58. Dinner is over
DINNER IS OVER
Ayoung chef set a plate in front of us. I didn’t touch it at first, but the smell made me want to try a bit.
I took a small bite of the steak; the flavor exploded in my mouth in a rich combination of salt and pepper, seasoned with a hint of lemon sauce.
The steak melted in my mouth with a buttery consistency.
It smelled as delicious as it tasted, and I was ready to devour the whole plate like a feral animal.
There was something familiar about the taste, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint the dish; it wasn’t beef.
Or any beef I had ever had. Maybe it was some exotic animal I hadn’t heard of, and that was the flavor.
I picked up the fork, preparing to cut another bite, but something stopped me.
Setting my fork down next to the plate, I turned my attention to the surrounding men who ate without care.
The red leaked from the meat and all I could think of was how blood leaked from Gabriella’s body.
The meat curdled in my stomach, and I gagged into the napkin.
Cole’s eyes kept glancing from his gun, which rested beside his plate, to Jeff, as if he were going to shoot the man at any moment.
His restraint was something I noticed as the course began.
There was the slight scraping of cutlery against the plates as everyone cut into the meal. It smelled amazing, but I was no longer hungry.
“So son is this something I should be concerned about? Your whore? At least tell me it is your kid in her womb?” The senator asked around a particular chewy bite. My jaw ticked, but I said nothing. It was true; it was branded against my back for the world to see.
“That’s my wife,” Cole’s knife clattered against the plate.
“Our wife,” Scott set his own silverware down.
I calmly set down my napkin, gripped my fork between my fingers, and stood up.
Walking slowly toward Jeff, each step measured with intentional placement and a click. Like a metronome, a slow, steady pace. My mind screamed to kill him now. It would be easy, quick, and lethal, but I refrained.
He looked at me with disgust; I didn’t care. My fork landed in his thigh. A bloodcurdling scream filled the air.
“Well, Jeffrey.” I paused as I jerked my fork out of his thigh. Blood shone against the tines. My tongue darted out, licking up the blood, cleaning it from my fork. “It’s a good thing. I outgrew you.”
I walked back to my seat and sat down, my tongue still brushing against the fork as if I hadn’t licked it clean.
It reminded me of the meat; I understood it now.
Keeping my face neutral and as an afterthought, I added, “Love what you did with the meat…” I waved my hand in the air as if gathering the words.
“That’s special. What would you call it, there’s just something about how the fear pairs nicely with the what is it? Thighs?”
Dustin coughed, choking on a chunk of meat. Scott looked at me with horror-filled eyes. Cole shoved his chair back, and Karter just set his knife and fork down slowly.
“And to think I was going to give my compliments to the chef.” Karter muttered.
“I think I am going to be sick,” Scott looked a seasick kind of green.
Cole’s hands were around Jeff’s neck choking him as the chair slammed into the ground.
I sighed, standing up again, “Men.” I loosed a breath and walked over to Cole’s gun, picking it up. I checked the magazines.
Counting the bullets, I slammed it home and pulled back the slide.
“It seems that Dinner is done, so shall we move on to the entertainment? What was her name?”
“Claire,” Dustin swallowed wine, trying to force himself to vomit.
“Ah yes, Claire dear.” I called out in a sing-song voice.
Cole loosened his tie and began securing it around the senator’s feet. Dustin and Scott dropped their ties a moment later, securing his other foot and hands. Karter stood there with his hands in his pocket not even considering donating his tie.
Claire’s quick steps walked through the space as she rolled in a large cart covered with an even larger sheet. I looked at her, and her eyes flickered to the senator before they landed back on mine.
Fear was a powerful tool like that; no doubt the poor woman was being forced to work for this man. I sighed. “Get out of here and if you call the police I will find whatever it is you hold dear and well…” I trailed off.
Tears streamed down her face as she nodded profusely, “You will never see me again.” She fled.
I turned towards Jeff, who was now bound and tied like the pig he was. “Do I want to know what you have as entertainment?” I asked, tapping the gun against his head.
He mumbled around the gag, and I shook my head, pulling it out of his mouth.
“Why don’t you look? I am sure it would bring up memories.” I shoved the gag back in his face as Scott’s fist landed across his jaw.
Turning toward the cart, I slowly pulled the sheet away and held my breath.
There, tied in the center, was a little girl no more than four. Tears streamed down her face as she looked around in fear. I struggled to breathe and grabbed the back of a chair to steady myself.
Blinking to make sure my eyes hadn’t deceived me, I swallowed back the panic. “Karter—”
He didn’t wait for the rest of the sentence, just wordlessly stepped forward and cradled the little girl to his chest as he walked away from the room.
“You piece of shit.” The rage-filled words left my mouth as soon as the door slammed shut. The pistol was aimed between his eyes; my finger wavered above the trigger.
“I have an idea,” Cole spoke before I could pull the trigger. My eyes snapped towards his, and he produced a cork-like item from his pocket.
I wasn’t sure what it was called, and I looked at him, stunned.
“Oh is that one of those fancy spiral cutters?” Dustin asked. “I always wanted one.”
I took it, looking it over. The edges were sharp enough to cut potatoes. How different would it be?