Page 141 of Stitches

“I need help,” I choked out. “Please. Help her.”

They snapped into gear, and she was placed on a stretcher. I stayed at her side, even when one of the wards tried to get me away.

“I’m not fucking leaving her. Fight me, motherfucker.” I shoved the guy hard in the chest, sending him stumbling backward.

He didn’t try again, nor did anyone else. Instead, I lurked on the edge of the room as they cut her clothes off. As I saw the cuts on her body. The bruises. How injured she was between her legs.

The tears didn’t stop flowing down my cheeks the entire time. The foil blanket put on her. The machines. The shouts from the nurses and the doctor who I recognized as one I didn’t completely hate.

I forced my way between the chaos and held her cold hand.

“Come on, baby,” I sobbed. “Don’t go. Stay.Please.Stay with me.I love you, Siren.So fucking much. I can’t lose you. Please. Stay with me.”

The beep from her heart monitor let me know she was still with us.

She was still here.

And that meant I would be too because I was never going to leave her side again.

They’d have to kill me if they wanted me gone, and I was a proven fucking survivor.

STITCHES

“How is she?” I stood from my chair in the waiting room as Church came out.

“She’s resting. She hasn’t woken at all. Her injuries were…extensive,” Church said, his voice wobbling as he wiped quickly at his eyes.

“What is it?” Ashes demanded.

Church sank onto the chair across from me.

Asylum sat beside me, his head lolling against the wall, a barf bag in his hand.

“He raped her,” he whispered.

My blood ran cold. Ashes slid back onto his chair and shook, pulling his lighter out and opening and closing it so fast the silver was just a flash.

“He cut her. Beat her.” Church let out a soft sob. “Why? What the fuck did she ever do to anyone?”

“The wicked in the world always try to destroy beauty,” Asylum whispered. “It’s what I wanted to protect her from.”

“You were supposed to know this shit!” Church launched himself out of his seat and grabbed Asylum by his shirt and shook him. “You’re the fucking psychic with all the voices in your head. Why didn’t you save her? Why didn’t you know?”

“It doesn’t work like that,” Asylum said. “I wish it did. I only know the things I’m meant to know. Nothing less. Nothing more. Had I known, I wouldn’t have gone to bed. I’d have been at your fucking house, holding her down. She could hate me some-fucking-more, but I’d have protected her.”

Church shoved him hard, making Asylum’s head smack off the wall.

“We can’t be fighting right now. If it weren’t for Asylum, she could have died,” I said, feeling numb inside.

Church cursed and fisted his hair, pacing the room.

Ashes was still silent, his lighter still snapping open and closed at Mach five.

“Where is Sin?” Ashes finally asked, slowing his movement with the lighter.

“He’s with her. Refuses to leave her side.” Church looked in the direction of the hall where they were still taking care of her.

“He won’t leave her,” Asylum said. “He loves her.”

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