Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 499

The moment they hit the water, a massive wave of pressure crushed in from all sides. Bone-chilling water flooded Nora's nose and ears, shattering her world into a chaotic void of freezing darkness and churning bubbles.

She thrashed her arms wildly, fighting to swim upward, but the sinking chassis acted like an invisible claw, dragging her deeper into the abyss.

The violent currents spun her around until she completely lost her sense of direction. She couldn't tell which way was up.

Suddenly, an arm sliced through the turbulent water and clamped onto the back of her shirt. Against the overwhelming pull of the sinking vehicle, someone violently yanked her back.

Nora forced her eyes open against the sting of the water.

The murky river offered almost zero visibility, but she could make out Vincent's face rapidly closing in on hers through the blurred shadows.

The second she broke the surface, Nora gasped for air, violently coughing as her lungs burned.

But then, she felt the grip on her waist loosen.

Panic seized her. Driven by pure instinct, she grabbed Vincent's wrist to keep him from sinking.

She kicked furiously, slinging his arm over her shoulder as she desperately paddled toward the surface.

But her limited swimming skills were barely enough to keep herself afloat, let alone save a drowning man.

Vincent was tall and solidly built. His six-foot-two frame felt like an anchor, dragging her under again and again.

The dead weight choked her, burning her throat as she accidentally swallowed mouthfuls of the freezing river water.

She couldn't die!

Hudson was still waiting for her...

She couldn't leave him behind!

Pulling strength from somewhere deep within, Nora hauled the heavy man closer, wrapping his arm tightly around her neck as she kicked wildly toward the shoreline.

Vincent fell back onto the ground, his chest heaving. His soaked shirt clung to his torso, highlighting his lean, muscular build.

He turned his head and peered at her through half-open eyes, his voice sounding like it had been dragged across sandpaper. "Impressive... You actually saved me."

Nora was too exhausted to humor him and just glared in response.

They stayed like that—one lying, one sitting—catching their breath on the rocky bank.

The freezing night wind whipped off the water, biting right through their soaked clothes and chilling them to the bone.

Nora turned her head, gazing at the glittering skyline of Chicago in the distance. A lump formed in her throat, and her eyes burned.

Maybe it was the adrenaline crash of surviving a near-death experience, but right now, all she wanted was Hudson.

But she had no idea where he was, or if he even knew she was in danger...