Until We Meet Again(82)

connecting with his chest.

The impact probably hurts me ten times more than it

does him. But it’s enough. He teeters backward, thrown off

balance. His arms swirl in the air.

Lawrence bursts from the water. He gags and coughs. His

limbs flail, grasping for life.

But he is alive. Blessedly, beautifully alive.

I’m still screaming. “Lawrence!”

He blindly flings himself forward and collapses on the

sand. He presses his face to the ground, gasping for air with

his entire body. Deliriously happy, I reach for him.

The shadow falls over him before I realize what’s happening. Ned. Lunging toward me. His hands close around my

shirt. He lifts me like I’m a rag doll. One shove and I’m on

my back on the sand, the wind knocked out of me.

I blink in shock. But when his face comes into view again,

I scramble back to my feet. Trembling like a caged rabbit. I

hold up my arms, anticipating the next blow.

But Ned only stares at me. His brow lowers. “You.”

I have no words. My heart thrums within me, threatening

to explode out of my chest.

“You must be the one he fell in love with,” Ned says slowly,

the realization coming to him. “I should have known. I

should have listened to my instincts that day on the beach.”

“I won’t let you hurt him.”

Ned laughs. “This night keeps getting more and more

aggravating.”

I back up slowly, my eyes darting frantically around the beach

for something to fight him with. A stick, a rock—anything.

A flicker of movement catches my eye. The woman on the

beach is stirring. Whose side is she on? Ned’s or Lawrence’s? Is

it worth the risk to try to get her to help me?

“You’d better leave now,” Ned says. “Before I have to deal

with you too.”

“I’m taking Lawrence with me.”

“You’ll leave right now and keep your damn mouth shut.

That’s what you’re going to do.”

In spite of my shaking knees, I stand straight. “I won’t let you

hurt him.”

“Suit yourself.”

Before I can even take a step back, he’s lunged for me. I land

hard on my side. My key ring cuts into me, sending shooting

pain down my leg.

“Mama taught me to never hit a girl,” Ned says, clamping

his hand over my shoulder to hold me down. “But you see, she

didn’t realize how often that’s necessary.”

Panic radiates through me. My body’s trembling with fear.

My leg throbs where the keys dig into my flesh.

Wait.

My key ring.

In a split second, I have the swirling memory of the morning

Lawrence and I spent on the beach. I see myself explaining

each item on the key ring, laughing at his wonder. The elephant. The flashlight.

The pepper spray.

Bursting with adrenaline, I push onto my back, freeing up

the pocket. Ned pins me down, but with my free hand, I have

just enough momentum to rip my key ring from my shorts.

The keys and knickknacks jingle loudly. The flashlight glows

red. Ned straightens, staring at the key ring.

“What in the—?”

His surprise gives me enough time to snatch the pepper spray.

I grab for the tab and rip it free. Squeezing my eyes shut, I press

down. All I hear is the hiss of the canister emptying.

Then a pained howl.

My eyes fly open again. Ned has reeled back. He’s pawing at his

face, shrieking. I scramble to my feet. I can’t believe it worked.

Movement catches my attention again. The strange woman

is bent over Lawrence, frantically trying to revive him. She’s on

our side. That’s good. We don’t have much time. Ned will only

be incapacitated for a few minutes tops.

I race toward them. Not even noticing me in her panic, the

woman cups Lawrence’s face in her hand.

“Lon? Wake up! We have to go!”

There’s about the way she spoke his name. About the way

she’s holding his face.

She looks up with a start.

It’s a girl my age, not a woman. She’s beautiful, with a

short black bob and dark, sad eyes. All at once, I know who

she is.

“Fay.”

She stares at me, speechless, and then she closes her eyes.

“You’re Cassandra.”

I fall to my knees at Lawrence’s other side. “Look,” I say

urgently. “We both love Lawrence, and right now he’s in

danger.” I set my hand over hers. “I’m sorry, Fay. I truly am.”

“Don’t be.” She straightens. “What should I do?”

“Run and get help. The party’s still going on?”

“Yes.”

“Then go get everyone you can find. Tell them Ned’s snapped.

Tell them he’s trying to kill you. Say anything that will get a

group of them here.”