“If you’re in the mood for a nice latte and a brownie.”
Kyle chuckled. “Sure. We’ll be ready.”
The sidewalk caféI chose was just around the corner from the Perrault Tower. I insisted on sitting outside, which Callum snootily disapproved of, mumbling something about an exposed location. I ignored him. After ordering mineral water with a thin slice of lemon and one cube of ice like an obsessive serial killer, he sat stiffly at the table and glared at the innocent patrons around. Kyle, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have a single worry on his mind. He munched on his brownie and scrolled on his phone, humming in tune with the oldies hit coming from the café’s speakers.
I stood up, and Callum immediately pushed back his chair.
“Chill, man. I’m just going to piss.” I pointed at the door to the café’s toilets.
“Let me check the premises first.”
I groaned. “It’s just a restroom. Nobody has noticed me yet, and nobody knew I was going to be here. Can I go pee in peace? It’ll be three minutes.”
Callum grunted, checked his wristwatch, and folded his arms across his chest. Was he going to time my pee break? Stare at the restroom door until I emerged? I hadn’t been here before and couldn’t count on there being a window that I could escape from.
This might be harder than I’d thought.
Screw it.
Grabbing my backpack, I walked inside the café, but just before the restroom door, I turned left and strode quickly out through another exit. I heard a commotion behind me, probably Callum making his way between the tables, so I took off running.
I had to hide behind a few corners and sprint left andright to confuse and shake off the old shifter. Finally, I stood by the grand entrance to the famous Perrault Tower.
Two years ago, upon being finished, it was crowned the ugliest skyscraper in Ardaine. With its two round atriums at the base and the pointed rooftop, it looked like a giant dildo. One stand-up comedian called it “Bernard Perrault’s ugly fat dick that fucked up Ardaine” in a rant that had since gone viral. The building was 1001 feet tall, and I’d memorized its facade to the last window ledge.
I dropped my backpack to the ground, opened it, and took out my climbing shoes.
TERRANCE
“What do you mean he ran off?”
Zach pointed at the door and began dragging his pants up his legs. I mouthed “sorry,” and he blew me a kiss.
“He said he was going to piss,” Callum said, panting into the phone, “but just by the restroom door, he spun around and began running. I lost him after four blocks. He’s fast.”
Zach waved from the doorway before leaving noiselessly. I sank into my sofa and rubbed my hand down my face.
“Of course he’s fast. He’s a shifter and a trained stuntman. But why would he run away? From his own people no less?”
“I have no idea. If you ask me, he’s a nutjob.” Callum sounded at his most annoyed.
It was lucky the phone call came after Zach and I were done fucking. I would have been out of my mind with rage had Lothair cockblocked me with his shenanigans.
“He must have had a reason.” And it was undoubtedly something that would give me a headache.
My phone beeped in my ear, and I checked my screen.
“I have a message from Devon,” I told Callum. “Wait a second.”
The boss never bothered me on days off unless it was urgent. The message was a link and a simple “Seen this?” I clicked on the link, which led me to a live stream on some influencer’s page.
The video showed a zoomed-in view of a glass-and-steel structure, where a small figure was making its way up the facade like a spider. Some crazy person was climbing a skyscraper without any safety harness.
Was that…?
I put the phone back to my ear. “Callum, are you by any chance close to the Perrault Tower?”
“That skyscraper that looks like a dick? It’s right here, around the corner.”
