The knob turns, the lock disengaging, but when I push against the door, it still doesn’t give. “Blair? Is something in front of the door?”
She sobs. “Come on, Reed. Pull!”
I turn the knob and push again, but it still meets resistance, barely budging an inch. Ready to crawl out of my skin, I look at my teammates for help.
“They must have barricaded the door,” Madds says. “Tell her to keep pulling on whatever it is, and we’ll push.”
“Angel,” I shout, my face pushed against the thin gap we’ve managed to create between the door and the frame. “You two keep pulling whatever is blocking the door. We’re going to push at the same time.”
“Hurry,” Reed sobs. “Please, Logan.”
Fuck.
Fuck.
“I know,” Madds says, his hand squeezing my shoulder hard enough to hurt. “But you need to hold it the fuck together for them. Do you understand? We’re going to get them out of here. They’re going to be fine. But you need to keep it together.”
I nod my head sharply. “Right. You’re right. Let’s fucking do this.”
“On three. We’ll take turns if we have to.” My captain wedges his shoulder against the door as he counts to three, then he pulls back before ramming his shoulder into the flimsy, hollow door.
It shudders and groans, opening another inch or two, but it’s still not enough.
“Again,” I scream.
We take turns bodychecking the door again and again. Griffin takes over for Maddox when he’s wincing in pain, but I won’t let myself stop. I can’t. Not until I’m holding both of them.
“Again!” Griffin and I push against the door as hard as we can. There’s a screeching sound from inside the room, and the door gives more this time. It’s not enough for them to squeeze through, but it’s close.
“Blair,” I shout. I nearly collapse when her tear-streaked face peers out at me, Reed’s above it. “Are you both okay?”
“Yes,” she says through her tears.
“Okay, good. I know you’re both scared, but I need you to work with us to do one more big push so we can get you out of here. Can you do that for me?”
There’s a thud from the kitchen as something crashes to the floor. Most likely one of the cabinets falling from the wall. We all scream.
“Now, baby.”
“I love you,” she says before pulling away from the door.
“Don’t you fucking say shit like that, angel. Not like a goodbye. Don’t you fucking dare.”
Filled with adrenaline and fear, I relent when Ryder shoves me out of the way so he can help Griffin make one more big push to the get door to Reed’s room open. They let out a battle cry, putting everything into it as they slam hard into the door. There’s a groan and a creak, and then the door is open wide enough for Reed to slip through, followed by Blair.
I pull them both into my arms. “Are you hurt? Did she hurt you?”
“We’re fine,” she sobs.
“Then we need to move,” I tell them, reluctantly letting them go. “Now. Cover your faces as best you can.”
As one, we spill out of the hallway, only to come to a halt when we’re confronted by the state of the apartment.
The fire has spread. The entire kitchen is engulfed in flames that lick the ceiling. The fire eats away at the bookshelf in the living room, and we have moments to get the hell out of here.
“Move fast. Now.”
With Blair’s hand in mine and Reed’s hand in hers, my boys and I surrounding them, we jump over flames as they lick across the carpet, their wavering tentacles reaching for us.
