Chapter 117

Serena's POV

Exhaustion weighed on every inch of my body. The gentle waves of sleep pulled me under, a well-deserved rest after last night's ocean adventure.

A knock shattered my peace.

"Go away," I mumbled into my pillow, pulling the covers higher.

The knocking persisted, followed by Lucas's unmistakable voice. "Serena, time to get up."

I cracked open one eye to check my phone. "5:30 AM? Are you insane?"

The door opened - of course he had a key card - and Lucas strode in, already dressed in casual wear instead of his usual suits. The morning light caught his sharp features as he approached my bed.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."

"I don't want to shine. I don't even want to rise. My toes hurt from yesterday's boat trip."

He pulled back my covers with zero sympathy. "Wear something comfortable. We're going on a little trip."

Twenty minutes later, still grumbling, I found myself boarding a helicopter. The early morning air was crisp. As we lifted off, the Bahamas spread out below us like a painting - azure waters dotted with islands, all bathed in the soft glow of dawn.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Lucas's voice came through my headset.

I had to admit it was breathtaking.

"Tandem skydiving. You'll be attached to me the whole time."

"No. Absolutely not." I crossed my arms, heart already racing. "I'm not jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft."

"You don't have a choice." His grey eyes held that familiar stubborn glint. "Consider it therapy for your fear of heights."

"Lucas Harrington..." My voice trembled. "If I die, I'm haunting you forever."

"Noted." He started helping me into the harness, his movements precise and confident. I tried to ignore how his hands lingered a moment too long each time he adjusted the straps.

Standing at the open door, wind whipping at my face, I questioned every life choice that had led to this moment. The ocean looked impossibly far below.

"I can't do this," I whispered.

Lucas's chest pressed against my back as he secured our harnesses together. "Trust me, Serena."

"I really, really hate you right now."

"Close your eyes if you need to." His breath was warm against my ear. "On three. One..."

"Wait-"

"Two..."

"Lucas-"

"Three."

We fell.

My scream was lost to the wind as we plummeted through empty space. Eyes squeezed shut, I clung to the harness straps like they were the last threads of my sanity.

"Open your eyes," Lucas called over the rush of air.

"No!"

"Open them, or I might have to kiss you to distract you."

My eyes flew open, partly in shock at his words, partly in indignation. And then...

Oh.

The world expanded around me in breathtaking clarity. Sunlight painted the clouds in pink and gold. The ocean below was an endless expanse of blue, islands scattered like emerald jewels on azure silk. We weren't falling - we were flying.

Slowly, my death grip on the straps relaxed. The initial terror melted into something else entirely: freedom. Pure, absolute freedom.

I spread my arms wide, letting out a laugh that came from somewhere deep inside. The wind sang past us as we glided through the morning sky, weightless and wonderful.

"Still hate me?" Lucas asked, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Ask me when we land," I replied, but we both knew the answer. In that moment, suspended between heaven and earth, I felt more alive than ever before.

All too soon, the ground began to approach. Lucas deployed the parachute, and our wild descent transformed into a gentle drift. As we floated down, I found myself wishing we could stay up there just a little longer, in that perfect pocket of sky where nothing existed except wind and light and the solid presence of Lucas behind me.

We touched down softly on the beach, and I stood on shaky legs as Lucas unclipped our harnesses. My heart was still racing, but now from exhilaration rather than fear.

"Extreme sports are great for relieving stress," he said, studying my face with those intense grey eyes. "That's how I got through some rough times myself."

"Were you under a lot of pressure?" I asked, studying his profile.

"Being the heir to Harrington International isn't easy."

I nodded silently, unable to argue with that truth.

"The year my parents died, my grandfather couldn't handle the shock of outliving his child and fell ill. My aunt and uncle weren't capable of running the company, and Jace wasn't allowed to manage it either. Suddenly, all the family pressure fell on my shoulders. I was barely twenty." He paused, his voice carrying a weight I'd never heard before.

"Dealing with the loss of both parents while trying to keep Harrington International afloat... when the pressure became too much, I'd come out here for extreme sports. It worked, I can tell you that much."

The realization hit me then. Lucas hadn't brought me here because he was some adrenaline junkie looking for a thrill. He'd brought me here to help me forget my troubles, to give me a chance to truly relax.

Something stirred in my chest, a feeling I couldn't quite name. Lucas's thoughtfulness was becoming harder and harder to resist.