Page 47 of Rio

“To the Anderson Lagoon.”

“What for?”He sounds cautious.

“To swim.It’s known for its bioluminescence.It’ll be fun,” Edwin says, starting to clear our plates from the table.I help him.Vilma picks up the empty paper cups.

“There’s a group of us going,” she says.“It’s the secret spot.Nice to go for a late-night swim under the stars.”

Edwin takes the trash from us and walks away to dispose of it.Rio looks at me and I have a feeling he isn’t keen on going.The crowd is mainly youngsters, early twenties.Maybe he’s feeling a little old.I’ve never swum in a lagoon before, and especially not one that is bioluminescent.“I’m game.You?”I turn to Rio.

“How are you getting there?”he asks.

“Luis has a truck,” Vilma replies, then, sensing his concern, “It’s safe.I know these guys.Luis’s an experienced tour guide.He does tours like this all the time.This isn’t a tour.It’s just a chance for us to have a dip in the lagoon.”

Rio doesn’t look convinced, but I want to go.I don’t care what time it is, or that I have so much work to do.When will I ever get the chance to swim in a lagoon that lights up?

“Come along,” Vilma says.“You’ll like it.It’s so pretty.”

But it’s not the prettiness I’m thinking about.It’s about being in a lagoon, with Rio Knight, under the stars.

Chapter 13

RIO

I don’t like this idea.Driving late at night, on roads I don’t know, in a truck I’m not even driving.It’s a young guy behind the wheel, and I’m worried he’s drunk too much.No way do I want him behind the steering wheel.

I’m about to go and question him when Raquel tugs my sleeve.“You’re not the boss here,” she reminds me, her voice warm with amusement.“They want to have fun.You should let them be.”

“That’s all good, but you want to make it home alive, don’t you?”

“Just go with the flow, Knight.Loosen up, You might like it.”

She smiles, looking more relaxed than I’ve ever seen her.Her curls are wild from dancing, and her skin glows in the moonlight.This version of Raquel is reckless, radiant, and maybe a little tipsy—and I can’t look away.I don’t want to look away.I want her to be safe, and get back in one piece.

I won’t like it.Driving out this late, to go to a lagoon, where who knows what creatures might be hiding, is not a good idea.But I’m not about to let Raquel go alone, even if her friends are with her.I’d hate for anything to happen to her.So I go along, trying not to ask a million questions is hard though, but I somehow manage it.

We all pile into an old Toyota truck.It’s the kind of pickup that looks like it belongs in a dumpster.The cab fills up first, and the rest of us cram into the open bed at the back.Bodies wedged together, legs dangling, arms bracing as the trucks jolts along the dirt road.Someone starts singing, too loud, and not too great, but everyone joins in.Except me and Raquel.We grin at one another.

It feels chaotic.Alive and dangerous.I like it more than I want to admit.

After what feels like forever, the truck grinds to a halt.Darkness covers everything, except the faint outline of trees and a narrow dock leading out over still water.comes to a stop and we’re told to get into a boat.

“Out,” someone shouts.“Get onto the boat.Slow and easy.”

I help Raquel off the truck and eye up the small, flat-bottomed boat nearby, my stomach filling with dread.

“Seriously?”I mutter, glaring at the guy who is leading us all like a pack of sheep to the wolves.

He grins and pats me on the shoulder.“It will be worth it, boss.”

“Why are you doing this?”I ask.“Are you charging money for this?”I don’t understand why anyone would do anything like this for free.

Vilma seems annoyed by my questions.“He works here.He wants to give us, the locals, a chance to do what tourists like you pay to do.He’s allowed to, no?”

“Try not to offend anyone, Knight,” Raquel whisper-hisses.

“I hope we don’t drown.”This is incredibly reckless, incredibly unnecessary, and here we are.Setting off late at night, in darkness, to swim in a lagoon.I dread to think what creatures could be lying in wait for us.

I’m almost thirty, and these kids look like they’re in their early twenties.Is that the difference between reckless stupidity and knowing exactly how fast things can go wrong?I give in.Raquel wants to go, so we are going.There’s no way I’m letting her do this alone.