Page 201 of Stay Scared

“The emergency release.”

“Does it still work?”

“It should open anything he didn’t physically destroy.”

Rook swings before I can answer.

The broken steel arm slams into the observation window, fracturing the glass inward. Cade holds his ground.

Rook strikes it again. A section gives way, and Cade throws an arm over his face as glass bursts around him. The broken restraint punches through the opening and catches him across the shoulder.

Cade staggers, then grabs the steel.

Rook yanks. Cade crashes chest-first into the frame, his injured ribs hitting hard enough to tear a sound from him.

“Cade!”

His grip loosens. Rook catches the front of his shirt through the broken window and drags him closer.

Cade looks at me over Rook’s arm. There is murder in his face.

“Open it.”

Ash starts forward. I catch his shirt before he can cross the doorway. “No.”

Rook twists the broken arm between Cade and the jagged glass.

Ash turns on me. “He has him.”

“He wants both of you inside before the room closes.”

“And you are standing between him and the only open exit.”

“That doesn’t change the plan.”

His eyes drop to Rook’s hand on Cade, then return to me. Ash looks ready to ignore everything I say, so I grab the front of his shirt harder.

“Trust me for thirty seconds.”

His breathing changes.

Thirty seconds of forcing himself to stand here while Rook has his hands on Cade.

Rook sees me holding him. “You made them trainable.”

Ash starts forward. I plant myself in front of him. “Stay.”

His eyes cut to mine as Rook laughs.

Ash grabs my waist, and for one second I think he is going to move me himself. His fingers close hard enough that heat flashes through me.

Then he puts me behind him.

“Stay there.”

I catch his wrist. “Ash.”

“I heard you.”