The Withering Tulip

3.

It's been three days and I haven't heard even a single word from him. I know I had hurt him. While he has sacrificed his whole childhood for me, I couldn't be patient for a little while with him. He needed time and treatment. And I was so reckless to hurt him like that. Finally mustering up the courage, I picked up my phone from the nightstand and called him. No one picked up. I called for the third time and the call was picked up.

"Hey Rowan!", I said nervously.

"P-ple-ease h-help me -hun- he- he would kill me. Hel- help." The child's voice reached my ears. The sobs on the other end increased and my heart drummed at an unbearable rate that I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. I blinked once, twice and thrice. This was real. This was happening. I felt my throat constricting. My heart clenched to the extent that it was almost unbearable. Sucking a long puff of air, I cleared my throat.

"Re- relax and tell me where are you and what happened?" I was out of air. It was like I forgot how to breath.

"Pl-please help me. H- he would kill me.", the voice on the other end lowered.

"Who- who would?" I was almost at my wit's end at this point. Even though, it wasn't something, I didn't expect. But still, it did hurt a lot.

"Tha- that man.", another silent sob was heard.

"Who? Tell me anything, anything about him.", even though I was sure who it was, just a tiny bit of me wanted it to be someone else.

"Sca-scar" her sobs lowered a bit.

"Scar?"

"O-on ha-and", I felt my eyes glistening. Rowan. I was almost hyperventilating.

"Ok. Don't be scared. I'm coming to rescue you.", I managed to say in my shaky voice.

"I- I'm scared.", it sounded more like a little mouse's squeak.

"I know. I know. Just wait a bit more.", I tried to calm her down, while my own insides were screaming.

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I didn't care how recklessly I had driven my car. I could've had an accident but that was the least of my concern right now. I had gotten the location through Xavier. It was an abandoned farmhouse, on the east lake side. I doubt anyone lived here. Lucca, too, would be here soon.

I pushed the guards aside. One of them aimed his gun at me, holding me still, but the growl from behind me stopped him right away, as he lowered his head. I turned to see my brother, standing there with fuming eyes.

"How f*****g dare you!" He held the guard from collar. But I wasn't ready for any drama. I pushed him away from guard. Entering in. Almost running. I reached upstairs. Searching every room. I opened one door after another. But she wasn't there. I wasn't in my right senses. My blood was boiling. I continuously clenched and unclenched my fists. Turning back, my gaze landed on Rowan. I lunged towards him, holding him by collar and yanking him down.

"Where the f**k is she?"

His expression was neutral. Lucca burst in with ragged breaths.

"Where's the kid?" I looked back at Rowan. He was silent. Holding him by his shirt collar, I jerked him with all my force. He weakly pointed at the last door of the corridor with his head hung low.

I quickly rushed to the room, looking everywhere but there was not even a single sign of her. I looked back to find Rowan standing at the door. I rushed to him again holding him by his collar.

"Where?" I hissed. My voice was low. He just walked to the book shelf and pushed it aside revealing a little dark room. My gaze immediately landed on the petite figure, lying on the floor. She looked to be in her early teens. Her shirt had large blood stains and was ripped at shoulder. her eyes seemed to be hazy. Was she drugged? I was loosing my breaths as every second passed.

A shreak escaped her throat as her gaze landed on Rowan and the other second, I ran towards her and lifted her in my arms. Rowan attempted to come forward but was stopped by Lucca.

"Get the car ready.", I barked to Lucca. He immediately hurried downstairs.

"I didn't want you to see any of it. The most filthiest part of me. Bud-", I was fed up. Turning around I punched his jaw as hard as possible and he fell on his back on the floor. He was just like our father, after all. Filthy. I immediately walked towards that petite child, lifting her up in my arms and sprinted downstairs. Getting in the back seat, I softly placed her head on my lap as I shifted in my seat. I instructed Lucca to drive.

It felt like I had lost everything, but the damage was done. Now, I would never be able to look at him as the caring brother who sacrificed everything for me. Just a glance at his face and all I see is a monster, just like our father. A beast. Maybe I realized it a little too late that...

My brother had died a long time ago in my father's hands that day.

And it was all just my hope to get him back.

I was again too late to realize.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

"She wasn't violated sexually in any way, as I have concluded. I'm yet, not sure."

"You asked her?"

"No, maybe we shouldn't talk to her about this stuff right now. But she had been beaten up really brutally. It might be hard for her to walk. There are severe injuries to her ribs and leg bones. That's still not that big of a deal as, no matter how much time it takes, will be healed, anyway. But the main thing is. She must be emotionally disturbed. After all, she's just a child.", I just looked down at my joined hands, as Aria explained the child's condition to us.

"Anything about her background?", Adrien asked. He stood beside me with his hands folded at his chest. He was clad in his grey suit. He had come here straight from Kazan, the moment we called him.

"She's 14. Her names Aine and she's from Ireland.", Adrian nodded lightly, looking down at his foot.

"Ryan! It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself." Aria said in her shrill voice looking at me. I just kept looking at the hands that had held that little kid. Not too long ago they had held her abuser with so much longing and warmth. Did I even deserved to be called a human? Monsters will only give birth to monsters. After all, I'm carrying the same blood. Adrian crouched in front of me.

"It's alright." He placed his warm hand in my cold ones.

"No, it's not. Everyone knew what a monster he was. He was a sociopath. He needed treatment. But just because he was my brother, I never agreed to force him. Look what he did. And we don't even know, how many more lives had been entirely destroyed without a single trace of them left behind. They were children, for heaven's sake.", my voice turned shaky at the end.

"I can understand what you're feeling. Relax."

"No, you can't."

Lucca engulfed me in a warm hug, instantly calming me down.

"You should talk to her. She trusts you. Huh?", He patted my back. I held on to him like my life depended on him.

Lucca patted my back as I leaned against him.

"You know what, eleven times... eleven times... I was reported how he treated his pets. It was when we were pretty young, not long after he went to Belgium. He would buy little puppies and kittens and especially those which won't fight back. Vulnerable ones. He loved starving and punishing them and eventually they would die. That continued on for two years and then I instructed all his security and his butler to not allow any pets. He loved hurting those who were vulnerable. That damned phsycopath." My voice turned shaky at the end and tears threatened to escape. He just hugged me more closer. While I let the tears fall down for the last time.

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