Page 21 of Savage Keepsakes

Giving him another forkful, he chews slowly. I should have marinated them in yogurt. They’d have been softer for Miles.

“Good?” I ask.

He struggles while he chews more and then nods. “Yeah. Weird texture, but not bad. What kinda animal?”

“Mammal.”

“Well, duh.”

His voice grates my nerves. I don’t know how she kept him around for so long.

I stride toward the tub to prepare it. His blabbering persists, but I tune it out like white noise until my focus is drawn away from the mixing by a loud thud.

Miles is trying to get away, his upper body slumped over as he grips the legs of the table and struggles against the restraints.

“Where ya going?” I stroll over to his limp frame, lifting him back up.

“I need to help Lucy. You’re gonna fucking kill her next.”

As if I’d touch a fucking single hair on her head. This cheating sack of shit has been terrorizing her for longer than I should have let happen.

I grip his wrists and twist his arms at an awful angle, then tie both above his head to the handle on the table.

“I’m not done with you yet,” I whisper.

“You said if I ate with you—”

“‘You said if I ate with you,’” I mock him, laughing maniacally. “No, pay better attention, swine. I said break bread and enjoy your company. I’m just getting to the second part.”

“Lucy needs me. She’s in trouble,” he babbles.

“Miles, you’re a worthless cheating fuckwad. You don’t give a rat’s ass about that woman.”

I advance on him, the weight of the blade in my hand heavy and exhilarating, just like the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

“You should’ve never been the one to have her first, anyway. Lucy’s mine and always has been. BecauseIknow how to treat her like the goddess she is.”

I press the knife against his torso, slowly cutting his skin. Miles twists and jerks against the restraints.

His screams fill the air until he becomes silent. It’s only once he stops moving that full pieces of skin come up. Beautiful. This will make someone so fucking happy.

Taking his thigh skin, I bring it to the tub and drop it in. Sauntering back to him, I slice along his face. The flesh is delicate, the red muscle beneath showing between the rivulets of blood.

I move the pieces to the tub, the blood cascading down what’s left of his body onto the tile floor. Theheady scent of copper fills the air, bringing a smile to my face.

I flex my hands, shaking out the pins and needles from holding the scalpel so tight. It’s a beautiful sight, and I take a moment to stare at my hard work.

I use my knuckle to curl the dial on the radio. Heavy metal echoes through the speakers, then changes to a more upbeat pop track. My playlist is fucking random.

Bouncing to the hit, I spin in a circle and grab a larger knife to split him open.

Six

Lucy

After my shift, I walk out of the breakroom and Artie bumps shoulders with me.

“Big plans for your time off?” he asks.

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