He jumped off, and I took his advice, shutting my eyes tight. I wondered what would happen if a Laurent noticed us. This was my only chance. My head swam, and I felt sick. If I were standing up, I would’ve fallen down.
“Shh, it’s going to be okay.” Cade’s whispered words soothed me, and I was vaguely aware of losing consciousness.
***
I felt something cold on my head while a warm hand held mine. I opened my eyes to find myself in Cade’s arms. I felt around, and my hand made contact with black leather. Cade had a cold compress on my head. “Where are we?”
“On our jet. We’ll be in New York soon.”
Jet? My first time on a private jet and I’d been passed out. It also reminded me of how much danger I was in. If I couldn’t stay conscious with the Blackwells, I could be in a lot of trouble. “What happened?”
“You passed out.” He looked worried. “Is this something that happens a lot?”
“It never used to.” The truth was I had been feeling out of sorts for weeks. Something was seriously going on with my body.
Cade adjusted me in his arms. “I don’t want to leave you in this condition. It’s too dangerous.”
“Leave me?” I fought to clear away the remaining fog of sleep.
“Do you know where Jess is?”
“No. All I know is that she’s in a house somewhere near the city. Don’t you know?”
Cade set aside the compress. “I’m glad you have such faith in me, but we have no idea.”
“Then what’s the plan? You made it sound like you could help.” I struggled to sit up.
“I don’t like the only solution we can come up with.”
“You want to use me as bait.” The realization was one I expected—I’d been banking on it.
“I’ll say it again.” He finally released me enough that I could sit up and lean back against the seat. “I don’t want to leave you in this condition.”
“You said it yourself. We don’t have another choice.” I was done waiting around for someone else to save Jess. It was time I did my part.
“We’ll be watching you the whole time. You’ll be safe.”
“I’m not worried for myself. Toby won’t hurt me.” I was sure of it. Aside from our history, he had nothing to gain by hurting me.
“Do you really believe you’re up for it?” He ran a hand through his hair.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“Once we retrieve your friend, we’re going to make you better.”
“So what now?”
“You call Toby, set up a time to meet him.”
“Once we find Jess, you’ll get her and her boyfriend out safely?” I needed more assurance. This had to work.
“Of course. We’ll get them into hiding until the threat has passed.”
“Wait, what? Hiding?” I already knew getting Jess out wouldn’t be enough. She, and everyone else I cared about, wouldn’t be safe until I could fix the bond with Levi. I couldn’t think that big picture. The first step was to get Jess out.
“It won’t be for long,” Cade assured me. “We’ll come up with a long term solution.”
“Do you think my half-bond with Levi has anything to do with me being sick?” I hated calling our connection that. I also hated asking Cade’s opinion on it, but I needed answers. I couldn’t figure out why else I kept getting sick.
He shrugged. “It’s a supernatural bond and it’s not done right—that can’t be good for a human.”
“Yet another reason I need to fix this.”
“Here, take this.” He slipped a cell phone into my hand.
“A phone?” I examined the black and silver case. It wasn’t nearly as colorful as the light blue one that held my phone.
“We couldn’t take yours—Levi would have tracked you.”
“Oh. I guess it’s good I still remember Toby’s number.”
He laughed, forming a small dimple. “See, there’s always a silver lining.”
“So what am I saying exactly?”
“Set up a time to meet him. Then you tell him you need to see Jess before you do anything else.”
“Sounds simple enough.” I crossed my legs and prepared myself before dialing the still familiar number.
“Hello?” Toby picked up after three rings. His response was tentative. It took me a moment to remember that he’d have no way of knowing it was me.
I swallowed. “It’s me.”
“Allie? Where are you calling from?” His voice was tense—he was worried.
“A borrowed phone.” That much was true. “I got a ride to New York. I need to see you.”
“What? Where are you? Who gave you the ride?”
“I can’t go into details. Can you meet me at that coffee shop we used to go to on Madison?”
“Of course,” he responded quickly. “When?”
I glanced at Cade. I hadn’t thought that part through. He mouthed “six.”
“Six o’clock.”
“I’ll be there. Be careful.” I heard the doubt in his voice. He was wondering if anything I’d told him was true. He had every reason to doubt me.
***
I gripped the side of the table for support. I couldn’t believe I was actually doing it. I was willingly walking into the lion’s den. I sipped my now cold coffee, trying to look like I was actually at the coffee shop for a legitimate reason. When we landed in New York, I’d stalled as long as possible. I changed out of my skirt and into jeans. Considering the icy temperature, I was grateful for that decision. I kept telling myself it was just Toby—but I knew that wasn’t true. This wasn’t the same guy I dated in high school. Whoever that was, was not a Pteron heir. Hopefully, he’d be in a good mood when he finally got to the coffee shop. I’d already been waiting fifteen minutes.
“Ms. Davis?”
I looked up to see two large guys wearing matching gray suits approach my table. They stopped on either side of me, effectively boxing me in. It brought back unwanted memories of being cornered in a Dairy Queen months before. I took a deep breath. It would be different this time. I was going willingly.
