Left Me to Drown for Her？I’m Done with All Three of You！Chapter 03

Left Me to Drown for Her？I’m Done with All Three of You！Chapter 03

The whitewater rafting challenge came on day twelve.

Production had us draw for rafts to create a little drama.

Tessa landed with all three men.

I took a seat in the other raft.

The showrunner checked the monitor and stopped us. “Five in one shot plays better. Put Mara with them.”

The raft held five passengers at most.

Tessa sat in the center with Graham and Nolan braced on either side of her. Reid took the bow, which left me squeezed into the back.

Before we launched onto the Millstone River, Graham waited until the crew wasn’t looking and tightened my life jacket.

“Close your eyes if you get scared.”

He kept his voice low. “I’m right here.”

Those words left me dazed for a long time.

In our first year together, we’d taken a speedboat along the coast. When the rough water drained the color from my cheeks, he planted himself in front of me for the entire ride, then teased me for being afraid after we got back.

The raft entered Millstone Gorge.

The first stretch stayed calm enough for the production to start an on-camera question game. Each man had to name the person he most wanted to protect.

Nolan chose Tessa.

After a pause, Reid did too.

Graham went last.

Tessa laughed. “Don’t tell me you’re picking me too, Graham?”

His gaze met mine across the raft.

Then he smiled. “Looks like I don’t have another answer.”

The river was too loud. No one heard me unfasten the red match-choice wristband—the show’s marker for who each of us wanted.

I closed my fist around it and didn’t put it back on.

Clouds rolled over the gorge as we reached the rapids.

The guide ordered us to pull in our paddles.

A wave lifted the raft high, then dropped us hard.

Tessa screamed.

The next second, her fingers went slack on the safety line.

All three men reached for her.

Graham locked her against his chest. Nolan covered her head. Reid threw his body between her and the bow.

A second later, the raft slammed broadside into a rock.

The impact kicked the back end into the air.

My fingers never found the rope.

The raft lurched, and I was flung into the river.

Icy water slammed over my nose and mouth before I could breathe.

All I could hear was roar.

I fought to the surface. The raft was already gone—far downstream, too far.

No one looked back.

I tried to scream Graham’s name. Water slammed into my mouth instead.

The current hurled me toward the rocks. My shoulder hit stone. Pain tore through me, and my arms went limp.

Before the dark took me, my fingers found our matching bracelet.

The cold chain wrapped tight around them.

For one second, it felt like someone was holding my hand.

Then it felt like nothing at all.

I woke on a rescue mat by the river.

A swift-water rescue guide was doing chest compressions. I turned my head and coughed until water burned out of my lungs.

Crew members crowded around me, pale and nervous.

“They counted heads at the landing. That’s when they realized someone was missing.”

“Thank God the rescue kayaker spotted you.”

I pushed myself up.

Down the riverside boardwalk, Graham and the others came running. One of his shoes was even gone. His face had gone white.

“Mara!”

He reached for me.

His fingers almost brushed mine.

Then Tessa started shaking behind him.

Her wet hair clung to her neck. She folded her arms tight over her chest and made herself small.

“Graham… I’m so cold.”

His hand froze between us.

For a second, he didn’t move. Then he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her.

Nolan caught her elbow. Reid asked the crew where she could warm up.

Graham hesitated. Only a few seconds.

“Mara, the medic’s here. Let them check you first.”

He stepped back, letting the medic come between us. “Tess is scared. I’m taking her back to change.”

I said nothing.

He added, “I’ll come right back.”

The four of them disappeared down the boardwalk.

In the on-site medical room, the medic cut the fabric away from my shoulder and checked the bruising.

“Is there family or a friend I can call? Someone should stay with you tonight, just in case you have a delayed reaction.”

Through the half-open door, I stared down the empty hallway.

For a long moment, I waited.

No one came.

Then I shook my head.

“No.”