Page 88 of Broken Promises

“Ben is clear. The timestamp on the alarm is around ten minutes before Nate was last seen. Ben arrived on the scene thirty minutes after the phone call and the police were already there. It’s a thirty-eight-minute drive from here to his address. He definitely broke some speeding laws, but there’s no way he could commit a murder in that timeframe,” she says.

The detectives give us their cards and ask us to call if we think of anything. Gideon and Maggie head home after Willa apologizes for their night ending this way.

“Do you think Eva has a thing for throats?” Jo says. We all freeze.

“You think it’s related?” Belle asks her.

“Dean’s throat was slit. Wolfe’s throat was slit. Now Nate’s? That seems unlikely, doesn’t it?”

“I need to get home to Harlow and Cora. Everyone needs to get behind the gates and security. We’ll talk about this in the morning,” Cal says, and I agree with him, scooping Willa into myarms and walking out into the hallway. Security is there waiting to escort us to our cars.

“We’re locking down at home and never leaving,” I tell Willa as I pull my car onto the road.

She laughs, though the sadness is clear in it. “You have a game tomorrow.”

“I don’t give a shit. I’ll retire right now.” I mean it.

“You have two months left. Four if you go all the way. Finish your career like you want to.”

“Fuck my career, Willa. You’re what matters to me. You. Nothing else. Not hockey. I will never pick hockey over you. Ever.”

She sighs. “That may be true, but I still want you to finish the season.”

“Princess. . .” I start.

“Baby, stop. I’ll stay home unless I’m at your games. I’ll even agree to bring security with me if that makes you feel better. But we don’t know that this is related to anything. No threats have been made against any of us.”

I squeeze the steering wheel so tight my knuckles pop. “I can’t lose you, Willa. I won’t fucking survive it.”

She reaches over and squeezes my thigh. “I swear I won’t put myself in danger, Dec. Cal already told Isla and Logan we wouldn’t be discussing a new album or new tour dates until everything settles down. And that was before tonight. I’m going to be a trophy wife until further notice.”

“I love you, Princess.”

“I love you, too, hockey boy.”

My shoulders don’t fully relax until I have her behind the locked doors of our house.

FORTY-TWO

willa

“Why do you look so nervous?”

“I’m not sure this is the best time for the surprise I planned for Dec,” I tell Maggie.

“You said you weren’t in any danger.” She’s frowning at me and looking around the arena like she might find the invisible danger lurking there.

“I’m not.” Probably. “But Declan was ready to hang his skates last night and now I’m probably going to stress him out more.”

“I’m sure he’ll be happy,” she says, smiling. Her smile quickly turns into a frown. “Is that them?”

I turn and stifle a groan. Declan’s parents are making their way to us. They’re in his jersey, each sporting matching Bruisers winter hats and foam fingers, while telling everyone they walk past that Declan is their son and then winking at them, leaving a trail of confused faces in their wake. I love Sally and Ted, but they’re over the top at all times. And considering what happened last night, I can’t say I’m in the mood for it. I was surprised when I finally tracked them down and got them to come home long enough to watch Dec play on his new team.

I also had to break the news of our marriage to them over the phone. They had been backpacking in South America and didn’tbother even turning on their phones. Which is another thing I don’t want to get into with them, but if something had happened to Declan, they wouldn’t have known. You know, like a whole wife and marriage.

“There she is! Our new daughter!” Sally squeals and practically runs over the other people in our row to get to me.

“Hi, Mrs. Monroe, it’s great to see you again,” I tell her as she crushes me to her chest. She’s tall, probably at least a half of a foot taller than me. Ted is Declan’s height and is grinning at me over his wife’s head. Declan looks just like his dad, green eyes, strong chin, muscular build. But he got his light brown hair and kind smile from his mom.

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