“Yes.” I needed to put on a brave face. I was supposed to be doing this because I wanted to.
“Would you please come with us?” One of the large men spoke.
I nodded, aware that everyone around me was staring. I didn’t want to know what they all thought I was doing.
I stood up, grabbing my coffee to toss it in the trash. Even if I was about to do the stupidest thing in my life, I wasn’t going to leave trash on the table.
The men escorted me outside to where a black SUV sat parked against the curb. I waited for one of the guys to open the door before sliding in. The door closed behind me, and I knew with complete certainty that I’d find it locked if I tried to open it. I stayed calm—I knew Cade and his men were watching me, and losing me wasn’t in their interest. I spent entirely too much time relying on others for my wellbeing.
“Where’s Toby?” I asked as soon as we pulled away. I watched the coffee shop disappear through the tinted windows.
“You’ll see him soon.”
“I want to see him now. I’m here for Toby.”
The guy in the passenger seat turned around with a grin on his face. “We’re well aware who you’re here to see. I assure you, he’s even more eager to see you.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“To Toby.”
“Why didn’t he meet me himself?” Alarm bells were going off. Why hadn’t he met me himself? Maybe my plan wasn’t going to work.
“He has more romantic plans for the two of you,” the driver mumbled.
“Romantic? Toby?” I didn’t bother to keep the disbelief out of my voice. I definitely wouldn’t have used that word to describe him.
The passenger laughed. “What, he wasn’t romantic enough for you? Is that why you dumped him?”
“You don’t know anything about my relationship with Toby.”
“You don’t re
cognize us, do you?” He grinned.
“Huh? Should I?”
“I guess you were pretty wasted the last time we met.”
“Excuse me?”
“Hi, Allie. It’s great to finally meet the girl Toby keeps talking about,” the passenger said in an exaggerated drawl.
“What? Toby’s cousins?” I felt a wave of horror roll through me, remembering how I met Toby’s older cousins one night when I was over at his house while his dad was away. They’d walked in on us fooling around and as they said, I’d been drunk.
“Ding ding ding. Our little cousin’s been crazy since you left him. We were close to going down to New Orleans to drag you home.”
“So you are actually his cousins?”
“Yes, well distant cousins, but it’s all the same.”
“But you’re not from Texas?” I might have been drunk when we met, but I remembered their accents, and the cowboy hats.
He shook his head. “Nope. We’re from Jersey.”
I didn’t care enough to ask why they told me the Texas story the first time. I’m sure they had their reasons.
“So you promise you’ll really take me to him?” I didn’t want to admit how terrified I was of facing his grandfather.
“Yes. I promise. Why would anyone keep you from him? If you don’t become his mate, we don’t get power.”
“Good point.”
“You can relax. You’ll be in his bed tonight.”
My stomach tightened. I had no idea how I was going to keep up the act without actually sleeping with him. Having sex with anyone but Levi was definitely not on the table.
“Can you at least tell me where you’re taking me?”
“No, but it’s not too far.” The driver hit his horn. I loved the city, but hated the noise. Part of me longed to be out at Georgina’s. There was something so peaceful about the open landscape.
I leaned back against the seat, eventually giving in and closing my eyes. I was exhausted—more exhausted than I ever remembered feeling, and my head was gearing up for another round of pain. Hopefully, I’d manage to get through the day in one piece. I let sleep take me when I couldn’t fight it anymore.
Chapter Seventeen
My door was ripped open before the SUV had come to a complete stop. “Allie.” Toby nearly fell on top of me as he unbuckled my seatbelt. I’d had enough of guys messing with my seatbelt.
I sat forward, ready to get out. “Hey, Toby.”
He took my hand. “I am so glad you came to your senses.”
“Me too.” I let him help me out.
“I’ll take it from here. Thanks for getting her.” Toby barely acknowledged his cousins.
“Sure, what else did we have to do?” the passenger said sarcastically. He was definitely the more talkative of the two. I still didn’t remember their names, but it wasn’t high on my list of priorities at the moment.
Toby barely glanced at him. “I’m sure you’re being paid, so don’t complain.”
The talkative one laughed. “Have fun, cuz.”
“I will.” He opened the passenger door of his Audi SUV.
I buckled my seatbelt before he could attempt it, or anything else along those lines. “I didn’t expect to be in this car again so soon…”
“No jumping out of the car on me this time.” He smiled, and he seemed more like the Toby I knew. I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
“I’ll try not to, if you try not to drive me crazy.”
“Me? I’d never drive you crazy, unless you mean a good crazy.” He winked.
“A good crazy?”
“Yeah. Don’t pretend you don’t remember exactly what I’m talking about.” His expression heated.
I slid in my seat, moving closer to the door. “Where are we going?”
“Can’t you guess?” He started the ignition.
“No…”
“You’re the one who brought it up the other day.” He smiled.
That’s when I really looked around at where we were. I hadn’t recognized the parking lot, but I definitely recognized where we were.
“Are we going back to your house?”
“Kind of.”
