Page 4 of Ride 'Em Hard
“A stalker with a filthy mouth. This is getting better by the minute.”
My head feels ready to snap off my neck. “I told you I’m not a stalker! I work for Vital Studios.”
“Well, for fuck’s sake, that doesn’t make it any better, darlin’. You could’ve picked that news up in any rag.” Chase steps away from the opening and his shadow disappears.
“Wait a minute! I have a business card!”
He’s back, peering down with that fucking deadly grin, probably deciding whether to save me or use me as bear bait. I straighten the sleeves of my blouse, ignoring the rips and stains, hoping there’s still a chance of keeping this shitshow a professional matter. “I’ll be happy to show you my ID as soon as I get out of here.”
“That so?” He tips his hat and looks away. “Are you going to tell me your name, stalker?”
“Lexi Parker.”
“Well, are you able to stand, Lexi?”
“Of course I can,” I huff. “I was just resting after running for my life from a maniac. And if you’re going to help me, I’d appreciate it if you kept your gun in your pocket. As you can see I’m obviously not a threat.”
“Time will tell, honeypot. Time will tell.”
I brace my hands on the ground, shift my weight to stand, and a gut-wrenching pain wallops me, shooting up my leg from my ankle. Great. I reach down and discover that apparently all the bones in the lower section of my right leg are gone. My ankle is practically the size of my thigh, but I can’t see any bruising in this light and give it a little rub.
Yup. Hurts like hell all right. With all the adrenaline ripping through me I hadn’t noticed. Blinking back tears, I peer up, at Chase’s hat-shaded face. “It’s my ankle.”
He doesn’t utter a word.
“I think I hurt my ankle,” I shout this time. “I can’t stand on it.”
And he disappears.
Eyes glued to where he was, I wait a beat for him to come back. Nothing. I shift on the ground, feeling my heart race.
What if critters live here and they come back?
Am I sitting in wolf poop, or coyote...?
How long can a person live without water?
I scream at the top of my lungs, “Are you just going to leave me down here?” Wellthatsounded panicky. But being with him is better than being in here where no one will ever find me.
I shrink back in my little hellhole. Leaning against the cool wall, I will myself to settle down and conserve energy. Inhaling deep calming breaths, I take in the musty smells and close my eyes. After a few minutes, I think I hear footsteps. A burst of hope bounces off my soul.
I hold my breath to listen carefully, and aclomp, clomp, clompof a big guy in boots trekking through dirt and gravel gets louder. I stare up at the opening to freedom above.
“Grab hold of this.” Chase throws down a rope.
I’m about to bawl from relief when I snatch the thick length. “Thank you. Thank you. I thought you left.”
Chase is standing tall, looking unfazed. “It’s a harness. Slip your feet through the loops until it’s tight around your pretty little ass, and I’ll pull you up.”
“Really?” I decide to ignore the “pretty little ass” comment. Fiddling with the rope, I try to figure out which way is up and how this flimsy device is supposed to hold me.
“Just step through the loops and wedge it up your skirt so your ass cheeks are hanging over it.” He shoots me a fucking dimple.
Sighing, I steel myself for the oncoming agony. It’s going to hurt like a sonofabitch to step through anything with my right foot, but I have no choice. I slip the loops around my feet and up my legs while I’m still on the ground. Shifting and contorting myself into the least painful position possible, I manage to secure the rope around my thighs and butt. Not exactly the most modest look, and given Chase’s apparent fascination with asses I’m glad he’s above me and won’t get the view up my skirt from below. Chase tightens the slack on the rope.
“All in one motion, sugar. Stand and I’ll pull you up.”
Gulping a breath, I get ready for the torture and scramble to my feet. Pain sears through me, and in a heartbeat it’s gone. I’m weightless. As Chase effortlessly pulls me up, the rope supports me like he said it would. I use my good leg to inch up the side of the well and claw at the dirt with my fingers, doing anything I can to help.
