Chapter 53 Falling Into Water

Chapter 53 Falling Into Water
If Julio owned this casino, then the entire poker game was his trap from the start.

The dealer had worked with him. They'd rigged a game Warner and I couldn't possibly win.

Even my coming to this casino had been part of Julio's plan.

He'd been using me the entire time.

The realization ignited something dark and furious inside me. I charged onto the patio before Julio or the dealer could react. My plate flew from my hands, crashing into Julio with a satisfying crack.

"You liar! You've been using me this whole time!" I screamed.

"What are you doing? Security!" The dealer stepped in front of Julio, glaring.

"It's fine. You can go." Julio patted the dealer's shoulder.

The dealer shot me one last venomous look before leaving. I laughed coldly at his retreating back.

"Ashley, you got sauce all over my robe. You owe me compensation. As punishment, you'll have to lick it all clean." Julio walked toward me with that infuriating smile.

"Don't change the subject!" I slapped his hand away.

"This casino is yours! Why didn't you tell me from the start? You led me here, didn't you? You used me to destroy Warner! Julio, why would you do this? I looked like a complete fool!"

"Ashley, be reasonable. You wanted to come here. I just planned to take you fishing and swimming." Julio's expression was pure innocence.

"Fine! Maybe I did want to come here. But that poker game with Warner? You set that up on purpose! You and the dealer worked together! You cheated me and Warner both!"

Rage made rational thought impossible. I paced the patio in circles, unable to stand still.

Julio grabbed me, forcing me to stop moving.

"Ashley, you chose to play Texas Hold'em. You were the one planning to bankrupt me. That's why you ran into Warner. You and I are together. You didn't lose anything, did you? What does Warner have to do with you? Why are you angry at me over someone who means nothing to you?"

"You would have used a different dealer at a different table to cheat me anyway! Julio, the point is you lied to me!" I shoved him away.

"You wanted to bankrupt me. I tricked you. We're even, Ashley! You should have considered the possibility of failure when you made your plan. What exactly are you so angry about?" Julio gripped both my shoulders.

Of course I was angry about still being under Julio's control. Even angrier that he'd been toying with me from the beginning.

"You could have exposed me from the start! Instead, everything went according to your plan! Julio, how long are you going to keep playing with me? Three years ago, you played with me. You fooled my heart, made me trust you, then murdered my parents! Now you're doing it again! You let me think I could succeed! You've treated me like a clown this entire time!"

"I love you! Ashley, you can't hurt me like this!" Julio pulled me into a crushing embrace.

I kicked his shin hard. "Fuck you! Let go!"

Julio loosened his grip from the pain. My momentum carried me backward.

I didn't notice the railing behind me until it was too late. My body tilted over the edge.

"Ah!" The scream tore from my throat.

Weightlessness seized me. Terror flooded every cell. Wind roared in my ears as I fell.

I saw Julio lunge for the railing, his hand reaching for mine. His fingers grasped at empty air.

The impact came like an explosion. Water swallowed me whole.

Ocean surrounded me from every direction. Water rushed into my ears, nose, mouth. I thrashed desperately. I couldn't swim.

I kept sinking deeper into the darkness. Fear consumed my entire mind.

I didn't want to die.

I had Matthew. I had James. My parents' murders were still unavenged.

A figure swam toward me with powerful strokes. Strong arms wrapped around me. Julio.

He'd jumped in after me.

My heart clenched. I couldn't tell if it was fear of drowning or something else entirely. Something about watching Julio risk his life to save mine.

His lips found mine. He was giving me air.

In that moment, I forgot he'd killed my parents. Forgot we'd been fighting seconds ago. I clung to Julio.

I knew only he could save me.

Julio's POV

Water crushed my chest from all sides. I held Ashley tight, kicking toward the surface with everything I had.

Ashley had passed out. I needed to get her to fresh air fast. That was the only way to save her.

But Ashley had already swallowed water. Even unconscious, she gripped me with desperate strength. Her arms locked around my neck. Her weight dragged at me. Every stroke was agony.

I couldn't give up. I could die. Ashley couldn't.

The terror in her eyes as she fell replayed in my mind. She didn't want to die.

As long as Ashley wanted to live, I'd do anything to keep her alive.

I used every ounce of strength to reach the surface. Fresh air hit my lungs. I gasped, pulling in oxygen like a drowning man.

I patted Ashley's cheeks, calling her name. "Ashley! Wake up! Ashley!"

No response. My hands trembled. Not from the cold water. From fear for Ashley.

The rescue boat appeared, rubber sides bumping against us. Strong hands pulled us aboard.

I wrapped every available blanket around Ashley. My mouth found hers, breathing life back into her lungs.

I kept saying her name.

"Ashley! Look at me! Ashley!"

Ashley coughed up seawater. Her eyes opened.

Thank God.

I pulled her against my chest like she was treasure I'd lost and found again.

"Ashley, don't worry. We're going straight back to the ship. The doctor's waiting."

Ashley's hand found mine where it rested against her cheek. Her palm covered my fingers. Her skin was ice cold, but warmth flooded my chest anyway. My eyes burned.

"Julio, I'm fine. Don't worry. I just swallowed some water." Ashley was reassuring me.

She was worried about me.

The realization made my blood sing. This was the first time in three years Ashley had shown concern for me. I couldn't contain my joy. I pressed a kiss to her hand.

"Ashley, promise me you won't do anything this dangerous again."

When I'd seen her fall, my heart had stopped completely.

"I didn't do it on purpose. You made the mistake first." Ashley's voice was weak but argumentative.

Five minutes ago, those words would have started a fight. Now they made me want to laugh. This was Ashley's personality.

She was alive. The world was beautiful.