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I think to say something about how I should have gotten Natasha to safety. Except we both know there was only chaos when she was thrown in the river. We couldn’t even look for her until she had already drowned.
What are we even looking for? A sign of the SUV in the water? Or a body floating to the riverbank?
Despite feeling hopeless, I move forward and scan the muddy ground for signs of my dead woman.
Leon’s voice awakens me from my dread. Though speaking Czech, he can’t hide his excitement. Indigo hurries over to learn what they’ve found. A moment later, as two additional helicopters shine light down on us, he returns.
“They found lacy fabric stuck on a rock near the fallen tree.”
My club brother scans the terrain. Just past the muddy, rocky riverbank is a wooded area. Maks says something into his phone, and the helicopters turn their lights in that direction.
I hear them calling out for Natasha and Petra. Neither one answers. The silence feels overbearing, especially when her brothers sound so certain of a happy ending.
I try to imagine Natasha dragging herself out of the violent river. If she was alive, wouldn’t she call out?
My brain adjusts to think like Natasha. She’s soft and sweet. The world is terrifying. She used to believe her money and good intentions could save people. I stole that fantasy from her. Losing Ollie killed a part of her hopeful nature.
“Piña colada,” I say, startled by how depressed I sound.
Tack asks, “What?”
“If she were alive, how would she know we’re the good guys? Things were going to shit when she went over the side. Just calling her name, even in Czech won’t help.”
My words make sense to my weary mind. I start calling out her favorite drink. I say her children’s names. I yell out “Key West” and “outie belly button.”
Indigo repeats everything I say while the rest of the men behave as if I’ve lost my fucking mind. I probably have since I’m acting as if Natasha will hear us and call out. In my heart, I know she’s dead. I see her body trapped in the SUV. I don’t believe I’ll ever hear her voice again.
That’s why, the first time she calls my name, I’m certain I’m imagining shit. I’ve sunk into a terrible darkness, yet her voice drags me out.
The second time she calls my name, everyone hears it despite the noise from the choppers and river. Her brothers hurry toward the bushes. I can tell when they hear her clearer. They move faster. I realize then how, despite their calm demeanors, they were as certain as I was that their sisters were gone.
Now, they crowd the dense bushes. Without realizing I’ve moved, I’m suddenly with them.
I don’t believe what I’m seeing. Natasha and Petra are covered in mud and blood. Their dresses are missing, and they’re nearly naked. My woman keeps saying my name, even after I’m in front of her. She can’t see with all the flashlights pointed at her face.
Leon wraps his jacket around Natasha while Maks frees a limp Petra from Natasha’s grip.
“I think I broke Petra when I dragged her here,” Natasha whimpers once she realizes she’s looking at her brothers. “I didn’t know what to do.”
Her sobs break me. As soon as Petra is in Maks’s arms, I drop to my knees next to Natasha. I want to say something reassuring. Instead, I lose the ability to speak. I just touch her face, needing concrete evidence of this miracle.
“Bear?” Natasha asks, seeming unsure.
“I’m here.”
Natasha throws her arms around my neck and holds on. “You kept us warm.”
I don’t understand what she’s saying, so I hug her tighter. Leon and I help her up, but her legs won’t hold.
“I think I killed Petra,” Natasha tells me as I cradle her. “I didn’t know what to do.”
“You did everything right,” I reply and kiss her muddy face. “No one can say different.”
Leon speaks in his phone as he guides Maks and me. We reach a path leading up to the main road.
“We don’t have them all,” Leon tells Tack. “Your people grabbed a few. We’ll soon learn who did this.”
As I carry her, Natasha whimpers about how she couldn’t save the driver. I’m so stunned at how she’s alive. I can only mumble her name and promise she’ll be okay.
