Fighting Redemption(85)

His head whipped up, hurt shadowing his eyes. “How could you say that?”

“You’re dead. You died!” she cried out. “You left me. You weren’t supposed to die, Ryan. I can’t live without you. I don’t want to. Please take me with you. Please,” she begged, tears spilling over and slipping down her cheeks.

Ryan held his hand out towards her and smiled. “I’m here, baby. I didn’t leave you. I’ll always be here. I won’t ever leave you.”

Fin reached for his hand, but no matter how far she stretched her arm towards him, he remained out of reach. “Ryan,” she gasped.

Ryan paused after taking another step and frowned. “Fin? Why can’t I …” He took another step, and another, but he wasn’t getting any closer.

She tried to stand but something inside was ripping her apart. Fear had her pulse racing when he started disappearing before her very eyes. “No!” she yelled.

Ryan looked around frantically as though he couldn’t see her anymore and suddenly he was gone.

“Don’t go!”

A warm hand circled hers, rough and calloused. It squeezed tight, soothing her fear. “I won’t go,” the voice said.

The bright light burned her eyes as she blinked them open and focused on the man hovering above her. “Kyle? Where did Ryan go? Please tell me he didn’t die. I can’t … I can’t …” Fin moaned.

“We’re losing her!” someone shouted.

You can’t lose me. I’m right here, she tried to say, but the words wouldn’t come out.





Ryan had been seventeen when Fin asked him about life after death. It was something he thought about all the time. After losing Kassidy, it was all he thought about. Was her soul still alive somewhere, or had she ceased to exist entirely? The memory of talking to Fin that day had stuck in his mind.

It had been just another hot Saturday spent at the beach. Ryan and Jake, along with five of their close mates, had been thundering through the dry sand on the beach, sweat pouring off them as they played a friendly game of rugby in the heat of the day. Friendly was really a loose term. They were all competitive; tackles came hard and fast, and swift elbows were planted in ribs as laughter rang out. Sure that shit hurt, but f*ck, it was fun. Playing rugby—whether it was for his club or just on the beach—made him feel alive and free of the heavy weight he always carried with him.

Having Fin there made the day that much brighter. Along with Rachael, they were both spread out on enormous beach towels wearing flimsy bikinis that no girl their age had any right to be wearing. Not that he minded running his eyes over every inch of Fin’s exposed skin—he just didn’t want anyone else to.

Every day it was getting harder to ignore her, especially when she was wearing next to nothing. That particular day he’d been so focused on her rather than playing rugby he found himself getting hard. He had to force the ball to go wide—right into the cold surf—so he could chase after it and cool off.

Ten minutes later, one of his mates and major flirt, Corey, kicked it right in Fin’s direction with impressive finesse. Ryan’s eyes narrowed to slits at the deliberate manoeuvre, even as he yelled, “Heads!”

Both girls squealed, arms flying up to cover their heads as Corey flew after the ball. Sand was kicked everywhere as he ploughed right through the middle of them to pick up the ball.

“Ladies.” Corey grinned as he stood and turned. Ryan stalked over, his eyes on Fin as she sat up and brushed at the sand Corey had flicked over them so carelessly.

Ignoring Corey, she looked up, her green eyes locking on Ryan as he reached the little group of three. His heart fluttered at her focus, making him frown irritably.

Hands on his hips, Ryan raised his brows at Corey. “You about done here?”

Corey gave him a mock salute, and after a casual, “Later, girls,” thrown over his shoulder with a wink, he headed back into the thick of the game. Satisfied no harm had come to Fin, Ryan followed.

“Ryan! Wait!” she called out.

Ryan paused and turned around.

Fin stood up, the movement not overly graceful as she stumbled in the sand.

He hid a quick grin and asked, “What’s up?”

Ryan was glad the words sounded casual because his pulse was racing as she tripped her way towards him, brushing sand off her ass as she did so. He swallowed a groan, fighting the urge to offer to do it for her.

Fin reached his side. “You okay?”

Ryan wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm. “Yeah, sure. Why?”

“You just looked a bit funny for a minute, that’s all.”

Yeah, that’s probably because my dick really likes the idea of my hands on your ass. Ryan cleared his throat. “I’m fine. So what’s up?” he repeated, anxious to extricate himself from her company just as much as he wanted to stay right where he was.

“I was uh, hoping that maybe you could teach me to body surf?”

Ryan’s eyes slid over her near naked form and his dick jerked. Shit. Pervert. He forced his eyes over to where Jake was taking Corey down in a hard tackle. Satisfaction curled his lips when he saw Corey eat a mouthful of sand. “You can’t get your brother to teach you? He’s better at it than I am.”

Turning back, Ryan caught the brief flash of hurt in Fin’s eyes before it was hidden. “He is better,” she replied, grinning, and f*ck he loved how she was losing her shyness and gaining confidence in herself. “But …” She bit her lip as she reached for his hand. The gesture was sweet and her touch sent shivers of heat down his spine. Unable to fight against it, he curled his hand around hers, linking their fingers as she tugged him towards the shoreline. “You’re more patient with me, and you don’t make fun of me when I do stupid things.”