Page 36 of Ghost Among Lies

I rubbed the carbon steel between my fingers. "You've taken good care of it."

Sloane chuckled softly. "It was a good thing you told me what kind of metal it was when you gave it to me. Do you remember what you said that day?"

"It might not be the platinum and diamond you deserve, but if it can hold up while cooking, then it can last until I can afford the real thing." I smirked. "No one ever said I was the most romantic man back then."

"It was to me. Homemade will always surpass store bought. You taught me that, and the knowledge helped me care for it over the years." She smiled up at me. "I wanted it to shine the same way it did the day you gave it to me."

I always loved that the silver gray complemented her natural silver locks. I slipped my pinky through the circle and cherished the fact she still wore it. The symbolism wasn't lost on me. A ring was a representation of an unbreakable bond. And despite everything that had happened, our connection never fractured.

Sloane cleared her throat and pulled me back to the moment with her. "Do you think you can find it in your heart to forgive me?"

I got lost in her icy-blue eyes. "There's nothing to forgive. You said it yourself—this isn't our fault. This past decade was simply a detour, not our final destination."

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

SLOANE

When Hayes and I walked back into the cell, Nyx was standing over Toby with a sliver of wood in her hand.

"I thought I would have some fun while we waited for the two of you to sort your shit out."

I knew Nyx didn't mean it the way it came out, but I could feel Hayes tense, so I spoke before he could. "How many nails have you taken off so far?"

Slowly pushing a sliver underneath the nail bed was more painful than ripping the nail off with pliers. I fully supported Nyx’s version of fun.

"Only two. I was enjoying prolonging his suffering a little too much." Nyx beamed at Toby. "Plus, I was curious to hear how many different ways he could curse me out." This time, Nyx sighed. "Unfortunately, he's not very creative, and bitch or cunt seems to be his go-to." She looked dead serious when she said, "I was hoping for at least a rancid tart or a stale shrew."

"Really?" I asked her dumbfounded. "That's what you came up with."

Nyx shrugged. "I was trying to be fast on my feet. Give me some time, and I'll have more creative ones for you."

"You're a crazy fucking bitch!" Toby screamed.

My teammate tossed her hands in the air. "See what I mean. I even gave him material to work with, and he still chose bitch. I told you he was dumb."

"Enough." Anita put a halt to Nyx's fun. "Tell us how The Givers picked the children."

"Why should I tell you?"

How Toby thought he had a leg to stand on was beyond me. He had to see how screwed he was. There was no getting out of this situation.

"Because you have two choices," Anita told him calmly. "Tell us, and we end your life quickly and with very little pain. Don't tell us, and we will spend however long we need to torturing it out of you."

"Oh!" Nyx jumped in. "And before you choose, you should know, two of the best interrogators are in this room. The torture techniques we've mastered over the years are both creative and effective. Not to mention would make most terrorists salivate."

She wasn't exaggerating. Anita and Nyx made torturing an art form. They’d researched medieval techniques simply because it entertained them. Well, it entertained Nyx. Anita simply wanted new ways that people weren't prepared for.

"Oh, and I forgot, we could make your death painful as well. My friend here"—she hiked a thumb at Anita—"once cut off a guy’s dick and shoved it up his ass with a fire poker. It was actually poetic justice, if I do say so myself. Kind of wish I’d thought of it first."

I tried not to laugh as every male in the room grimaced. It was a pain none of us women could fathom.

"So what will it be?" Anita raised her brow.

Toby appeared to be contemplating his options. I had no idea which part of that required him to think, considering he already got a precursor to the torture Nyx was capable of. But hey, maybe he was into that sort of thing.

It was crazy to think that, for years, the mere thought of this man made me spiral in ways I couldn't control, and yet, one vulnerable discussion with Hayes and I felt lighter than I had in a decade.

"The Givers’ reach is far and wide," Toby started. "It's not just organ trafficking. They have connections with foster agencies, adoption agencies, hospitals. If it has to do with a child, they have their hands in it. Their motivation is money, and they work solely with the most elite families in the world. Their goal is to eliminate the poor so only the rich survive."