Mac grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged him back toward the bank. Josh flailed. Mac held him under for a few seconds. Clearly at a disadvantage in the water, Josh came up spewing lake water and curses. Mac dunked him again, and he ceased resisting. Mac towed his deadweight to the shore.

Once his feet were on the ground, Josh came alive. He pulled a knife from his pocket and swung at Mac’s face. Mac grabbed his wrist and slammed the back of his elbow with an open palm. The snap of bone sang over the lake.

But psycho killer wasn’t ready to give in. He dove at Mac, teeth bared.

Mac hooked the back of Josh’s head and slammed it downward, meeting his face with a rising knee. And that finally took Josh down. He went limp, folding into the water face-first. Mac was tempted to let him drown. Hell, part of him wanted to hold the bastard’s head under for a few minutes.

But he didn’t.

He snagged the killer by his unbroken wrist and dragged him out of the water.

Grant, Hannah, and Stella raced from the woods toward him. Mac released Josh, letting him fall onto his face in the wet grass.

Stella didn’t break stride. She was on Josh in a second, cuffing his hands behind his back. With Josh restrained, she rolled him onto his back. His face was a bloody mess and Mac still wanted to kill him.

Mac dropped onto his butt. The rain slowed, and the thunder that cracked sounded farther away. The storm was moving on, but not without leaving damage in its wake.

Stella sat next to him. Her bun was drowned, her breaths heaved, and she looked as sopping wet and out of breath as he felt. “I didn’t even throw up this time.”

“Progress.” He bent his head and planted a kiss on her lips. “Let’s try and have a regular date, OK?”

She rested her head on his shoulder. Her body shook. “OK.”

Grant took charge of Josh, heaving him across his shoulders and carrying him back toward the house. Stella stood. Hannah held her hand down to Mac. He took it and let her pull him to his feet.

“If you ever do anything that stupid again, I’ll kick your butt,” Hannah said.

“And I’ll help,” Grant called over his shoulder.

Mac pulled Stella to his side. He couldn’t get her close enough.

She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Me, too.”

Mac let Grant and Hannah draw ahead. He pulled Stella under the branches of a mature oak tree. Turning her to face him, he took her hand with his unbroken one. “I’m sorry. I lost it. I couldn’t let him get away.”

Anger flushed her cheeks. “It was reckless and foolish.”

Mac dropped his chin. “I know.”