Page 157 of Sunkissed Colorado

“I didn’t mean to!”

“Little late for that excuse, don’t you think?”

“I lost Leo anyway. Nothing’s gone right for me since high school, unlike you. You’ve got a rich family, a guy like Callum. Isn’t that enough?” She wiped her face. “Are you going to tell people? Ruin everything for me all over again?”

“Ruin it foryou? Jessa’s family deserves to know what really happened.Ideserved it. Paula tried to burn Hearthstone with me in it because of your lies!”

I should’ve seen Winnie’s next move coming.

But I didn’t.

She lunged. Shoved me hard. I barely grabbed hold of her. We slammed to the ground, rolling down the slope. Sharp rocksgouged my skin. The wind knocked out of my lungs as her elbow caught me in the chest.

Then the world turned frigid as ice-cold water swallowed me up. I struggled to find the surface, feeling the tug of the current, but hands closed on my throat.

Winnie was holding me under the water.

FORTY-THREE

Callum

I wantedto speed down the road. Let this primal sense of fear drive me. Zandra was in danger, and my heart knew it.

But I forced myself to drive slowly instead, scanning the dark landscape for any sign of Winnie’s car.

My body was on overdrive, though. Desperate for any hint of what had happened. Anything that would lead me to Zandra.

I was almost to the bridge over the creek when I saw it. A glint of reflectors as my headlights hit them. A car was pulled over to the side of the road, far enough onto the dirt shoulder that I hadn’t seen it before.

I pulled in behind it, and it took me only a moment to identify the make and model. That was Winnie’s car.

Leaving my truck still running and the headlights on, I leaped out and ran to the front of the car. Nobody was inside. No sign of damage. Below me, the rushing of the creek created a constant low hum of noise.

Then a scream rose to cut through the sound of the water. My gaze caught on movement below.

Someone was down there in the creek.

My boots slipped and skidded on damp grass as I hurried down the slope. The moonlit scene solidified, though I still didn’tunderstand what I was seeing. It looked like Winnie was down there in the water, struggling with something. Someone.

Terror seized me as I realized Zandra was down there too, and an even deeper sense of horror swept over me. Winnie was holding her under the surface while Zandra’s arms flailed, her face briefly appearing before it went under again.

Icy water soaked my boots and jeans as I splashed into the current. “Winnie,” I shouted. “Stop!” She didn’t even turn as I barreled toward her, about to knock her aside.

But before I could, Zandra’s gasping form surged out of the water again and shoved Winnie back. She was completely drenched. The moonlight made her bared teeth look stark white. Winnie stumbled a few steps, falling waist-deep into the rushing creek. As she struggled to stand, Zandra grabbed for her. Her fist pulled back, the scene so vivid as I watched, it could’ve been in slow motion.

Zandra’s fist connected with Winnie’s cheek. The blond woman spun and toppled. Her head bounced against an exposed rock. She slumped there, lower half in the water and the rest of her limp against the rocks.

I scooped Zandra’s shaking form into my arms and carried her to the bank. “C-C-Callum?” Her teeth were chattering.

“It’s me. I’ve got you.”

We reached the grass, and I sat down with her, holding her in my lap. Her arms squeezed around my shoulders, and she put her head against my neck. Her whole body was quaking, and she was breathing so hard I worried she would hyperventilate. I had to warm her up. My hands rubbed at her wet skin. Pushed her hair back from her face.

“I need to go get a blanket for you. I’ve still got the one in my truck.”

“No.” She clung to me. “Winnie.”

I couldn’t begin to fathom what had occurred between Winnie and Zandra to lead to what I saw in the creek, but rightnow, explanations didn’t matter. “You can tell me everything later.”