Soar

“Sure. I’ll call you.”

He nodded before leaving. I waited for him to turn around to look at me again, but he didn’t. He just walked right through the doorway.

“Toby just asked you out.” Remy grinned.

“Technically, he asked if I wanted to make plans.”

“He asked you out,” Jess said excitedly. She was one of those bubbly types whose excitement was kind of contagious.

I let myself enjoy it. “All right, he did.”

Jess bounced a little in her seat. “I wonder where he’s going to take you? You know he’s loaded, right?”

“Really?” He wore suits all the time, but that didn’t mean he was rich. I’d always assumed he was older.

“Yeah. He has some family business that he runs. He was one of the wealthier guys in high school, but not like he is now. It’s like his funds are unlimited.”

“Unlimited?” I wasn’t sure how I felt about the new info. I didn’t want to change the way I felt about a guy just because he was rich, but it made any real relationship seem less likely. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself anyway. It was only dinner.

“Hot, rich, and single?” Remy grinned. “And I thought those guys were extinct.”

I shrugged. “Evidently they buy their coffee at Coffee Heaven.”

Emmett joined us, handing Jess another drink. “Did Toby leave already?”

Jess leaned into Emmett’s arm. “Yeah…but not before asking Casey out.”

“Seriously?” Emmett grinned at me. “Nice. Be easy on him. He’s a bit out of practice.”

I wasn’t sure if he was referring to dating or sex. I had no desire to ask for clarification. “So you all went to high school together?”

“Yeah. Toby and I go way back.”

“Is he in school, or does he just work?” I wondered if he went to Fordham with Emmett. I’d never seen him around NYU, but that didn’t mean he didn’t go there.

“No. He started out at Princeton first semester, but then he dropped out.”

“Was it because of a girl?” His reaction to the mention of an ex-girlfriend made his somber mood understandable.

Jess nodded. “It’s weird because he dumped her. She had a hard time getting over it, but she’s moved on. She’s actually engaged already.”

“Want to know something funny?” Emmett shifted so Jess was practically sitting on his lap. “Toby tried to tell me that Allie was the one who dumped him. Isn’t that crazy?”

Jess looked at him with a funny expression.“Definitely crazy. That’s kind of a big detail to mix up. The whole reason we went down to New Orleans was to help her forget him.”

“Does she still live around here?” I asked.

“No. Allie goes to Tulane. We went down to New Orleans for the summer and she never left.”

Phew. At least I didn’t need to worry about running into this ex-girlfriend.

“Do you know why they broke up?” If he dumped her, why was he so upset when people brought up her name?

“I don’t remember. They were really serious, but then out of the blue, it was over.” Jess looked lost in thought. “It’s weird, I can’t remember any of the details anymore. Sometimes I feel like my brain’s all messed up.”

“That makes two of us. Maybe we should lay off all the alcohol.” Emmett looked down at his nearly empty beer.

“Oh…” I was positive there was a story behind the breakup, but it wasn’t the time or place to push for more answers. Besides, it didn’t look like Jess or Emmett had any.

“I can’t believe you’re going out with him. You’ve been eying Toby for months.” Remy grinned. Of course she brought the conversation back to our date again.

“Oh. I thought you just served him coffee.” Jess raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged. “I plead the fifth.”

Chapter Six

Toby

Had I really just asked out Casey? I didn’t think it through at all. I just didn’t like hearing that worry in her voice, especially when I realized who was behind it. I’d started visiting Coffee Heaven after meeting the owner, Marv, at a Society meeting. Coffee Heaven was run by a family of bears (or as they liked to call themselves, Ursus) that were usually pretty loyal. Still, if bears were in on any of the attacks, which I knew they were, Marv’s family would know about it. I didn’t like the idea of the one bright spot of my day walking into a mess.

By lunch time, the fact that she hadn’t called was starting to bother me. I debated asking Emmett for her number, but I didn’t want to come on too strong. I just had to wait it out. I squeezed the blue stress ball my grandfather had left behind. It burst open, making an annoying popping sound.

“Staring at that phone isn’t going to make it ring.” Tim interrupted my thoughts. He’d walked into my office unannounced—again.

“Do you have an update for me?” I tossed the remnants of the ball over my shoulder into the trash.

“It’s bigger than we thought.”

I sat up straighter. This wasn’t good. “In what way?”

“At least four wolf packs and several bear clans are involved. I’ve also heard there may be some panthers, but I can’t be sure.” Tim slumped down in his usual chair in front of my desk.

“Fuck.”

“My thoughts exactly. We’re talking the entire tri-state area and then some.”

“Do you know what they want? Do they think we’re going to just turn over the city to them?” I felt my anger boiling. I used to be so good at controlling it, but not anymore.

“It’s more than the city. They’re thinking big picture.”

“Who’s behind it?” I leaned back in my chair. This job was becoming such a headache.

“Not who you think.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s the Galvinos.” Tim looked at me nervously.

“Marv’s clan?”

“Yes.”

I slammed my fist on the desk. “They’ve always been trustworthy.”

“I know. Why do you think I said it’s not who you think?” Tim paced. He didn’t like delivering bad news. “They have to be working for someone bigger, but right now, all the trails are leading to them.”

“I need a meeting with Marv.” For more than one reason. Were they the ones who set the wolf on Casey? I already wanted to tear Eric a new one for letting her go out in a dark alley alone at night, but to think he may have known what awaited her. I couldn’t hold off the transformation. I felt my back prickle, and I knew my eyes were probably changing color already.