Soar (The Empire Chronicles #1) (21 page)

“Uh, nothing.” I forced myself to look Bryant in the eye. His eyes were so similar to Jared’s, but so different. The coldness in his was the exact opposite of the lightness I usually found in Jared’s.

“You won’t be needing that.” He tossed the phone on the floor and stepped on it. When he picked up his shoe, my phone was in pieces. I hoped that the call to Toby had gone through. Bryant grabbed my arms and pulled me tight against his side.

Jared still didn’t move, but Bryant positioned me so I had to look right at Jared’s face, then he released me. Jared stood there completely immobile with a look of absolute agony on his face. His whole body was in a state of tension.

“Stop that!” I screamed. I couldn’t stand seeing him in so much pain.

Bryant laughed a maniacal laugh that made me sick. “What, you don’t think he can take it?”

“Stop! Please stop!” I felt the tears. I hated to see him that way.

“Aww, isn’t that sweet.” Bryant stepped toward me so I stepped backwards until my back became flush against the wall again.

He reached out a hand to touch my cheek, and I slapped it away. “Don’t touch me.”

He laughed. “Are you really in the position to be telling me what to do?”

“What do you want? You’ve had your fun, now let us go.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” He grabbed my arm, pulling me down the hall. I screamed for Jared even though I knew he couldn’t do anything.

Bryant unlocked a door and towed me down a flight of stairs. We passed rows of cells with bars, but he finally stopped in front of a cell with a door. He used a key to unlock it then pushed me into the dark space. “Enjoy your stay.”

A loud thump announced Jared’s body landing next to mine just as the door slammed closed behind us.

“Jared!” I knelt down next to him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He sat up as though nothing had happened. His wings still extended from his back. Long, black, beautiful wings that I wanted to touch. I was losing my mind. I was locked in a cell, and I was thinking about touching a guy’s wings.

He moved away from me and over to the door. He pulled on the door, and when that didn’t work, he started banging. He must have spent over twenty minutes trying to find a way out. After a while, I couldn’t watch. I closed my eyes and tried to pretend I was somewhere else.

***

The light from the bare bulb above us left eerie shadows on the wall. Compared to everything else I’d seen over the past few weeks, it might as well have been bright and cheery holiday decorations. I was getting more and more used to the things that once terrified me.

“Cozy, isn’t it?” Jared broke the silence. Despite his tendency to make my blood boil, I was glad to have him with me. The shadows would have bothered me more if I was alone.

“Very. It’s hard to believe people don’t choose to live here.” I paced the tiny cell, needing to burn off some nervous energy in the only way I could.

“On the plus side, we finally have some alone time.” He smirked, at least that’s what it looked like in the dim lighting.

“It’s so romantic.”

He laughed. “You can sit down, you know.”

“No, thanks.”

“There’s plenty of room over here.” He patted a spot on the cot next to him. Somehow, his attempt to break the door had ended with him sitting peacefully. I didn’t see that change of demeanor coming.

“I’m okay over here.” I paused my pacing in front of the door. “I wouldn’t want to miss my chance to escape.”

“To escape this cell or me?”

“Aren’t they one and the same?”

He smiled. “Escaping me is going to be hard even outside.”

“I didn’t know you were into the whole chase thing. I’d have pegged you for a wait for the girl to come to you kind of guy.”

I don’t know why I was playing into his game. I guess I saw it as the distraction he was offering. That explained the calm. He was trying to make sure I didn’t freak out. I appreciated the effort even if I wasn’t telling him that.

“Usually I am.”

“But this time is different?” I rested the heel of my boot against the door.

“Yeah. Isn’t it obvious? I went through a lot of effort to get us locked in here.”

“Oh, so this was intentional?”

“You didn’t think I’d actually let myself get locked in a cell, did you?”

I laughed. “Never. You’re too strong for that.”

“Glad you noticed.”

“Do you think anyone else is around? Is there anyone who can help?”

“Let’s find out.” He stood up, giving me another peek at his shirtless body. These Pterons had ruined me for other guys. I couldn’t imagine how many hours at a gym it would take a human to get a physique like that.

“How?”

