Page 38 of Cash

“I spoke to Sypher earlier. They were telling Amber and Dante today,” she said.

“Telling them what?” I asked nervously.

“That they are twins,” she replied quietly. “I need you to be there for them.”

I sank down on the bed. “Why me?”

“Because you know what they’re going through. I want you to make contact with Amber. I need you to be there for her while I can’t.”

I pulled the phone away and looked at it. She couldn’t be serious. This was a big ask. One that wasn’t fair of her to ask me. Not with how I felt about Amber.

She doesn’t know how you feel because you won’t tell her. You won’t tell anyone.

“Val, I can’t do that,” I said, shaking my head.

“Kytten, I need you right now. I need you to protect my kids until I can. You are all they have.”

“They have three fucking clubs behind them. They have all the protection they need.”

“Kytten,” she sighed, her voice pulling at something inside me. “You’re the only one who knows what they’re going through. You can help them through this. They still don’t know about me and their father. They have each other now, but it’s not enough.”

How fucking dare she?

I stood from the bed and paced the room, silent as I moved back and forth. Val was quiet on the other end, waiting for my response.

“Kytten?”

“Ok. I’ll do what I can,” I replied, trying to put some pep in my voice.

“Thank you, Kytten. I can’t tell you what it means to me knowing you are there. There is no one else I would trust more with my children.”

“I’ll take care of them, Val. Just like you took care of me.”

We said our goodbyes, and I sank to the floor. I felt the familiar burn behind my nose, begging the tears to come.

They never did.

The monsters held them back. Kept them hostage until I let them out. Crawling to the bed, I pulled myself up and took off my jeans. Running my fingers over the scars, I knew it wouldn’t be enough.

They demanded blood.

My blood.

My blood for their screams.

The only way to let them out.

I flicked the blade open and carefully choose a spot. There were only a few unblemished spaces left among the tattoos. Myhands roamed over the inked flesh, searching for a smooth area. Once found, I slid the blade across my skin. Deeper than usual.

The monsters were screaming louder than normal. They wanted a reward. Compensation for all they had endured today. All the emotions they kept back.

When the layers of skin parted, the relief was instant. The quiet settled around me, and I could finally breathe. I inhaled deeply, letting the blood flow onto the mattress beneath me. I would buy new sheets to replace the stained ones before I left this town.

When that would be, I didn’t know. I didn’t want to think about how long I would be here. Instead, I focused on the silence that encompassed me.

I could hear the TV blasting from the room to my right. On the left, voices raised in anger as a couple shouted back and forth.

But in my head, there was nothing.