She shook her head, crying harder, trying to get free. “No. No. I have to—”
“You don’t have to do nothing but stand here,” Saint snapped. “Let us work.”
Rhythm reached for me again. “Sincere—”
“I’m going back for them.”
Her fingers gripped my sleeve, then slipped. I turned back to the car. The flames were bigger now. The smoke was thicker. I could hear a child screaming from inside, and it ripped through me. So, I ran straight toward the fire.
RHYTHM BROOKS
I clung to Legend’s arm because my legs would not work the way they were supposed to. My breath kept coming too fast. My throat burned. The cold air mixed with smoke, and every time I tried to pull more air in, it felt worse.
Sincere took off toward the wreckage the second he let me go. The flames were climbing fast. The front of the car was lit up, and the smoke was thick enough to sting my eyes.
As Sincere pulled me out of the car, I could see Kodi slumped over the steering wheel. He wasn’t moving. I prayed he was dead.
My hands shook so badly I couldn’t even wipe my face. Tears kept falling. I didn’t know if I was crying from fear, pain, rage, or all of the above.
“S-S-Sincere,” I tried to say, but my voice came out broken. “Please.”
Legend held onto me harder. “He got them.”
I couldn’t answer him. I couldn’t think. I watched Sincere disappear into smoke and fire, and my whole body went cold.
I don’t know how long it took. It could have been seconds or a few minutes before I saw him again. He came running outof the flames with KJ in his arms. Sincere’s coat was smoking at the hem. His face was dirty with ash. He ran toward us with KJ held tight against him, and the relief hit me so hard my legs gave out. I dropped to my knees in the grass and sobbed so loud I didn’t sound like myself. My hands went to my mouth, then to the ground, then back to my face. I could not stop shaking.
Reek sprinted toward Sincere and took KJ from his arms. Then Sincere turned right back toward the wreckage and took off. Reek laid KJ down on the ground and checked him. KJ’s face was smudged with soot. His lashes looked wet. His mouth was slightly open, and he did not respond.
“No!” I cried, crawling to him on my hands and knees. “KJ, baby! KJ!”
I reached for his wrist and felt for his pulse.
I found it. So, he was alive. He was just unconscious.
“Oh my God,” I sobbed, pressing my forehead against his arm. “Thank God.”
That’s when Saint took off towards the wreckage too. Reek lifted his head as Saint ran to the driver’s side. Then Reek cursed and ran towards him.
Legend stayed with me, but he was watching. His body was so tense and ready to move. He kept one hand on me, holding me in place because every part of me wanted to run into that fire for my baby.
I stared at the car, blinking through tears and smoke.
“Hurry the fuck up, Sin!” I heard Saint yell.
Sincere yelled back, “I’m trying!”
The flames grew louder. The heat rolled toward us in waves. A tire popped, and I flinched so hard my shoulders jumped.
I couldn’t just stand there, so I tried to take off.
Legend’s hand grabbed my arm. “You arenotgoing over there.”
“I have to!” I screamed, trying to pull away. “That’s my baby!”
He held me back. “Let them work.”
I fought him anyway. I tried to stand, and pain shot through my leg. I still tried. I screamed Kinsley’s name until my throat was raw.
