Finding Cyn: Devil's Knights Series

by Winter Travers

  “Yup, take me home, pour a stiff drink and then pass out. Those are the only plans I have for today.” I grabbed my sunglasses, jammed them on my face, ready to get the hell out of here.

  <<<<<<<<

  Rigid

  Cyn was silent the whole ride home. I tried to talk to her, asking her if she had tried Head’s BBQ or seen the new 007 movie and all I got was, no. The closer we got to her house, the more I could sense her drawing into herself.

  When we pulled up to her house, Meg bounded out the front door towards us, but Cyn made no move to get out. I hit the lock button and turned in my seat toward her.

  Meg got to Cyn’s door and almost yanked the door of its hinges trying to open it. “Open the door, Rigid!” She yelled at me, looking like she wanted to rip my head off.

  “Give us five minutes, Meg. Go back in the house and we’ll be right there.” I yelled back, not taking my eyes off Cyn.

  “Cyn, open the door,” Meg pleaded through the glass.

  Cyn looked out the window, just staring at Meg.

  “Meg, go in the house. You’re scaring the shit out of Cyn,” I barked.

  Meg looked to the house, seeing King standing on the front porch, waving her to him. She looked back in the truck, running her hand down the window and headed back to the house.

  “I can’t do this,” Cyn whispered. Her hands were clamped together in her lap, her head bent down, and tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “Look at me, Cyn,” I ordered softly.

  “I don’t feel anything. Nothing. All I want is to lay down and never wake up,” Cyn pleaded.

  I slid across the seat, wrapping my arm around the back of her neck, pulling her to me. She wound her arms around my neck and crawled into my lap. “Cyn, I, jeez, fuck me,’ She was falling apart in my arms and I had no idea how to stop it. She wouldn’t look at me, so I tipped her chin up and took her sunglasses off. She had her eyes closed, with tear tracks running down her cheeks. ‘Open your eyes beautiful.”

  “Please don’t lie to me,’ she whispered as she opened her eyes. ‘I have a huge gash on half of my face and the other half is black and blue. Just please don’t lie. I’m anything but beautiful.”

  “I’m not lying.’ She huffed and buried her head in my neck. ‘You’re the most beautiful woman I know. Dry your tears, walk in your house, let Meg fawn all over you, and I’ll make you a drink. Just try, baby.”

  “Please don’t tell her anything. I don’t want her to worry.”

  “She knows what happened,” I reasoned.

  “No, I mean that I might be ruined on the inside. Please don’t tell her. That’s mine. It’s mine to worry about.”

  “She’s your best friend, Cyn, you should tell her. She can help you.”

  She ripped herself out of my arms, backing up against the door of the truck. “No one will know, Rigid. If you tell her, I’ll never talk to you again. I promise, you tell her, I leave.”

  “Cyn, you need to talk to someone. You don’t want me to tell Meg, fine, I won’t. But then you need to talk to me. It’s not good to stay in your head. Promise me that?” I asked. Cyn hadn’t had any reaction to what had happened to her. She hadn’t broken down, screamed, raged, anything. On the outside she acted like nothing had happened, but on the inside, I knew that she was going crazy. She needed to let it out.

  “Fine, I promise. If I want to talk, I’ll talk to you. Now let me out,” She pleaded, looking like a caged animal who couldn’t get away from me fast enough.

  I hit the button to unlock the door and she scrambled out as fast as a broken arm and ribs would let her. She slammed the door, looking relieved there was something between us. She twisted away from the truck, making her way to the house.

  I watched her till she was shut away into the house, a broken woman who I was going to help find her way again.

  <<<<<<<<

  Cyn

  “Meg, I can’t breathe,” I wheezed out. The second I had walked through the door, Meg had grabbed me and hadn’t let go.

  “Babe, loosen up,” King ordered softly from behind Meg.

  Meg’s arms loosened but she still held me. “Are you ok?” She whispered.

  “Um, I guess as good as can be expected. Just sore.” My ribs were throbbing where she had squeezed me and my head was starting to throb also. “I think I need to go get my prescriptions filled.”

  “We got them for you,’ Meg replied. Relief ran through me, thankful I didn’t need to run to the pharmacy. ‘Lo, can you get Cyn her pain pill?” Meg asked. I slipped from her arms and walked over to the couch.

