Her hand left the steering wheel and flailed at the window. Air. She needed air.
The truck rocked precariously, and the window slid down, letting in a blast of fresh air.
“Rachel, no! Goddamn it, don’t move!”
She had to get out. She didn’t want to die.
“Goddamn it, hurry up and get it secure!” Sean yelled.
She let out a low whimper. Her throat tightened until she couldn’t breathe. She could hear Sean talking to her, his voice low and soothing. She could hear the noise around her, the men hurrying to secure the back end of the truck so they could pull her back.
“Okay, Rachel, listen to me.”
She turned just enough that she could lock onto him. He stood just a foot away from the truck. Close enough to touch, but neither he nor she made any move to do so. His features were tight and worried, but his lips were set in a determined line. He wasn’t going to let her die.
Some of her panic abated. No, Sean wouldn’t let anything happen to her. His determination bled into her, and she grabbed hold with both hands. She was equally determined that she wouldn’t survive a year in hell, only to come home and let some ass**le force her off a bridge.
Sean stepped closer, until he was inches from the truck. He leaned down so they were at eye level.
“We’re going to pull the truck back, okay? I need you to stay calm. Let us do our job. We’ll get you out safe. We won’t let you go. I need you to trust me, Rachel.”
She gave one slow nod to let him know she heard and understood. There was a slight bump from the rear, and she grabbed the steering wheel again as her heart accelerated damn near out of her chest.
“Easy!” Sean barked. Then he turned back to Rachel. “Okay, honey, stay with me here. We’re going to do this.”
Again she nodded. She swallowed the panic back. Sean was here. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. But she wanted Ethan. She needed him here.
“Ethan,” she whispered hoarsely
“He’s coming, Rachel. He’ll be here any minute, okay? Promise.”
The metal of the truck creaked and groaned in protest. It lurched back, popping her neck forward. There was a protesting shriek and then she saw the hood start to shift over the edge.
Then there was a loud crack and a bang and the truck dipped forward. She screamed and then her door flew open. Sean reached in, yanked at her seat belt, then hauled her roughly from the seat.
They fell to the ground, her sprawled over him. She looked back just in time to see the truck plunge over the bridge. Horrified, she heard the explosion of water and felt the spray as it lifted into the air and blew back over them.
“Son of a bitch,” Sean muttered underneath her.
Numbly she stared at the empty spot where Ethan’s truck had rested just moments before. She couldn’t wrap her brain around it. There were people everywhere. Fire trucks, ambulances, police cars. They’d roped off the entire area, and rescue personnel raced to the edge and stood looking over with expressions of awe. Then they looked back at her.
She began to shake. No matter how hard she tried to control it, every muscle in her body jittered. It was worse than withdrawal.
Sean sat up, his arms closing around her.
“Are you okay?” he asked gently.
She couldn’t even answer. Her teeth chattered together painfully. She raised a hand to her mouth, but even her fingers trembled violently.
They sat on the hard surface of the road, her sprawled over his legs as he held her. All she could do was stare at the empty space on the bridge.
“Oh my God,” she finally said. “Ethan’s truck.”
“Don’t worry about the truck. Ethan will only be glad you’re alive,” Sean soothed.
“Rachel!”
She turned in the direction of Ethan’s voice, and a moment later, he burst through the crowd, shaking off hands that tried to hold him back.
Finally his gaze lighted on her, and the relief she saw was staggering. He ran over and dropped to his knees beside her and Sean. Then he hauled her into his arms, his hold so tight she couldn’t breathe.
“Oh God, baby. You scared me. Holy hell, never do that to me again. Are you all right? Are you hurt?”
As he rambled, he pulled her back and ran his hands over her body.
“I’m okay,” she croaked. “Sean saved me.”
“Thank God, thank God,” he said over and over as he rocked her in his arms.
“Your truck,” she blurted. “It’s gone. I’m sorry.”
He framed her face in both hands and stared fiercely at her. “I don’t give a f**k. You’re all that matters to me.”
Garrett, Sam and Donovan all came running up and staggered to a halt where she, Ethan and Sean were still sprawled on the ground. Sam ventured toward the edge where so many others were standing and peered over.
“Jesus,” he muttered as he came away again.
Rachel turned to Sean, who was still pale and breathing erratically.
“Thank you. You risked your life to save me when the truck was going over.”
“Was glad to do it, but Rachel? Can we never do that again?”
She mustered a smile and reached over to squeeze his hand. “I promise.”
Sam and Donovan reached down to haul Sean to his feet. Garrett bent down and gently helped Rachel up while Ethan also got up.
“You okay, sweet pea?” Garrett asked.
She nodded. “Thanks to Sean.”
She glanced down at the hands that wouldn’t quit shaking. She sagged tiredly against Ethan and clutched at his waist.