Darkness, Kindled (Fire Spirits 4)

“I meant what I said before about us being totally different people now. I know this is your world and I have mine, and those two can’t mix. I don’t want them to,” she hurried to assure him. In doing so, she chipped away at the inexplicable guilt he felt about not being the guy she wanted him to be. “I came here for closure. Not mine. Yours.”

He frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

“People were telling you a lot of things about this Charlie guy you didn’t know, and most of what they were telling you didn’t sound so great. If I were you, I’d be thinking, ‘man, I hope life doesn’t throw me too many knockdowns because apparently I can’t handle that shit.’”

Charlie snorted. Because it was true. He had been thinking that.

She touched his arm, guessing his thought. When their eyes met, hers were completely serious. “Charlie, the magic did a lot to mess you up. But even through that you were still this innately good person who loved his brother enough to try to find peace and justice out of it. Some people call it obsession, revenge. Maybe it was. But I never saw that as a bad thing. I saw it as passion and strength and focus. And even without that, when you were disappointing Ari for not being the person you used to be, you were making my life better. You made me laugh and you liked me for just being me. I also knew that you would never intentionally hurt me.” She heaved a sigh. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that when some people might’ve only seen the worst in that Charlie, I saw the best, and I saw the best because it was there. It existed. That Charlie was a good guy. You need to know that.”

He was quiet a moment, head bent, hands clasping the cup. Finally, he lifted his eyes to her and he gave her a tight nod. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

She smiled and moved gracefully away from the table. “This time it’s really goodbye.”

“Fallon,” he murmured softly, making her faux smile wilt a little, “you should know something too.” Charlie swallowed, trying to get the words right, knowing how important they would be to her. “I’m not that Charlie, but part of me is, right? I’m still him—it’s just life experience has carved us in different ways. So if I’m him, then I can tell you how I would have felt if I was feeling that lost, and my best friend didn’t recognize me anymore and didn’t understand me, and I was feeling all alone, and then this girl comes along who sees me, who gets it … that would mean everything to me, and I’m guessing it meant everything to that Charlie too. You matter, Fallon. You mattered to him. I somehow know that without knowing it.”

She dipped her head, shuffling her feet. When her head rose again, she was biting her lip. She threw him a mock glare, her eyes shimmering. “Dude, I don’t do tears. I could kill you right now.”

Charlie chuckled and sipped at his coffee, hoping not to prolong her embarrassment as she brushed fingers against her trembling eyelashes. And then just like that, because it was her way, Fallon abruptly held up a hand in wave. “Thanks, Charlie Creagh. I’ll not be seeing ya.” Grinning, she shoved her hands in her pockets and strode away out of his life forever.

***

“Mmm, can we just stay here forever?” Ari mumbled, snuggling deeper into Jai’s side and resting her head on his chest. They cuddled together on the couch, the fire roaring in the fireplace, an action movie blazing across the screen. Trey was off somewhere with Glass, giving them a little peace and quiet before tomorrow’s party. Caroline Roe had decided that the best way to bring The Guild back together was to enjoy the festivities and have a New Year’s Eve party.

Jai and Ari were not exactly looking forward to the party. Neither felt like they’d caught up on the sleep missed while trying to bring the Jinn queen to her knees.

Jai’s arm tightened around Ari’s shoulder and he kissed her forehead, content in a way he didn’t think he’d ever been before. “I wish.” His eyes slid back to the television screen as James Bond kicked ass in his very nice suit.

Jai wondered if he could get away with hunting in a three-piece suit and then immediately rejected the idea based on estimated dry cleaning bills alone.

“Are you enjoying the movie?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you enjoying the movie?”

“Yeah, baby,” he answered a little distractedly as the fight sequence escalated. “Aren’t you?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Her finger trailed down the center of his stomach and Jai tensed, no longer interested in the on-screen action. He watched her hand as it descended and his breathing shallowed. “I just thought maybe since we’re alone—” She hadn’t even finished the sentence and Jai had her on her back, his mouth on hers, his hands on her body.

Jai was in the middle of unbuttoning her jeans when the doorbell rang. Jai reluctantly jerked his head up. You have got to be kidding me? “Who would be ringing the doorbell at this time?”

“Jinn,” Ari answered grimly, her cheeks flushed from his attentions. “I definitely feel a Jinn out there.”

“Well, that could be anybody,” he grumbled, irritated by the interruption. He got up, fixing his clothes as Ari swung her legs off the couch.

“Sorry I can’t be more specific,” she answered dryly.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he muttered, brushing his fingers along her jaw as he passed her.

“Wait for me.” She hurried to be at his back. Jai peered through the small eyeglass and immediately froze at who he saw on the other side.

“You have got to be kidding me,” he whispered, taking a step back.

“Jai,” Ari sounded worried now, “Jai, who is it?”

He turned his head to look at her and answered almost as if he was asking a question. “My father.”

Catching the surprise on her face, Jai gave her his worst reassuring smile ever before yanking the door open.

Luca Bitar stood before them, a big, healthy-looking guy, an older version of Jai. “Father,” Jai said, using the term out of habit. “What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?” he asked, his eyes moving from Jai to Ari, his request put to the both of them.

Jai’s gaze swung back to Ari.

Whatever you want.

He stepped aside. “Come in.”

Luca seemed to exhale with relief and stepped inside, his presence still intimidating even after everything. “I drove here,” he informed them as he followed Ari into the s

itting room, his eyes scanning the house.

“You drove all the way from California?”

His dad nodded, smiling. “Decided I could use the time to myself.”

Gesturing to a seat, Jai waited for Luca to sit. Ari remained standing, looking as awkward as Jai felt.

“Can I get you coffee or water or …?” she asked, shrugging.

Luca smiled up at her. “I’m okay, Ari, thank you.”

“Jai?”

“I’m fine, baby.” He held a hand out to her, needing her beside him. She immediately came to him, tucking his hand onto her lap as she sat close. He turned back to his dad. “So why are you here?”

Luca studied the two of them closely, and Jai had the weirdest feeling that he liked what he saw.

“Dad?”

Clearing his throat, the elder Ginnaye sat up in his chair and drew a deep breath. “This is … I’m not even sure how to start or what to say. In the end, I don’t think there’s anything I can say to erase the past or to erase my mindset, or Nicki’s.”

Understanding now why Luca was here and feeling that awful, familiar weight of unworthiness press down on his chest, Jai squeezed Ari’s hand, probably hurting her. She didn’t complain. If anything, she held on tighter.

“All I can say is, I’m sorry,” Luca continued, those words exploding in Jai’s head like shrapnel. “I’m sorry for what I did and didn’t do, and I’m sorry that sorry won’t ever be enough.”

Everyone sat silent, the room thick with tension.

And then Luca murmured, “I’m proud of you, Jai. Word of what you and Ari did is circulating the Jinn world and people are phoning to congratulate me. I keep telling them I didn’t do anything. Six months ago that wouldn’t have been the case. I would have accepted the congratulations as my due and really believed that I had a hand in making you the good man you are today. But that extraordinary young woman sitting next to you once told me that you are everything you are despite me, and that I can’t take credit for the man you’ve become.”

Jai turned to Ari, the weight slowly disappearing. “You said that?”