  Everything had been put back in its place. It didn’t even look like I had been attacked in my own house. Just like as soon as the outside healed on me, you’d never be able to tell I was still damaged on the inside. Maybe forever.

  I looked down at my feet, resting on the rug. I remember there had been blood on the edge of the carpet but it was gone now.

  “I brought my carpet cleaner over and cleaned all your rugs. The guys helped move the furniture back in place and actually helped clean up. Good as new.” Meg chirped at me as she handed me two white pills and a glass of water.

  “Thanks.” I replied as I popped the pills in my mouth and took a swig of water.

  The front door opened and Rigid walked in, carrying the small bag that had been packed for me while I was in the hospital. He tossed it next to the couch and walked into the kitchen.

  He started rummaging through my cabinets, looking for lord knows what. I couldn’t remember the last time that I had grocery shopped. I hoped he wasn’t looking for food.

  “What’s he doing?” Meg whispered as she sat down next to me.

  “Not a fucking clue,” I whispered back.

  We both sat back, watching as King walked into the kitchen, helping Rigid search. “I don’t have any food. I’m pretty sure all I have is the makings for a ketchup sandwich.”

  Meg scrunched up her nose, “Ew. I brought some groceries over. Lo knows that,” she mumbled

  Rigid finally got to the cabinet over my sink and it finally clicked when he opened my liquor cabinet. He was making me a drink, just like I wanted.

  He pulled down my bottle of Southern Comfort and four shot glasses. I guess we were all doing shots.

  “You up for a shot, beautiful?” Rigid asked, his back to me as he opened the bottle, sloshing the four shot glasses full.

  “Definitely,” I answered. No reason not to drink now that I wasn’t pregnant.

  Rigid grabbed two glasses and King followed him with the other two. Meg and I both grabbed a glass and clinked them together. King and Rigid nodded at us and I tossed mine back, waiting for the burn in the back of my throat. I needed to feel something other than the nothing.

  “Whew! I want another one,” Meg said, grimacing.

  “Babe, we’re trying to help Cyn relax, not get rip roaring drunk,” King chided.

  “One more won’t hurt,” Meg reasoned.

  “You can have one more, Meg, but Cyn’s done. She shouldn’t even be drinking with the pills she just took. One is it,” Rigid said, grabbing my glass and headed back to the kitchen.

  “What!’ I screeched. ‘I can drink however many I want! It’s not like I’m pregnant or anything!” I scoffed.

  “Jesus Christ,” King muttered under his breathe. Meg gasped, her face going pale.

  “Fuck me, Cyn. I’m just trying to look out for you. Everyone knows you shouldn’t drink when you’re on medication,” Rigid bellowed as he dropped the glasses in the sink.

  “Well, Rigid,’ I sneered, ‘the last time I checked, I was twenty-nine years old and didn’t need a fucking babysitter telling me what to do!”

  “Cyn, honey, he’s right. I shouldn’t have said anything. Once you’re feeling better we can go out,” Meg reasoned.

  “Oh, trust me, we are sure as shit going out when my face doesn’t scare small children and dogs whether or not Rigid thinks it’s a good idea,” I ranted. Seriously, I knew I sh
ouldn’t be drinking when I was taking pain medicine, but what was going to happen after two shots except taking away the pain a little bit faster.

  “I’m not the bad guy in this, Cyn. No need to get pissed off at me,” Rigid snapped.

  “We all know who the bad guy is in this Rigid. He left his foot print on my ribs if you want to go track him down,” I shrieked.

  “We all know what happened to you Cyn, no need to throw it our faces,” he barked back at me.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Rigid, did I shock you? Hurt you? Well, I’m so sorry I didn’t ask for your fucking help, I didn’t ask for anyone’s help!” I spun around, seeing the shocked faces of King and Meg and stormed to my bedroom.

  I slammed the door, leaned against it, and slid down on my ass.

  Tears were streaming down my face and I couldn’t stop them. I don’t know why I snapped at Rigid. He was trying to be nice, but I didn’t want nice right now. Not that I had a fucking clue as to what I did want, but I knew nice wasn’t it.

