Page 54 of Wicked Promises

“They’re very nice.” I shift. “Once Robert comes back, I get to…?”

“Yes,” she answers immediately. “You’ll come home, too. I’ll be relieved to have you both under the same roof, trust me.”

Caleb’s attention is on me—I can feel his stare from here. I hum my agreement about being under the same roof and give Lenora one last hug before I go.

I pause in front of Caleb. “Riley’s bringing me home. We have things to discuss.”

“Things,” he says. “Things you don’t want me to hear?”

“Yes.” I raise my eyebrows. “You don’t trust her?”

“I don’t trust anyone around you, baby. Not anymore.”

I trace my bracelet. “But you trust me?”

He puts his finger under my chin, lifting it. I meet his gaze and frown.

“I do trust you.”

My heart skips. “Oh.”

“You don’t sound happy about that.” He smirks, then leans down and steals a kiss from my lips. “Little wolf doesn’t know what to do with trust?”

“Not in the slightest.” I shake my head, backing away from him.

I’ve seen Caleb possessive. Angry. Hostile. Ruthless. But… trusting? Not since we were kids. Not since we were young and innocent.

Look how far we’ve come.

How far we’ve fallen.

Riley waits for me at the end of the hall. She passes me my jacket, and we quickly make our way to her car.

“I’ve been worried about you,” she says.

“Well, you might still be worried when I tell you…”

She starts the car and fiddles with the knobs. After a moment, heat pours out of the vents.

“Spill.”

I fill her in on Caleb and Eli’s plan to lure Unknown out. After the brief synopsis this morning, they didn’t bring it up again. I think they’re waiting for me to accept it. After all, they said I wouldn’t like it. And I don’t. It involves using me as bait.

I am not good bait.

Hell—the argument could be made that I alreadywasbait, and they totally failed in uncovering their identity.

“You’re shitting me.” She gapes at me when I finally stop talking. “Are you going to do it?”

I smirk. “Well… yeah. But with a little twist.”

Chapter 15

Unknown

You’ve gotten bolder, Margo. It makes me wonder: is this Caleb’s fault? Or a stable home environment? Has courage given you a new pair of wings?

But you’re forgetting about the cage. The thing that traps you. Holds you hostage.