“It’s not a request. He’ll understand that.” Carmen turned to eye Wade before smirking at him again. “We’ll see you at Abhartach’s absinthe bar after sunset tomorrow night. Naheed will give you the address. As always, a pleasure doing business with you.”
Wade crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at her. “Fine. We’ll be there. You better not stand us up.”
Carmen sauntered out of the office. Naheed paused only long enough to tell Wade the address of the bar before following after her charge. Riordan came to stand beside him, his arm brushing against Wade’s, the touch drawing most of his attention.
“How are you on a first-name basis with Lucien and Carmen?” Riordan asked, staring at the door Carmen had left out of.
“It’s a long story and one better told over lunch.”
“Then let’s get out of here. I think lunch is a good idea,” Ella said. She peered around Wade at the human servant. “Apologies for the disruption. We’ll be leaving now.”
She was polite, all Southern manners, even if she wasn’t deferential. Wade hadn’t even thought to apologize, but Sage probably would have. Maybe. “Yeah, thanks.”
“Never say thank you,” Riordan said with a pained expression before snagging Wade by the elbow and hustling him out of the office.
“She’s not fae,” Wade protested.
“But Niall’s people were here, and we don’t know for how long or what they were discussing with Carmen before we arrived. So, never say thank you.”
“My mama wouldn’t stand for that,” Ella said from behind them.
They all left the office, and Wade wasn’t surprised to see that Carmen and Naheed were nowhere to be found. Neither were the fae. He chewed on his bottom lip, walking with the others back to the elevator. He wasn’t sure what Niall would do once he found out Ella and Riordan had found some help, but hopefully, he would make a mistake.
They made it to the street, but rather than head for where they’d parked, Ella walked off in the opposite direction. “We’re getting tacos.”
Wade immediately perked up. “Ilovetacos!”
“I think you love any kind of food,” Saoirse said.
“Yes,” Wade agreed heatedly. “So long as it isn’t demon-flavored.”
Riordan just stared at him in disbelief for several steps before shaking his head. “So you eat things. Carmen called you fledgling. What exactly are you?”
“Hungry.”
Wade didn’t miss the way Riordan shared a look with Donal and Saoirse, but the other man didn’t press the issue, which he thought was nice. Ella snorted delicately but clearly wasn’t going to give up whatever information she thought she had on him. She determinedly led the way two blocks over, past a bunch of office workers out on their lunch breaks, to a restaurant that had indoor and outdoor seating and smelled like grilled meat.
They weren’t the only ones in line, but their orders were probably going to back up everyone else’s behind them. Ella and her pack members each got a dozen tacos, while Riordan and hissiblings stuck with half a dozen Baja fish ones. Wade smiled at the person manning the register when he finally reached her and rattled off his order.
Her finger hovered over the screen of her register as she stared at him. “Three dozen tacos?”
“Yup,” Wade said. “And a soda.”
“Is this a catering order?”
“Nope. All for me.”
She didn’t look like she believed him, but she dutifully took down his order, and he paid it, taking the little number stand and to-go cup with him over to the soda machine. He poured himself a Coke and then headed through the doors that led to the outside patio and the table the others had claimed. Ella and her pack members still wore their sunglasses, hiding their eyes.
The spot next to Riordan had been left open at the end, and Wade promptly took it, swinging his legs over the bench. The restaurant tables all had benches rather than chairs, lending itself to a more parklike feel than a stuffy place to eat. The colorful paper cut-out flags that looped overhead from a high pergola fluttered in the sluggish breeze.
Saoirse, sitting on the other side of Riordan, craned her head around to eye him. “Are you really going to eat all those tacos you ordered?”
“Yes,” Ella and Riordan answered for him in unison, the pair sharing an exasperated look over the table.
Wade laughed. “I’m not sharing if that’s what you’re asking.”
“No,” Saoirse said. “I’m just trying to figure out where you put it all.”
