Page 56

Story: As It Was

My heart pounded in my ears and my problem-solving skills evaporated into nothingness.
“Cain!” Eric yelled. “Cain!”
Why was he yelling for him? That grumpy asshole wouldn’t save me.
“What the hell is going on here?” His deep voice came only seconds later. “Mollie, what are you doing?”
“Hanging out,” I said. “You know, just for fun.”
My hands were tired, and I tried in vain to get back on the roof, but I had never been able to do a pull-up in my life, so it was no use.
“Just stay still,” he said, and I heard the ladder move.
“Please tell me you have a plan.” He sighed, and then an arm wrapped around my waist. “What the?—”
“I’m grabbing you.”
“You’ll drop me!”
“No, I won’t,” he grumbled. “You’re gonna have to trust me here.”
“You don’t even like me!”
“I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna drop you.”
I closed my eyes and felt his arm tighten.
“Now let go.”
“No!”
“Goddammit, princess. I may be an asshole, but I’m also all you’ve got right now. Letgo.”
The words were not nice, but they were soft, and his armdidfeel strong.
Slowly, my grip went lax, and he carried me down the ladder.
“The ground!” I said, lying on the grass face down. “Thank fuck.”
“Bad word,” Eric reminded me.
“Give me five minutes to recover and then I’ll stop cursing.”
Then I felt talons on my back.
Fucking Hennifer was now perched on me. This damn chicken.
“Why is Hennifer here?” Cain asked Eric.
“Er, I wanted to show her off?”
“I’m fine, everyone,” I said, wanting to melt into the ground. “Thanks for asking.”
“Come here,” Cain said in a gentle voice. For a second, I thought he meant me.
But then he picked up Hennifer.
This was a new low for me.

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