Page 3 of Betrayed

He stood still. Where was she? Listening intently, he waited.

A faint sound echoed farther down the hallway.

He crept toward it.

A bat swooped through the air by his head.

He gasped—nearly screamed. After grunting at the little creature, he was tempted to swing his flashlight like a baseball bat and knock the flying rodent into tomorrow, but he was the one disturbing its home. He advanced toward the sound he’d heard.

“Logan?”

AJ. Why was she calling for him? Was she throwing her voice again to try and trick him as to where she was? Will had taught her how to do that when they were about ten, which had led to some annoying rounds of Marco Polo.

“Logan?” A hint of panic etched her voice.

“AJ? Where are you?” He followed her voice as she called again.

He clicked on his flashlight and searched the remaining rooms.

“AJ!” He couldn’t find her.

“Logan.” Her voice was nearer.

“I’m coming.”

She whimpered. Closer. He had to find her. Was she hurt?

He turned into the room and swept it with his flashlight.

There. The floor had collapsed beneath AJ, and she had fallen through up to her armpits.

“Logan?” Her voice wavered.

“I’m right here. I gotcha.” He tested the boards between them, not willing to risk making it worse. They seemed secure. He dropped to his knees behind her and touched her shoulders. “Hey.”

“Logan!” She sniffed back her tears.

“What’s hurt?”

She shook her head. “Just scrapes. I might have twisted my ankle. But nothing more. It gave out from under me when I came into the room. I’m stuck.”

“Do the boards in front of you seem secure? It’s probably better if I go over there to pull you up.”

“They look fine. I can’t move my arms enough to test them.”

He stepped over her and knelt, grateful he was wearing jeans. He leaned down to her face. “I’m going to slip my hands under your armpits. Wrap your arms around my neck, and I’ll lift you out.”

She nodded.

As soon as her grip around him was tight, he lifted her by first pushing on the floor behind her, then by rising until he was nearly standing upright.

Logan held AJ tightly to his chest, all of her curves melding to him. If she had fallen all the way through to the floor below she could have died.

“Thank you.” Her voice cracked with residual fear mixed with relief.

“Of course. I can’t do life without you.”

She leaned back and cupped his face in her hands. “You mean that?”