Page 12 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)

“Keep going,” he urges.

“First—is Robert okay?”

He doesn’t hesitate to say, “He’s in the Intensive Care Unit. His lung collapsed. Few broken ribs. It was touch and go for a while, but he’ll probably be moved to a regular room tomorrow morning.”

I bite my lip. The metallic taste of blood blooms across my tongue.

“Keep going,” the doctor urges. “Don’t focus on that.”

I shut my eyes and relive the car being hit. Going into a ditch and flipping over. Robert’s arm banded across my chest, trying to keep me safe.

And when the dust settled…

Someone pulled me out. Away. But instead of helping me, they were taking me away.

They knocked me out, and when I woke up…

I was in a barn. It was drafty, ice-cold. Two people argued. My head hurt spectacularly. My whole body did. And then…

Shit.

I sit up straighter. “Where’s Caleb?”

A man walks into the room as I’m asking, and he raises an eyebrow. “He really fooled you, huh?”

I flinch.

The doctor stands, shaking his head. “Really, Masters? You’re supposed to wait for Angela—”

“I’m here,” she says, slipping in behind the detective. “Traffic. I was across town. Margo, how are you feeling?”

“I’m alive, so…”

“Detective Masters wants to chat with you about what happened,” she explains. “I’m here to be your advocate.”

I nod, and the doctor leaves. I’m sad to see him go—even if I didn’t catch his name, he was nice. The detective takes his place at the side of my bed. He drags a chair over and makes himself comfortable, adjusting for a moment.

He has dark eyes and a smooth head. His leather jacket doesn’t scream detective, but it definitely fits his personality. There’s a badge at his hip and a holstered gun on the other side of his body.

“As Angela so kindly explained, I’m Detective Jim Masters. I’m just going to ask you some questions about yesterday.”

I shoot up. “Yesterday? It’s been—”

“About twenty-seven hours since the accident,” he says. “Your abductor brought you in around five o’clock yesterday evening. You were unconscious.”

I frown. “Why would they do that?”

He leans forward. “They? Did you see anything that could help me?”

I shudder. I’d forgotten that part.

He held the cloth over my face.

I tried to resist it, I really did. But then, I made the mistake of opening my eyes.

I take a deep breath and meet the detective’s gaze.

It’s time to name my kidnapper.

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