"I can't hold!” The cowboy's face twisted in fury and frustration.
I looked up at him. His jaw was clenched, every muscle in his arm straining. The calmness from moments ago was gone, replaced by fury.
Above us, the horse let out a wild, demonic shriek.
The cowboy's gaze met mine one last time. Then he shook his head and released the reins.
The world tilted.
We all plunged into the torrent.
The cowboy’s grip tore from my arm.
Doug's weight dragged me under, and darkness swallowed me whole.
Chapter 10
Mitch
* * *
The river had us in its jaws, tossing us end over end like driftwood. Muddy water slammed into my chest, punched the air from my lungs, and tried to drag me under.
Up ahead, Charlie's hair was plastered to her face so she couldn’t see, yet she fought damn hard to stay above the surface. Even half-drowned, she wasn't screaming. She was fighting. Focused. Goddamn impressive.
Doug was the opposite. The bastard just howled for help, his voice shredding with panic.
The torrent spun me, dunked me, threw me against submerged rocks, but every time I resurfaced, I searched for her. And hell, I could've sworn she was searching for me, too.
Up ahead, another sun-bleached tree jutted from the bank like skeletal fingers. This was our shot.
"Charlie! There's another tree!" I roared over the flood, but if she heard me, she didn't show it.
"Son of a bitch." I clawed my way toward her, inch by brutal inch, the river trying to rip my legs off while rocks shredded my shins.
When I finally got close enough, I pointed toward the bank. "Up ahead, left side … another tree." I lunged, grabbed her wrist, and hauled her against me. The current fought to rip her away, but I held on.
We spun again, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Doug vanish beneath the sludge.
Shit. He's going to drown.
I leaned in to Charlie's ear. "Swim to that tree. Grab on and wait for me."
She turned to me, eyes wide and wild. "What? Where are you going?"
"To save Doug's ass. Now, go!" I shoved her toward the left bank, using the current to give her momentum. Swimming hard, she hauled herself through the torrent like a goddamn warrior.
I sucked in a breath and spun back to Doug.
He went under. Came up. Went under again. His mouth gaped like a dying fish. "Help!" he wailed. "I'm drowning!"
"Then swim, you damn fool," I muttered, though clearly, he couldn't. Christ.
As I waited for the right moment to get him, I risked a glance at Charlie. She lunged at the dead tree and wrapped her arms around the pale trunk, coughing up water.
Yes! She’d made it. Relief punched through me.
I turned back to Doug. The bastard still had his rifle strapped across his shoulder. How the hell was he managing to hold onto that?