Page 32 of Cruel Vows

“And what’s he planning to do with the information?” Aiden asks, his tone dangerously low as he leans closer to Fred. “If you don’t tell me the truth, Sean here is going to go after your children.”

Even though we both know I don’t kill children, Fred’s eyes widen, his bottom lip quivering.

Fred thinks that I’m the kind of monster who would hunt down an innocent child.

What he doesn’t know is that I take pleasure in killing the bastards that do, but I could never be one of them.

“Noah is looking to go after your siblings. Pick them off one by one. He just needs more information to do it.” Fred looks at me, terror in his eyes. “Don’t hurt my kids. I’ve told you everything I know.”

Aiden holds the knife to Fred’s throat. “Yes, you did. For that, your death will be quick.”

The knife glides across Fred’s throat, blood pooling down the planes of his chest. Aiden looks at me before tossing the knife in the metal tub. I grab the machete and toss it in as well.

When the cleaners come, they’ll dispose of everything that has to do with Fred’s murder, but they’ll make sure his body is found by Noah’s men.

They’ll know it was Aiden who did this.

Aiden sighs and turns to me. “The strip clubs are going to be a problem. Staff turnover is high in some of them, and I can’t exactly walk in there and start asking questions.”

“Have anyone who can?” I stride over to the sink on the opposite corner of the room, taking the time to scrub the blood from my hands and beneath my nails.

“You.”

I shake my head, drying off my hands on the paper towel before stripping down and pulling aside one of the plastic panels to grab a fresh set of clothing from the closet hidden there. “Not happening. I have no desire to do that shit anymore. You know that.”

Aiden nods, cleaning his own hands and getting changed. “I know, but there’s nobody else I trust that I can ask. The staff won’t speak with Royce and I’m not sending any of my sisters in.”

“Which means that I’m the only one you have left.”

The cleaners filter into the room as Aiden and I head out. “You are, and the story going around is that you and Ellie fell in love and ran off to get married, which pissed me off. People think you and I are on the outs and that this will be the fight that finally rocks the boat over its tipping point.”

“They think you’re out for blood which makes me one of the few people Noah might be willing to align himself with.”

Aiden walks with me back to my car. “I need you to do this.”

“I’ll do it.”

Even though I’m sure Ellie is going to cut off my balls and force-feed them to me if she ever finds out.

9

SEAN

For a moment,I consider getting in the car and driving far away, just to avoid another battle of wills with Ellie first thing in the morning.

Dad would kill me, though.

He’s already breathing down my neck about the marriage and producing another heir, though that is something I have no intention of doing.

Not with Ellie at least.

She’d sooner cut off my balls than have a child with me. A child means being attached to someone for the rest of your life.

At least with this marriage, I might be able to talk Dad into allowing a divorce.

I’m a grown man. I shouldn’t have to talk him into anything, let alone allowing me to leave a woman I’m only going to grow old and miserable with.

Ellie glares at me as I walk into the kitchen. “You should put on a shirt. Nobody wants your happy trail hair in their damn waffles.”

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