Page 121 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)

“Mom had just what?”

“We received a suspiciously large deposit in our shared bank account, so the police froze it. I had nothing after I was arrested. I met Hutchins after they read me the charges and I asked for a lawyer.”

“You hadn’t seen him… at the house?”

Dad squints at me. “What are you saying?”

“We’re definitely not accusing Lydia of paying him off, convincing you to get a shitty plea deal, right?” I lift my chin. “And we’d never insinuate that the person who hit me and Robert—and then abducted me—borrowed the vehicle from Tobias.”

Dad closes his eyes. “You cannot talk about this.”

“Why not?”

“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 every fucking piece of it is connected.”

“The Ashers—” Dad stops, glancing 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.

30

Caleb

Past

I was 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.