Page 26 of New Storm Rising
“But…” I felt a shiver travel down my spine. “This is the United States of America! They threw out the British back when they were only thirteen ramshackle colonies! And, in case you didn’t notice, they’ve come a long way since then! Have the Spanish gone insane?”
Mr Ambrose gave a dismissive wave. “There is more than one type of power. By traditional means, they would never be able to conquer even a postage-stamp-sized part of this country. But out here, in the wilderness of the West, where there are no laws, no limits and no boundaries? As long as they act under the mantle of private individuals and businessmen, they can do whatever they wish.”
From outside, I heard the cracks of whips and bangs of gunfire. I reached the window just in time to see the group of burly enforcers chase the crowd away.
“I see,” I said.
That still left one rather important question unanswered, though.
“So…what exactly are they after in this place?”
Mr Rikkard Ambrose gave me a considering look—then turned away, pulling a key from his pocket.
“Let me show you.”
Striding forward, he bent down, grabbed something, and…
“A trap door?”
Mr Ambrose didn’t answer. He simply pulled it open and disappeared down the ladder.
“Would you like to go first, Mrs Ambrose?” I asked, addressing the empty room. “Ladies first, Mrs Ambrose. I always take care of my wife, Mrs Ambrose.”
Silence.
“Oh, fiddlesticks!”
Grumbling, I hurried towards the opening and started scrambling down the ladder. Glancing down, I couldn’t even see the end of it. It seemed to vanish straight into the darkness below. Lucky I had always been sure-footed. Quickly, I started climbing, and—
Suddenly, my head felt odd. I started swaying.
“What the—!”
Before I could get another word out, I felt as if the world tilted. My feet slipped from the rungs. Instinctively, my hands clenched around the ladder, but they were too darn slippery! I was going to fall! I was going to—
“Oomph!”
I hit something as hard as rock. Startled, I blinked. Had the rocky ground just jumped up a dozen yards or so to catch me?
“That,” Mr Rikkard Ambrose said from right beneath me, “was exceedingly foolish.”
“Oh. Um…I…” Stone-hard, muscled arms around me. Breath tickled my cheek. Oh dear. “Hello there.”
I tried to free myself from his hold—until I felt the world tilt again, and decided to stay put for now. The dozen or so yards that were still between me and the rocky ground might have played a tiny role in that decision.
And so, perhaps, did the strong arms holding me in their embrace. Mr Ambrose’s grip tightened around me, his mouth moving towards my ear.
“I,” he whispered, “always take care of my wife, Mrs Ambrose.”
And, before I could find a chance to reply, a pair of lips branded a searing hot kiss on the side of my neck, at that soft spot right behind the ear.
I nearly fell off the ladder again.
Darn him! He…he…
He was taking care of me. He’d gone down first on purpose, because he was taking care of me. Because he cared for me.
Slowly, the embrace around me opened, setting me free. “In the future, be more careful,” I heard Mr Ambrose’s voice in my ear. It wasnota request. “Especially in your condition.”
