Gargoyle (Woodland Creek)(10)

“You’re fine,” Mandy instantly stated, cutting him off. “Although this young lady may be joining us for our meeting.” That black brow lifted again in my direction, her head tilting in silent question, not arguing the wizard’s antics.

My blink was ever so slow. Mike had said ‘our’ and ‘we.’

My spine instantly stiffened at the implication, and I glanced behind me.

No one was there.

My gaze instantly scanned the rest of The Bread Basket…and stalled.

He was walking through the front doors. Isaac Stone.

And he wasn’t alone.

Finn Stone, the last sibling of the Stone family, was also with him.

Along with Love Stone, his mother.

The Mayor and his mother were walking side-by-side, Finn on his other side. The Mayor and Mrs. Stone made quite the stunning pair. Son and mother utterly owned the space around them. They knew it too by the swagger and easy manner with which they greeted customers inside the deli. Finn merely kept anyone from getting too close to his brother, a hardcore bodyguard. He wasn’t just dressed to kill…he actually would kill you if he thought it necessary—quietly, of course.

A bare beat later, I saw Isaac’s nostrils flare and his head tilted back the barest bit. He inhaled deeply. The Gargoyle was scenting the air. His thin dark brows furrowed the smallest bit, and memories of our night together bombarded me, unwanted thoughts rolling through my mind. His green eyes narrowed the barest bit as his gaze began sharply scanning from left to right, eyeing each and every person inside the deli in swift fashion as he continued his stalk inside the room.

Until his search halted. Directly on me.

His blink was just as slow as mine had been, the intensity in his gaze abruptly cutting off now that his prey had been found, his gaze running up and down my frame, verifying it was me.

Our eyes held for the briefest moment before my gaze quickly moved to his right. His mom was talking to Finn quietly, not appearing to pay attention. That definitely worked for me.

Sucking in a quick breath, realizing I hadn’t breathed since I had spotted him, I casually turned my head to the wizard. Definitely frightening. My voice was polite. “Thank you, but I believe I’ll have lunch with my friends as planned.” I dipped my head once casually in farewell and turned to leave.

I slammed right into a Gargoyle wall.

Quickly, I took a step back, staring at Mike’s chest at my eye level. “Sorry about that.” I quickly took a step to my right, out of his way…but he swiftly moved with me, staying directly in front of me. Ever so slowly, I tilted my head back and met his direct gaze. His wasn’t as blank as mine was. He appeared curious before he hid it behind his hooded lids. “You’re…kind of in my way.”

No one at the table of shifters was speaking. I was pretty sure they had stopped eating too, just blatantly staring now. Not exactly a wonderful situation.

Mike didn’t speak, merely glancing over my head after eyeing me again. His gaze held for the barest moment above me. I knew he was staring at Isaac. Just as silently, his eyes dipped back down to me, asking quietly, “How do you know my brother?”

I was quiet for the barest moment, thinking quickly before I stated honestly, “I delivered a package once to a building not too far from here. He was there. We had a few words.” That was enough. It was just the right amount to imply we had argued.

Mike’s head cocked, inhaling deeply, his brows lowering. “I haven’t met you before, but you smell of flowers. What type of Garden shifter are you?”

I kept my expression serene. “I don’t know what you’re talking about and my friends are waiting for me.” I could now see them behind him, both glancing around, already at the register, having made their orders and noticing I was missing. I angled my body a bit so I could see behind him from the corner of my eye. The shifter ‘royalty’ were almost on us. “If you’ll please excuse me?”

He didn’t move.

Fuck.

I tilted my body ever so slightly to edge around him, but he instantly leaned on a hip, indicating he would try to stop me if I moved.

Fuckity-f*ck-f*ck.

My blink was slow when I saw the wizard push the chair out next to him in a nonchalant way, barely noticeable really, but it was just enough that I saw a bit of a reprieve. If I sat down, then waited for the shifter group to sit down, then I could easily excuse myself since the only other free chairs were across the table. I cleared my throat, and pivoted, walking around the table swiftly, mumbling to the wizard, “I guess I’ll stay for a bit after all.”

The wizard merely snorted softly, tilting to the side, whispering absently, “I’m Caleb.”

“Nice to meet you, Caleb,” I muttered, sitting easily on the chair before I sat my small bag on my lap and pulled out my cellphone that buzzed in my pocket. It was Jackie, her text simple. I typed a quick reply that I was in the bathroom, and I’d find them if they wanted to sit on the other side of the barrier dividing The Bread Basket’s room in two (by the windows)—it was far away from here. Placing my phone back into my pocket, I sat comfortably, watching silently as the shifter ‘royalty’ stopped at the table, and decent, respectful greetings were made.

It was then that it dawned on me that this was neutral ground for them.

Public. Supposedly, no guards. The shifters together…and the lone wizard next to me.