Soar (The Empire Chronicles #1) (16 page)

“Yes?”

“He was my sister’s boyfriend and then she disappeared.” Tears welled in her eyes, and I had to reach out for her.

I pulled her into my arms. “I’m sorry, Casey. Did he say anything about her?” I wanted to react, to do something, but staying calm was the only way I’d get more information from her.

“He said he’d take me to her. He wanted me to go with him. Eric told me to run.”

“Would you have gone?” I watched her closely. How desperate was she to find her sister?

“Maybe.”

My chest clenched at the thought of her willingly turning herself over to them. Still, I understand it. I knew the lengths someone would go to protect the people they loved. “How long ago did she disappear?”

“Two years ago.”

“Did you know what Murphy was?”

She shook her head. “No. I had no clue. I introduced her to him because I was dating his little brother.”

“You dated a bear…” I tried to keep the emotion out of my voice.

“Yeah, I guess so. We dated for a few months.”

“Oh.” I sensed there was more, a lot more, than she was saying. “We’ll find her.” We would. If it was what Casey needed, I’d get it done. She’d brought me more happiness in the few days we’d spent together than I’d had in months. I’d make things right for her. The only thing I feared was that the sister wouldn’t want to be found.

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“I have to clamp down on the violence. We took care of the majority of it, but there is likely more to come. After that, we find her.”

“What if they’re related?”

“Related?”

“Yeah. What if the reason they took her and why they want me is all related to the attacks. I mean, they can’t be that desperate for girls.”

“Did you just crack a joke?”

She smiled slightly.

Unbelievable. This girl was perfect.

“Sorry, I know I make jokes at bad times.”

“Don’t say sorry.” I leaned in. “Don’t ever say sorry.”

I needed her lips, and I took them. I smashed mine into hers, wrapping her up tighter in my arms. I deepened the kiss immediately, pushing her to open up more. She moaned, clearly fine with the demand. Our tongues connected, and I was lost.

Without consciously thinking about it, I moved us so she was lying down with me hovering over her. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down on top of her. It was her turn to be demanding. Her nails raked up my back, and I needed more of her. I slipped a hand up her leg, letting it rest just below her ass as my other hand moved under her long sleeve shirt.

“Toby,” she moaned as I let my lips wander down to her neck.

I heard someone clearing their throat, but I ignored it. Cody could get lost. I needed Casey, and she needed me.

“Well, hello there,” a taunting voice said from the doorway.

I groaned, moving off Casey.

I took a moment to compose myself. “What the hell are you doing here, Florence?”

Jared smirked. “Obviously interrupting something good. Glad you two found a good use for this hideous couch.”

His eyes zeroed in on Casey, and I belatedly realized I’d left her skirt and shirt riding up.

She fixed them before I could, and she looked incredibly embarrassed.

“How did you get in here?”

“Your friend let me in.”

“Shouldn’t you be on your way to New Orleans to brief the king?”

“I told you I’d be coming. Besides, I’ve got some news.” He still watched Casey and that made me want to send him flying out of the room. I wasn’t playing games. He wasn’t going to screw things up for us.

“What kind of news?” I asked, knowing I wouldn’t like the answer.

“He’s coming here.” Jared’s smile got bigger.

“Fantastic.” That was one way to kill a hard-on.

Chapter Twenty
Jared

So much for being his innocent house guest. Walking in on them shouldn’t have bothered me that much, but it did. If he hadn’t rolled off her, I probably would have thrown him across the room. There was something incredibly satisfying about ruining their moment, and I didn’t miss the flush of red that crossed her cheeks when she realized they’d been caught.

“He’s on his way now.” I talked to Toby but kept my eyes fixed on Casey. From the glimpse of her stomach and thigh, I knew that her natural skin tone was a little bit lighter. I wondered if she’d gone away to get the tan. She didn’t look like the type to fake-bake.

Toby looked at Casey apologetically. “I have to take care of a few things before the king gets here. What can I do to make you more comfortable while you wait?”

“I’ll make her comfortable.” I grinned at her, satisfied to watch her blush again. I liked being the one to cause it.

“No, that won’t be necessary.” He watched her, probably out of fear that he’d see some interest.

