Page 94 of The Devils Melody
Nox’s gaze cuts to me, his expression filled with worry. “Kage, stop. Look at her. She’s panicking.”
“I’m not stopping,” Kage says, his voice laced with fury and desperation. “She deserves the truth. The ones we kill, they go after women, children, people like Chen. Those people don’t deserve to live, Wren. People who touch other people without their permission,don’t deserve to fucking live.”
His last sentence causes something inside me to snap, and I can feel the moment the darkest parts of me start to creep to the forefront. I should run, maybe even turn them in. But instead, I lift my chin, staring him down through my tears.
“Then let me help you,” I whisper, the words escaping in one shaky breath.
Both men freeze, Kage’s lips parting like he’s about to say something but doesn’t. He almost looks as if he doesn’t know if he heard me correctly or not. Nox’s eyes narrow with suspicion and a whole lot of caution. I don’t blame him. Any sane person wouldn’t want to help kill someone, but clearly I’m not sane.
“You don’t know what you’re asking for, Wren,” Nox says, his voice laced with danger.
“Yes, I do,” I bite back. “These monsters…I had one too. He took everything from me a long time ago. They don’t get to keep taking.”
Kage’s whole body tenses, fists clenching on his lap as his nostrils flare.
“They hurt you?” he growls. His voice is so guttural, it’s almost unrecognizable. “Tell me who, Wren. I’ll fucking kill them.”
“Kage,” Nox warns, gripping his arm, but Kage shakes him off, his wild gaze locked on me.
“I knew it,” Kage says, a wicked grin curling on his lips. “I fucking knew there was darkness beneathe that pretty little exterior.”
32
Kage
THE EXECUTIONER
“Ifucking knew there was darkness beneath that pretty little exterior.”
Wren’s eyes flick up to mine, a faint smile curving on her lips. She doesn’t look scared or intimidated. Instead, she looks…relieved. Like the weight she carried so long on her shoulders was finally lifted and she could breathe again.
Nox is still crouched beside her, his thumb brushing the back of her hand in a slow, steady rhythm. He’s gentle with her, letting her know she’s safe here with us.
“It started when I was four. My father, he would…touch me. My mom didn’t know what he was doing at first; he was always abusive towards her. But she loved him…she loved him so much, she wouldn’t leave.” Wren takes in a deep breath before continuing. “When I was six, he started to do more. He raped me, over and over again. It continued until I was nine. I couldn’t handle it anymore. He was supposed to love me, just not—not like that.”
Nox’s hand darts out to wipe the tears that fall fromWren’s eyes, but I can’t. I can’t move. My hands are clenched in fists, trying to keep it together, because knowing that he fucking hurt her when she was so young…there is only one man I have ever hated just as much, but not even he holds a candle to Wren’s piece of shit father.
“When I told my mom, she turned him in. She saved me. But after that, she couldn’t handle it. She drank, took pills, anything to numb the pain. And she never fucking stopped. That’s why I had to leave. That’s why I live at Chen’s. Because he and his wife took Olive and I in when all we had was each other. And now he’s fucking gone.”
I swallow hard, my throat tightening like it’s collapsing in on itself, because Iknowthat feeling. The feeling of betrayal from someone you’re told you can trust, or someone who’s supposed to love you. It was a little different for me, but the end results are the same. Our words were still both twisted into fear and shame.
When Wren talks about her father, memories I’ve buried claw their way to the surface. My mom’s ex, Dan. The way he took advantage of me and made me feel powerless. It may not be the same person, but it’s the same kind of darkness. The same sick, consuming feeling that you’re trapped and no one will protect you.
No tears, Big Man. Take it like a man.
Dan's words echo in my skull, crawling out from the pit of memories I so desperately try to keep suppressed.
“I…I get it,” I whisper. “I know that feeling. That helplessness. I know what it’s like when someone who should protect you…doesn’t. And worse, hurts you instead.”
Dan isn’t someone who was supposed to love me, but he was supposed to respect me. He was supposed to earn my trust and be a decent human being. Iwasn’t expecting him to be a father figure, I just expected him to keep his fucking hands to himself. It’s not that fucking hard.
“He used to call me Wrennie. Always with that fake, toxic sweetness. He would tell me I was his little secret and to stay quiet so my mom wouldn’t hear. His favorite time to…touch me…was when it stormed. You couldn’t hear my screams when it was storming.”
My entire body is stiff, crescent moons are embedded into my palms as I try my absolutely fucking best to contain the rage I’m feeling right now. I hate that I didn’t know her. That I couldn’t be there for her in those moments to protect her. I know that it’s not my fault, but I can’t help the guilt I feel deep in the pit of my chest.
“I…I hated him…every day,” she continues, her voice trembling. “But I also wanted it to stop…so I tried to be good. I tried to do what he wanted…to survive it. And still, he kept coming back. He’d tell me it was my fault, that I was being difficult and I was the one causing him trouble.”
Nox’s hand moves to her back, rubbing in small, steady circles, keeping her grounded and letting her know he’s there for her. I stay frozen, trying to swallow down the anger that’s clawing it’s way up my throat. It’s the same darkness I remember; the same disgusting manipulation I was given.
