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“I’m here on Society business.” Someday I’d have to make a fake badge or something.

He stepped toward me carefully. “Why would The Society need anything from me?”

“Now don’t play games with me, Bradley. I happen to know you have information and a taste for the finer things in life.”

He straightened. He knew there was money on the table. “What can I help you with?”

This might be easier than I thought. “Where’s Murphy?”

I watched his face carefully. A look of hesitation crossed it before his features smoothed out. “I don’t have specifics.”

“But you have an idea?”

“Maybe.”

I pulled out two hundreds. “Where?”

He shook his head. “I’m going to need a lot more than that.”

I exaggerated the motions as I counted out ten more hundred dollar bills. “And there will be more if your tip pans out.”

His eyes widened. “It will pan out.” He grabbed the cash. I’d be able to take it back in a second if he didn’t spill.

“Upstate. I’ve heard it’s within spitting distance of the Blackwell estate. He’d been negotiating something with the old man before he died.”

“Interesting. Thanks for the info.” I waited for Bradley to recount his money and walk away. You never want to turn your back first. I didn’t have an exact address, but I knew where to start searching. I also had to decide what to do with the new information. Was Toby’s grandfather somehow involved in all this before he died?

Chapter Eleven

Casey

“Bachelorette party? I’m not sure I should stay for that.” I sat crossed legged on Hailey’s bed. We were hanging out in her dorm. Hailey had taken me on a short tour of Tulane’s campus without Allie, and I now knew why.

“Of course you should stay. Allie will want you there. You’re in the wedding party after all.”

“Yeah… that’s weird too. I mean we hardly know each other.”

“So? You’re Levi’s sister. You have to be in the wedding.” Hailey pushed a pile of clothes off the end of her bed to make room for me to sit.

“It’s not that I’m complaining, but I hope it’s what Allie actually wants.” She seemed excited when she asked me to be a bridesmaid, but maybe she was only doing it to please Georgina.

“It is what she wants. She really likes you. We both do.”

“Does Levi?” I dared to ask the question to the person who seemed to be insanely honest about everything.

She hesitated for a second too long. “Yes. He likes you.”

“Nice try.”

She leaned back on her hands. “He likes you. He’s just confused. It’s not like he’s ever had an amazing opinion of his dad, or I guess your dad too, but stepping out on your mate is pretty much the worst crime if you’re a royal Pteron. It can cost you the crown.”

“Then how is Levi king?”

“It’s because Allie’s an Enchantress. She picked him. It’s a long story, but I guess your existence explains everything.”

“Explains it all, but also makes the patriarch of the family look horrible.”

“Pretty much.” Hailey smiled. She had such a light and exciting personality. She kind of reminded me of Vera. She was definitely the life of the party.

“Okay. I appreciate the honesty. Let’s try another.”

She laughed. “Jared?”

“How’d you know?”

“It’s a Pteron trick. We can read each other’s minds.”

I felt a wave of horror at the thought until I caught her smile widen. “Good one.”

“I just know. You guys slept together, huh?”

“Slept together is a tame term for what we did.” Sleeping together implies a bed. We also used the kitchen counter, the shower…. You get the picture.

“Ugh. Too much information. Jared is like a brother to me.”

“All right. Well, what do I do?”

“He still hasn’t called you?” She stretched out her long legs in front of her.

“No. Not that I really want to talk to him.”

“Don’t you think you’d feel better if you got it over with?”

“Got what over with? The cold water splashed in the face?”

She shrugged. “I’m not going to argue. Jared’s most likely not going to want to see you anymore…but honestly, I doubt he would have seen you much longer even if you were human. He’s not a one girl kind of guy.”

“Yeah. I get that. I’m kind of mad at myself for even getting involved.” No matter what Nelly told me, I should have resisted. I knew Jared was trouble.

She turned to me. “Jared has that effect on girls. I’d say you’re only human, but well, you’re not.”

“Do you think he’d see me? I mean getting that over with is going to suck, but so is overthinking it.”

“He will if we don’t give him any warning.”

I clasped my hands together, set on my decision. “Let’s do it. Then afterwards, we can get drinks and plan Allie’s party.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“Thanks.”

“For?” Hailey stood up and searched around her messy floor for her flip flops.

“Everything. You didn’t have to be so friendly.”

“I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.” She winked. “Let’s help you move on with your life.”

***

He didn’t blink when we walked into the lobby. His face remained expressionless as we dodged a group of tourists on our way to the hotel bar. Hailey had called Owen to find out if Jared was back in town. He didn’t even ask why she needed to know. She hung up as soon as she found out they were at the Crescent City Hotel. I wasn’t sure how I felt about facing him in public, but at that point, I just needed to get it over with.

My chest tightened to the point where I thought I couldn’t breathe. His face was covered with a thin layer of stubble. That one change was the only hint that the news had affected him in any way. That I’d affected him. And, of course, it could have been unrelated. His failure to shave may have had nothing to do with me. It probably had nothing to do with me.

I stopped. I couldn’t walk any further. He looked up and glanced at me before turning away. His blank expression was nothing compared to the way he turned away like he didn’t even recognize me. Hailey squeezed my hand. It was exactly what I needed. I crossed the remaining distance, taking small but determined steps.