Page 508 of Rage

I throw the bloody grater into the sink and stare at my handiwork. It’s a rough-looking job, but his skin hangs in small peels on his lap and across his broad chest. Crimson stains the floor, each drop a testament to the evil unleashed upon me. The metallic tang of blood fills the air, a sickeningly sweet scent. With the kabob sticks in hand, I turn and move back to him.

“You stole so much of my fucking life. You sucked the happiness from my veins for years. I knew better. I should have never listened to the words that you crooned to me because I fell for your stupid games.”

Strength runs through my blood, and with an inhale, I feel like a different person. With a kabob stick in my hand, I grab his dick and pull until there’s no more skin to stretch.

Which isn’t much. Can’t believe I was going to lose my life to a mediocre man with a pathetic cock. I spear the end to the wooden chair with force.

He howls, and I’m enjoying being on the other end of that sound. Ryan has taken so much from me, and as I look at him, I can’t help but smile, knowing I’m about to give him more, even if he didn’t ask for it.

“Fuck you. Bitch, when I get out of these ties, I’m going to beat you black and blue. You think you’ve had it bad before? I’ll break every bone in your body and then fuck you to death.”

“Ryan, when I’m done with this, you won’t be able to fuck anything.” I smile before grabbing the lemon zester. Draggingthe sharp metal edge over his shaft, small cuts appear and blood beads. His face drips sweat as pained screams fill my ears.

“What’s wrong, baby? Does it hurt? Just close your eyes. You’re going to love what I have for you.” My voice doesn’t sound like mine anymore. I stand up from leaning over his shoulder, lukewarm wetness distracts me momentarily.Did he fucking piss himself?

“All you ever do is create messes for me to clean up,” I hiss.

Remembering the many nights that he forced me against the mattress and took whatever he wanted against my cries, I continue to shred his cock, this time with more enthusiasm.

Once his junk is a mangled mess, I toss the zester in the sink to join its bloody friends. Ryan is covered in red, and part of me is surprised. My heart thought he’d bleed black because of the way he treated me for so long. He’s only been a monster that takes and burns out my light for too many fucking years. Yanking the kabob stick out of his pecker, I jam it into his ear.

“Can you hear me now? The word is no. It’s a full ass fucking sentence.”

Ryan’s eyes roll back in his head, and his mutilated body shakes in front of me. But I know he’s not dead yet. His darkened soul will cling onto this life with its talons.

“How many nights did I beg, Ry? Hundreds? Thousands? You would laugh and make me bleed, but now, baby, it’s your turn, isn’t it?”

A maniacal sound escapes my throat, and laughter bubbles in my stomach. The kabob stick clatters to the floor, and as his cries lower into whimpers and shallow breaths, I know my time is running out.

I swirl around and check out the knives in the block that Burke brought. Choosing a utility and a chef’s knife, I walk over to Ryan. Two more things to do to him burn in my belly.

“Remember how much you yelled at me? The ribs you broke because I wasn’t smiling enough. Recall the work party we attended where my appearance disappointed you? When we got home, you hit me until I couldn’t breathe, until I could not stand up, and you fucked me until I bled? Remember that night, Ryan?”

The memories run through my mind like a bad movie that I can’t turn off, and bile rises in my throat as tears form behind my eyes. Gripping the smaller of the two, I hold the back of his head with my other hand and carve a smile into his cheeks.

“Joker style, baby, you’ll always be able to smile now. Even in death, you’ll look so pretty for the king of hell.”

Crimson pours from his face, and as his chest falters, I drop the knife and slide the other into his neck. The floor no longer scuffed grey marble. Instead, brown and red mix in a swirl of bad memories, pouring out of the monster that kept me under his thumb for too long.

Once the silence envelopes me, I’m shaking. Glancing down, I’m covered in blood and fear; I’m no better than the fucker in front of me.

When the first sob escapes me, there’s nothing I can do from holding them back. Freedom was supposed to taste sweet, and not like a heavier burden to carry. I slip in the blood and slide down the wall until the ground catches me.

Chapter Four

Burke

My muscles are filled with agitation from pacing the wooden floor for so long. When I saw the damage Ryan had done to her face, a desire to harm him surged through me. I should have paid attention sooner. I could have saved her long ago.

Walking past the door to the basement, her powerful voice is gone and has been replaced with gut wrenching sobs. I’ve held back, letting her have the time she needed, but now it’s my turn to take care of her. Heading down the stairs, I beeline for Clara.

Ryan’s eyes are no longer blood-shot, instead, they are vacant. He’s been mangled, and various body fluids cover the floor. He’s a problem I’ll take care of later. Clara sits with her knees pulled up to her chest, gore splattered around her. I carefully walk around the mess, doing my best not to slip, and I pick her up. She’s a lot lighter than I thought she’d be. I can feel her bones through her clothes.

“Burke?” she whispers and clings to my shirt.

“You did real good. I got you now,” I whisper.

When I bring her to the living room, I nuzzle her hair before putting her down. Lifting the shirt off her body, I undo the buttons to her jeans and slip the blood-stained denim offher legs. Kneeling before Clara to help. Her nails dig into my shoulders, and I stare up at her as I remove her socks.

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