“Get down here, you bitch!”
“No!” she screamed. “Let me go!” She kicked out at him, gratified to hear him grunt in pain. Then he yanked harder and she screamed as it felt like her arms were being removed from their sockets.
Then suddenly, he was gone. There was a loud thumping noise and a gasp. What happened? Where did he go? Shit! She was dangling in the air, unable to hold herself up for much longer. She didn’t even know if she had the strength to pull herself up onto another branch.
Don’t give up now.
Where was he though? Was this a trick to get her out of the tree?
“Georgina?”
She froze. That wasn’t Trenton’s voice. This was a far deeper voice. There was an edge of calm and strength. She’d guess this person was older. But who was it? No one she knew.
“Who’s there? Who is it?”
“Name’s Jed. Work for JSI.”
Oh no. She couldn’t hold on for much longer.
“JSI? Jensen Security?”
“Yep. Your man called for help.”
“Ed? Ed’s here?”
“Sure is. Going out of his mind. Gonna get out of that tree?”
“I don’t know that I can. I’m b-barely hanging on.”
She wanted Ed. So bad. She wished he was here and not this Jed guy. Suddenly a large man was pressed up behind her. She let out a loud gasp. “How did you do that?”
“Do what? Climb a tree?”
“M-move so silently.”
He just grunted. Then without a word, his arm went around her waist and he pulled her towards him so her back was against his chest.
“Let go.”
He didn’t need to tell her twice. Thankfully, he managed to easily hold her weight as he stood on a branch.
“Turn you. Wrap yourself around me.”
Somehow, he twisted her so they were chest to chest. She got her arms around his neck but she had no strength left in them.
“Legs around me.”
Later, she might be embarrassed about being wrapped around him like a child. But right now, all she wanted was to get back to Ed. And if this Jed could help her then she’d do whatever he said.
He navigated the tree with an ease that surprised her. When they reached the ground, she attempted to get down, but he simply wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Stay still.”
“Why? Where is Trenton? Is he still out here?” she whispered.
“Don’t worry about him.”
Okay, she took that to mean that he’d been taken care of.