Soar (The Empire Chronicles #1) (20 page)

Toby inched toward Bryant too. I guess he did still care about Allie in his own way.

Levi dropped the chair. It fell backwards in the process and left Bryant sprawled on the floor.

“Is there a problem in here?” The guard tentatively stepped inside.

The girls all peeked in. Not smart.

“So you did bring me toys. Excellent. I’ll take the taller one since Allie’s already taken. She definitely looks like she’ll provide some good entertainment.” He licked his lips and Toby punched him in the face. I wanted to do the same thing, but Levi restrained me.

“No. No problem at all. We were just leaving.” Levi kicked the remnants of the table as we turned our backs to Bryant.

“Leaving?” I gave Levi a disbelieving look. “We can’t leave yet. We need answers.”

“We’ll get them. I know an expert at extracting information.”

“Let me do it.” I caught Levi’s arm before he could leave the room.

“No. I can’t expect you to torture your own brother.”

“Levi, I can handle this.”

“No. You can’t. End of story.” He stepped through the doorway.

Levi was wrong. Bryant was my brother. It was my job to get him to talk.

Chapter Twenty-Four
Casey

Toby left me alone in our hotel suite while he went to some meeting with Levi and a few others. I understood that I couldn’t be included in everything, but I was antsy and refused to just sit around my hotel room while in a completely new city. I was willing to wait a while before venturing out, but I wasn’t going to do it in my room. I’d noticed a bar in the lobby. It couldn’t hurt to go down and order a drink or something.

I put on my boots and slipped my phone, room key, and a credit card in my pocket. After double checking that the door to our suite was locked, I took the elevator to the lobby.

There were a few people sitting at the bar, but I found an empty stool.

“Can I get you something?” a male bartender with dark hair asked.

“Just a Coke, please.” I could use the caffeine and sugar.

“Sure. Coming right up.” He filled a glass with ice and Coke then set it down in front of me.

I gave him my room number. Toby wouldn’t mind me adding it to our room tab. I took a sip.

“Casey, hey!” Nelly smiled before taking the stool next to mine.

“Hey.” Talk about good timing. I was glad to see a familiar face and a reminder that I wasn’t the only one being left out.

“Enjoying your stay so far?” she asked before turning to the bartender. “Scotch on the rocks.”

He nodded and got her the drink.

“Sure. So far, I’ve seen a prison and the inside of the hotel.” I used my cocktail napkin to wipe some condensation from the bar top.

She laughed. “Very exciting. What are you up to now?”

“I’m just killing time. When do you think they’ll be done?”

“Why? Looking for Toby?” She gave me a knowing look.

“Maybe.” I hid my smile in my drink.

“He’s definitely an attractive guy. It’s too bad he’s unavailable,” she mumbled.

“What do you mean?” I moved my straw around the glass.

“He’s good at pretending he’s over her, but he’s not.”

“By her you mean Allie?” I sure hoped there wasn’t another ex-girlfriend, but hearing he wasn’t over anyone didn’t feel great.

“Yeah. He’s crazy in love with her still.”

“Really?” I’m sure there was some iciness in my tone. He’d left me with a very different impression.

“You know what’s funny?” She sipped her drink.

“What?”

“The first thing Toby mentioned to me about you was how much you reminded him of Allie.”

“You don’t say.” I pushed away my glass. Suddenly finishing it didn’t sound so great.

“Yeah. But I’d take that as a compliment. I mean, you’ve seen her right? She’s gorgeous. Who could compare to that?”

My stomach dropped. “Yeah. Right.”

“Oh, honey.” She put a hand on my arm. “I’m sorry. You really fell for him, huh?”

I let out a deep breath. “Yeah. I did.”

“Toby’s never going to settle down. No one can ever live up to Allie.”

“You really think he’s going to spend his life alone?” I thought about the heartbroken expression on his face every day at the coffee shop. Was he really okay living like that?

“He has work. I think that’s enough for him.” She took another long drink.

“I guess so.”

I forced myself to sit and chat with her a few minutes longer, but I needed some fresh air. After excusing myself, I headed outside and took a walk around the French Quarter. The loud music spilling out of the bars and clubs normally would have lured me in, but not that night. I was frustrated.