“I’ll just wait here.” She said it carefully, like she was afraid of conveying any sign of what she actually wanted.

“I’ll keep you company.” I sat down on the opposite side of the couch from where she sat as straight as an arrow.

She tugged down on her skirt, trying to make the fabric magically longer. “I can keep myself company.”

“Go get ready, Toby. She’s in good hands.” I scooted over slightly and put an arm around the back of the couch.

Toby groaned, and I tried to maintain a straight face. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

I waited for him to leave the room before turning to look at her. “Why hello, sleep over girl. Or should I call you Casey? Nice to see you again.”

She frowned. “Is it really nice?”

I didn’t like the frown. I needed to fix it. “It is, although I’m a little disappointed.”

“Disappointed?”

“That you misled me. I thought you were a single woman who happened to stay over at her friend’s house.”

“I stayed in his guest room.”

“But was it really a friend’s guest room?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” She crossed her arms. “Just drop it.”

“I’m just looking for a straight answer. Are you, or aren’t you with Toby?” I was asking to mess with her, but I actually cared about the answer.

“Maybe.”

“You don’t know?”

“Listen, Jared. That’s your name, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Glad you remember it.”

“Whatever. I just survived a bear attack and found out that you guys have wings. Excuse me if I’m not forthcoming with answers about my love life.”

In my state of annoyance over seeing her with Toby, I hadn’t thought about the significance of her knowing who we were.

“And you’re okay hooking up with us anyway?”

“First of all, I’m not hooking up with you, and second of all, we weren’t hooking up. We were kissing.”

“Kissing horizontally with his hands underneath your clothes. I was maybe five minutes early for the fireworks. Maybe ten if Toby’s decent with some foreplay.”

“Ugh. Shut up. We are not discussing this.” She blushed again, and she couldn’t hide how flustered I was making her.

“Why not?” I brushed my fingertips against the back of her neck.

She flinched but then leaned back into my hand. Interesting.

“Because I don’t discuss this kind of thing with random people.”

“Didn’t we just establish I’m not a person?” God, it was fun to push her buttons.

She stood up and turned to me. “Is this fun for you?”

“Is what fun?”

“Messing with me.”

“Kind of.”

“You’re an asshole. A huge asshole who I don’t appreciate. Just leave me alone.”

“A huge asshole, as compared to a small one?”

“ARRGH!” She stomped her foot. She actually stomped one of her pretty, painted toenailed feet.

“Calm down. I’m just trying to distract you.”

“Distract me?” She crossed her arms again, bringing my eyes to her chest. She was probably a full C cup, perfect.

“Yes. Distract you from everything else going on. You seemed stressed.”

“I wonder why?”

“Wait. Are you suggesting I’m the one stressing you out? It wasn’t the bear, or Toby, or anyone else?”

“Toby saved me. He and Cody.”

“Cody? You mean that kid outside?”

“Kid?”

“Yeah. He’s barely out of diapers.” He was probably nineteen, but I might as well hurt the potential competition. She might have some savior syndrome going on.

“I don’t care about his age.”

“So you go for younger guys?”

“I’m not going for him,” she said through clenched teeth.

Evidently, I’d pushed things too far. “Look, I’m sorry if we’re getting off on the wrong foot.”

“The wrong foot. Talk about the worst foot that ever existed.” A small smile slipped out.

“Did you get anything to eat?”

“What is it with you guys and making sure I’m fed?”

“Who else asked?”

“Cody.”

“Did he find you anything?”

“Peanut butter and crackers.”

“There’s got to be something better. Let’s check it out.” I hoped she accepted the olive branch.

“Sure.” She turned away, and I knew she was trying to regain her composure.

We walked down the hall to the small kitchen. I searched the pantry, and came up mostly empty except for a box of pancake mix that you only had to add water to. “These aren’t going to be great, but want some?”

She took the box from me. “Yes.”

“I guess you are hungry.”

“Uh huh. So why don’t you take care of my dietary needs.”

I wanted to tell her that I’d prefer to take care of some other needs first, but I didn’t. I wanted this girl to like me—somehow it mattered. “Check out the upper cabinets for a measuring cup and bowl. I’ll look for a pan.”

