Page 74 of Wicked Promises

I dive into them, holding back a fraction for fear of hurting him. He wraps his arms around my back.

“There she is,” he says into my hair. “Good as new, the both of us, yeah?”

“You said that exact same thing before,” I mumble into his chest. “And then you almost died.”

“Ah, well. Old habits die hard. My father used to say that to my brother and me. We were always getting hurt.” He chuckles and pats my back.

I pull back, wiping at my cheeks. I’m ashamed of the tears there, but they’re more happy than sad. He’s home. I’m home.

It isn’t just a house anymore.

My heart swells.

“Len, we should order Chinese and watch some movies.”

She laughs behind me. “May as well. I don’t have any food in this house. Margo, want to take this up to your room?”

I turn. She holds the bag I had packed for the Blacks’.

“Oops, sorry.”

“I know you were in a rush to get in here.” She winks at me.

I loop the strap over my shoulder and hurry to the stairs. Up to the second floor, where pictures of the Bryans stare at me. They’ve replaced some of them with new pictures, doing their best to make me feel welcome. Pictures of me and my friends, Caleb and I from the ball, a selfie I took with Robert and Lenora on Thanksgiving.

I smile at that last one, the three of us with our faces so close together. They frame me in, their arms looped around me. It’s easy to see why they picked that one to display in high-definition color. We’re so happy.

My first stop is the bathroom, unloading my toiletries and makeup bag, then I push open the door to my room.

It meets some resistance, like it’s caught on something.

I frown, pushing harder, and manage to get it open most of the way.

But my room…

Horror radiates through me. Horror and disbelief.

I can’t help it.

I scream.

Chapter 22

Liam

Theo jostles my arm.

I smirk at him and slide open the window. As soon as it’s up, I hoist myself through the opening and into the dark, quiet house. I land almost silently and glance around while Theo climbs in after me.

“Spare room,” I mouth at him.

He gives me ano shitlook.

We leave the room and split up. We’re kind of winging it, here, and it’s a game to see who will find our prey first. I open one door, wincing when I spot two lumps in the bed.

Parents’ room.

I close it as quietly as possible and move on. The house is too big. An office, another guest room, and finally Theo flags me down.