The Law of Stars and Sultans

“I will be,” she promised and then raised her head. “I better go. We can’t lose any more time.”

Before he got too overbearing and demanded she not do this, Jai pressed a hard kiss to her mouth, one that she instantly melted into. His kiss softened and he held her face in his hands.

When they finally pulled back, they were both a little breathless. “I’ll be checking in on the trace,” he reminded her of the trace he’d put on her with his kiss, “making sure you’re all right. If I think you need me, I’ll be there.”

“You have to take care of the Roes first and foremost,” Ari shook her head.

“I will protect them,” he told her gravely, “but if it comes down to choosing …” He grimaced as he realized how awful that sounded. However, Ari seemed to understand. She gave him a tender look followed by another kiss.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Emotion choked him and he held her tight for an extra second. “I love you more.”

She grinned and gave a tiny shake of her head. “Not possible.”

And before he could say anything else, she disappeared out the door.

“You okay?” Trey asked quietly as they stood on the Creaghs’ porch and waited for someone to open the door.

Ari shook her head. No, she was far from okay. She was still feeling as though her muscles were made of jelly since her showdown with Lilif. And she was so close to upchucking at the thought of seeing Charlie again, it was embarrassing.

“Maybe—”

Whatever her friend was about to say was cut off by the sound of the door opening. They stepped back as the screen door pushed outward. Standing before them, a quizzical smile on her face, was Mrs. Creagh. She looked a million times better than the last time Ari had seen her when she’d called her out for being a sucky mom to Charlie. Ari was grateful the words had penetrated. Not that it’d done much good for Mrs. Creagh since Charlie had promptly disappeared.

Mrs. Creagh was a pretty woman but the death of her youngest son had aged her. Now that the reality was changed, Ari was happy to find Charlie’s mom looking healthy and young for her age.

“Can I help you?” she asked, stepping out toward them as she dried her hands on a dishtowel.

Ari swallowed, hoping this wasn’t about to get ugly. “Mrs. Creagh, my name is Ari—” she cut off, realizing she wasn’t Ari Johnson anymore. In this reality, Derek had never been a father to her. She scrambled trying to think of a surname. “Ari Redglass,” she finished, her cheeks flushing at the sound of Trey swallowing a chuckle. What? she snapped at him. There’s no way I’m calling myself Ari White. I wouldn’t give the bastard the satisfaction.

Trey chuckled in her head, I didn’t say a word. I think it’s cute, really.

She ignored him and forged ahead with the plan. “This is Trey Harman. We’re friends of Charlie’s. Colleagues.” Now why did she add that? Idiot!

Mrs. Creagh frowned. “You work with Charlie at Breicher’s?” She eyed them both and smiled.

Ari attempted to control her reaction to the news that Charlie worked at Breicher’s. It was the local mechanics. Remembering the conversation she’d overheard between the Creaghs earlier, she wondered if Charlie had dropped out of college to help his mom, or if he was, as she hoped, only working part time while going to school. “Right. Trey is the new mechanic and I’m the receptionist.”

“May is the receptionist at Breicher’s.”

“Yup, but she’s training me to take over.”

You are really bad at this, Trey sighed. He took a step toward Mrs. Creagh, and gave her his little head tilt and grin. She was instantly transfixed by his dazzling good looks. “Mrs. Creagh, we don’t work with Charlie, but we do know him, and he’s in trouble. Is he home so we can all discuss it?”

She stared at him a moment too long and then flicked her eyes back to Ari, clearly wary since Ari had fumbled with a lie but on the fence because of their innocent appearance. “Trouble how?”

“Mom, who is it?” Charlie’s familiar voice floated out from the house and then suddenly, he was there.

He stood behind his mom, eyes narrowed on Trey before they flicked to Ari, then back to Trey, and then quickly back to Ari. As he looked at her, Ari felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle. Charlie looked even better up close. If their lives had been different … she shook the thought, trying not to stare back when he was so blatantly checking her out.

“They said they know you. That you’re in trouble,” Mrs. Creagh drew his attention back to her.

He shook his head, glancing at Trey and then turning back to Ari with his penetrating gaze. “I don’t know them.”