It all made sense. Toby hadn’t tried anything even when I invited him into my bed. I’d written it off as him being a nice guy, but what if Nelly was right? What if he wasn’t over Allie? Was I really going to sit around waiting for a guy again? I’d been hurt that way once before, and I never wanted to experience it again.

I walked around for at least an hour. I stopped at a few tourist shops, but I didn’t buy anything. There was something about buying souvenirs on this kind of trip that felt wrong.

I kept thinking about Toby and Allie. I’d caught him looking at her several times over the past few days. I’d given him the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was curiosity, but what if it was more than that? What if he really was still in love with her? Nelly was right about one thing. I couldn’t compare to Allie.

After circling around for a while, I made a decision. I wasn’t going to make an effort to chase Toby. If he wanted me, he’d let me know. If he wanted to sit around and pine for Allie, I’d let him do it alone. I couldn’t blame him completely. I’d known there was something wrong when I first met him. Jess had basically confirmed it, yet I’d pressed on. Sometimes it’s easier to turn a blind eye than to face the truth.

I refused to feel sorry for myself as I walked back to the hotel on a mission. I was going to enjoy the rest of my time in New Orleans. Toby and I weren’t in a relationship or anything. If I didn’t move on, I’d be just as bad as him.

I reached the hotel just in time to see Jared walking out. If there was ever a sign, this was one. Just the sight of him snapped me out of my daze. I followed him when he turned the corner. I had no idea what I was doing, but somehow that didn’t matter.

“Where are you going?”

He spun around. “Casey?”

“Where are you going?” I repeated the words.

“Nowhere that concerns you.”

“Can I come?” I forced myself to sound confident.

He shook his head. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not safe.”

For some reason, I started to cry. Maybe it was just the sting of rejection or a delayed reaction to all the craziness going on. “If it’s not safe, why are you going?”

“Are you okay? You’re crying.”

“Please just ignore it. Can you do that for me?” I didn’t want him worried about me. I wanted to have fun. I wanted to stop sitting around and actually live.

A look of concern crossed his face, but then he nodded before continuing like he didn’t notice I was desperately trying to hold it together. “Because sometimes you have to take things into your own hands.”

“You’re going back to Angola.” I knew it as plain as day.

“Maybe.” His brow furrowed. If we ever played poker, I now knew his tell.

“I’m coming.”

“I’m not taking you. It’s dangerous and a long flight.”

“Flight? You’re flying?” I’m sure my eyes were as big as saucers. I’d been thinking about what it would be like to fly with a Pteron since I found out what they were. I needed to get away from the hotel.

“Get that look off your face.”

“What look?” I feigned innocence.

“That excited look. I hate that. I don’t want to say no to you.”

“Then don’t. I’ll stay out of trouble.”

“I don’t want to risk getting you hurt.”

“Do you want to risk me telling Levi where you’re going?” I knew it was low, but I was desperate. I wanted to go with him even though my brain was telling me it was a really bad idea.

“If I take you.” He put his hands on my arms. “Will you listen to everything I say?”

“Everything you say?”

“I already told you this is dangerous. I can’t have you running off and getting yourself hurt.”

I nodded. “I’ll listen.” What’s wrong with you? My brain screamed. Was I willingly going back to that creepy place? But a bigger side of me wanted to go, wanted to do exactly what I wasn’t supposed to do. Maybe my teenage rebellion years were coming late.

“Come on.” He led me into the shadows in an alley beside the large building and pulled off his shirt.

I bit down the nerves creeping up and let the excitement take over.

“You’re going to freeze, but we don’t have time for you to change. At least you’re in dark colors.” He moved behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“I’ll be fine. I don’t get cold much.” I glanced down at my black t-shirt and jeans. Jared’s hand settled right around the empty belt loops.

“Try not to scream. I’d prefer to keep my hearing.”

We left the ground, and I prepared myself for the fear. It didn’t come. Jared’s arms remained firmly around me, holding me tightly as he flew.

“Incredible.” I wasn’t sure if he could hear the words over the wind, but I was saying them for myself as much as him. I felt alive. I felt free.

