The Law of Stars and Sultans

“You would choose this son over your real one?”

At that, Ari felt her metaphorical claws come out. As if sensing her imminent attack against Nicki, Jai grabbed Ari’s arm and pulled her to him.

Luca sighed. “I am choosing my Tribe over David. I won’t have decades of hard work and a legendary reputation put at risk because of his proclivities. Jai gets his wish. David is out.”

Satisfied, Jai gave his father a brittle nod before turning to Ari. She tensed at the rawness in his expression as he told her, “We’re going to back to the house.”

Trembling, Ari nodded and stepped back into the peripatos. When she reappeared in their kitchen, Michael was still there. He opened his mouth to speak but the flames hissed and Jai and Trey arrived. Michael took one look at Jai and sighed heavily. “It’s taken care of, I see.”

Jai’s jaw clenched and he nodded before shooting Ari an unfathomable look. He then turned his back to them and leaned against the counter, his rapid breathing slowing. Silence settled around them as they waited for him to gain control over his emotions. Finally, he turned and looked at Ari again. “What I don’t understand is why you kept this from me.”

“Jai, I just …”

“You just what?”

Trey cleared his throat. “Michael, I’ll walk you home. I’m going to meet up with the guys at the training center.”

Michael nodded, shooting Jai and Ari one last concerned look before leaving.

As soon as the front door slammed, Jai snapped. “Well?”

“Because,” Ari turned to face him, her arms crossed defensively. “I didn’t want what just happened to happen.”

“I’m supposed to be protecting you, and I couldn’t even protect you from my own brother.”

“I protected myself.”

“And then didn’t tell me!”

“Stop yelling at me!”

“How far did it get? What did he do?”

Ari sighed, her cheeks burning with the memory. “It didn’t get far. He touched me, kissed me …”

“Touched you where?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes, it fucking matters.”

Ari blanched and stepped back. “You’re scaring me.”

“Yeah, well, I’m scaring myself.” He turned on his heel and marched out of the room, his hand gripping the back of his neck.

Taking a moment to control her nerves, Ari waited before following him into the sitting room. She found him standing at the fireplace, his hands braced on the mantel, head bowed. Crossing the room to him, she felt him tense as she placed a soothing hand on his shoulder. Slowly, he relaxed under her touch. “My hip, my thigh, and my neck.”

Jai stiffened when he realized she meant those were the places David had touched her. “I should have killed him.”

“No,” she whispered. “No. Not over me. For what he did to you in the past, maybe, but never over me, Jai.”

“Ari,” he turned his head and she saw his lip had already healed. Pain still seared in his eyes, though. “What he did to you, he did to me. Whatever happens to you happens to me. Don’t you get that?”

She nodded, feeling the tears prick her eyes. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you.”

Jai stood straight and pulled her roughly into his arms, his head bowed against her shoulder. “Promise you’ll never keep anything from me, no matter how much you think I won’t want to hear it.”

“I promise.” Ari gripped him tight. “But I swear I’m okay. A little shaken up when it happened, but it hasn’t kept me up at night. I swear.”

“Good,” he murmured, his hot lips pressing soft kisses up her neck to her ear. “Did it frighten you? What I did to him?”

“A little,” she answered honestly.

“It frightened me too.” He held her even tighter.

When Ari felt him tremble, a tear spilled over her lashes. She didn’t want him to think badly of himself. She wanted him to know she understood. “Jai,” she whispered and pulled back so she could look him in the eye and he’d know she was telling the truth. “I would hunt down anyone who hurt you. I would. I don’t know what kind of person that makes me, but it’s the truth. So even if it frightened me … what you did … I get it.”

With a groan of gratitude, Jai crushed her lips beneath his.

The kiss grew quickly out of control and they stumbled together to the couch. Jai braced his body above hers, his chest heaving with emotion. “We don’t have to …”

With a soft smile, Ari sent her magic out into the room and it darkened suddenly as she closed the curtains. “Yes, we do.” She reached for the hem of his T-shirt and helped him pull it up over his head. Quickly they undressed one another, frantic to be close, and to wipe out the violence of their morning.

Chapter

Six

There’s Dry Rot in This Wooden Bridge of Promises

The house seemed to ring with silence. Was that possible? Ari frowned, trying to relax in the chair in her room. Her muscles, however, refused to do her bidding, her spine ramrod straight as her whole body perched, ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice.