Page 85 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)

“He was your dad’s—”

“I know who he is,” I snap. “I… Riley and I…”

Caleb narrows his eyes. “You what?”

I hesitate.

“See? Totally worth not going after Riley,” Eli whispers to Liam.

Liam elbows him.

I take a deep breath. Yep, all my sleuthing is about to come out into the light.

“We ran into him in New York City,” I remind him, “and you told me who he was later.”

Caleb’s eyes narrow. “I told you his name was Tobias, and that he was your dad’s lawyer.”

“Right.”

“And I know for a fact that there aren’t any online articles about it—”

“Correct,” I interrupt. “I know. But, there can only be so many Tobiases in New York City. And a lot of law firms actually list their lawyers on their websites with nice headshots, so…”

“You found him, I take it,” Caleb says drily.

“Went and visited him,” I admit.

His hand curls into a fist. “You did what?”

Eli laughs, waving the vodka at Caleb. “Want this? Might make the bad news easier to swallow. Pun totally intended.”

“Shut up,” Theo hisses.

“Anyway,” I continue, “he was pretty fucking shady.”

He doesn’t really seem mad, just irritated. And appalled. And… stumped. I, Margo Wolfe, have rendered Caleb Asher speechless. It’s about damn time I’ve had the upper hand.

“So he knows Matt?” I ask. “Obviously you didn’t just stop at finding the car’s registration or whatever—”

Caleb winces. “Tobias might not know Matt, but he certainly knows my mother.”

I go still. “From seeing her in court?”

“From before that,” he admits. “He and my mother have been friendly over the years. I think they went to undergrad together.”

“That had to have been a conflict of interest.”

Caleb sighs. “I think my mom paid him off.”

I shoot to my feet. “Caleb Asher, what are you saying?”

He stands, too, and steps toward me. “You have to remember this next part, Margo. I know you were there. You were hiding in my room from my mom and someone you didn’t recognize.”

I close my eyes, trying to think back.

It comes slowly, towing the memories from deep underwater. Voices. I was searching for Caleb.

“You’re being unreasonable,” Mrs. Asher hissed.

---