HERS TO PROTECT

Chapter 1

Stranded Paradise

The storm hit with an unforgiving force, leaving Lia Santos clinging desperately to the remnants of her shattered boat. The once calm sea had morphed into a chaotic, seething expanse of crashing waves and roaring winds. Whenever she thought she might stay afloat, another wave slammed into her, threatening to wrench the wreckage from her grasp.

Lucas. Her mind whispered his name, longing, and regret filling her chest. If only he were here. But he wasn't. He couldn't be. Lia closed her eyes briefly, feeling the saltwater sting, unsure if it was from the sea or her tears. She felt the pull of the dark water and, for a fleeting moment, considered letting go.

But then, a lightning bolt split the sky, casting a brief, jagged light over the water. In that flash, she saw another figure struggling against the monstrous waves. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and instinct took over.

"Hey! Are you okay?" she screamed into the howling wind, her voice barely audible over the crashing storm.

"I'm fine!" The response came between gulps of air, the accent unmistakably British. "Just trying not to drown!"

Lia's heart skipped a beat. That voice—it sounded familiar, pulling at a memory she couldn't quite place. Anxiety spiked, tightening her chest. But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. Fueled by a mix of fear and determination, she swam toward the stranger, every stroke a battle against the violent sea.

When she reached him, her fingers latched onto his arm with a strength she didn't know she had. "Hold on!" she urged, pulling him towards the shattered remains of her boat. Together, they clung to the debris, tossed and turned by the relentless waves. Thunder rumbled above them like an enraged god, each crack shaking the sky.

"We need to get to the shore," Lia shouted, her words nearly drowned out by the storm.

The man nodded, his face pale but steady. "Lead the way," he replied, offering a half-smile despite their dire situation.

Lia paused for a second, confused by the ease of his response. How could anyone smile right now? But there was no time to dwell on it. They had to move.

"Can you swim?" she asked urgently, scanning his face for any sign of hesitation.

"Yeah, I'm good."

Lia led the way through the crushing waves without a word, exhausted and gnawing at her muscles. She focused on the shore, a distant line she could barely make out through the rain. Every inch of progress felt like a monumental victory. The stranger stayed close behind her, mirroring her strokes with a determination that almost matched her own.

The storm appeared to subside as they reached the beach, but the rain continued. Gasping, they slumped as the waves lapped at their feet. Lia could barely move, her body trembling from the cold and exhaustion.

"We made it," she breathed, the words escaping her lips as more of a sigh than a declaration.

The man—Ethan, she remembered his name now—nodded slowly. "Barely." His lips quirked into a tired smile, his eyes scanning their bleak surroundings. "But we're still alive."

As they lay in peace, the storm raged overhead yet seemed distant now that they were on the ground. The sky flashed again with lightning, briefly illuminating the battered coastline. The roar of thunder echoed after it, a reminder of the danger still lurking.

"Thanks," Ethan murmured after a long pause. His voice was softer now, barely above a whisper. "You saved my life back there."

Lia stared at the dark, churning sea. "I almost didn't." The admission came out before she could stop it. Her heart clenched painfully at the thought. "If I hadn't seen you, I might've let the sea take me."

Ethan turned his head sharply, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "What? You mean you weren't planning on surviving?"

Lia pushed herself up from the sand, her movements slow and deliberate. "We need to find shelter," she said, ignoring his question. The weight of her wet clothes made every step heavy, and the cold had begun to settle deep in her bones. She didn't want to talk about Lucas, not now.

Ethan paused before getting up and following her, but she could feel his curious stare. The forest loomed ahead of them, thick and dark, but it offered some protection from the storm. They struggled toward the tree line.

"There," Ethan showed a natural covering of trees. "We can wait out the storm there."

They quickly gathered what little they could—a few large leaves and branches—to make a crude shelter. The storm continued outside while they sat in the darkness, although they were partly covered. Both were exhausted, yet neither could relax.

Ethan broke the silence first. "What were you doing out there? Alone, in the middle of a storm?"

Lia glanced at him briefly before staring back out into the night. "I needed to get away from everything. Life... people. I thought being out here would clear my head."

He raised an eyebrow. "And now? Does this feel like the escape you were hoping for?"

She gave a small, humorless laugh. "Not exactly."

"And you? What were you running from?"

Ethan sighed deeply. "Let's just say I needed to disappear for a while. Seems like fate had other plans."

Lia shot him a sidelong glance. "Running from something or someone?"

"Both, maybe," he answered cryptically, but there was no hint of fear in his voice, only resignation. "But what about you? Why leave everything behind?"

Lia didn't respond immediately, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the image of Lucas—his face, his laugh—before everything had fallen apart. Her throat tightened painfully.

"Lucas," she whispered his name, her voice barely audible, as if saying it out loud would hurt too much. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, hoping Ethan hadn't noticed.

But he had.

"Who's Lucas?" Ethan's voice was soft but insistent.

She swallowed hard, shaking her head. "Someone I should've been with. Someone I can't forget."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The storm outside raged on, but inside their small shelter, a different storm was brewing—one of grief, regret, and unsaid words.