Page 101 of Broken Promises

“Don’t give her anything until the paramedics get here. They’ll want to do tests and stuff. You know your dad’s going to get thrown in prison for this, right?”

“Good,” he whispered, nuzzling his face against hers and speaking softly to her.

It took me back to those nights of cuddling Raven as she cried herself to sleep once Josh was gone. I’d said so many things to her in that dark room, promising to keep her safe and praying I could keep my word.

Obviously, I’d failed at that.

It took literal seconds for Rory to arrive, and her eyes narrowed when I stepped outside to greet her and she saw the look on my face.

“Where the fuck is the father?”

“Sprawled out on Clint’s kitchen floor where I left him, I assume. He was threatening the baby with some god awful shit for her future, I just had to get Frank out of there and come check on her,” I said quickly, leading her inside to where Frank hadn’t moved.

The bad bitch melted away for the empathetic mother, and I let Rory talk to Frank on her own as I waited by the door for Beckett to tear into the driveway.

“Cops and ambulance are en route,” she explained as she climbed out of the car, following me into the house and halting when she saw the kids and caught a whiff of the smell. “Jesus Christ.”

“Do you guys have a home they can go to? I really need them to stay together,” I said weakly, Rory replying straight away from across the room.

“They’re staying with us.”

“We can stay with you?” Frank asked, relief filling his face when she nodded.

“Yes. I’ll organize it. If there’s anything you want here?—”

“There’s nothing,” he said quickly, the sirens in the distance getting closer and causing his eyes to shift nervously around the room at us.

“Frank, right?” Rory asked, waiting for him to nod before continuing. “I won’t let them separate you. They might need to examine her without you in the room, but I’ll fight for you both. I promise.”

He didn’t reply, not trusting her to keep her word, and I couldn’t blame him. Half the time I didn’t trust other people to keep their word myself, and I was a grown man.

It took a while for the cops to be done investigating everything, and I made a statement to make sure Viktor got his ass arrested. I didn’t want Frank worried about him coming back.

If for some reason he got off with no charges, I’d kill the prick myself and beg Beckett to help me dispose of the body.

Caden arrived at some point to drive Rory’s car to allow her to ride in the ambulance with Frank and the baby, who’s name was apparently Lara.

I didn’t know what to do after that, not wanting to go home, but being too mad about Mom and the situation with the kids to do much else.

I made the mistake of checking social media, getting pissed off all over again when a picture of Raven and Logan practically smacked me right in the face.

It had been uploaded an hour ago, the caption being some shit about best friends forever.

He was really kissing her ass at this point, not that I could blame him. It was a nice ass.

Why had she forgiven literally everyone other than me?

I smacked my palm against the steering wheel, letting the frustration simmer. The last thing I needed right now was the reminder that I’d fucked everything up with Raven.

I spotted Logan’s car coming towards me, and he flashed his headlights in greeting. I did it back, perking up slightly when I saw that his passenger seat was empty.

Raven must be at Ander’s.

I put my foot down and headed in their direction, recognizing the house easily. I’d driven past it enough to know it was the right house.

Stalkery? Absolutely.

I didn’t give a fuck.

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