“Hello? Anyone around?” Jared screamed.

“Stop that!” I hissed. “What if someone comes?”

“Isn’t that what we want?” A smile tugged at his lips. “Unless you like being locked in here with me.”

Ugh. I didn’t even bother to reply. “Help!”

No one answered.

“I guess we know we’re alone.”

“Great.”

“We’ll get out. You just have to time it right.” He took a single step toward me.

“Time it right?” I watched him. Did he have an escape plan up his sleeve?

“If we tried to escape now, they’d be waiting. We have to act when they think we’ve given up.”

“That’s why you haven’t broken us out yet?”

“Of course. What did you think?” He crossed the small space and stopped next to me.

“I think I want to go home.”

“I want to take you home.” He leaned back against the wall.

“To your place, or mine?”

“Depends. What’s your bed like?”

“A twin in my cousin’s closet.”

“Then mine. It’s much better than that.” There was a promise in his words, and it went beyond a nice mattress and sheets.

“It’s not hard to beat.” I leaned back next to him.

“Is there a story behind the living arrangement? Couldn’t afford to rent his bathroom or something?”

“Yeah, I prefer a bed to the tub, and I even get to use the shower.”

“Generous landlord.”

“Very. He gives me a family discount.” Joking felt good. For a second, I almost forgot where we were.

“Wow. That’s even better. And if you live in a closet, that means you can get dressed faster in the morning.”

“My clothes are in the living room.”

“It’s
that
small of a closet?” he asked incredulously.

“It fits my bed.”

“Do you at least have a door?” He turned his head to look at me.

“I do!” I clapped my hands as though I was sharing the most exciting reality ever. “And it even has a lock!”

He laughed. “Awesome. If you have a lock, it might be doable.”

“Oh yeah? You’d slum it in a closet as long as it has a lock?”

“For you? Yeah.”

I leaned my head back. “Do you live in a penthouse, too?”

“No. I live in a shotgun style house a few blocks from campus. I’m moving out to my own place soon though.”

“Are you planning to stay in New Orleans?”

“Why?” He reached his hand over and brushed his fingers over mine in a surprisingly gentle caress. “Worried you won’t get to see me enough?”

“Just curious. I mean, if we’re going to be locked in a cell together, I might as well learn more about you.”

“More about me, huh? Are you sure you don’t want to sit down for this?”

“You’re all about getting me on a bed with you, huh?”

“I’m okay with this wall too, but I’m a little worried about your back.”

“Glad to know you’re concerned.”

“I’m very concerned with your well-being.” He scooted closer.

“Oh yeah? I didn’t know you were the caring type.”

“You’ve made a lot of judgments about me.” He moved in front of me, his hips stopping only inches from mine.

“And you haven’t made any judgments about me?”

“Only ones I know are true.”

“Is that so?” I knew I sounded flirtatious, and I couldn’t help it.

“Yeah.”

“What are they?”

“You like to pretend you’re a good girl, but you’re not.”

I cough-choked. “Where’d you get that idea?”

“I can just tell. Like right now, the way you’re responding to me. You like how close I am, but if we were in broad daylight, you’d be pushing me away.”

“I’m not pushing you away now.”

“No. You’re not.” His eyes locked with mine, and it was like he could see right into my mind.

“Is this how you usually pick up your prey?”

“My prey?” He smiled. “I don’t generally consider women to be prey.”

“You don’t?”

“First you say I don’t chase, and now you say I view girls as prey. Which one is it?”

“A hunter doesn’t always run after his mark. Sometimes he sits and waits.”

“Oh yeah? So now you’re telling me I set traps?”

“You do. You know how to lure girls in, and you know exactly the moment when there’s no turning back.”

“Are you in that moment now?” He leaned close to me, half an inch more and our faces would have been touching.

“No.” I touched the wall behind me, needing to remind myself of where and what I was doing.

“That’s too bad.” His lips skimmed mine.

“Why is it too bad?” A shiver ran through me.

“Because I was thinking we could make the best of the situation.”

“You can stop trying to distract me.” I needed him to stop before I did something stupid. But for some reason, letting Jared kiss me didn’t seem like a mistake—it seemed perfect.

