Page 30 of Acadia Falls

Pain seared my chest. A burning sensation ripped me up inside, going up my throat. I vomited about a gallon of salt water onto the deck and then did it again.

“JACK! JACK!” someone screamed my name, but I didn’t know who it was. And there was pounding on my chest, breathing into my mouth⁠—

My fight instinct kicked in. I shoved the person away. “Get the fuck off me!”

I threw up more of the ocean and tried to open my eyes.

Eventually, the blurry world came into focus. My asshole-cousin Kyle stood over me, arms crossed against his soaking-wet Fish and Wildlife uniform. He looked pissed—and also like he’d just jumped into the water fully dressed. Maran was next to him, white as a sheet.

“Hey, Blondie,” I croaked.

“What the hell d’you think you’re doing?” Kyle bent down, the water dripping from his face to mine. “You trying to die, huh?”

My throat hurt too badly to answer. Instead, I looked at Maran, but she was staring out into space, her lips pale. She looked like she might be in shock. Shit. “You okay, Maran?”

“She’s fine, except she just watched you almost die.” Kyle’s nostrils flared.

“Where’s Trey?” My throat felt like I’d joined the circus and performed the sword-swallowing act.

Kyle scowled at me. “He’s with Cuddy—probably getting CPR, just like you. I had to drag your ass out of there, and Cuddy pulled him back onto their boat. What the hell were you thinking? What’s going on?”

I sat up a little, then winced. Almost drowning didn’t feel real good. “Trey was messing with my traps again. I told him he was dead meat the next time I caught him.”

Kyle’s shoulders sagged, the soaked khaki material of his uniform plastered to his frame. “You need to let me know when this sort of shit happens. I can arrest him, you know.”

“I can take care of my own business.” I blinked up at him.

“Doesn’t look like that’s working out too well for you.” My cousin peered at the other boat. “He okay, Cuddy?” he called.

Chris Cuddy gave him a thumbs-up.

Kyle turned back to me. “I won’t give him a citation right now because I didn’t witness it firsthand. And because he’ll probably turn around and call the cops because you assaulted him.”

I shrugged. “He deserved it.”

“That’s not a legal defense, Jack. Time to grow up. If you catch them messing with your lines again, text me. I’m the one in charge around here, remember?” Kyle grabbed the rope from his boat, pulled it close, and climbed back onboard. He had the audacity to salute Maran. “Nice to see you, Ms. Riley. You two go back to the island now. Or else!”

Then he got into his Fish and Wildlife skiff and drove away.

“Are you okay?” Maran’s voice was quiet.

I shrugged. “I feel like I guzzled a whole keg of saltwater, then threw it up. Other than that, I’m aces.”

She shook her head, then eyed the other boat. “Do you think you can drive? We should get out of here.”

Trey had climbed up, and he and Cuddy were talking to each other and looking at us. Come at me, bro. I would love to drown the squirrelly little fucker and get it over with.

“Jack?” Maran sounded tired. “Please?”

“Yep.” I dragged myself up and started the boat. There was a time and a place for vengeance, but I didn’t need to subject Maran to it.

She came up and stood beside me. “Are you really okay?”

Her face was pale, her brow furrowed.

We pulled away from Trey and Cuddy. I didn’t give them a backward glance. “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry about that.”

“Are you seriously trying to kill that guy? And yourself?” Maran asked.