  I heard footsteps headed to my door and quickly reached up and twisted the lock on my door.

  “Cyn? Can I come in?” Meg asked as she timidly knocked on the door.

  “I’m sorry, Meg,” I sobbed out.

  “Let me in, honey. You don’t need to be sorry,” she pleaded.

  “I just want to sleep, Meg.”

  “And I just want to make sure you’re ok.” Concern and pity laced her voice as she talked.

  Pity. The one thing I did not want.

  “I’m ok. I’m just going to change and get some sleep. I think those pills are starting to kick in.” My eyes were starting to get droopy. The floor looking like a comfortable alternative to getting up and sleeping in my bed.

  “Ok. Get some sleep.’ Footsteps moved away from the door but stopped. ‘I love you, Cyn.” She called through the door.

  I didn’t say anything. I was silently sobbing too much to get any words out. How could she still love me after what had happened to me. I didn’t even know if I loved myself anymore.

  I leaned over, curling up on the floor. I closed my eyes, hearing the darkness calling to me again. The darkness didn’t tell me what to do or feel sorry for me. It was nothingness, just like me.

  <<<<<<<

  Chapter 5

  Rigid

  Meg was quietly sobbing into King’s chest while I gripped the kitchen counter, trying not to storm into Cyn’s room and demand she fall apart in my arms, not alone.

  I wasn’t trying to tell her what to do, but fuck me, she shouldn’t be drinking while taking those fucking pills.

  “We’re going to head out, man. Meg hasn’t gotten much sleep. We both need to crash for a bit,” King called from the living room.

  I loosened my grip off the counter and turned to King. “Yeah, brother. I’m going to crash on the couch till Cyn wakes up.” I had tried to sleep in the chair at the hospital, but a nurse came in every half an hour to check on Cyn, so I didn’t get more than a couple minutes of uninterrupted sleep.

  “Text me when she wakes up? I can come over if you want so you don’t need to stay.” Meg sniffed as she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

  “I’m not leaving, Meg. You’re more than welcome to come over, but I’m not leaving her right now,” I insisted. I needed to be with Cyn for my own piece of mind. I had almost lost her before I even had her.

  “Alright, brother. Get some sleep.” King ushered Meg out the door, shutting it behind him.

  I ran my hands down my face, trying to wipe the fatigue out of my eyes. I looked around Cyn’s living room, trying to see any traces of what happened last night. It was amazing. Walking in, not knowing what happened to Cyn, there was no way you would be able to tell. It was all cleaned away. The only way you would be able to tell is if you walked into her bedroom and saw the broken woman lying on the bed.

  I walked to her door and listened to hear if she was awake.

  I tried turning the handle when I didn’t hear her moving around, but it didn’t turn. She had locked me out. Son of a bitch.

  I thought about picking the lock but decided not to. She had been violated enough already, she didn’t need me breaking into her room when she obviously didn’t want me to come in.

  Walking back into the living room, I collapsed on the couch. I laid out, propping her girly throw pillows behind my head.

  I had no idea what to do. I was out here and Cyn was in her room.

  Locked away, broken.

  <<<<<<<<

  Cyn

  I woke up sprawled out on my bedroom floor, my head squished against the door. Lovely.

  Stretching my arms above my head, I clunked my broken arm on the door, pain shot through my arm, radiating up through my shoulder. I hoisted myself up, slumping against the door.

  Taking stock of my body, pain was screaming at me from everywhere. My face felt tight from all the swelling and my ribs hurt just from breathing. Time for another magic pill. I hauled myself off the floor, checking my balance, leaning against the wall. Fuck this hurt. If anyone asked, I would not recommend getting beaten.

  I laughed, thinking how absurd it was that I had thought that. I winced holding my ribs, trying to control my crazy laughing.

  I unlocked the door and walked out, my mission finding those magic pills that took away my pain.

  I listened as I walked down the hall for any noise or talking. I heard nothing and made my way to the kitchen. Thankfully King, Meg, and Rigid had left. I couldn’t handle their pitiful glances right now.

  Limping towards the kitchen, I walked past the living room, glancing at the couch and froze. Someone was sleeping on my couch. Fuck.

