Page 86 of Grace of Spades
The screams reach a crescendo at the sound of a knife singing through the air. I think all four of us flinch but it's not like hedoesn't deserve it.
"Now, I'm going to let you bleed out. It's not as long as I've suffered but it will have to do. Oh, by the way, all those little girls that have gone missing from your orders, are because of me." Grace says before kicking his hip. He makes a rasping cry before we lock him in.
Christian
She wrote on his forehead with a knife. Just like the man on the news. Only instead of "rapist", his skin reads "pedo". I'll have to ask her about that later.
We lead her to Reid's container and she freezes. He's tied up and smiling at her. I want to kick his face in but I don't. This is for her.
Grace
I gotta be honest, I thought this would be easy. Kill the fucker. Done. No sweat. The guys did all the hard work.
But he was just staring at me when we opened the door. He's still watching me. Even tied up and at my mercy, he's still a predator. No, I am. I am not tied to a table this time. He's mine now. He'smyprey.
"Who are you?" He asks.
"Well, that just breaks my heart. All that time together and you don't even recognize me." I shake my head.
"My doll." He whispers but I ignore him.
"What should we play first?" I taunt flipping a knife in my hands. "Oh! I know, let's have an art class. You always did like drawing on me." I stroll over and roughly cut up his shirt opening my newcanvas.
My eyes widen at the familiar scars that litter his body. What is it they say about a circle of abuse? Sometimes the abused become the abusers. Like me. Fuck, I can't do this.
"No," I whisper in horror. I can't help but glare down at the familiar scars on his chest and stomach. "You... you're like me.” A monster like me.
Someone did this to him then he did it to me. And I was going to do it to him. I can't breathe.
It ends now. I slit his throat. I know the suffering he caused but I know the suffering he went through too. He won't cause any more now. I stand and leave the container.
I have a lot to think about. Like what am I going to do about me?
Keir
We all watch as Grace leaves the shipping container looking hollow. She doesn't look at anyone as she walks to her bike.
"Grace, you're covered in blood come in the car with us. Christian? Can you bring over her bike?" Andras says not taking his eyes off Grace.
"Of course." We watch as she veers towards Andras' car and slides in without a word. What the fuck happened? I wait until their car leaves before heading into Reid's container.
He's a gory mess but I see it. The scars. The twists and turns of a purposeful blade. Shit. She probably thinks she's just like him. She's not. Grace would never hurt an innocent person, let alone a kid.
She's going to need us. She's going to need to know that she's not a monster.
"Oh, shit," Liam whispers beside me.
"We need to go to her," I state.
"We will take care of this mess. You boys go see Ace. Make sure she's okay." Tanaka commands. We all nod and split up. I help Christian get her bike into the back of his truck and we all haul ass to the Van Doren Estate. Fuck if she's going to be alone through this.
Storming the keep, we all find Andras and Richard in the kitchen.
"She's in the shower. Ruby is keeping an eye on her." Richard explains pouring a shot for Andras and himself. What happened in the half-hour since we saw them last?
"What happened?" I ask dreading the answer.
"She cried," Andras whispers and with that, all four of us are climbing up the stairs to her room. I knock gently on her door.
