Page 40 of Savage
“Please, I need the money,” he said.
“And we didn’t? You fucking bled everyone in that apartment complex dry. And you think you deserve to steal our money?” I hadn’t attacked him again because Elio still had me in his firm hold.
Mr. Thomas shook his head. “You kids have your whole life to make more money.”
How in the fuck did he figure?
“But why burn our home down? You made so many of us homeless.”
He shook his head, and Ken stepped forward and plunged a knife into his leg, pulling a bloody scream from him. I didn’t even flinch. I wanted him to scream more to feel the amount of pain we felt, but worse.
“I-I’m—I so-sorry.”
“Fuck your sorry! Did you burn it down?” My blood was rushing so loudly that I feared I’d miss his answer. All I could picture was the devastation on Calvin’s face and the lost look on Sayge’s. We’d worked our asses off only for this piece of shit to steal it from us, all for his own greed.
“You don’t underst-sttt-stand,” Mr. Thomas stuttered.
I broke free of Elio’s hold and yanked the knife out. Blood bubbled out of the wound but not enough. I held the knife to his face, and his babbling only increased in volume.
“You made us homeless for your own fucking greed,” I said.
He shook his head. I pressed the tip of the knife to his neck.
“Admit it!”
“Please.” The smell of urine assaulted my nose, and I grimaced.
“Stop fucking lying,” I jammed the knife into his shoulder with all my strength. The blade cut through the shirt, flesh, and muscle. I was aware of what I was doing, but at the same time, I felt disconnected.
“Fine!” Mr. Thomas shouted. His bloodshot eyes met mine. “You three worthless scum. I knew the moment you came up on money. Why should you get to live comfortably when I don’t?” He shook his head, his comb-over flopping over. “I pay my taxes, I do my job, and you three did what, be whores?” Spit flew out of his mouth and hit me on the cheek.
Now that he’d admitted it, I stood there staring at him in utter disbelief.He thought he was above us because of what?We’d slept with someone for money? It was our choice, but it had nothing to do with him. The notion that we deserved to suffer because he was didn’t sit right with me. Anger rolled in my stomach. Everything about Mr. Thomas was utter bullshit. He was no different than those pieces of shit who’d given birth to me. If they were suffering, they made it their life goal to ensure everyone else around them was just as miserable.
My heartbeat slowed down, and my breathing evened out. I glanced over my shoulder. I met Elio’s eyes, and he watched me nonjudgmentally.
“Would you like to kill him?” Elio asked.
Would I? Fuck yes. But could I?
I moved away from Mr. Thomas. As if Elio knew what I needed before I did, his arms spread out, and I fell into his embrace. I pressed my face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent.
“Please let me go,” Mr. Thomas said. “I’ll give them back the money.”
I let out a shuddering breath. Elio pulled my head back and stared into my eyes.
“Stand back there as I take care of this,” Elio said.
I nodded. I was glad he hadn’t asked me to leave. I might not be able to take a life, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to witness Mr. Thomas meet his end.
I stepped back, and Elio moved toward Mr. Thomas. His screams grew as Elio took the knife out of his shoulder.
Elio whispered something in his ear, and Mr. Thomas went insane. I didn’t take my eyes off the sight before me for a second as Elio tortured the man who’d ruined our lives.
All too soon, the screams and cries quieted down. Elio stepped back, and If I hadn’t been watching, I wouldn’t have recognized the corpse before me. It said something about me that my stomach wasn’t turning. Instead, all I felt was lightness.
Elio dropped the knife, and it clattered to the floor. He cupped my face with bloody hands, and I smiled up at him as my vision blurred. Our lips met in a slow kiss that felt too sweet for what had just happened.
I fell deeper into it, sucking on Elio’s tongue and reaching for him. My fingers grabbed the bloody shirt, and I pulled myself closer until not even a gust of wind could come between us. My lungs burned from lack of oxygen, but I refused to pull away. I pushed forward, begging for more.
