Page 76 of Wicked Promises
“Ready?” I ask.
Eli and Theo heft Matt up. He’s starting to put up a resistance again, and I grin.
One promise I can fulfill: time for Matt to go to sleep.
Chapter 23
Caleb
My phone buzzing jars me awake. I fumble for the phone. It’s the first night without Margo here, and I tossed and turned for a while. I guess I fell asleep. But I’m groggy, and it takes me a second to accept the call.
“What?”
“Come outside.” It’s Theo.
I glance at the screen. It’s late—like, two in the morning, the rest of the world is sleeping late—and that piques my interest.
That and the urgency in his voice.
“Be there in a minute.”
“Backyard,” he says, then hangs up.
I wait a beat. I cross to the bathroom and splash water on my face. Get dressed, grab my shoes. Creep up the stairs, through the kitchen and out the back door, then put my shoes on.
Eli and Liam are waiting for me just beyond the brick patio.
“Took him long enough.” Liam grins. “Guess Theo didn’t spoil the surprise.”
I shake my head. “He didn’t.”
“Right this way.” Liam turns and disappears into the darkness.
I glance at Eli. “A surprise? For me?”
He shrugs. “I dunno.”
We follow Liam up the hill, to the shed at the back of the Blacks’ property. They used to keep lawn equipment in here, but now it just houses a few jet skis on stands. Summer with the Blacks is never a dull moment.
We arrive just as Liam cracks the door, sliding it open wide enough for us to enter.
“We’re lucky the snow melted,” Eli whispers. “Or else my parents would question why we were up here.”
I grunt my agreement and step in ahead of him.
He closes the door behind us, then the overhead light flickers on.
Theo stands in the center of the room, grinning like a fool.
“Best. Christmas. Present. Ever,” he says. “Just saying.”
I look around. “Yeah? A little early for Christmas.”
He steps to the side, revealing…
Ah, hell.
Matt Bonner. He’s curled into the fetal position on the floor. His wrists are taped, as well as his ankles. A strip covers his mouth. He jerks when he sees us.Me.