A low whistle sounded from one of the other three men. It was dark but she could make out shapes. A section of wall covered in what appeared to be vines opened, showing street behind it. The professional side of her didn’t like that they had hidden ways into Homeland.
“I thought thirty-foot walls surrounded all of Homeland.”
“They do.”
She exited the backyard and saw the road wasn’t wide and the massive wall stood across it. “That opens up too?”
“Nope. Not that section. We’re going up.”
“Great.”
Ropes dropped from the top, hitting the ground. She watched a male grab hold of each one and climb hand over hand. Kat clenched her teeth. She hated to admit it but it had been a long time since training and she hadn’t been in a nightgown the last time she’d had to scale a wall.
“I see a problem.”
“I don’t.” Darkness turned her. “Wrap around me.” He lifted her in front of him, chest to chest.
“You can’t climb and hold me.”
“I can. You’re a hundred forty pounds.”
“A hundred thirty-eight.”
“Close enough. Just hold on tight and don’t let go. The officers above us will grab you when I am within reach. They’ll lift you the rest of the way to prevent your skin being scratched by the brick.”
“Why couldn’t we just go through the front gates?”
“Mason could be having them watched. We don’t want him to know where you are. It’s safer that way.”
She hugged his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. “My underwear is going to show.”
“That’s why I’m waiting to climb last.”
“You’re so thoughtful.” She hoped he didn’t miss the sarcasm.
“Let’s just avoid talking right now.”
She buried her face against his warm neck. His uniform was bulky. “You drop me and I’m going to be pissed.”
“I’ll make sure you land on me if we fall.”
“That isn’t helping.”
“Trust me,” he rasped.
That was the hell of it. She did. Otherwise she wouldn’t have agreed to go with him. She’d wanted to see him again. “Okay.”
“They reached the top. Ready?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to say no. “Sure. This should be fun.”
“Don’t make me laugh.”
“I won’t talk again.”
“Good.”
He released her and walked forward, paused and then a rope bumped her back. She clung tighter. His arms tensed and she squeezed her eyes closed. No way did she want to peek. It was insane for anyone to hold the weight of another while they climbed. They weren’t even clipped together. He kind of jumped and she locked her thighs tighter around him, also being careful not to choke him in her fear. His arms tensed as he used his strength to pull them higher, hand over hand.
It went too fast. He stopped. “Reach up one arm.”
“Fuck.”
She lifted her head and peered up. Two dark figures were above her at the top of the wall. One bent and reached for her. She had to let go of Darkness and trust strangers. It wasn’t her first choice but it was the only way to get up there. It took courage to ease her hold and reach out. A firm, gloved hand wrapped around her wrist.
“I have her.”
“Give them your other arm and then let go of me with your legs,” Darkness urged.
“I’m going to get even with you for this,” she muttered
Darkness bent his legs, forming a kind of seat for her ass when she let go of him. Another gloved hand got a firm hold on her wrist. She eased the grip of her thighs on Darkness and the men pulled her up.
A third man suddenly appeared. He moved between the two when they brought her to the top of the wall. He gripped her h*ps and just lifted her the rest of the way. They released her the second she was on her feet. She tried to step back out of the way. One of the men growled and turned, hooking an arm around her waist.
“Careful.”
She turned her head and gasped. There was a waist-high lip on the outside wall but there wasn’t anything but emptiness behind her. A few steps more and she’d have pitched off the wall and fallen to whatever lay below.
“Thanks.”
Darkness made it the rest of the way up and lunged, tearing her out of the grasp of the man keeping her immobile. “What are you doing, Book?”
“She almost backed off the wall.”
“Thanks.” Darkness suddenly bent and Kat gasped when his shoulder hit her hip. He rose with her secured there. One gloved hand yanked her shirt and held it in place high on the back of her thighs.
“Put me down.” Kat didn’t fight but she did frantically grab for some part of him to hold on to. It ended up being the lower edge of his vest. She was too afraid he’d drop her off the wall.
“Shut up, Kat. We’re going to the stairs. It’s the safest way to get you down.”
She closed her eyes and hung there. It wasn’t dignified and she mentally went over ways for payback. “I can walk.”
“This isn’t a well-lit section,” another male informed her. “You almost fell once. We can see.”
And I can’t. She quieted and knew when they reached the stairs. From the sound Darkness’ boots made when they descended, they were metal and felt a little rickety. She imagined the flimsy ones she’d once used to board a plane. She was grateful she couldn’t see. He finally stopped going down and paused.
