Page 48 of The Filth Kings

“Your freedom belongs to me, now.” He taunted.

I wanted to scream, I needed to rage against the injustice of all of this. Instead, I seethed, my fury coiled deep inside of me as I tried to formulate a plan but kept coming up with nothing. I dug my fingers into the ground beneath me, as my nails scraped against it in frustration.

“You won’t win whatever game that you’re trying to play, Detavio.” I spat bitterly.

“I already won, and I won’t show you any mercy; just think about the way I let your ass drop to the ground.” He winked.

I realized that him unchaining me was just a power move. He had no compassion inside of him. I pushed myself up from the floor, my legs trembled with weakness, but I ignored it, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. He didn’t react to me standing in front of him with my chest heaving up and down. I took a step toward him to close up the space. I wanted to challenge him, to prove that he couldn’t break me.

“You think this means anything? You take the chains off and let me fall thinking that I would beg you to help me stand?” I hissed through gritted teeth.

“I think you are strong.” He smirked.

“But you’re not strong enough. I study people very well, Angel. I think you bi-polar.” He chuckled dryly.

“One moment you’re scared as fuck, the next your talking shit and spilling out threats that don’t reach me. Through it all, you remain aroused, wet, and frustrated. Your emotions are out of whack and that’s very telling. You navigate through life trying to control some shit that’s not meant for you to control. Natavi for instance…” He stopped, which made my chest tighten.

“You hate that she’s a well-known escort. I had her contracted to my brother Monster. He’s having fun with her, but fun can end fast if you don’t comply here. Your father, James Willis… he’s still in touch with Impurity. He visits Arkville a lot for whatever reasons. His excursions can end abruptly, too, and so can your mother’s bored and lonely days sitting at home since she’s too lazy to stay on task with her coffee shops that is financially draining James Willis pockets—”Whap!

I slapped the rest of the words out of his mouth. He chuckled first, then full-fledged laughed hard. He laughed for a minute too long, like a possessed maniac. He abruptly stopped laughing to lick his bloody lips with a small smile plastered on his face.

“I like that.” He tilted his head to the side.

“You get the vivid picture of what I am trying to paint for you.” He clicked his teeth.

Tears of anger flowed freely down my face, I wanted to strangle him. A good slap would have sufficed enough, but for right now, I held back my rage. He mentioned the people that I loved with all of me. They were in danger…Because of me.I felt guilty as a low sob escaped my mouth. Natavi was falling for Detavio’s brother and with me locked up in this pit with Detavio…there was nothing I could do to save her, my father, or my mother.

“I would fuck you, but the smell of dried and fresh piss on you is not lady like at all. Think about what I said and prepare for the morning.” He winked and walked away.

Twenty-Two

THE PAST…

“Mommy,am I pretty like you want me to be?” I looked up at my mother hesitantly.

I felt weak from the medicine that I just consumed to help with the pain of my mind overworking itself like my mom always said it did. I waited for her response. Seconds later she offered no response. She pecked away at her laptop fast and impatiently as she mumbled underneath her breath. Mom paused for twenty seconds to hit her cigarette. She took a long pull from it then sat it in the ashtray. She eyed her half-filled bottle of vodka suspiciously as I held in my breath. I prayed that she didn’t accuse me again of sneaking her liquor.

“Mommy!” I yelled so she could hear me better.

“What Octavia?” She looked away and stared at me through blood-shot eyes.

“I asked am I pretty like you want me to be today?” I dropped my eyes and turned back to the mirror.

I glanced at myself and wasn’t satisfied enough. Today was my fourteenth birthday and I had this lingering sadness holding me back from feeling happy. My reflection felt like betrayal as I eyed myself up and down. Mom said that some of the pills that she gave me was supposed to help with suppressing my masculinity, but I wanted to see just what that was.

I hated the way my sunflower dress clung to my body, the way it brushed against my skin. It reminded me of all the expectations mom had of me. It was never what I wanted, everything had to be the way that she expected it to be. My job was to make her happy. At times I wanted to make her happy, but it left me feeling like I’d never get to know what my own happiness felt like.

Since I was too young to remember, I had always been mommy’s little girl. Her soft and delicate princess. Anything I did that reminded her of me being a boy sent her into a rage that I grew petrified of over the years.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Octavia! Of course! You are way too beautiful, baby. All of the boys at school are going to be in love! What did I tell you about boys, though?” She asked as her eyes grew wild and dark.

“No boys until I’m eighteen.” I sighed, already knowing where this conversation was headed.

“What else?” She slurred as her thin arched brows raised.

“No sex until marriage because you don’t want any babies out of wedlock.” My shoulders dropped at the delusional speech my mom always gave me.

“You are correct! Now let me be, I’m working.” She quickly turned away from me to continue her daily activities of drinking until she passed out and chain smoking until she coughed up a new lung.

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