Page 32 of Unbroken Promises

Caleb steps between us now, tension radiating off him in waves. One of my best friends since freshman year of college, we have always been close despite our vast differences. After everything went down with Danica though? Well, things have been strained to say the least. We don’t speak as often anymore, outside of our group chat and semi-annual hangouts. Cutting a sharp look at Jonathan, which I take to mean ‘back the fuck off,’ he turns to face me fully. “What the fuck are you doing, G?”

I consider my options. I could lie to him, could skirt around the issue. But we have been through literal hell together. What went down with Danica? When his little sister, the love of my life, was beaten to a bloody pulp and almost killed not once, but twice? First by her ex, then by their own father because we thwarted his sick plan to sell his daughter off to the highest bidder; regardless of what a fucking psycho that person was?

Even after everything I went through, every fucking beating I took growing up, every time I watched my own Ma play punching bag to my drunk old man, nothing could come close to the hell that I experienced watching my precious Little Sparrow endure everything she went through. And I know it was hell for Caleb too. Bradley may have died by my own hands that night, but Caleb was in that fucking room too.

And that shit? Those are the ties that bind you for life. So, when it comes down to it, here and now? I can’t lie to my brother. We may not be blood, but we are tied together through our love for Danica. And one day, one day soon, we would be tied together in more tangible ways through her too. So, I don’t evade the question, even withfuckingJonathanhere listening.

Shifting my jaw from side to side to rub out the ache, I respond. “What do you think I’m fucking doing, Caleb? I’m getting my girl back.”

“The fuck you are!” I thought the words would come from Jonathan. I wasn’t expecting the exclamation to come from Caleb, but I hide my surprise well. “You broke her heart, crushed it in a way that that fucker never could, and now you expect to just waltz back in as if no time has passed, no water under the bridge? It’s not fucking happening, man. I love you, but she is my sister, and if I have to get my point across, I will beat the shit out of you to prove it.”

Caleb clenches and unclenches his fists, and I can see his anger and hurt. I don’t doubt him, when he says he will beat the shit out of me. He willtry, and I would let him, because I do fucking deserve it for hurting my girl, but that privilege belongs to her and her alone. “That’s not your job. I know you want to protect her Caleb, we all do. But if anyone deserves to beat the shit out of me, it’s her. It’s not your place to take that away from her.” Over Caleb’s shoulder, I see Jonathan watching us, see the calculating look in his eye as he takes measure of me.

“I know you think I hurt Danica, but there is more to the story than what youthinkyou know. And what happened back then? Well, that’s for the two of us to work out. If I have learned nothing else from all this time spent apart from her, it’s that no one deserves to take that away from her. Whatever happens moving forward, it’s going to be her choice. Not yours. Not even mine. But make no mistake. She is going to fucking chooseme.” I say this last part while glaring over at Jonathan.

Caleb moves back several steps, coming to stand next to Jonathan, who is glowering over at me with his arms crossed. Neither says anything, and I just stare back at them silently, refusing to back down. After several beats, it’s Jonathan who nods first, before Caleb agrees. “Fine. But if you fucking hurt her again, make no mistake. I will fucking end you. I don’t give a damn that you’re my brother, that we’ve been through hell together. I don’t even care that you are. . . well, you know. I. Will. End. You.”

I nod sagely in agreement. “I would expect nothing less.” And then I grin. “Now that we’ve kissed and made up, you pretty boys gonna take me out to wine and dine me? I mean, you did come all the way out here just to see me.” I smirk as I start walking backward, down the corridor once more.

Caleb just shakes his head, and I swear I hear a murmured “psychotic asshole” from Jonathan, but they move to catch up to me anyway.

Chapter Thirty-One

Danica

My face blanches as I stare at the bloody box in my hands. Feathers, so many feathers, tinged a dull red from the blood dripping off their edges. In the middle of it all, a bird, naked and dead, lies with a note pinned in place with a knife caked in the crimson liquid that has long since dried in place. There is so much blood, too much for it to have come from the bird itself. And from what can be seen of the naked animal, there are no other wounds outside of the one where the note rests. Which means the blood had to have come from something else. Possibly someone else.

