Beth’s eyes grew hot, yet her smile was radiant. “Mm, I’m looking forward to it.” Tony took her hand and led her onto the yacht. The sea breeze lifted the hem of her dress, and the old phonograph began to play their favorite song from long ago. Standing on the deck, Tony cleared his throat nervously. “Beth, I… I have something to tell you.” Beth looked at him tenderly. “Mm, I’m listening.” He took a deep breath, his gaze full of sincerity and passion. “We’ve only been together for a month, but… I already know you’re the one I want to spend my life with.” As soon as he finished speaking, fireworks burst across the distant night sky, their colors lighting up both their faces. Beth’s tears finally fell. She rose on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around him, and whispered softly in his ear, “Tony, me too.” On the shore, Lucas stood with his arm around Sloane, watching the couple embraced beneath the lights. Looking at the happiness on their faces, he felt a pang of guilt. He had never given Sloane something this romantic. I’m not a good boyfriend, he thought. Sloane seemed to sense his unease. She squeezed his hand gently. “What are you thinking about?” Lucas tightened his grip on her fingers. “That I’ve never given you any surprises. I’m not much of a boyfriend.” Sloane smiled. “I don’t think so. Being with the one you love—every day is a surprise.” Lucas couldn’t hold back anymore. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard. The kiss was fierce, full of all the feelings he’d been suppressing. Sloane found herself pressed against the pier railing, her hands instinctively wrapping around his neck. “Sloane…” Lucas breathed against her lips, his voice rough, forehead resting against hers. “When this is all over, let’s go back to Stonebridge, okay?” His thumb brushed her swollen lips as his eyes darkened with desire. Sloane’s cheeks flushed; she nodded slightly, her breath uneven. “Okay…”Lucas kissed her again, murmuring between breaths, “I love you.” Sloane said nothing, only kissed him back with equal passion. But their moment shattered in an instant. The roar of an engine tore through the quiet night. A speedboat burst out of the darkness, racing across the water. Several men in black leaped onto the yacht’s deck with practiced precision. “What are you doing?” Beth cried, startled—but one of the men shoved her aside roughly. She stumbled back, horrified, as two masked attackers seized Tony by the arms. “Miles!” Beth lunged forward to grab him, but another man slammed into her, sending her off balance. Her light blue dress flared like a wave— “Beth!” Sloane screamed from the pier. There was a loud splash. Beth hit the freezing water hard, the shock stealing her breath as salt water flooded her mouth and nose. “I’ll get her!” Lucas threw off his coat and sprinted toward the edge of the pier. In the water, Beth fought her way to the surface, gasping for air. Through the blur of waves, she saw the speedboat speeding away, Tony still struggling in their grasp. “Miles!” she screamed, voice breaking over the roar of the sea. Gunshots cracked across the water. Two bullets struck the surface near her, spraying salt and foam. Beth dove beneath the waves, her ears pounding with the sound of her heartbeat—and the fading growl of the engine disappearing into the night.