Soar (The Empire Chronicles #1) (19 page)

I was about to suggest we leave to join Marv and Nelly for breakfast, when I saw Toby and Casey walking from the elevator, hand in hand. They kept stealing little glances at each other.

Allie laughed. “Yeah, we know what they were doing.”

“Holding hands means they’re having sex?” I was in no mood for Allie’s analysis.

“No, but the looks they’re giving each other does. And look at that glow. That’s a post sex glow.”

“Are you trying to piss me off?” I scowled at her.

Levi, of course, jumped in to defend her. “Back off, Jared.”

They reached us, and I made myself appear unaffected. I should have been unaffected. Instead, I wanted to rip Toby’s head off. If someone could read my mind at that moment, they probably would have had me restrained.

“Hey, Casey!” Allie grinned. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Very well.” She looked around at the group, but when she reached me, she turned away.

That wasn’t happening. “Oh yeah? Toby’s snoring didn’t keep you up?”

If they slept in separate rooms, she’d correct me and tell me she wouldn’t know. “No. No snoring kept me up.” An intimate look passed between the two of them.

Fuck. Allie was right. I shouldn’t have cared, but I did. I wanted Casey, and I always got the girls I wanted. It’s not like it was over. He may have had her first, but she wouldn’t look back after a night with me. The trick was getting her alone long enough to set that up.

“Where are Nelly and Marv?” Toby asked.

“At breakfast in the dining room.” Levi pointed to the entryway to the room.

“Did you guys eat?”

“No. I figure we can pick something up on the way. They were already ordering when we got here.”

“Sounds fine to me.”

“So, Casey, did you get a chance to see any of the city last night?” My eyes zeroed in on her face, she’d have to look up at me eventually.

“No. We came right here from the airport and it was already late.” She looked up, and for a split second, our eyes met.

“That’s too bad. I’ll have to remedy that tonight. Let’s plan on dinner at eight and go from there.”

“We’ll be back by then?” Nice, she hadn’t completely shot me down.

“We’ll be back tonight.” Toby put his arm around her waist. “Where did you want to do dinner?”

“You weren’t invited.”

“I wasn’t?” His smile said it all. He wasn’t going to play dead and roll over. That just made it better.

“No. Casey’s never been here. I’m giving her the special treatment.”

“I heard your dad owns this place, Allie. It’s gorgeous.” Casey glanced around the lobby. Her eyes stopped on the chandelier with dangling crystals.

“I think so too. It’s got a lot of character.”

I couldn’t resist that opening. “I’ll show you lots of places with character…”

“You are a character, Jared.” Allie nudged my shoulder.

I ignored Allie and focused all my attention on Casey. “I promise, Casey. It’ll be a good time.

She bit her lip, and I knew I was in.

“Eight sound good?”

“Aren’t we supposed to be visiting Bryant?” Toby interrupted before she could even answer.

Allie nodded. “We are. My Land Rover can seat everyone…”

I finally tore my eyes from Casey. “I’d call shot gun, but I’m guessing Levi’s got that honor.”

Allie shook her head. “No. He’s driving. I’ll take shot gun.”

I laughed. “You still don’t like driving it, do you?”

“Not when I don’t have to.”

“If you don’t like the car, I’ll take it.” Casey smiled. She had this really pretty toothy smile. On some girls, it might have looked goofy, but it looked cute on her. It made you want to smile too.

Allie laughed. “I like it, but I prefer to let Levi do the driving. He complains the whole time when I do, and it’s not worth it.”

“Why are guys always like that?” Casey put her hand on her hip. “They are such back seat drivers.”

“I know. It’s definitely a gender thing.”

I had to jump in. “I’ve known plenty girls who were backseat drivers.”

“Do you know any guys who aren’t if a girl is driving?” Casey asked.

“Specifically if a girl is driving?” I nodded my head in greeting when I caught sight of Nelly and Marv.

Casey held out one of her hands to the side. “Yeah. It’s like when a woman is behind the wheel, the man thinks he’s supposed to comment the whole time.”

“You’re not stereotyping at all, Case, huh?” Toby put his arm around her again.

Case? That was his nickname for her?

“Were y’all waiting on us?” Nelly tried to repress a smile.

“Don’t go there, Nelly,” Toby warned. I held in a laugh. It wasn’t the first time a northerner tried to sound southern.

