Page 10 of Gripp

Enough!

Gripp sank to his knees and rolled across the forest floor. As she leapt over him, he reached up and grabbed her foot, wrenching her down. She struggled a little, but Gripp got her down on the ground and rolled on top, pinning her.

“Stop it!” he hissed as loud as he dared. “Before those assholes from the mine figure out what’s going on. Right now, we have a couple of minutes' head start. I was sent by your father to rescue you.”

She went quiet beneath him, her body relaxing as she listened to his words. Gripp was dismayed to see her pretty face marred by bruises, but at least she was okay. Her injuries would heal, even though it enraged him that she’d been hurt at all.

“We need to go now,” he said, getting up. She slowly got to her feet, eyeing him.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“My name is Gripp. I’m a special soldier assigned to this mission. The ambassador and the general are eager for your safe return, April.”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. “But I can’t go. Not yet.”

“What the fuck?” Gripp exclaimed. “Why not?”

“I’m not leaving without my evidence,” she said, glaring at him. She stuck out her chin, her mouth set in a hard line. Gripp was beginning to realize this mission was more complicated than he’d thought.

“What evidence? What are you talking about?”

“My notes, my pictures. I can’t write my article without it. I have to have evidence to back up my article, or I’m just another hack.”

“But we have to get out of here,” he protested. It was as if she didn’t understand the danger. “Do you have any idea what these guys will do to you if they catch you?”

“Yeah,” she said, glaring at him. “They’ll cut off my head. If I don’t get out of here with that evidence, imagine how many more heads they could chop off.”

“I only care about yours,” he protested stubbornly.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Of course. I’m your mission. I actually have a sense of duty to my fellow man, so I’m not running to save my own skin. I need that evidence.”

She crossed her arms over her breasts and glared at him. Gripp glared back. After a few seconds, he realized she really wasn’t going to back down.

“If I have to carry you, we’re getting out of here,” he tried one last time.

“Try it. You can’t carry me 24/7. I will come back here until I get my proof of the abuse of these children.”

Damn, she had a point. “Where is it?” he asked, his voice muffled by a sigh of defeat.

“In the main office,” she said.

“You mean the main building where the tough guys are constantly coming and going?” Gripp asked a bit sarcastically.

“That’s the place.”

Gripp groaned, covering his face with his palm. It didn’t get much worse than this.

SIX

GRIPP

"I'm coming with you," April said, glaring at him. Gripp frowned, feeling he was talking to a child. He'd already told her no seven times. It seemed to be going in one ear and out the other.

He glared back, trying to contain his frustration, but it was growing hard to do. No matter what he said, she refused to obey. "No, you're not. You're staying behind and out of the situation. I can't have you going with me."

She crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "You don't even know what you're looking for. I have to go. You'll probably stand there like an idiot and forget something that I need. I have to have everything back. You can't miss anything."

He growled, feeling like she had just called him a dumbass. "I'm not arguing with you about this. You're staying here, and I will get everything you need."

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