cup. He spent his waking hours reading files Mia had surreptitiously downloaded

on," Lucas growled, throwing the phone o

ia said. "But I

ng and walked out

the pool house, needing to escape the

by the deep end of t

g in a circle, looking at

small boy sat on t

hoto. Or... no, this boy was older. Fo

igh-collared neoprene rash guard

orth. He was staring at the wa

nanny yelled, not looking up fro

He leaned forward.

. He tipped silen

la

didn't thrash. He ju

reamed. "Oh go

swim!" on

secu

. She didn't think. She

do

. She opened her eyes,

e bottom of the pool. He was curled in a fet

kicked hard, propelli

ng. She hauled Leo onto th

blue.

a screamed at the useless na

er hands, usually so steady

, three,

, Leo. C

, pinched his nose, and

st rose

th

me," she growled. Compr

e zipper of his rash guard, desperate to loosen i

ater erupted from Leo's mouth. He gagged

treaming down her face. She pulled the s

you. I'v

ed against her chest, terrified. H

He smelled the scent of her skin

s grabbed the wet fabric of her dr

ing from the house,

eked. She reached for

rror. He clung to Mia harder, wr

His voice was r

roze. "He..

ere wide, dark, and filled with

" he wh

he air, heavier th

ogically, she wasn't his mother.

n, lonely child's eyes, som

et hair back. She

e whispered. "