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Authors: Bonnie R. Paulson
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too. “Go with you?”
“Yes.” And he hissed his S , drawing it out long.
The realization that he was the same man who’d called earlier didn’t scare Amelia like it should’ve. Instead, it spurred her to action. She scuttled to the side, away from him, toward the window that would get her to the roof and the ladder down the back of the building. As far as he knew, she didn’t have any other way down than going with him.
She crab-walked back as his smile grew. “I like this game.” He climbed further into the loft, moving onto all fours.
From outside, the leader’s voice boomed. “Jack, did you get her? Bring her down. You can have your fun later.”
The smile faded from Jack’s eyes, but his mouth continued to curve, the meanness only sharpened with his glee gone.
Not taking her eyes off him, Amelia crept back until her hip hit the wall and her elbow ran into the glass of the window. She’d only have one real chance. He would be seconds behind her. And what did she do when she got to the bottom? There were men with horses…
She reached behind her and flipped the latch on the window. The double-pane slipped up easily.
Jack watched her, moving forward like a beetle
And then she spun, twisting on all fours which wasn’t a natural move and she had to have pulled something. First one leg and then the other led the way through the window. She dangled from the opening for a split second, enough to gather more courage, and then dropped about five feet to the slanted metal roof below.
“Unh.” She landed with her knee smacking her cheekbone and her elbows slamming the hot metal roof heated by the sun. Standing from the forced fetal position, Amelia ignored the pain. Her rubber soled boots gripped the surface enough she could run at an angle. Memories of her days in track with an old friend, Kelsey, flooded back to her. Arms in tight to the sides, Ames, you can do this.
Only thirty more feet.
She pumped her arms, careful to keep her eyes forward. The man’s grunts gave his position away. She’d counted on him wearing well-worn slippery soled cowboy boots. He didn’t disappoint as he slid down the smooth metal, cursing as he grappled for a handhold.
Feet away, the ladder rungs teased her with escape.
Shouts from below followed her progress as she put more distance between Jack and herself. Slate said he was going to create a distraction, but hell, if she didn’t try to take some of the lime light herself.
Barely gripping the top rung when she reached it, Amelia jumped over the side of the roof. Already-injured elbows banged on the wooden siding. Her knee knocked the next rung before she could clamor for a foothold.
But Amelia dangling precariously from the roof ledge gave Jack precious time to catch up.
The toes of her boots gained a hold. She gripped the lower rung, moving down as Jack appeared above her. She wanted to squeal with fear. Where had he come from? So fast? Hurry, Amelia. Come on!
She clenched her teeth on the scream the chase demanded from her. Adrenaline made her shake. Sweaty palms slipped on the thin metal bars.
Amazingly, she made it to the bottom where she would have to hang from the last rung before falling to the ground.
Before she could settle into the hang and get ready to drop, rough hands grabbed her ankles and clutched her calves. Her grip on the ladder tightened reflexively, even as Jack’s boots came closer to stepping on her fingers.
“Let go, you stupid bitch.” More than one set of rough hands pulled at her.
Jack called from above, his tone pitchy and tight. “She’s mine. I found her!”
Like dogs fighting over the only morsel, they yelled and cussed, tugging on her like meat for the taking.
Unable to outlast the strength of the men determined to pull her down, Amelia let go, dropping and tucking into a ball. Anything to protect herself and make their job of retrieving her that more difficult.
Her efforts were wasted. That many men easily lifted her,
“Yes.” And he hissed his S , drawing it out long.
The realization that he was the same man who’d called earlier didn’t scare Amelia like it should’ve. Instead, it spurred her to action. She scuttled to the side, away from him, toward the window that would get her to the roof and the ladder down the back of the building. As far as he knew, she didn’t have any other way down than going with him.
She crab-walked back as his smile grew. “I like this game.” He climbed further into the loft, moving onto all fours.
From outside, the leader’s voice boomed. “Jack, did you get her? Bring her down. You can have your fun later.”
The smile faded from Jack’s eyes, but his mouth continued to curve, the meanness only sharpened with his glee gone.
Not taking her eyes off him, Amelia crept back until her hip hit the wall and her elbow ran into the glass of the window. She’d only have one real chance. He would be seconds behind her. And what did she do when she got to the bottom? There were men with horses…
She reached behind her and flipped the latch on the window. The double-pane slipped up easily.
Jack watched her, moving forward like a beetle
And then she spun, twisting on all fours which wasn’t a natural move and she had to have pulled something. First one leg and then the other led the way through the window. She dangled from the opening for a split second, enough to gather more courage, and then dropped about five feet to the slanted metal roof below.
“Unh.” She landed with her knee smacking her cheekbone and her elbows slamming the hot metal roof heated by the sun. Standing from the forced fetal position, Amelia ignored the pain. Her rubber soled boots gripped the surface enough she could run at an angle. Memories of her days in track with an old friend, Kelsey, flooded back to her. Arms in tight to the sides, Ames, you can do this.
Only thirty more feet.
She pumped her arms, careful to keep her eyes forward. The man’s grunts gave his position away. She’d counted on him wearing well-worn slippery soled cowboy boots. He didn’t disappoint as he slid down the smooth metal, cursing as he grappled for a handhold.
Feet away, the ladder rungs teased her with escape.
Shouts from below followed her progress as she put more distance between Jack and herself. Slate said he was going to create a distraction, but hell, if she didn’t try to take some of the lime light herself.
Barely gripping the top rung when she reached it, Amelia jumped over the side of the roof. Already-injured elbows banged on the wooden siding. Her knee knocked the next rung before she could clamor for a foothold.
But Amelia dangling precariously from the roof ledge gave Jack precious time to catch up.
The toes of her boots gained a hold. She gripped the lower rung, moving down as Jack appeared above her. She wanted to squeal with fear. Where had he come from? So fast? Hurry, Amelia. Come on!
She clenched her teeth on the scream the chase demanded from her. Adrenaline made her shake. Sweaty palms slipped on the thin metal bars.
Amazingly, she made it to the bottom where she would have to hang from the last rung before falling to the ground.
Before she could settle into the hang and get ready to drop, rough hands grabbed her ankles and clutched her calves. Her grip on the ladder tightened reflexively, even as Jack’s boots came closer to stepping on her fingers.
“Let go, you stupid bitch.” More than one set of rough hands pulled at her.
Jack called from above, his tone pitchy and tight. “She’s mine. I found her!”
Like dogs fighting over the only morsel, they yelled and cussed, tugging on her like meat for the taking.
Unable to outlast the strength of the men determined to pull her down, Amelia let go, dropping and tucking into a ball. Anything to protect herself and make their job of retrieving her that more difficult.
Her efforts were wasted. That many men easily lifted her,
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