“On it.” She smiled again, and I felt kind of triumphant. It was the feeling I usually only got when I was about to get a girl in bed.

We spent the next half-hour cooking up pancakes. Casey insisted on making the whole box since Toby and Cody had to eat too. I decided not to remind her that there would be even more people showing up.

I convinced her we didn’t need to wait for the others, and after discovering some syrup, we sat down to eat.

I heard conversation outside, so I polished off my plate. Casey was still eating when we heard their voices in the hall. She set down her fork and jumped out of her chair. I washed off our plates and took her hand. “Relax. They don’t bite.”

I was still holding her hand when Levi and Allie walked into the room.

Levi grinned when he saw the small hand I held in my own. “You’re always good at making new friends.”

I laughed, and Casey tugged her hand from mine.

Allie pushed him. “Be polite.” She strode toward Casey. “Hey, I’m Allie.”

“Allie? As in Toby’s Allie?”

She looked at me funny and smiled at Levi. He didn’t enjoy that comment. “Usually, people call me Levi’s Allie, but I was at one point.”

“Oh. Sorry. I guess you’re the queen?” She mumbled a bunch of words in such a cute and dorky way.

“Casey, this is Allie Davis, soon to be Allie Laurent. She is the Queen of The Society, and this is her king, Levi.”

Casey did some sort of half curtsey thing. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Levi held out a hand to her. “Nice to meet you, Casey.”

I answered Levi’s questioning look. “Toby had her brought here for safe keeping.”

“I figured she knew Toby.”

“Yeah. I was chased by a bear…” she started to explain.

“Is Jared taking good care of you?” Levi asked.

“Uh yeah. We made pancakes.”

“Jared isn’t taking care of her.” Toby walked in. “Good to see you Levi. Allie.” He walked right over to Casey, putting an arm around her. I didn’t miss the way she leaned into his side.

“So you’re with Toby?” Allie looked between all of us.

“Yes.” Toby ran his hand over her back. “Casey’s with me.”

“Yet she was making pancakes with Jared.” Levi smiled. He liked to stir up trouble, like me.

“You really like making pancakes, don’t you, Jared?” Allie teased. I did have a habit of making them at weird times.

“I need to use the restroom.” Casey skirted out of the room.

“Leave Casey alone.” Toby looked at both Levi and I when he spoke. He still hadn’t made eye contact with Allie.

“She seems nice.” Allie smiled. She was trying to ease the situation. She probably also felt for the girl. She of all people knew how hard it was to be a human pulled into the Pteron world.

“She is.” Toby snuck a glance at Allie.

“I’m going to see if she’s okay.” Allie patted Levi’s arm before walking out of the room.

Toby leaned in to me. “Stay away from her.”

“Why?”

“Because she doesn’t need you messing with her.”

“Yet she needs you to do it?”

“I’m not messing with her.”

I found a bottle of water in the fridge and opened it. “No, you’re just confusing her.”

“Excuse me?”

“She doesn’t even know if you guys are together.”

“We are.”

Levi laughed. “Popular girl.”

Toby ignored his comment. “I lost Allie, I’m not losing her.”

I paused with the bottle of water midway to my mouth. “Whoa. Are you really going to go there?”

“Just stay away from her, Florence.”

“You’d only say that if you thought she might want me.”

“Just shut up. Levi isn’t here to talk about this.”

“No. I’m not.” Levi gave me a look that would have made anyone shut up. “Where can we talk privately?”

“There’s an office down this way,” Toby led us into the hall. I could hear Allie talking with Casey quietly in the bathroom. Allie was a cool girl. Hopefully she’d put Casey at ease. No matter what happened to her, I doubted her life would ever go back to completely normal.

Chapter Twenty-One
Casey

Mortification took on a new meaning. I had no clue how to greet the king and queen, and now they thought I was messing around with two guys? Admittedly, they weren’t my king and queen, but I still felt like a total screw up.

“Casey? Are you all right?” Allie called from outside the bathroom door. That was the second time that day someone had checked on me like that. I didn’t enjoy it.

“I’m fine.”

“Can I come in?”

My first thought was to send her way, but that would have just made things worse. “Sure. Come in.”