Page 15 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)

At my request, they turned off most of the lights. A single bulb glows behind my head. It illuminates their faces and hides mine—not that I mind that. The detective is staring at me in a way that tells me he thinks I’m lying. Ignoring that, I clutch a cup of water in both hands and tell them all about Matt Bonner.

Lion’s Head boy. Caleb’s secret friend and public enemy. Nice—or so I thought.

“A friend of Caleb’s?” He latches on to that.

I shrug. “I don’t know much about it. He’s come over and said hi at football games.”

“You’re speaking about Bonner.”

“Yes.” I glance at Angela. “I have to use the restroom.”

She straightens. “Let me grab a nurse.”

Detective Masters and I are suddenly alone.

I shift in the bed. “You said my abductor brought me in, but you were surprised when I said it was Matt.”

He scoffs. “Come on, Margo. I know Caleb had something to do with it.”

“Caleb found me?”

Masters watches me. “He orchestrated the whole thing. He has motive and the arrogance to pull it off. You said you heard another voice. Was it Caleb?”

“No.” No, no, no.

No matter what dark hole you go down, I will find you and bring you back. Isn’t that what he promised me?

He kept that promise.

And now I’m going to keep mine.

“It wasn’t him, Detective. I know him. I know his voice.”

He opens his mouth but closes it again.

A second later, a nurse comes in behind Angela. She flips the blankets back, shooting the man a quick look before I swing my legs over.

She helps me stand. “Slowly now.”

I’m as wobbly as a newborn deer. The room slants and spins. We pause, allowing me to close my eyes for a moment.

“Head injuries do nasty things to our balance,” the nurse murmurs in my ear.

I heave a sigh. I really do need to pee—but I could also use a moment alone. Thankfully, the nurse agrees to my request for privacy. She tells me to ring the bell when I’m done and closes the door.

I hover by it for a moment, listening as hard as I can.

It’s quiet, and then, “He really carried her in here?” That from Angela.

My heart picks up speed.

“Her arms and legs were still duct taped. He really didn’t think it through.” The detective is disgusted. A personal vendetta against the Asher family?

Maybe.

My attention goes to my wrists. They’re red and angry. I touch one, surprised at the sticky residue still on my skin.

After Matt wouldn’t stop apologizing, I don’t remember much. Any of it, really. I don’t know what he knocked me out with, but it was like only a sliver of me was still with it. But the parts I need to remember slip away like sand.

---