  I couldn’t tell who it was and hoped they would continue to sleep and not wake up. I tiptoed to the sink, hoping Meg had left my pills next to my Midol and Tylenol. Thankfully, I glimpsed the telltale prescription bottle and grabbed it. I quietly twisted the cap off, mindful of whoever the fuck was sleeping on the couch, and shook two pills into my hand. Twisting the top back on, I opened my cupboard, grabbing a glass down.

  “Hurting?” Rigid rumbled from the living room. I jumped, surprised to hear Rigid and lost my grip on the glass, dropping it on the floor. It shattered into a million pieces all around my feet.

  “Son of a bitch! You scared the living shit out of me!” I shrilled at Rigid. I looked around trying to figure out where I could step without cutting a toe off.

  “Don’t move,’ Rigid ordered. ‘Where’s your broom, beautiful?”

  “Hall closet,” I muttered, still trying to find an escape route. If I could quick grab a glass, I could motor it to the bathroom and fill my glass up there.

  Before I could even make one step, Rigid was back, broom in hand. “Why is your shirt off?” I asked, entranced by all the colorful tattoos all over his body.

  “I normally sleep naked. I thought taking all my clothes off and sleeping on your couch naked might not be the best idea right now,” Rigid said, sweeping up the glass.

  “Probably for the best,” I mumbled, ripping my gaze off his massive chest, watching to make sure he got all the glass.

  “You in a lot of pain, beautiful?” Rigid asked as he started sweeping the shards into the dust pan.

  “Yes and could you stop calling me that?” I retorted. I wasn’t beautiful before I had gotten beaten to a pulp and I sure as shit wasn’t now.

  “No.” No? No, was all he had to say. Really?

  “Um, yes. I asked you to stop. I’m not beautiful. You’d be better off calling me butt face than beautiful.”

  Rigid threw his head back laughing. I cocked my head to the side and looked at him. If either of us was beautiful, it was Rigid. Sweeping my floor in the middle of the night, shirtless, and laughing was a sight to see. Even with a bright blue Mohawk, Rigid could turn the head of any woman. Add in the colorful tattoos and, wait, was that a nipple piercing? Wait, holy shit, both nipples pierced? Well, slap me silly and call me Sally, Rigid just catapulted off the charts.

>   “I’m not going to call you butt face,” Rigid said, which sent him off into more laughter.

  I smiled, realizing how handsome he was. “Well, I’m definitely more of a butt face right now than beautiful.”

  “No, babe, not when you smile like that,” Rigid smirked as he dumped the full dustpan in the garbage.

  “I think we need to get your eyes checked.” I rolled my eyes and made it back over to the cupboard to grab another glass.

  “You get your pills already?” Rigid asked as I popped them into my mouth, while filling up my glass. I opened my mouth to show him my tongue. He shook his head at me and moved to the hall closet to put away the broom.

  I swallowed down the pills, emptying my glass and setting it in the sink.

  “You hungry?” Rigid asked as he walked back into the kitchen. He opened the fridge, surveying what I had to eat.

  My stomach promptly rumbled. “What time is it?” I asked.

  “One AM. We both slept like the dead apparently. We missed dinner.”

  My stomach growled again at the mention of dinner. “I could eat,” I replied.

  “Well, I’m fucking starved, babe. How about omelets and bagels?” Rigid started pulling things out of my fridge that I don’t think I had ever had in there before.

  “How much is in there?” I asked as he piled fresh veggies, cheese, milk, eggs, butter and bagels on to the counter.

  “A fridge full.”

  “Fucking Meg. Now I’m going to have to pay her back. She didn’t need to do that,” I huffed, irked that Meg had to go grocery shopping for me. I felt so helpless.

  “You don’t need to pay her back,” Rigid replied as he grabbed an apple, ripping a huge chunk out of it with his teeth.

  “Um, yes I do,” I countered.

  “Um, no you don’t. She didn’t pay for them,” Rigid shot back while he dug through my cupboards.

  “Then who bought them and what are you looking for?”

  “I did and a frying pan,” Rigid mumbled, his head stuck in my cabinet.

  “Wait, what?” I asked, shocked.

  “I need a frying pan, babe. You know, most of them are nonstick, round, have a handle. You stick them on the stove and cook stuff in them.” Rigid joked.