Page 106 of Wicked Promises

“Margo,” he warns.

“Five minutes,” the guard by the door calls.

Breath hisses past my teeth. “You can’t tell us to drop this. I have a stalker, and everyfuckingpiece of it is connected.”

“The Ashers—” Dad stops and glances at Caleb.

Caleb’s jaw muscle jumps, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Ben lost his wife the minute he invited mine into his bedroom,” Dad murmurs. “And everything that resulted from it is on his shoulders.”

Caleb locks up next to me. “Mom knew?”

Dad gives Caleb an odd look. “Have you forgotten? She knew… everything.”

Well, then.

Chapter 30

Caleb

Past

Iwas supposed to be sleeping, but there was a weird noise coming from downstairs. It was like…

Laughter.

There was never laughter around here anymore, not unless it was coming from Margo.

I crept to the first floor, inching down the hallway. It was completely dark except for a light coming from the kitchen.

Giggling.

I twitched, but curiosity drove me all the way to the threshold.

Dad and Margo’s mom were on either side of the counter. She was cutting strawberries. And Dad… he had his sleeves rolled up, stirring something in a bowl. There was white powder caught in his beard.

Mom appeared silently beside me, raising her finger to her lips. When she held out her hand to me, I took it.

She guided me down the hall, into the library.

“You should be in bed,” she said, kneeling in front of me. “Why are you awake?”

“I heard…” I glanced toward the door.

She frowned. “Never you mind them.”

“Why is he happy around her and not us?”

“Because she’s something new.” She rose to her feet. “And because she’s not his. Not yet anyway.”

Present

The memory of witnessing Amber and my father, then what my mother said about it, snaps to the forefront of my mind.

Not yet anyway. What did that mean?

“Caleb?” Margo touches my arm. “You okay?”