“Distract you? Who said I was trying to distract you?”

“Me.”

“I’d do a much better job if I was trying to distract you.”

“Yeah?”

“Want to see?”

I nodded. My head told me not to, but my body said something else entirely.

He brushed his lips against mine again. I thought maybe he was all talk, but then he ran his teeth over my bottom lip. “I promise to make you forget where you are.” His lips moved against mine, first slow, then faster and faster until he lightly bit down.

I moaned and let go of the wall so I could wrap my arms around him. He pushed into my mouth while one of his hands slipped underneath my shirt and bra all in one movement. He squeezed my breast, and I pushed my body against his.

The kiss deepened further and further until I was dizzy. His hand left my breast, and I missed the touch immediately. I groaned.

He laughed, stepping back from me. “Remember where you are, Casey?”

It took me a second to respond. “I didn’t, but I do now.”

“You shouldn’t have said that.”

Before I could reply, he had me pinned against the wall with his arms on either side of me. His lips were on mine again, and I eagerly welcomed him back. He tasted so damn good, the opposite of the dank room we were trapped in. I wanted more. I wanted all of him.

His hand moved to the button of my jeans, and I didn’t stop him. Nothing else mattered. Not the fact that we were locked in a cell in a part of the prison that didn’t technically exist or that I barely knew him. He slipped his hand into my jeans, brushing his fingers over my panties, but then he pulled his hand out and stopped kissing me.

He smiled. “You test my resistance.”

“I do?” I struggled to pull out of my fog. Damn that guy could kiss.

He laughed. “Yes. We need to get out of here.”

“And you know how we’re going to do that?” I buttoned my jeans.

“Yes, but first, what’s your number?”

“Excuse me?”

“Tell me your phone number.”

“You’re asking me for my phone number at a time like this?”

“Considering how close I got to taking you against a cell wall, you shouldn’t be too surprised.”

I shivered at his words. They sounded better than I’d ever admit out loud. “631-555-0120”

“631-555-0120.” He repeated the numbers back.

“You memorized it already?”

“I’ve got a good memory. Now let’s get out of here.”

“How?”

He smirked. “Just give it two minutes.”

I heard the grunts first and then the door was wrenched open.

“Casey?” Toby sounded panicked as he ran into the cell with Owen.

“Yeah, I’m here.” I looked at him guiltily. I reminded myself about what Nelly said. He’d never get over Allie.

He hugged me, making the guilt even worse. I pulled away so we could walk out.

Jared tugged on my arm, pulling me further from Toby as we headed down the corridor. We didn’t pass any guards that were upright, but there were quite a few on the ground.

“When we get out of here, you’ll have to explain to me how the hell you managed to get locked up in a cell.” Owen laughed as we slid through the same window we’d entered from.

“How much trouble am I in?” Jared looked nervous for the first time that night. He hadn’t even seemed nervous when he discovered he couldn’t break us out.

“Tons.”

“Fantastic. I guess this means I’m going to have to cancel on our plans, Casey.” He let out an exaggerated sigh.

“What plans?” I asked.

“It’s way past eight, but I was supposed to take you out tonight.”

“You kind of did. Just not downtown.” After the words came out, I realized how bad they sounded. As disappointed as I was about how things went down with Toby, I didn’t want to hurt him.

“He’s going to kill you.” Owen brought the conversation back to Levi.

“Yeah, well. At least if I die, I had a good time tonight.”

“A good time?” Owen asked and then looked at me. “I know girls can’t resist him, but in a prison cell?”

“I didn’t have sex with him!”

Jared laughed. “No, you guys arrived too soon.”

Toby growled. Even more than his wings, the growl made him seem less human. I needed to get back to New York and away from the whole mess.

I turned back to Toby. “Can I take your plane home?”

“You want to leave tonight?”

“I need to.”

He nodded. “Then we will.”

I wasn’t looking forward to spending time on a plane with him, but I couldn’t wait to get back in my little bed in the closet.

Chapter Twenty-Five
Jared

Avoiding Levi would only make things worse. The more time I gave him to stew over things, the angrier he’d be. I needed to hit it head on.