“Do you have any rope? Or anything like that in here?”

“Yes.” Her eyes lit up, and she opened her car door.

Seth hopped out and went to the back of the SUV, where she’d lifted the hatch, covering them from the pounding drops. Next to her boat paddle and life jacket, she had a coil of yellow synthetic rope. She tugged on a length. “It’s strong. Do you think it’s long enough?”

Seth took the rope. “This’ll work. I’ll take a look at the front.”

He moved into the blinding headlights and kneeled, looking for something to anchor the rope. “Perfect,” he muttered, spotting a thick metal loop that screamed for a rope to be hooked through it. He brushed the water out of his eyes and ran the rope through the loop, yanking with his body weight to test its strength. He knotted it and stood, turning to check the kids. The water was higher on the sedan’s door. “Shit.” Victoria watched him from the driver’s seat. He moved to her lowered window. “Can you get closer?”

She nodded and inched her vehicle forward. Seth watched her front tires move into the deeper water. The rain splattered through her window, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. “I’ll go a little closer,” she said.

“Let me see how far this gets me first.” Seth looped the rope around his waist and secured it. He turned to move into the water. Reaching out, Victoria grabbed his arm.

“Be careful.” Her eyes were huge.

“I will.” He held her gaze. “Back up if you see me go under. That water is fast. I don’t want to be slammed into the trees. And keep trying to reach nine-one-one again.”

She nodded, her lips pressed together.

Seth stepped into the water, and it soaked his ankles. Fuck, that is cold. He pushed deeper to mid-shin, his focus on the sedan, his brain shrieking at the icy temperature. How could water feel colder than ice? The rush of the water was steady but not impossible to navigate. He felt for every foothold before shifting his weight into that step.

The ground shifted from underneath his shoe as he stepped off the road and into the softer dirt. He flung out his arms for balance and the water moved above his knee.

That was close. He didn’t look behind him for Tori’s reaction. He could feel her gaze boring a hole in his back. The windows in the sedan were steaming up, but he saw two sets of wide eyes watching him through the barely opened window. Maybe this wasn’t the smartest idea. Should they wait for help? The water was nearly lapping at the door handle. The sedan had ended up in a depression at the base of the trees, slightly lower than the roadway.

Fuck it. Going in.

He lunged through the final ten feet of water, letting the water propel him forward, and slammed against the passenger door. “Hey, guys!” The water rushed around his thighs. Trinity’s face was wet from the rain. Or was that tears? “Ready to get out of here?” The boy rolled the window completely down.

“God, yes. Get her out first,” the boy said. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

Hell, no. “I’ll tie her to me. I think we’ll be okay.”

Trinity crawled into a sitting position in the window of the door, her feet dangling over the side. Seth untied his rope and looped it around her waist, bracing his knees against the car door.

“There isn’t enough to tie to you!” Trinity shouted over the roar of the water.

Seth already knew that. “I’ll hang on tight.”

“No, I’ll go back then throw the rope to you. No one should go through that without it!”

“We’ll be fine.”

Trinity’s expression showed she didn’t believe him. But she slid down into the water, gasping at the temperature. She wasn’t tall. The cold water was nearly to her crotch. Seth gripped the rope with both hands, refusing to look at Tori. She would be throwing a fit that he wasn’t tied. “Follow me.” He pressed forward, angling for the side of the runoff river. Every step felt like he pushed through deep mud. He tightened up the rope and pulled himself forward. Trinity grabbed at the back of his belt, and he wavered. He caught his balance and plowed ahead, each step getting shallower.

They reached the SUV and Victoria jumped out, ripping the rope off Trinity. “Are you okay?”

The girl’s teeth chattered in answer, but she nodded. Seth’s teeth were chattering, too. With numb hands, he tried to tie the rope around his waist again. He felt like he’d run a marathon.

“Just throw him the rope,” Victoria suggested. “He’s a big kid. He can tie a knot.”

Seth looked at the kid. He was already outside the car in the water, hanging on to the door for balance as the water rushed around his lower thighs. He was a lot taller than Trinity. Victoria grabbed the rope out of Seth’s hands and flung it in the kid’s direction. The rope landed in the water and was instantly swept into the teen’s hands.

“Jason! Be careful!” Trinity shouted, cupping her mouth. Jason looked up and nodded, rapidly tying the rope around his waist.

Seth watched him. Knot it again. He gestured for Jason to tie it better, but the teen wasn’t looking at him. He let go of the car and moved forward. Shock crossed Jason’s face as he realized how difficult it was to push against the current. He tightened his grip on the rope and pulled, his legs slowly moving through the fast water.

Victoria climbed back in the driver’s seat, her gaze locked on Jason. Trinity clasped her hands together below her chin, shivering. Seth grabbed the rope at the SUV, pulling the boy closer.