CHAPTER 42

Cassie didn’t know how long she sat with her eyes closed, her only comfort coming from Levi’s hand in hers. Whatever courage she had found when she’d helped Levi had faded, a new, deeper fear replacing it. Her body trembled.

“It’s okay.” Levi rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “It shouldn’t be much longer.” His phone rang. “Marin.”

Cassie could hear the murmur of another male voice but couldn’t distinguish the words.

“You’re sure?” Levi asked. He paused and listened to the response. “Okay. We’re on the cliffs.” Another pause. “I’ll bring her to you.”

Levi squeezed her hand. “That was Darius. He’s going to meet us by the woods.”

As much as Cassie wanted to get away from the cliffs, she couldn’t move.

“Cassie?” Levi used her nickname, apparently ignoring her earlier demand to be called by her title. At the moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

“Cassie,” Levi repeated. “Can you stand?”

She squeezed her eyes tighter.

Beside her, Levi moved. She tightened her grip on his hand for fear Levi would once again tumble toward the edge of the cliffs.

“It’s okay.” He tugged on her hand to prompt her to stand. “Stand up. I’ve got you.”

“Last time you had me, you nearly went off a cliff.”

“We’re going to take this one step at a time,” Levi said, ignoring her comment. “I need you to stand up. Then we’re going to circle to your right until we’re on the other side of the boulder.”

Cassie tried to visualize what he described but still couldn’t get her body to move.

“Come on, Cassie.” Another tug of her hand. “You want to be on the other side of this rock. Help me get you there.”

She took a deep breath, blew it out, and repeated the process.

“You can do this.” Levi’s lips pressed against the back of her hand. “Trust me.”

I can do this. She played the words over in her mind, finally managing to put her body in motion.

With her hand still in Levi’s, she turned toward the rock, pushing up onto her knees while her free hand gripped the boulder.

“That’s good. Now one foot at a time, I want you to stand up.”

She placed her right foot on solid ground. Her heart jumped into her throat, blocking her air as she struggled to take that next step.

“One more.” Levi put his hand on her back, giving her the sense that he could hold her in place.

She gave in to the illusion and managed to stand.

“Now, take a step with your left foot,” Levi said. “Five or six steps. That’s all it’s going to take.”

Again, she froze.

“It’s just like on the boat,” Levi said. “I’m here, and I won’t let you fall.”

Cassie bobbed her head up and down in an effort to convince herself. She slid her foot to the side. Pain surfaced with the movement but was overshadowed by her fear.