Page 97 of Broken Promises

“Theo’s a hacker. He does it legally, but in certain circumstances, he doesn’t mind bending his morals,” Logan explains.

As far as I know, Logan isn’t up to date on everything that’s been happening. Just what’s been public in the news and now with the Jon thing. Having a hacker help us with all of it could be a game changer for us.

“Hey, Theo. Logan. This is Declan. Do you think we could set up a meeting? Everything that’s been happening has made me wary of even talking on the phone.”

“Absolutely. I’ll give you all my number, and we can figure out when and where to meet. Is there more than just Jon you need me for?” Theo asks, probably reading between the lines of what I said.

“Yeah,” is all I offer.

“I’ll shoot Cal a text and get this set up,” Theo says after giving us his number.

“Thank you,” Cal says. The call ends, and we’re sitting in silence once again.

“I didn’t even think to ask Theo about any of this,” Belle says.

“I knew he owned a cyber security company, but it never occurred to me to ask a guy that prevents hackers to hack,” Cal says.

“I’m going to coordinate the meeting with Theo and my dad so that everyone is on the same page,” Harlow says, snatching Cal’s phone and leaving the dining room. Cal watches her go, looking like he wants to go with her, but stays put. She’s been moody recently. She hates being stuck in the house as much as Willa does.

I get up, Willa coming with me since she was still on my lap. We silently help Cal clean up the food, all of us still processing everything.

“I don’t know what to do,” Cal says, his hands gripping the sink, shoulders hunched and head bowed. “How do I keep my family safe? I let that man into my home! I let him around my daughter! My wife!” He spins, so much anger and panic on his face I immediately go to him and crush him against me.

“We’re going to get him, Callahan. Theo is going to help us. Jon, Patrick, whatever the fuck his name is, will be taken care of. Eva will be behind bars with him, and then we can bring Ezra home. It’s almost over.”

Cal sobs into my shoulder, and Willa comes over and hugs him from the side.

“It has to end, Cal. This is it, I can feel it,” she tells him.

“I’m so tired,” he admits, backing up from us and wiping under his eyes. “I’ll give Theo a chance, but if nothing comes of it, I’m done. I’m going to leave the band and move my family away from here. I won’t risk them anymore.” He drops his head into his hands and whispers. “Not even for Ezra.”

Willa comes to my side and wraps her arm around my waist. “I agree.”

I look at her, surprised. She meets my gaze and smiles sadly. “I want to find Ezra, but not at the risk of everyone I love. At the risk of any family we create. He wouldn’t want that for us.”

Cal hugs her quickly and heads to find Harlow. Willa and I slowly make our way back to my car and our house. There are so many things running through my mind, but there’s one thing that keeps coming to the forefront.

“You want kids?” I blurt out the moment the front door shuts behind me.

Willa turns and looks at me, alarm on her face. She must think I’ve changed my mind since we last talked about having a family. “You don’t?”

I walk right into her space and grab her face gently. “I want everything with you, Princess.” I kiss her. “Fuck yes, I want kids.It would be the greatest honor of my life for you to be the mother of my children.”

I kiss her again, her melting right into it. “Not yet,” she breathes. “Not until I know they’re safe.”

I nod against her lips. “We can still practice.”

She giggles when I sweep her up and throw her over my shoulder.

I take her to the bedroom and practice all night long.

FORTY-SIX

willa

Boston crushedBuffalo in the first round of playoffs. They took them down four games to zero. Because it went so fast, Declan has a full ten days off before he plays whatever team wins in the other division.

Harrison and Theo have been exchanging information. We’re all finally meeting up tonight at Theo’s wife’s coffee shop. We didn’t want to risk Theo coming here and getting him mixed up in all this just by sight. Harrison said to assume our movements are being watched. Logan had the idea to stage a label party at the coffee shop so it doesn’t look weird we’re there.

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