It was surreal watching the familiar streets of my childhood fly by me. So much had changed since I’d last seen my town. I wanted to scream at Toby to take me to see my mom, but that would probably only put her in more danger.
Before I could talk myself into begging, we pulled into the driveway of Toby’s childhood home. I glanced up at the large brick house—I’d spent so much time there in high school.
“I’m guessing your dad’s away?” I unbuckled my seatbelt and grabbed the bag I had stowed by my feet.
“When isn’t he?” Toby got out and met me at my door.
I wasn’t surprised when we walked past the front door and around to the back of the house.
“Are we really climbing into the old tree house?” It was closer to the size of a studio apartment than a child’s playhouse, but it was old and rustic. We’d spent hours in that tree house on the rare occasions that his dad was home.
“I can always fly you up there.” He grinned. It was the big toothy grin he seemed to only use around me.
Guilt surged through me, but I pushed it down. I had a job to do. “I’ll manage the climb.”
He waved me on. I reached for the old rickety ladder, hoping I could come up with the right words to convince him to show me where Jess was.
“Whoa.” I nearly fell backwards when I saw how he had the old wooden structure set up. Before I could really take it in, he’d come up behind me.
“I thought we could use some ambiance,” he whispered in my ear.
I continued inside and he followed right behind me. For the second time in twenty-four hours, a guy who wasn’t my boyfriend lit candles for me. If I weren’t in my current Pteron magnet situation, this would have thrown up serious relationship red flags.
“Is that champagne?” I took a seat on one of the plush, white cushions he had set up on the floor.
“It’s a night to celebrate, isn’t it?”
I let out a deep breath. It was go time.
“Please tell me I’m not wrong about the celebration, Allie.” He wrung his hands.
“You’re not. Well, not entirely.”
“What does that mean?” He kneeled down in front of me.
“I need to see Jess.”
“She’s fine.” He ran a hand through my hair. It didn’t take him long to fall back into the usual intimacies.
“How do I know that?” I sat up as straight as possible. If the ceilings were higher, I would have stood up.
“What if I let you talk to her?”
“You told me that if I came to you willing, you’d let her go.”
“That was before my grandfather got involved…”
“Damn it, Toby, let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”
“Once I’m king, we’ll let her go. You have my word.”
Yelling wouldn’t help anything, I lowered my voice. “Let me see her. I need to see her.”
“Tomorrow…tonight should be about us.” He leaned forward, pushing me down against the cushion. “I need you, Allie.”
I shook my head. “Not until I see her. I have to know she’s okay.”
“She’s fine.” He leaned over me. I could feel his breath on my face.
I pushed against his chest. I only had one more card to play. “You’re forgetting one important thing, Toby. This isn’t your choice. It’s mine. Take me to see Jess.”
He sighed, but moved off me. “We’re picking up where we left off when we get back.”
I mumbled noncommittally, but that must have been enough for him because he moved away.
I helped him blow out all the candles he’d just lit. “How far away is she?”
“Not far.” There was something mischievous about the smile he gave me.
“Okay…”
“Want to fly there?”
“No.”
He laughed. “That was fast. I’d have thought you’d like flying.”
I did. With Levi. “I’d rather drive.”
“You are going to fly with me eventually.”
“Maybe.”
“You will.” He gestured for me to climb down first.
I climbed down two thirds of the way and then jumped. Toby jumped down from the top.
“Show off.”
He laughed. “I’d do better than that if I were showing off.”
“Let’s go.”
I booked it around the house and got in the car as soon as Toby unlocked the doors.
Toby got in and started the engine. “Anxious?”
“Of course, I’m anxious.”
“Like I told you, it’s not far.” He backed out of the drive. I stared out the window at the passing houses. I knew some of the people who owned them, but not all. I wondered if they had any idea they had a neighbor who wasn’t human.
“You have to be kidding me.” My jaw dropped when Toby pulled into the driveway of a yellow suburban home a few blocks from his own.
“I told you it was close.”
“She’s been held at her own house? Where is her family?”
He pointedly looked away. “Her mom got a job opportunity she couldn’t refuse. The family went ahead before selling the house.”
I grabbed his arm. “Why didn’t Jess tell me?”
“She just found out the day our men moved in with her.”
“This is insane.”
“Wishing you’d figured it out on your own? Wondering if you could have rescued her sooner?”
He knew exactly what I was thinking. He also sounded like Pteron Toby again. What was with the multiple personalities? It was like he was only himself when he thought he was about to sleep with me. I wondered how much of it had to do with me being an enchantress.
“Ready to see her?”
“Yes.” I threw open my door and headed to the front steps.
“Easy there.” He gripped my arm. “I should probably go first.”
Before he reached the door, it was thrown open.
“We’re here for a visit.” Toby pulled me inside the house before the door was closed behind me.
Two men I’d never seen were seated on the couch. They were both wearing jeans and t-shirts and had their feet up on the ottoman like it was their place. It was so wrong. This was Jess’ house. It was supposed to be full of little kids running around.
Found (The Crescent Chronicles #3) Page 14