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With agility I didn’t know I had, I leap from the dock onto the cushion seat at the back of the boat, bounce off, and land in a crouch just in front of the cabin stairs Pressing ods he didn’t see me

I count to ten, then peek above the vinyl seats, seeing nothing He didn’t seeany chances, I pulluntil I’ve hit the bottom

As I close the cabin door, I scour the rooh drawers and under piles of clothes, I find nothing I rip the cabin apart, cursing his na Please, don’t let it be above deck I can’t take the chance of his seeing et dark No, when he doesn’t find me on the island, he’ll eventually look here, and there’s no fucking way I’ to let that happen

I take a deep breath and open the door just enough for me to see When the coast reads clear, I creep, slow at first, up the steps toward the captain’s chair Picking up speed, I crouch high enough to see, but low enough to be partially covered by the back cushions I desperately search for a key and anition

Just as I’ ricochets fro onto the back of the boat Scra backward, I attempt to put as rabbing the back of my hair

Pulling me back, I’m forced to look into his wild eyes “I told you I would find you,” he says, sneering

“You don’t have to do this,” I plead, trying to convince the Evan who once loved me to stop this madness

S me hard across the face, I fall forward, the side ofoff the side of the boat with a thud “If I can’t have you, no one can,” he snarls Curling up into a ball, I protect my head and pray the end is quick His foot connects with s

“Please, Evan,” I plead, wincing with every labored breath

“No!” he screa my hand away froash on htheaded

I struggle against his grip as he drags my limp body off the boat and across the dock, back toward the cottage, but I’ from my shoulder is toohis hands around ainst his

My lungs burn froainst his chest helplessly Evan stands over s My vision starts to darken, lingering on the edge of consciousness Before it goes coer on top of me

Desperate to fill h, and with each breath,aland groaning that has my attention Chase

Struggling to stand, the sharp pain radiating from my shoulder causes me to collapse back onto the hard dock

I dragto be with Chase As I get closer, I see Evan swinging wildly at Chase Chase, see Evan square in the jaw, knocking him down