“What? I can’t blend in?” She tried to look all innocent.

“Allie said it for the first time last week.” Levi put a hand on her back.

“Yeah…I’m going local.” Allie put her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

I laughed. “Don’t you mean loco?”

Levi punched my arm. “You did not go there.”

I shrugged. “It’s her fault.”

Allie grinned. “Yes, I bring out his geeky side, and I’m proud of it.”

“Jared has a geeky side?” Casey eyed me skeptically. “I can’t imagine that.”

“It’s not so much geeky as it’s being a loser,” Levi taunted me.

Allie pulled out her cell phone. “Change of plans. We need two cars.”

“Hailey and Owen?” Levi asked before I could.

“Yeah. She didn’t want to miss the fun.”

I cleared my throat. “Fun? Only Hailey would find a prison fun.”

“I think she meant meeting Casey.”

“Who’s Hailey, and how does she know who I am?” Casey was funny. Sometimes she seemed so shy, but other times she’d speak her mind without a care.

“Hailey’s my best friend and advisor. Her older brother, Owen, is Levi’s advisor.” Allie slipped her phone back in her purse. “And I told her about you.”

Toby smiled. I wasn’t sure why it made him happy unless he assumed she’d told everyone Casey was with him.

“Where are they?” I asked the obvious question. If they were together, they might as well just meet us at the prison. There was no point waiting for them to show up at the hotel.

“Behind you.” Toby smiled like I’d said something stupid.

“Hey!” Allie hugged Hailey. Girls were funny that way. If they went two days without seeing each other, they’d hug like it had been years.

“Hey, long lost roommate.” Hailey had her long, red hair pulled back into some sort of braid. I’d known her since she was in diapers, and she’d never worn it that way.

“I know! It’s been a long few days.”

“You must be, Casey!” Hailey walked right on over and shook Casey’s hand.

The expression on Casey’s face was priceless. “Uh, hi.”

“Sorry. I’m just in a really good mood.”

“Come on, Hailey. Casey was just attacked yesterday. Do you think she cares about your good mood?” I usually went into teasing older brother mode with Hailey. I guess it was a side effect of knowing her for so long.

“I care.” Casey smiled. I wasn’t sure if it was genuine or if it was an act to seem tough.

“I beat Owen at Foosball. I actually beat him!”

I laughed. “Seriously? Wow, are you getting lazy, man?”

“I don’t think so. She’s just that good now.”

“That’s awesome, Hail!” Allie hugged her again.

Casey looked at all of us questioningly. “Is Foosball a big deal for Pterons?”

Hailey laughed. “Not really, but beating my older brother is always satisfying, and blowing him away? Priceless.”

Casey laughed. “I bet.”

I wished I knew what was going on in her head. How did she really feel about hanging out with us? If she was sleeping with Toby, she couldn’t be that freaked out, but maybe she’d freak out later. Allie had taken the revelation really well, but the girl Owen told flipped and moved across the country to get away from him. I was glad that, so far, Casey wasn’t running. Of course, I would have to do something about the bed she was sleeping in.

After some discussion, I ended up in the backseat of Allie’s Land Rover with Toby and Casey. Hailey drove everyone else in her jeep. I was nice enough to take the middle seat, although Toby didn’t seem to appreciate the gesture.

We’d been on the road for about twenty minutes when Casey started in on the questions. I couldn’t blame her, but man every question led to another.

“Why are we sure that Bryant knows anything? Do you guys trust Marv that much?”

“Ask Toby. He’s the one who says we should.”

“He’s telling the truth.” Toby leaned over me toward Casey. “Bryant knows something.”

“And why do we think he’s going to talk to us?” She looked away from me, like maybe she was afraid I didn’t want to talk about my brother.

I took care of that concern. “My brother will talk if he’s pissed off enough. He can’t shut his mouth when he’s mad.”

Allie turned around from the passenger seat. “I’ll second that, and he’s scary when he’s mad.”

Levi put a hand on her leg. He still felt guilty that she’d been kidnapped by Bryant a few months earlier. I felt guilty too. It sucks having your flesh and blood turn out to be a traitor to your best friends.

I hoped Casey wouldn’t follow up on Allie’s comment. Hearing it again would just upset Levi, which would make the day that much worse. Levi was a royal pain—pun intended—when he was in a bad mood.

