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There was a fissure in the wall of the sub. Water was leaking in.

No, dammit. He stared at it.

“That’s not good, is it?” she asked.

He tapped into the computer. “I need to calculate how long we have before the sub fills with water.” The information flashed up on the display. Fuck. He sat back in his seat. “We have just under twenty minutes before the sub is full of water.”

Even in the red emergency light, Dare saw her face go white.

“Get your helmet on.” He grabbed his helmet and looked at her.

She swallowed and held up her helmet. It was shattered. “It must have broken in the collision.”

He felt as though a cold wind blew through him. “There must be another one in here.”

Together, they tore all the compartments open. There was no extra helmet.

His gaze locked on hers. This was bad. Indescribably bad.

“We’ll have to swim for the dome,” she said, interrupting his thoughts.

He stared ahead through the screen. “It’s too far. Whoever doesn’t have the helmet will run out of air before we get there. And the pressure…” That was if some hungry shark didn’t eat them along the way.

“Olok said the aglia injections would help with the pressure.”

“I’m not really feeling like trusting anything that bastard has told us.”

They both sat back. Dare held the helmet out. “Okay, I want you to take it and get to the dome⁠—”

“No. That’s not a plan, Dare.”

“Now’s not the time to argue.” The water was already rapidly filling the tiny sub, lapping at their knees. “I want you in that dome. I want you safe.”

“I’m not leaving you here to die.”

“You want the treasure, don’t you? Go and get it. Find a way out of here⁠—”

“I don’t give a fuck about the treasure,” she bit out.

“This is what you wanted⁠—”

“I want you!”

They stared at each other, both of them breathing fast.

“I won’t leave you,” she said brokenly.

Dare grabbed her, yanking her to his chest. There was so much inside him, more than he’d felt for so long. Ever. “I can’t watch you die, Dakota. I can’t. And if you don’t go, then we’ll both die.”

“Try to contact your brothers again.”

The desperation in her voice made him nod. He got back on the controls, calling out for his brothers.

Nothing.

The cold water was at their waists now. He had to convince her to go.

“Please, Dakota, I want you to go.” He cupped her face, leaning down to kiss her. It was a desperate, hungry taste of her. A goodbye.