Page 145 of First Chance

The metal post protests, screaming as it’s bent towards the ground, and then the tow rope snaps.

It’s like a whip cracking against my side.

“Ahh,” I cry out involuntarily.

“Are you okay?” I feel her breath against my neck.

“I’m fine,” I gasp as the pain radiating through my side blinds me.

At least it wasn’t her.

Chapter Fifty-Two

Jo

He’s absolutely not fine. The misery is evident on his face as he grimaces, but he doesn’t slow down or hesitate for a moment when Hayes reverses back to the pole and jumps off.

“Let’s go!” He yells, saddling up next to Lochlan.

Jackson and Jordy are there, standing on the back of the side-by-side, and I hardly have a moment to prepare before Hayes nods at Lochlan, and they both start lifting me into the air.

If I wasn’t on the verge of death, this would be my worst nightmare.

They lift me until Jackson and Jordy can grab my arms, pulling me along the post as Lochlan and Hayes steady my legs. It’s not comfortable, but they’re maneuvering me off the post relatively painlessly as the fire crackles all around us.

“You’re almost off, Jo. You might feel like you’re falling once the chain slips off, but Jackson will catch you,” Jordy informs me, holding my shoulders steady.

“Oka–” I don’t have time to finish my word before it feelslike gravity is cut off, and I scream as my body tumbles off the end of the pole.

I land with a thump, safely in my brother’s arms. Not really the family bonding I was hoping for, but I’ll take it.

“Thank you,” I breathe out.

“You really scared me there for a minute,” he huffs in relief, handing me down to Lochlan on the ground.

“Just making up for lost time.”

“No more near-death experiences,” Lochlan growls, cradling me to his chest.

“Let’s get out of this one first,” Hayes says, as we load into the side-by-side.

Lochlan keeps me in his lap while Jackson and Jordy sit down in the back. Hayes guns it, driving directly towards a wall of fire that is our only way out. I curl into Lochlan’s chest, squeezing my eyes shut as he holds me firmly against him.

I don’t see when we’re free, but I feel the shift as the air clears of smoke. We barrel down the path towards the barns and pass firefighters running towards the fire.

It’s too narrow in the wooded area for the trucks to get through, and I have no idea how they’re going to fight it. But my job is done, I survived.

The professionals can figure out the rest.

Hayes drives straight to the bunkhouse, but we go through the back door so I can’t see what’s going on with the rest of the property. I also don’t think I have the capacity to see all the damage that was inflicted.

“Do you need a medic?” Jackson asks me, and I shake my head.

“You?” He asks Lochlan, who grimaces as he’s still holdingme.

“No,” he grunts, taking me over to the couch and sitting down. A strangled moan escapes him as we settle onto the cushions.

“You’re hurt.”

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