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Eva tugged at his arm. He had to let her surface and get some oxygen. He cradled her in his arms to shield her. If anybody was getting shot, it was him. He eased them up out of the water and encouraged, “Take a breath quick.”
She gasped for air.
He heard more shots and instinctively safeguarded her. Men were yelling. The boat motor roared to life. He hoped Eva had gotten enough air as he prepared to take her under and attempt an escape. He needed the Coast Guard to show up. Soon.
“Lieutenant Coleville,” a man yelled.
He looked toward the voice and blinked in surprise. Aiden’s guards. Josh and Tyler. On WaveRunners, taking shots at the retreating boat.
Kicking to keep himself and Eva up, a wave slapped him in the face. He didn’t care. He spit and stared.
The pale blue boat was speeding away to the south.
“You all right?” Josh called. “Eva?”
“We’re both okay.” Miles looked down at her. She coughed and looked half-drowned, but she was breathing and she was in his arms. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, clinging to his wet shirt. “Miles. Oh, thank you.”
The whine of a WaveRunner surprised him. He looked up to see Lake pressing on the accelerator awkwardly with his left hand, his right arm hanging uselessly.
A shot rang out. Lake screeched as blood spurted from his left hand. He fell off the WaveRunner again.
Miles whipped around to see Tyler grinning.
“Nice shot,” he said.
Josh eased his WaveRunner over and Miles helped lift Eva out of the water and up behind the security guard.
Another boat raced in their direction. Miles tensed, squinting. White with a red stripe. Oh, please.
“U.S. Coast Guard,” came through a bullhorn.
“Finally,” Tyler muttered, coming over toward Miles with his WaveRunner.
Miles climbed on. He’d never been so relieved to be out of the water. He looked over at Eva, who was leaning her head against Josh’s back, still pulling in deep breaths of air, her hair hanging around her face. Her dark eyes focused on him, and she smiled.
Miles could hear Lake not far away, still cursing and now moaning in pain. The Coast Guard would take some time to sort this out, and he was afraid Lake’s associates in the boat were long gone. But Eva was safe.
Thank you, he breathed. His prayers had been answered.
Chapter
Nineteen
Eva was drained. Completely. They’d finally gotten through the Coast Guard questioning, then the police questioning, then the FBI had come in with more questioning. Through it all, Miles had stayed by her side. Aiden had shown up halfway through the FBI questioning. That made everything go a lot smoother. Their respect for Captain Aiden Porter bordered on worship.
She and Miles were at Aiden’s house. She took a long shower in one of the guest bedrooms downstairs, reveling in knowing that Miles was in the next bedroom over.
Dressing in a comfortable T-shirt and shorts that Aiden had given her, she brushed out her hair, put on some lotion, and walked into the bedroom. She only wanted Miles. Opening the door to the hallway, intent on finding him, she saw Miles leaning against the opposite wall.
Miles. Her military cowboy. He would always be there for her. He was so loyal he’d swam through the ocean like Poseidon and risked his life covering her with his body when the bullets flew. This man would never leave her for a more famous option. Her Miles was one hundred percent devoted to her, and she believed he always would be.
His blue eyes lit up as he saw her. He pushed away from the wall and hurried toward her.
“Eva.” He gently wrapped his hands around her waist, framing it with his large palms, his thumbs brushing her abdomen.
“Miles.” She collapsed against him, wrapping her arms around his back and drawing strength from him. “Oh, Miles, thank you. You were like Poseidon in the water. You saved me. It was miraculous.”