Forcing down the nausea that is welling up inside me, I run a shaky hand through my hair as the box drops to the ground, blood and feathers marring my tiled entryway. This box was inside my home.Inside.And my alarm hadn’t gone off.How the fuck did they get in without setting off security? Oh God! They could still be here!Without another thought, I spin on my heel and rush out the door, not bothering to set the alarm or lock it. Clearly the simple measures mean nothing to my intruder, and I don’t want to stick around long enough to find out if anyone is lingering in the shadows of my quiet apartment.

Quickly, I make my way down the hall to the elevator, and once the doors enclose me safe inside, I pull out my phone, and order an uber. I need to get somewhere safe. Somewhere public. Jonathan. I need to reach Jonathan. With a ding, the elevator opens to the lobby and I breathe a sigh of relief as I see the uber pulling up in front of the building. One of the nice things about being in such a largecity is that you don’t often have to wait long to wait for a ride when one is needed. I pull my hood up to block out the wind and rain as I make my way out of the building into the rainy night and step up to the window.

“You Danica?” The driver is leaning over the passenger seat and I have a flashback to another day, another driver who showed up at just the right moment when I needed a quick escape. I just nod, double-checking my phone to make sure the name and face on the screen match that of the driver in front of me before getting in.

The pulsing beat of the nightclub fills my veins as I make my way over to the crowded bar. I feel out of place in my yoga pants and jacket, but couldn’t think of anywhere else to go. Finn is out of town, and for the entirety of the Uber ride over here, I wasn’t able to reach Jonathan. There was no way that I was going to go to either of their places if they aren’t home. Whomever it was that left me the package was able to circumvent my security, and I know that it just so happens to be the same system that Finn and Jonathan both use at their place, as they were the ones who designed it. If they aren’t there then their homes aren’t secure. Besides, whoever the creep is that is leaving this shit for me has to know that I frequent both of their places, and would probably know to look for me there, if they were indeed trying to find me as the note implied.

And even though The Magic Bean Stop is open at all hours and is technically a public place, that was not an option for me either. Not with Wolfie and QT sleeping in the apartment above the shop. If there was even the smallest chance of danger, I refused to drag them into this any more than they already are, just by being associated with me. It’s bad enough that I have had to stop having Wolfie over for our weekly sleepovers. I wouldn’t risk his safety to try and improve my own.

The cops were of no use at this point either. I have tried dozens of times to file reports about the notes and creepy gifts being left for me, but they have been largely dismissive of my concerns. Besides, Finn’s team has access to . . . alternative methods. . . that the police do not. And they have turned over every stone already trying to nail this creep to the wall, with no luck. If Finn with all his computergenius, and Jay with all his physical security haven’t been able to keep this fucker out of my life, then there isn’t anything the police would be able to do differently. No, I will just sit here at this bar while I try to figure shit out. At least here I am in a crowded room, surrounded by possible witnesses should the stalker try anything shady.

Elbowing my way through the throng, I finally manage to squeeze my way between two burly dudes trying to buy a few beers. They pay me no attention, and I huff out an annoyed breath. Finally, they take their drinks and leave, clearing out a spot where I can actually sit on the barstool. The bartender is slammed and I don’t bother trying to get his attention, instead, pulling out my phone and shooting off a text to Roberts.

Me: Someone was inside my apartment. They left a nasty. . . present. . . for me to find. They got in without triggering security.

Roberts: Where are you?

Me: *drops a pin* I am safe and in a public place. Finn’s out of town and I couldn’t reach Jay. Didn’t want to risk going back to somewhere where I would be isolated.

Roberts: Good

Roberts: Stay where you are. I’ll check it out and send someone to come get you.

Roberts: Do not talk to anyone and don’t leave until my team gets there.

Me: Trust me, I won’t.

Roberts: Be careful, kiddo.

“What’ll you have?” I glance up at the sound of the bartender shouting to me over the pulsing music.

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