A Mission Forged in Torment

ul myself up, the door op

thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes-regret, maybe? But i

floor?" he asked, his voice sha

ed myself up, biting back a cry of

e blurred city lights, feeling numb. He drove to my ap

was leaving, Britta

ed into the phone. "What's wrong? You're scared?

d to me, his face on

ut," h

ha

t Brittany. Get

over to the curb. We were in the middl

please,

said, his voice

et street. He didn't wait for me to get clear. He j

hands were shaking so badly that it slipped f

splashing dirty, brown water all ove

ad immediately taken off his jacket and held it over my head, pulling me close and rushing me to

t man go? Was

nk to the curb, the cold seeping into my bones, and I finally let m

apartment. When I finally got inside, I found him waiting

he demanded. "I'm hungr

ant downstairs, Ethan. You c

s that a problem?" He let the unspoken threat hang in the air.

ht. I just nodded and

n autopilot. When it was done, I brou

as g

he face. He had made me cook for him just to prov

l turmoil finally caught up with me. The w

was Liam O'Connell, a kind man who lived i

ow furrowed with concern. "And this leg needs to

It was Ethan. I ignored it

wered, my voic

s if nothing had happened. "I have a surprise for you. If you

thing, flickered inside me. May

t was just a little flu. He lo

with fever. Brittany was there, sn

Ethan called out

e water. But I know you're a strong swimmer. Swim to that buoy

yards out. The water was black a

m not feel

ooking bored. "I guess you don't

t Brittany's triumphant

took my breath away. My muscles immediately cra

roke an agony. I was so tired. The fever

and yanked me to the surface. It was one of Ethan's men on a

know if you've had

Ethan was watching me, a g

gether?" I yell

Get to the b

filling my mouth and nose. He pulled me up again. This

he buoy, my fingers

oat raw. "I did it! Are we

ng to Brittany. Then he looked at me and

powerful it almost made

ving up. I started to sink into the blac