Page 77 of Gator

I steadied myself, taking a deep breath to silence the pounding in my chest. “Alright, Devlyn, on three. One... two...” The scaffolding jolted suddenly, and I nearly lost my grip. “Okay, let’s just skip to three!”

Devlyn lunged toward me just as the scaffolding let out a groan that could have rivaled a dying beast. Her hand found my arm, and for a split second, the world seemed to tilt precariously. My knees buckled slightly, but I held steady, gripping the beam with every ounce of strength I could muster.

“Gotcha!” I managed to grunt, though my voice was strained from the effort.

“Do you, though?” she quipped, her tone breathless but still laced with her trademark sarcasm.

Below us, Worm yelped as another creak echoed through the structure. “This is bad—this is very, very bad!” he chanted, rocking slightly where he stood.

Donut, oblivious as ever, chewed noisily, mumbling something that sounded a lot like, “This is better than the movies.”

“Less commentary, more focus!” I barked, redirecting my attention to the task at hand. Slowly, I began to guide Devlyn downward. The scaffolding swayed alarmingly, each step sending vibrations through the fragile metal.

“Wade, if we survive this,” Devlyn hissed near my ear, “I’m never leaving the truck again.”

“Duly noted,” I panted, sweat pooling between my shoulder blades.

Thore shouted encouragement from below, though it was hard to tell if he was being genuine or just adding to the chaos. “Almost there, boss! And don’t forget my kitten!”

I glared at my brother, who quickly shut his trap.

As we descended, the scaffold gave one final shudder, a warning that its patience had run thin. “Alright,Chèr, last stretch,” I said, my voice low but firm. “Hold on tight.”

Devlyn didn’t respond, her focus narrowed to the precarious journey downward. My arms burned from the strain, but we were almost there—just a little further.

The scaffolding let out a metallic whine that sent a shiver down my spine. Below, Worm’s chanted panic reached a fever pitch, and even Donut stopped chewing long enough to glance nervously upward. Thore, ever the optimist—or foolhardy, depending on the day—spread his arms wide as if he could somehow catch us both if shit went south.

“Easy, easy,” I muttered, guiding Devlyn’s foot to the next beam. For once, she didn’t make a sarcastic remark. Her grip on my arm was ironclad, her usual bravado replaced by the cold determination of someone who refused to lose.

We were just a few feet from the ground when the scaffolding made its final, fateful decision. With a deafening crack, the structure gave way entirely, collapsing in a cacophony of twisting metal and splintering wood.

“Jump!” I roared, shoving her forward as we both leaped from the crumbling wreckage. The air rushed past us in a blur of adrenaline and gravity, the ground rising to meet us faster than I would have liked.

I hit the ground hard, the impact jarring every bone in my body. Dust and debris rained down around me as the remains of the scaffolding settled into a tangled heap. My ears rang fromthe crash, but the first thing I did was turn to find my woman in the arms of Braveheart, holding tight to that damn kitten.

Sighing, I rolled onto my back.

“That was awesome!” Donut grinned. “Way better than any action movie!”

Thore bounded over, his grin wide and unabashed as he clapped a hand on my shoulder, nearly knocking the wind out of me. “Told you I’d catch you!” he crowed, despite the fact that he’d done nothing of the sort.

“You didn’t,” I growled, looking up at him.

“Uh, technically I did. You landed on the tarp.”

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Worm, still frozen in his panicked chant, now punctuated by breathless gasps. He looked like he might faint, his knees wobbling as he clung to a stray beam for dear life.

“Is he alright?” Braveheart called out, easing Devlyn back onto her feet and brushing dust from his jacket.

“Define alright,’” I muttered, dragging myself upright and wincing at the ache blooming across my ribs. Apparently, gravity and I weren’t on friendly terms today.

Donut, oblivious to the chaos, was already rummaging through the aftermath with an air of unparalleled enthusiasm. “I bet there’s something cool buried under here! Maybe treasure! Or a snack!”

Thore, meanwhile, was busy attempting to strike heroic poses amidst the wreckage, adjusting his stance every few seconds as though auditioning for the role of ‘unlikely savior.’

“Someone should probably check on Worm,” Devlyn said. Her tone was casual, but her eyes betrayed her lingering tension as she flexed her fingers, no doubt testing for sprains, while she still held onto the kitten, who seemed content now that it was closer to the ground.

“Yeah, well, if Thore’s done pretending he has superpowers, maybe he could lend a hand,” I replied, earning an indignant huff in return.

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