worried look down at Megan.
The ladder was only about four feet from the opening, but with the open space below him, and nothing to grab onto, it couldn't have been more dangerous if it was a mile. One wrong move and both Christopher and Becky would go plunging into the dark depths below them, collecting Megan on the way.
7
Gemma couldn't imagine a world without Christopher in it. He'd taught her what love was, but in truth he'd done so much more than that. He'd persisted despite her many rejections, slowly cracking away at the hard shell of protection she'd built.
He taught her how to trust – then he took it all away again.
It was a long time before Gemma opened her heart to anyone else, but the walls never quite came back down again.
She'd convinced herself she didn't need anyone. That she didn't need a man to make her whole. That she wasn't weak like her mother.
The funny thing was Christopher hadn't been much older than her hormone-crazed students when he betrayed her.
She began seeing his betrayal in a different light. Especially considering the pressure he'd been under at the time, and the terrible burden of the secret that was the beginning of what tore them apart.
“What do you want me to do?” Donavon asked Christopher, rubbing his chin as he took in the situation.
Gemma gave Christopher an encouraging smile. When he managed a small smile in return it was as though something had lifted away from her, and she felt lighter somehow.
She never realized before how much of himself he'd left with her. She was a stronger person because of him. He'd taught her that letting others in was a strength. Not a weakness.
But the matter of CJ was in a whole other category and something she couldn't think about right now.
Christopher's face was strained. The arm closest to her was shaking.
The canvas strap had fallen over his shoulder. It was only the awkward way he was holding himself that was stopping it from sliding further. His neck was cocked at an odd angle, his shoulder jutting upwards. The tightening of the strap against his bone was cutting off his circulation.
Christopher's voice was low as he answered Donavon, and the light of the fire dancing in his eyes was mingled with pain.
“I'm going to have to cut Becky free.” Christopher paused as his shoulder started shaking uncontrollably. “I'll need you to grab her.”
What they were considering was crazy – risky as hell – and Gemma's brain scrambled for another answer.
“What's going on?” Megan sounded alarmed.
Robert stiffened, leaning out to reassure her. “Just hang tight–”
“Hang tight? You seriously just said that?” Megan snorted, but her voice was thick with fear.
“Bad choice of words,” Robert agreed lightly. “It won't be long now.”
“Don't mind me – I'll just be hanging around,” Megan said.
“A comedian, too,” Robert said.
“Yup – that's me,” Megan shot back. “Always the life of the party.”
Meanwhile Christopher and Donavon were still talking, their voices low and urgent.
“Can you reach the belt buckle?” Christopher asked. “I can fasten Becky to the ladder while I cut her free.”
“Not without coming in there.” Donavon's face was grave. “There's just not enough room for us both on the ladder.”
“I could do it,” Gemma said.
Christopher immediately shook his head. “No.”
“I'm smaller than Donavon,” Gemma hissed, her grip tightening on the wall as she studied the ladder. “Robert. I need more light.”
“I said no,” Christopher growled as Robert maneuvered the flame over Gemma's head.
“What? Because I'm a girl?” Gemma voiced her frustration, giving Christopher a pointed look.
“No. Because...” Christopher broke off, pain twisting his features as he moved his shoulder.
“There's a support brace for the ladder just below you,” Gemma said quickly. “If you put your foot on that and shift across I can come down on this side.”
Christopher shook his
The ladder was only about four feet from the opening, but with the open space below him, and nothing to grab onto, it couldn't have been more dangerous if it was a mile. One wrong move and both Christopher and Becky would go plunging into the dark depths below them, collecting Megan on the way.
7
Gemma couldn't imagine a world without Christopher in it. He'd taught her what love was, but in truth he'd done so much more than that. He'd persisted despite her many rejections, slowly cracking away at the hard shell of protection she'd built.
He taught her how to trust – then he took it all away again.
It was a long time before Gemma opened her heart to anyone else, but the walls never quite came back down again.
She'd convinced herself she didn't need anyone. That she didn't need a man to make her whole. That she wasn't weak like her mother.
The funny thing was Christopher hadn't been much older than her hormone-crazed students when he betrayed her.
She began seeing his betrayal in a different light. Especially considering the pressure he'd been under at the time, and the terrible burden of the secret that was the beginning of what tore them apart.
“What do you want me to do?” Donavon asked Christopher, rubbing his chin as he took in the situation.
Gemma gave Christopher an encouraging smile. When he managed a small smile in return it was as though something had lifted away from her, and she felt lighter somehow.
She never realized before how much of himself he'd left with her. She was a stronger person because of him. He'd taught her that letting others in was a strength. Not a weakness.
But the matter of CJ was in a whole other category and something she couldn't think about right now.
Christopher's face was strained. The arm closest to her was shaking.
The canvas strap had fallen over his shoulder. It was only the awkward way he was holding himself that was stopping it from sliding further. His neck was cocked at an odd angle, his shoulder jutting upwards. The tightening of the strap against his bone was cutting off his circulation.
Christopher's voice was low as he answered Donavon, and the light of the fire dancing in his eyes was mingled with pain.
“I'm going to have to cut Becky free.” Christopher paused as his shoulder started shaking uncontrollably. “I'll need you to grab her.”
What they were considering was crazy – risky as hell – and Gemma's brain scrambled for another answer.
“What's going on?” Megan sounded alarmed.
Robert stiffened, leaning out to reassure her. “Just hang tight–”
“Hang tight? You seriously just said that?” Megan snorted, but her voice was thick with fear.
“Bad choice of words,” Robert agreed lightly. “It won't be long now.”
“Don't mind me – I'll just be hanging around,” Megan said.
“A comedian, too,” Robert said.
“Yup – that's me,” Megan shot back. “Always the life of the party.”
Meanwhile Christopher and Donavon were still talking, their voices low and urgent.
“Can you reach the belt buckle?” Christopher asked. “I can fasten Becky to the ladder while I cut her free.”
“Not without coming in there.” Donavon's face was grave. “There's just not enough room for us both on the ladder.”
“I could do it,” Gemma said.
Christopher immediately shook his head. “No.”
“I'm smaller than Donavon,” Gemma hissed, her grip tightening on the wall as she studied the ladder. “Robert. I need more light.”
“I said no,” Christopher growled as Robert maneuvered the flame over Gemma's head.
“What? Because I'm a girl?” Gemma voiced her frustration, giving Christopher a pointed look.
“No. Because...” Christopher broke off, pain twisting his features as he moved his shoulder.
“There's a support brace for the ladder just below you,” Gemma said quickly. “If you put your foot on that and shift across I can come down on this side.”
Christopher shook his
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