Page 115 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)

She unlocks a metal grated door, then another one inset in the brick building. She’s surprisingly agile on the stairs, around the landing, and up another flight. Then she stops dead in her tracks.

“In there,” she says.

I glance between the door and her. “This is where you’ve been living? This whole time?”

“Goodness, no. Just temporary.”

“Is Margo’s mother in there?” Eli asks.

“No!” Mom shouts. “She’s at Lucky’s already.”

I push open the door. There’s broken glass across the floor, a shattered vase, flowers, and water. Picture frames that’ve been knocked off the wall, overturned furniture.

“Where were you both when this happened?” Eli asks, picking his way through the small room.

It seems strange that they might’ve been in here when it happened—unless whoever did it…

I turn toward Mom and grab her wrist.

She cries out.

“You were here.” I stare down at the bruises on her arm. “You know who did this.”

“I do,” she moans. “But I didn’t think he would go crazy like this. H-he took Amberly.”

Eli’s head jerks up. “I’m sorry, you’re just telling us that your, I don’t know, roommate was abducted?”

Mom is full-on crying now. She falls to the floor, starting to gather larger pieces of glass in her hand. To herself, she mumbles, “This isn’t safe. You might cut yourself.”

“Dude,” Eli says, pulling me away from her. “She…”

“Yeah. Hey, Mom? Any reason you called me instead of the police?”

She lurches toward me, but this time Eli intercepts. He shoves her against the apartment wall, holding her there with one hand on her collarbone. She stares at him with wide eyes.

“Cut the shit,” he tells her.

And… she does. The stupid, sad expression slips off her face, replaced only by the mother I used to know. She tugs at her sleeves, putting them back in place, and glances up at me.

“Honestly, Caleb. This is a family matter.”

“Amberly Wolfe isn’t part of the family, Mom.”

Her attention goes to my wrist, then back to my face. “Dare I say, she will be?”

“We’re out of here,” Eli snaps. “Jesus, you people are fucking mental.”

He pushes on her chest and points in her face. “Stay.”

She laughs. “Am I a dog?”

“May as well be—”

“Okay,” I say. “Let’s go.”

She follows us downstairs, back into the alley. My skin crawls at the filth she’s been living in, and I pick up speed. I only take a deep breath once we’re back on the sidewalk.

“Caleb—”

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