The Seven Kings of Jinn

What was taking so long?

All he wanted was to lean against his father’s desk and have someone pour a bucket of cold water over him, but he refused to appear weak in front of the old man.

Luca stood also with the desk between them. Jai had noticed long ago that his father never sat in a room when he was facing someone he considered a competitor in a pissing contest. For once, he wished they could just be father and son. That he could fall into the armchair in his father’s office while Luca fussed over him like a concerned parent.

Willing some strength into his quickly failing body, Jai ignored the sweat that continued to roll down his cheeks.

“Oh, for the love of… sit down before you fall down,” Luca snapped, coming out from behind the table. “Contacting the Red King on Mount Qaf and not even for an emergency!”

Ignoring his antagonistic tone, Jai finally gave in and slumped into the armchair. Now he had to will himself not to fall asleep. “It’s her father, Luca. It is an emergency.”

“It’s not her real father,” Luca grumbled. “Poor bastard should know the truth.”

Of course, Luca would feel sympathy for Derek. No surprise there. “How long will your healer take to arrive?”

“Don’t take that tone with me, boy. The healer will get here when she gets here. Why are you so antsy about it? It’s not your father.”

Yeah, if it was my father, I might not be so antsy.

Instead of making a smartass comment, Jai shifted in the chair, trying to preserve some element of cool professionalism. “Ari begged me to help. I’m trying to help. As quickly as possible.”

“Ari?”

Shit.

Luca Bitar was all pleasance and niceties with his clients to their face, but he had strict rules about professional behavior that included referring to a client formally. Even when they weren’t in the room. No first names. Ever.

Jai had screwed up. It was the telepathy. His concentration was broken. “I mean Ms. Johnson,” he corrected himself.

Luca wasn’t the type to let it go, though, especially not with Jai. He grunted. “Typical. What? You think because this one is important to the jinn kings that you can play up to her, get in good with her and go places?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Sir.”

Luca shook his head. “I knew something was up when you came tearing in here to tell me that jinn had gotten into her party. You were upset. Upset that she’d been taken.”

Jai grunted. “Of course I was upset. I was supposed to be guarding her.”

“No.” Luca smirked disdainfully. “It wasn’t upset and concern for your failure to guard your client, it was genuine anxiety and worry. Should have known my half-breed would be the one to cross the line for a pretty girl.”

Rage rushed through Jai’s veins at the look in his father’s eyes. This was what Luca Bitar had been waiting for. A moment for Jai to mess up so he could finally say ‘he’s nothing like me’. Mixed in with the rage was the panic that Jai was handing him that moment right here, right now. He never, ever wanted Luca to have that satisfaction. Struggling to his feet, Jai squared up to him.

“I displayed concern for a client I was supposed to be guarding. That’s it. Ari Johnson is nothing more than an assignment.” His voice was icy. “But let’s not forget, Dad, this is the biggest assignment Bitar Security has ever landed. I’m guarding the Red King’s niece. And we both know she’s so much more than that. If I have to endure migraines and vomiting to contact her uncle, or use the peripatos to pick up some herb that will pull her father out of a coma, then I will. Because it’s part of the assignment. The Red King isn’t pissed because I contacted him. I’m not pissed and I’m the one feeling like a truck just rammed into me. So why are you so pissed?”

Luca’s eyes narrowed. “You’re forgetting who you’re speaking to, boy.”

Jai didn’t have time to reply. The air shimmered near the door and out of the flames stepped their healer, Kammi. She rushed over with a pouch and handed it to Jai. “Sorry, it took me so long,” Kammi apologized. “This stuff was hidden at the back of my stores. I’ll need to order more. I made up the entire remedy for you, so all you need to do is apply it. Remember, massage it into the head and chest.”

“Thanks, Kammi.” He grinned wearily, taking it from her.

She nodded at Jai and then at Luca, and Luca gave her the nod to leave.

Before the last of her flames had even dissipated, Jai turned to his father. He was still concerned Luca suspected his motives regarding Ari. And he knew the fear was born from the fact that there was some truth in what his father had said.