Page 137 of My Solemn Vow

I pick out a knife, and Valor wraps his hand around mine. He adjusts my grip on it like he did the gun. “You use this with upward force. It sheers off the surface. Going up produces the best impact.”

Well, if there’s a right and a wrong way to torture someone, Valor Cavanagh would know.I try not to laugh at the morbid humor of that.

Valor follows me as I take the knife back to Neil. This time when we approach, his face pales.

“It’s all fun and games until you’re the one in the chair, isn’t it, Neil?” I grit my teeth, trying not to haul off and jab the knife into his head.

But as I get closer with the knife, I freeze. “Why don’t you tell us about the warehouse bombing?”

“Wh-what do you want to know?” Neil is hoarse. He tries to swallow. “You mean the Brass Skull Company shipment? And the idiots I hired to attack us?”

“I didn’t expect him to cooperate so easily,” Valor grumbles like he’s disappointed his own flesh and blood is folding to torture soeasily.

Then again, if it were Gregorio and Eduardo... I’d maybe feel the same.

I use the knife as Valor showed me. Flesh moves so easily with it.

“It was too fuckin’ easy,” Neil sputters, his face turning red. “This stupid up-and-coming crew your dad told me to disband. They’d take any job for a fraction of our prices. So stupid they’d even attack us.”

“Let me guess, you’re the one inviting the Yakuza in too. You probably, what? Promised them something for giving information to Eduardo and Gregorio?” I muse, thinking back to what Marc said.

“Enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Neil coughs and swings his unfocused gaze in Valor’s direction. “You’d been so intent on revenge for Holly for how long?” Neil draws a short breath. “It was too easy to dangle the carrot over the D’Medicis. It’s shit you didn’t die when I killed Holly. But everyone said she wasn’t your fated mate. I tried anyway. Your loyalty to her... bred too much hatred. That hate must’ve kept you alive.”

Neil’s head wobbles like he’s going to pass out. I slap him, the knife still in my hand slicing a gouge across his face.

He yowls as he comes back to with slightly better focus.

Valor stalks forward, but he doesn’t touch Neil. “All of this for what? To take over the pack? What is it that my father did that made you want the pack?”

He levels eyes with Neil.

Curiously, I step around him for a better view and find they both have golden-yellow eyes. Eyes that I now share with them. My lip curls in a snarl as I look between them.

It’s all Neil’s fault. Valor did save me. He fucked up, sure. But we’re both victims of Neil.

Neil shakes his head, coming around, and the blood running down his face drips onto his days-old shirt. “You’re the problem. Not him. You and your ideas for the future. You can’t just leavegood enough alone.” Neil gurgles and splutters but gets himself together to lash out his vengeful words.

Valor steps back and looks to me. “I don’t think I have any more questions. Let it out, darling.”

I didn’t need Valor’s permission, but knowing we have all the answers lifts a weight off me. But something else rises in its place.

We’ll kill him for hurting us.My wolf is there. Jaws snapping, snarling, and ready for blood. She’s strength amid the nerves and adrenaline running through my body.

“It’d have all worked out except your bride is weak. Had she just been strong enough to turn the other way when we sent Gregorio’s loyal soldier to fetch Kerrianne.”

Neil’s insult earns him another slap and then another. This time, knowing what the knife can do, I angle it so more deep red gouges join the first one as I whip my hand across his face. But it doesn’t feel like enough. Not enough torture. Not enough pain. Not enough eye for an eye.

My strikes don’t seem to hurt him as much as the pain in my soul hurts me.

“Had she just been docile enough, as well trained as Gregorio said she was, then this wouldn’t have happened. You’d be dead and none of the family or pack would be the wiser. It’s too easy to kill off such a small family line.” Neil spits blood, and it lands in his lap.

My lip curls in disgust as drool dribbles down his lip and chin.Pathetic.

Neil wheezes in a breath. “You know, Gregorio was right about females, not worth the trouble.”

Bile rises in my throat, and a roar bellows from deep inside me as I drive the knife into his stomach. Pulling it out, I slam it into his shoulder.

I give in to the rage, wanting my pound of flesh but alsowanting him to shut the fuck up. His voice is grating on my nerves.