and wrapping her arms tight around my neck. I cut through the water toward the shore, feeling the weight of her against me. It felt right.
As we hit the shallows, I let her down. Suddenly, she started coughing violently. Her face scrunched up, and she was gasping for air like she’d swallowed half the ocean.
My heart skipped a beat. Panic flared in my chest. "Kayla? Hey, look at me." I scrambled closer, my hands shaking slightly as I started rubbing her chest and patting her back. "Breathe, Kayla. Just breathe. I've got you."
The second I leaned in close, sh