“Is Angola a state prison? Why do they let you keep your prisoners there? I mean, do they get the same trials and everything?”

“They don’t let us keep our prisoners there, we let them keep theirs.” Levi looked at her in the rearview mirror. She seemed nervous around him. Luckily, I didn’t have that effect on her. Too bad I couldn’t get another effect out of her.

“Oh. Do we need special clearance to get in?”

Toby reached over me to take her hand. “Don’t worry. It’s all taken care of.”

What the hell was wrong with him? Did she want someone babying her like that?

“Angola Prison Rodeo?” Casey pointed at a sign. “It that for real?”

Allie turned in her seat again. “Uh huh. I’ve never been though.”

“Do Pteron’s participate?” Casey asked.

Levi turned off toward the first gate. “No, it wouldn’t be a competition if they did. It’s for humans only.”

With such a large group, I expected we’d have to go through the normal security line, but luckily the guy running the check recognized Levi. He probably earned himself a fat raise by quickly ushering us through once we assured him none of us had weapons. We had no need for them. We were stronger using our own hands, and guns just seemed stupid. Where was the fun or skill in that?

We went down the stairwell that led us underground to The Society section of the prison. Instead of the regular prison guards, we used our own, and even I felt a little intimidated by the size of the men greeting us.

“Your majesty, we are honored to have you visit.” The largest of the guards bowed his head slightly.

“Thank you. As we told you, we are here to see one prisoner in particular.”

He nodded. “Yes. We have Mr. Florence ready.”

My skin prickled. It was just another reminder that my brother had made such a stupid decision of where to put his loyalty. I hated hearing our family name associated with a prisoner.

Levi noticed my reaction and cast me the closest thing to an understanding look he had in his repertoire. I nodded and he turned back to the guard. “Let’s see him then.”

Toby pulled Casey off to the side and I listened in. “I don’t think they’re going to let you in the actual interrogation room.”

Casey nodded nervously. “Okay. So I just wait outside?”

“I’m not going in either.” Allie stopped, causing Levi to stop moving as well. “You can wait with me.”

“Okay.” Casey nodded again. I wouldn’t have voiced it, but I was glad Toby wasn’t even giving her a choice. Talking to Bryant would be hard enough without worrying about the stupid things he’d say to a couple of human girls.

In the end, only Levi, Marv, Toby and I went in. Owen wanted to, but Levi suggested he look out for the others, in other words, Allie.

Bryant was seated at a large rectangular table. With his hands and feet tied to the chair, he shouldn’t have looked intimidating, but he did. There was just something about the set of my brother’s jaw that made him appear as a force to be reckoned with.

“Oh, look at this. All my friends came over to play.” His icy glare landed on me.

“Hello, brother.” Two could play at that game.

“To what do I owe the honor of this visit?”

“Don’t play dumb.” Levi stepped closer to the table.

“I’m not playing at anything. They don’t even give me toys here.” He didn’t need to say what toys he was referring to. I was glad the girls weren’t in the room.

Bryant liked to brag about his sexual exploits, especially after Dad sent him to Europe because he fell for a Pteron. Dad’s plan to get him away from the Pteron worked, but it also created a monster. Bryant had always been arrogant, but he came back something much worse.

“I already told them you’re involved.” Marv spoke for the first time since we’d arrived at the prison. His whole body was tense, and I could almost see the fear rolling off him.

“Did you? How thoughtful.” Bryant sneered.

“They were going to find out anyway.” Marv sounded a little more confident this time.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Bryant turned his head to look at Levi. “The new king isn’t exactly known for his brains.”

Levi laughed. “And you are?”

“Even my idiot brother is smarter than you, Laurent.”

“Is he?” Levi tried to hide a smile. He wasn’t getting angry, and that in itself was impressive. Maybe Allie was rubbing off on him.

“Have you figured out why you needed an Enchantress yet?” Bryant referred to the title of what Allie was. An Enchantress was a human who had the power to pick the next Pteron king. Allie was the first one in several hundred years.

“Don’t even think about Allie.” Levi crossed his arms.

“I think about her a lot. She was the last girl I saw before getting thrown in here after all. Who else would I think about having wrapped around my dick?”

The table flew across the room and Levi had Bryant, still attached to the chair up against the wall. “Think you’re funny, huh? Think you can talk about my queen that way? I have news for you, your life just got much shorter.”