“I thought thirty-foot walls surrounded all of Homeland.”
“They do.”
She exited the backyard and saw the road wasn’t wide and the massive wall stood across it. “That opens up too?”
“Nope. Not that section. We’re going up.”
“Great.”
Ropes dropped from the top, hitting the ground. She watched a male grab hold of each one and climb hand over hand. Kat clenched her teeth. She hated to admit it but it had been a long time since training and she hadn’t been in a nightgown the last time she’d had to scale a wall.
“I see a problem.”
“I don’t.” Darkness turned her. “Wrap around me.” He lifted her in front of him, chest to chest.
“You can’t climb and hold me.”
“I can. You’re a hundred forty pounds.”
“A hundred thirty-eight.”
“Close enough. Just hold on tight and don’t let go. The officers above us will grab you when I am within reach. They’ll lift you the rest of the way to prevent your skin being scratched by the brick.”
“Why couldn’t we just go through the front gates?”
“Mason could be having them watched. We don’t want him to know where you are. It’s safer that way.”
She hugged his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. “My underwear is going to show.”
“That’s why I’m waiting to climb last.”
“You’re so thoughtful.” She hoped he didn’t miss the sarcasm.
“Let’s just avoid talking right now.”
She buried her face against his warm neck. His uniform was bulky. “You drop me and I’m going to be pissed.”
“I’ll make sure you land on me if we fall.”
“That isn’t helping.”
“Trust me,” he rasped.
That was the hell of it. She did. Otherwise she wouldn’t have agreed to go with him. She’d wanted to see him again. “Okay.”
“They reached the top. Ready?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to say no. “Sure. This should be fun.”
“Don’t make me laugh.”
“I won’t talk again.”
“Good.”
He released her and walked forward, paused and then a rope bumped her back. She clung tighter. His arms tensed and she squeezed her eyes closed. No way did she want to peek. It was insane for anyone to hold the weight of another while they climbed. They weren’t even clipped together. He kind of jumped and she locked her thighs tighter around him, also being careful not to choke him in her fear. His arms tensed as he used his strength to pull them higher, hand over hand.
It went too fast. He stopped. “Reach up one arm.”
“Fuck.”
She lifted her head and peered up. Two dark figures were above her at the top of the wall. One bent and reached for her. She had to let go of Darkness and trust strangers. It wasn’t her first choice but it was the only way to get up there. It took courage to ease her hold and reach out. A firm, gloved hand wrapped around her wrist.
“I have her.”
“Give them your other arm and then let go of me with your legs,” Darkness urged.
“I’m going to get even with you for this,” she muttered
Darkness bent his legs, forming a kind of seat for her ass when she let go of him. Another gloved hand got a firm hold on her wrist. She eased the grip of her thighs on Darkness and the men pulled her up.
A third man suddenly appeared. He moved between the two when they brought her to the top of the wall. He gripped her h*ps and just lifted her the rest of the way. They released her the second she was on her feet. She tried to step back out of the way. One of the men growled and turned, hooking an arm around her waist.
“Careful.”
She turned her head and gasped. There was a waist-high lip on the outside wall but there wasn’t anything but emptiness behind her. A few steps more and she’d have pitched off the wall and fallen to whatever lay below.
“Thanks.”
Darkness made it the rest of the way up and lunged, tearing her out of the grasp of the man keeping her immobile. “What are you doing, Book?”
“She almost backed off the wall.”
“Thanks.” Darkness suddenly bent and Kat gasped when his shoulder hit her hip. He rose with her secured there. One gloved hand yanked her shirt and held it in place high on the back of her thighs.
“Put me down.” Kat didn’t fight but she did frantically grab for some part of him to hold on to. It ended up being the lower edge of his vest. She was too afraid he’d drop her off the wall.
“Shut up, Kat. We’re going to the stairs. It’s the safest way to get you down.”
She closed her eyes and hung there. It wasn’t dignified and she mentally went over ways for payback. “I can walk.”
“This isn’t a well-lit section,” another male informed her. “You almost fell once. We can see.”
And I can’t. She quieted and knew when they reached the stairs. From the sound Darkness’ boots made when they descended, they were metal and felt a little rickety. She imagined the flimsy ones she’d once used to board a plane. She was grateful she couldn’t see. He finally stopped going down and paused.
