Read Online Ryder: #4 (Allen Securities) by Madison Stevens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Madison Stevens
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aren’t far behind I’m sure, and we need to find shelter for the rest of the night.”
Irene nodded. He wanted more than anything to show her how happy he was to see her.
“Pretty clever,” Havoc said, pointing to the cloth on the bush. He glanced to Taylor. “Your idea?”
Taylor nodded, her blond ponytail bobbed behind her.
He smirked. “Nice work. Thanks for saving my ass back there.”
Taylor shrugged and gave her own half-cocked smile. “Seemed like an ass worth saving.”
Irene stared in shock as her cousin walked off to the thin, worn trail with Victoria.
Havoc just shook his head and followed behind.
Ryder leaned down to her.
“I’ll take the rear,” he said.
Her head shot up.
He grinned. “I’ll walk behind you.”
Irene glared at his double entendre and stomped on the trail toward a looming cliff. He hated taking this path, but it really was the best option. The other men wouldn’t likely follow, and if they did, they would have an even harder time getting through the rocky terrain. As long as they took it slow, things would go just fine.
For nearly an hour, they climbed up the side of the mountain by hanging on to the side of the cliff, only enough room to put one foot in front of the other. It was slow and torturous work, but they had little chance of running into the fire or any of the men, and that was good enough.
Irene stumbled forward. His heart jumped to his throat as he reached out to catch her. A fall from this height could easily kill her.
His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her hard against him. He held her there for a moment and let his adrenaline slow as he assured himself that she was safe in his arms.
“I got you,” he whispered.
She shook and hugged his arm to her. This climb was taking a toll on all of them. Ryder looked down the line and could see that they were all exhausted. Most professional climbers didn’t even operate under these sorts of conditions.
“Victoria?” Taylor called from the front of the line.
“What’s going on?” Ryder called up.
Taylor turned and shook her head. “She’s shaking and looking really pale.”
Ryder looked to Irene.
“Maybe low blood sugar or—”
“Victoria!”
They watched in horror as she fell back with no hand outstretched to catch her fall. She landed with a crack against the thin landing just below them.
“Don’t move,” Ryder said to everyone. They froze where they were.
Painstakingly slow, he made his way down the cliff in the dark. The moon was now covered by the smoke that choked the sky. He stepped down onto the platform and was surprised to find an opening to a cave.
He reached down and felt for a pulse. She was still alive, just unconscious and likely with a broken leg given its current unnatural angle.
“Think you can climb down?” he said to the others.
The others climbed down, careful as they moved in the dark. When they were close enough, he helped them the rest of the way.
“Is she okay?” Irene dropped to the floor beside her.
“She’s broken her leg,” he said and looked over to Havoc. Even if the women didn’t realize, he might. Climbing out of a place like this with a broken leg just wasn’t going to happen.
“Oh God.” Irene brushed Victoria’s dark hair out of her face.
“Let’s try and get her further into the cave before she wakes up,” he said to Havoc. “We’ll set up here tonight, and I can touch base and find out about the helicopter.”
“Helicopter?” Havoc echoed. “You got all the connections.”
“We’re going to be rescued?” Irene said with hope.
“Not tonight but soon,” Ryder said with hope. The fire might have put an end to all that, but he was still holding on to hope. “If you’ve got some pain killers, aspirin or anything, let’s give her some.” He turned to Taylor. “See if you can find a few long sticks we can splint her leg with.”
Irene nodded and went to rummage through her bag, while Taylor searched the back of
Irene nodded. He wanted more than anything to show her how happy he was to see her.
“Pretty clever,” Havoc said, pointing to the cloth on the bush. He glanced to Taylor. “Your idea?”
Taylor nodded, her blond ponytail bobbed behind her.
He smirked. “Nice work. Thanks for saving my ass back there.”
Taylor shrugged and gave her own half-cocked smile. “Seemed like an ass worth saving.”
Irene stared in shock as her cousin walked off to the thin, worn trail with Victoria.
Havoc just shook his head and followed behind.
Ryder leaned down to her.
“I’ll take the rear,” he said.
Her head shot up.
He grinned. “I’ll walk behind you.”
Irene glared at his double entendre and stomped on the trail toward a looming cliff. He hated taking this path, but it really was the best option. The other men wouldn’t likely follow, and if they did, they would have an even harder time getting through the rocky terrain. As long as they took it slow, things would go just fine.
For nearly an hour, they climbed up the side of the mountain by hanging on to the side of the cliff, only enough room to put one foot in front of the other. It was slow and torturous work, but they had little chance of running into the fire or any of the men, and that was good enough.
Irene stumbled forward. His heart jumped to his throat as he reached out to catch her. A fall from this height could easily kill her.
His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her hard against him. He held her there for a moment and let his adrenaline slow as he assured himself that she was safe in his arms.
“I got you,” he whispered.
She shook and hugged his arm to her. This climb was taking a toll on all of them. Ryder looked down the line and could see that they were all exhausted. Most professional climbers didn’t even operate under these sorts of conditions.
“Victoria?” Taylor called from the front of the line.
“What’s going on?” Ryder called up.
Taylor turned and shook her head. “She’s shaking and looking really pale.”
Ryder looked to Irene.
“Maybe low blood sugar or—”
“Victoria!”
They watched in horror as she fell back with no hand outstretched to catch her fall. She landed with a crack against the thin landing just below them.
“Don’t move,” Ryder said to everyone. They froze where they were.
Painstakingly slow, he made his way down the cliff in the dark. The moon was now covered by the smoke that choked the sky. He stepped down onto the platform and was surprised to find an opening to a cave.
He reached down and felt for a pulse. She was still alive, just unconscious and likely with a broken leg given its current unnatural angle.
“Think you can climb down?” he said to the others.
The others climbed down, careful as they moved in the dark. When they were close enough, he helped them the rest of the way.
“Is she okay?” Irene dropped to the floor beside her.
“She’s broken her leg,” he said and looked over to Havoc. Even if the women didn’t realize, he might. Climbing out of a place like this with a broken leg just wasn’t going to happen.
“Oh God.” Irene brushed Victoria’s dark hair out of her face.
“Let’s try and get her further into the cave before she wakes up,” he said to Havoc. “We’ll set up here tonight, and I can touch base and find out about the helicopter.”
“Helicopter?” Havoc echoed. “You got all the connections.”
“We’re going to be rescued?” Irene said with hope.
“Not tonight but soon,” Ryder said with hope. The fire might have put an end to all that, but he was still holding on to hope. “If you’ve got some pain killers, aspirin or anything, let’s give her some.” He turned to Taylor. “See if you can find a few long sticks we can splint her leg with.”
Irene nodded and went to rummage through her bag, while Taylor searched the back of
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