Page 31 of Straightjacket

“Could you at least take these off? How the fuck am I supposed to piss with no hands?”

The one holding my wrists huffs out then pulls the keys from his belt and unlocks the handcuffs. As soon as my hands are released, he shoves me into the cell then slams the door behind me, locking it securely before walking away. Immediately I grab my tender wrists, rubbing at the angry raised marks.

“Iris, are you in here?” I say, walking towards the bars that keep us separated. Silence answers me back and I wrap my hands around the bars, searching the darkness for her. A stream of light shines in through the small hatch in the door that’s located on her side, illuminating her sleeping bloodied face. Dried clumps stick to her nose and mouth; the remnants of her makeup smeared around her eyes.

“Baby, wake up.” I speak louder in the hopes that she can hear me. “Iris, look at me. Wake up for me baby.”

Terror grips my heart in an iron fist when she doesn’t move. Letting go of the bars, I step back slightly and trail my gaze over the steel frame, looking for any weak points in the structure but it’s hard when I’m working in the dark, so I lean down slightly and run my hands across the bottom until I’m able to shove my fingers underneath the frame.

Grit and dirt slip underneath my nails but there’s nothing in this fucking world that will stop me from getting to her, not even these steel bars. Shoving my fingers further underneath until I’m able to get a good grip, I throw all my weight into pulling it upwards.

“Fuck!” I grit out, my arms shaking as I begin to pull the frame upwards. Steel scrapes against the brick walls and I grit my teeth until my jaw begins to ache, the weight of the bars threatening to crush my hands, but I won’t allow it.

“Fucking c’mon!” I groan as I continue to pull it upwards, the fabric of the jumpsuit across my arms strains against my skin and just when I have it lifted enough to slip underneath, I duck under and grab the bars before it slams to the floor. Steel scrapes against my palms and I hiss at the friction as I lower it back down again.

As soon as it’s back in place, I rush over to Iris and pull her into my lap. Her body hangs limp in my arms and I immediately press two fingers to her throat, searching for that precious heartbeat.

“C’mon, don’t leave me now. Not like this.” I mumble, pressing down harder until I can feel her pulse hammering against my fingers. It flutters like a bird's wings, and I press my lips to hers, breathing every ounce of air that’s in my lungs into hers.

I’d give her every part of me if it meant that she’d survive. I’d tear out all my organs and give them to her if she asked me. In fact, she wouldn’t even need to ask, I’d do it regardless. Everything that I am is hers. Every ounce of blood, every cell and bone, it’s all hers.

Cupping her face, I break the kiss slightly and whisper against her lips. “Come back to me, baby. I... I can’t do this life without you, just... come back to me.”

Tears well in my eyes and I slam my mouth back onto hers, holding her as tightly as I can.

Kiss me back, that’s all you have to do, just kiss me back.

Time continues to drag on until I feel warmth against my face, the sensation of fingers diving into my hair, the taste of her spreading across my lips. The very moment that she kisses me back.

“You’re really here.” She whispers as she breaks the kiss and I nod, brushing my fingers over the smeared blood on her face.

“I’m really here. I always will be.”

She closes her eyes for a moment, allowing the stray tears to fall down her face. “I... I thought I’d never see you again, that I’d die here without you.”

My brows drop and I grimace her words as they stab into my chest. “I promised that I’d never let that happen, and I’m not gonna break that promise now. I will always be here,” I wipe my thumb across her cheek. “Where you go, I go. That’s how it’s always going to be, right until the very end.”

“Until the end.” She whispers, a small smile on her face as she continues to run her fingers through my hair. Her brows drop slightly when she rubs the strands between her fingers. “Are you... wet?”

Don’t say it.

“For you, yes.” I remark with a smirk on my face. She laughs, shoving me playfully and I take her hand in mine, kissing her palm softly. “But yeah, I am. Thorne decided I could do with a little swim, that’s all.” At the mention of his name the smile on her face falls, a cloud of worry taking its place, but I quickly soothe her mind.

“Don’t worry, little demon. I’m alright, but I highly doubt he is after what you did to his face. Which I’m proud of by the way.”

“He was really starting to get on my nerves.” She shrugs then laces her fingers through mine. I squeeze her hand tightly and pull her further into my lap.

“Please tell me all that blood is from him.” I say with a pointed stare and she shakes her head. “No, it’s not. Something happened and I had no choice.”

Pain slashes across her face and she turns away from me, tugging harshly on her bottom lip, but I don’t let her hide away for long as I let go of her hand to bring her face back to me again, my gaze searching her eyes for answers.

“Talk to me, baby.”

“There... was a fight, I got into a fight and... killed someone. But if it wasn’t for Dolly, I’d probably be dead.”

Dolly? Where have I heard that name from? Then I remember, a lightbulb switching on in my mind.

“Dolly’s here?”