Page 148 of Rest In Pieces

I use my rope for balance and shove my hand under her ass. Having no other way of doing it, I lift her as high as I can without losing my balance. It feels like forever until I feel her weight disappear, but it’s only seconds.

I freeze when I hear her cry out and watch helplessly as she grips the holder for a split second with her bad arm. Then she lets go of the rope and grabs with her good hand, pressing herself to the cliff wall while tears stream down her face. Dear God, I feel my own eyes start to sting.

There’s no way this is going to work—not like this. I’m about to shout up to Havoc to get help when I hear a motorcycle. No—motorcycles.

“The cavalry has arrived,” Havoc calls down. My legs almost give out with relief.

I climb up behind Amity, who’s shifted slightly, and press into her.

“I’m sorry,” she sobs.

“Jesus, baby, you’re killing me.”

“I really want to go home with you, but I don’t think I can do this.”

“Hey, no. Didn’t you hear? The cavalry has arrived.”

She turns her head to look down at me, her face red and streaked with tears. “Oh my God.”

I look down. Two large trucks have pulled up, and people are jumping out. A couple are running over to Jack, but the others are doing something at the back of the other truck.

“It’s an inflatable crash-landing pad,” she tells me.

Relief courses through me, but I don’t relax, feeling how tense Amity still is.

“It takes time to inflate,” she says, biting her lip, leaving the rest unsaid. She doesn’t think she’ll be able to hold on long enough for them to set it up.

“They’re not the only ones here, Amity. You think my brothers are going to let us fall? Not a fucking chance.”

“Amity!” She looks up at the sound of Blade’s voice. “Tell me the truth. Can you climb up?”

“No. I tried. I swear I did.”

“Hey, none of that. You’re givin’ some of us guys a chance to be heroes here.”

A chorus ofhollasmakes her smile.

“Can you hold on to G? I know it’s gonna be hard, but if you hold on to him, we’ll pull you both up.”

She looks at me, determination written all over her face. “Yeah. I can.”

“Atta girl,” Blade says to Amity, before looking at me. “I won’t lie, G. This is going to be rough. You’ll have to help where you can, but we’ll get you out of there.”

They move back from the edge for a moment. Only Havoc remains, still holding the rope. “Amity?” he calls down.

“Yeah?”

“No matter what, you don’t let go of G. I don’t care if it hurts. I don’t care if you’re scared. You will not let go.”

“Okay, Prez,” she calls back, making him laugh.

“Do I get on your back?” she asks me.

I look at her bum arm and shake my head. “Can’t catch you if you slip. I need you wrapped around my front so I can hold you tight.”

“That’s going to make it really hard for you?—”

“Then it’ll be really hard, but it’ll still be the easiest decision I ever made.”

---