Page 47 of The Filth Kings II

“Pull yourself together…You are Rylie Rose! The most beautiful flower in the world,” I whispered to my reflection in the mirror.

“He’s just scared, and he doesn’t get it yet. He doesn’t know what we could be…but he’ll see one day. Love like this doesn’t die…it just can’t.” I managed to force a smile.

I moved forward and placed a kiss against the cold mirror as I promised myself to get him to understand.

“I’ll be softer next time, sweeter with him.” I coached myself.

I just want to be close; I just want to love him the way no one else ever could!I listened to Ry Ry’s plea and even as she spoke the words in my head, I knew that a part of it wasn’t real and may not come true. I knew that I didn’t know how to love in halves. I only knew how to consume… I didn’t just want Octavio…I needed him. I couldn’t tell if five minutes or an hour had passed, but then I heard the front door. It cracked through my fog and snapped me back to reality.

My head snapped toward the sound as I rasped out Syren’s name. I quickly left out of the bathroom and rushed down the hallway. Syren was slumped like a ragdoll on our pink velvet couch. Her pale skin was blotched with bruises. One eye was swollen nearly shut, her lip was split with crusted dry blood. Syren’s chest barely rose above her torn blouse. Before I said anything, I froze up as I went through a series of internal emotions.

“Who the fuck? Tell me now, I’ll kill them.” I growled out.

Syren didn’t speak, she groaned as tears rolled down her bruised-up cheeks. The closer I got to her the more I saw in detail of how bad she got beaten. It reminded me of the time her ex nearly killed her for lying about being a man at birth. Syren spent two weeks in the hospital from that incident. It took me seconds to slit his fucking throat.

The air left my lungs in one violent exhale. I dropped to my knees in front of her.

“Oh my God, Syren! Please talk to me.” I eyed her rib cage.

Her shirt had soaked up most of the blood from that area. Hesitantly, I lifted the bottom of her shirt and fell back on my ass. Her stomach had stitches, it looked debauched.

“Who the fuck?” I murmured.

Her one good eye opened halfway, cloudy and tired.

“I-I just wanted to come home.” She slurred.

I crawled to her then pressed my hand to her face gently.

“You are home, Syren…I’m sorry for leaving but you have got to tell me who did this.” I demanded; my throat got tight with panic as I forced my voice to sound a little soothing.

I could feel myself getting ready to spiral. The room started to spin around us. I didn’t know where to place the guilt that surged up inside of me. I had been locked into my own world trying to obtain Octavio. While my Syren was out there getting torn apart by someone.What the fuck has she gotten herself into? She’s hiding something from me…

“I’ve been lying to you since I’ve met you. I’m sorry but you’re so perfect, Rylie Rose. My father… Robert Herringbone was all I had…” She coughed up blood violently.

“It’s okay, take your time…hold on; let me get my phone and call for help. You need to get to a hospital.” I attempted to stand up but was held back by Syren weakly grabbing my index finger to hold me back.

“Don’t…I don’t want help. I’m tired…My purse, I have pain shots…Morphine…get it and inject me please.” Each word she spoke was slow and strained.

I snatched her purse from beside her and dumped the contents out. I eyed the makeup bag, pepper spray, and crumpled receipts until my eyes landed on a small black case. I unzipped it with shaky hands. Inside was three prefilled syringes of Morphine. There was alcohol and cotton balls with a note that said…in case it gets bad again…My throat closed up as I eased up to sit on the couch beside her.

I grabbed Syren’s hand and rolled up her sleeve. The bruises on her arm told a story that I wasn’t there to stop, and it made me sick to the core. My hands couldn’t stop trembling as I uncapped the needle.

“My other father…step father…” She muttered.

“He took one of my kidneys.” Syren’s eyes fluttered.

“He said I needed to learn what sacrifice looked like… He stated that a woman’s body is only useful when it gave.” She coughed violently.

My hands shook harder, the needle clinked against the vial as I tried to guide it with tears blurring my sight. My skin felt too tight, like it was trying to contain all the rage that was bubbling inside of me.

“Please, hurry…the pain is?—”

“I’m trying baby…trying not to snap.” I rushed the words out.

Finally, I slid the needle into her arm as steadily and gentle as I could. Her body flinched and she sighed immediately. I held her limp hand in mine as her breathing softened.

“Impurity,” she said his name and my ears perked up.

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