Ramsey’s grin grew. “Will I, now?”
Bridger glared at him. “Come on, Ramsey. You don’t want a repeat of yesterday.”
Avalyn shuddered.
“Let’s do a competition,” Bridger continued. “You and I. Anything you want. Just leave Avalyn out of it.”
Ramsey’s blue eyes focused on her. “But then I wouldn’t get the chance to spend the night with her.”
Avalyn’s heart dropped to her stomach. The only thing worse than dying would be spending an entire night at Ramsey’s mercy.
“You willneverspend the night with her,” Bridger growled, his hand tightening around hers.
“Never say never, my friend.” Ramsey threw back his head and laughed. “Isn’t that your line? Never say never.” He stood. “We ready?”
“Yes, sir,” the pilot said.
The guards threw the door open and wind rushed in.No, no, no. Avalyn looked around wildly. The island was far below them. She could barely make out the ridges of mountains and the sandy beaches touching the blue water.
Two of the guards set down their weapons and strapped on parachutes, then picked up camera equipment. The other two guards ripped Bridger away from her. Avalyn screamed.
Bridger fought wildly. He kicked and clawed and punched. Just as Avalyn hoped he might get free, she felt hands grab each of her arms and rush her to the edge. She looked out at blue nothingness. The men pulled her feet out from under her and they all plunged out of the plane.
“Bridger!” Avalyn screamed, stomach acid clawing at her throat.
Then the men released her and she was free-falling through the air, her body being flung around. She screamed and her stomach dropped like the worst horror ride she’d ever been on. She tried to see the helicopter and Bridger coming for her, but it was only blue sky and then the island below, blue sky and then the island below. The island was rushing up to meet her much too fast, and her head and stomach were spinning. The roar of the wind in her ears added to the terror.
She was going to die. She’d never feel Bridger’s arms around her again, never bask in his smile. Why hadn’t she just kissed him last night? She closed her eyes shut tight and prayed desperately,Let Bridger catch me. Please let Bridger catch me.
ChapterTwelve
Bridger fought to free himself from Ramsey’s ugly thugs. He landed a solid punch to one’s abdomen, then kicked the other. He was almost free when the two other guards sandwiched Avalyn between them and leapt from the plane.
“No!” he screamed. His arms were released and he rushed for the door, looking down as the guards released Avalyn and her body twisted in an out-of-control free fall.
Ramsey grabbed his arm and shoved a parachute at him. “Let’s do this buddy.”
Bridger hated Ramsey more than he’d ever hated anyone in his life. He hurried to strap the parachute on. Ramsey leapt a second before him. Bridger dove out of the plane, angling his body straight at Avalyn. Ramsey couldn’t get there first.
He could hear Avalyn’s screams being carried by the wind draft, and it tore at him. He prayed and he tried to focus, streamline his body, and dive quicker. Ramsey was just in front of him and they were closing in on Avalyn fast. The ground was rushing up faster. Would they be able to catch her and pull the chute in time? The thought of Ramsey touching her couldn’t take a back seat to saving Avalyn’s life.
Bridger couldn’t let him win, though. Avalyn’s virtue was too important to him. They were feet from Avalyn when Bridger grabbed Ramsey’s foot and yanked him the other direction. Ramsey hollered out.
Bridger slammed into Avalyn, wrapping his hands tight around her arm. She cried out in pain.
“I’ve got you!” he yelled, clinging to her arm. He tried to maneuver her around in front of him. The ground was probably only a thousand feet away now. They had to pull the chute, but she’d be ripped from him if he didn’t secure her.
“Pull it,” Ramsey yelled, and from the corner of Bridger’s eye, he saw Ramsey’s chute deploy.
“Ava!” Bridger commanded. “Turn toward me and hold on.” He tugged at her, and she wrapped one leg around the back of his thigh and clung to his waist. “Hold on!” He ripped the chute cord.
The parachute blasted out above them and they jerked. Ava screamed as her grip around his waist slipped. Bridger held tightly to her arm. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her snug against his body. Her body trembled against him, and he imagined he was trembling worse. But he had her. He’d caught her and he’d beaten Ramsey to her.
The peaceful silence that always came after traveling at terminal velocity didn’t calm him down like usual. The ground was coming up too fast. He yelled, “You gotta hold on tight to me!”
Avalyn obeyed, clinging to his neck with her arms, both of her legs now wrapped tightly around his lower back. Bridger grabbed the chute handles and directed their descent toward the beach. Hitting the sand or the shallow water would be much better than getting caught in the tropical forest or slamming into a rock. It looked like a dozen men were on the ground waiting for them. Ramsey was just above him to his right.
Bridger landed on the sand, trying to run with the momentum, but Avalyn’s weight against him threw him forward. They hit the sand hard and rolled together, getting tangled up in the chute. But they were alive and Ramsey hadn’t won.