Page 67 of Starving Butterfly
“Yes senator?” She chimed, bouncing nervously on her feet when her eyes registered the gun.
“Please bring out six meals, and the entertainment may join us when it’s ready.” He told her as she wrote everything down. Turning to leave quickly, he spoke again, “Oh and more wine.”
“Yes senator.” She squeaked.
“What is she twelve?” I asked, noticing the lack of makeup and the young features.
“Thirty-two, with an extensive background in the medical field,” Karter chimed in, taking a sip of his wine. “Mental health if I remember correctly.”
“Wow so that brain of yours is useful for something other than sex.” Dustin spat toward him. A slight smile played at my lips; of course, he was still bitter toward Karter after learning that he had left me to die.
Karter shrugged. Summer wasn’t paying attention to them bickering, though; no, she was in her own world, watching the glass full of water shine against the lights.
58
DINNER IS OVER
January 23rd
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 lemonsauce. 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.