I kept my eyes wide open, watching the disappearing city lights, and even enjoying the darkness when we reached the country. My heart beat quickly, and my entire body tingled with the energy from being airborne.

So lost in the flight, I was unprepared when Jared landed in a dark corner of the prison yard. Disappointment flooded me. I never wanted the flight to end. Covered in shadows, I could tell he’d picked the spot because it was just outside the reach of the search lights. “Are you okay?”

“Of course. I’m fantastic.” I tried to whisper, but my words wanted to come out as a scream. I’d never experienced an adrenaline high like that, only it was more than adrenaline. It was unreal.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“Cold? No. Should I be?”

“We were really high up and you’re not wearing a jacket.” He reached out and touched my bare arms. “Weird. I guess you run warmer than most.”

I smiled. “See, you didn’t need to worry about me.”

“I still need to worry. The hard part is still ahead.”

“Maybe I’m really good at sneaking too.” I perfected the art in high school when I climbed out my second floor window to see the boyfriend I knew my parents would forbid me to see.

“I guess there’s only one way to find out.” He tugged on my hand and moved in toward the building.

“We have to get to the north side. A friend’s waiting there.”

“A friend?”

“Yes, a friend.”

“Okay.” I let him lead me around the structure.

We stopped in front of a first floor window. “Are you ready for this?”

I nodded.

He stepped through the window, and I followed. The room was pitch black.

“Oh shit.” Jared’s words echoed across the room.

Someone flipped on the light, and I realized what he’d seen.

“Bryant? How did you get out?” Jared turned to his brother. I couldn’t see his face, but I assumed it reflected the same surprise I felt.

“Did you really think I couldn’t buy off Derick?” Bryant moved toward Jared, stopping right next to him. He slammed the window shut in the same motion.

This wasn’t part of Jared’s plan. I had to think quickly. Two large men stood at either side of the interior door, and I was pretty positive that the window wasn’t going to open.

“What the hell are you into? Why would you try to take down the Laurents?” Jared asked angrily.

Bryant circled Jared and paused on his other side. “I like to side with the victors, and I knew times were changing.”

“Times aren’t changing.”

“Yes, they are.” Bryant laughed. “She’s with you again, huh? You brought her back for more?”

“Shut up. She has nothing to do with this.”

“You brought her, so she does now.” Bryant undressed me with his eyes. I crossed my arms over my chest self-consciously.

“What the hell are you playing at, Bryant?”

“Did you really think I was going to stay locked up like a fucking animal forever?”

Goosebumps covered my body. Whatever was about to happen wouldn’t be good.

“So what? You’re going to try to kill me? Get rid of your own brother?”

“You had your own brother locked up.”

“Because you kidnapped the princess and betrayed the Laurents.” Jared’s voice rose.

“Wake up. The Laurents aren’t perfect. They don’t even deserve the crown.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jared yelled. “More of your vague bull shit?”

“The sad part of all this is that you finally disobeyed Levi and now you’re going to pay the price. I guess it’s too little too late.” Bryant put a hand on Jared’s shoulder.

“Pay the price?” Jared sounded nervous for the first time.

One of the guards at the door pulled out a gun and aimed it right at me. Jared lunged toward him. Seconds later, Bryant’s hand was on Jared’s back right below his wings. He pressed up on the spot where the wings connected to his back.

“Aggh!” Jared let out a harrowing scream.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” Bryant laughed. “Thanks for teaching that little bitch Allie to do it to me. But it’s not all that bad. We’ll lock you up with some entertainment. I didn’t get that.” Bryant watched me as he spoke.

Jared stood immobile. Whatever Bryant was doing to Jared’s back made it impossible for him to fight back.

“Take over for me,” Bryant called to the guard without a gun.

He nodded, strode over, and put his hand where Bryant’s was. “Sorry. He paid a lot more than you did, Jared.”

I leaned back against the wall. I had to call for help. I hated to even think about him, but Toby was probably the only one I knew of to call. Bryant’s attention was back on Jared, so I fished out my phone and had just started to push down Toby’s name from the contact list when my phone was ripped from my hand. “And what do you think you’re doing?”