“Hey!”
Their heads swiveled toward the voice. A tall guy who didn’t look old enough to be in the club grinned at them through the bars of the railing. He eyed Ari, his eyes glittering flirtatiously. Ari thought he looked vaguely familiar.
“You wanna dance, pretty girl?” he asked, yelling over the music.
A heavy arm came around Ari’s shoulders before she could respond and she felt herself drawn back into Jai’s chest. Her breathing faltered. “Beat it,” he growled at the guy. Ari didn’t know if the guy heard or not but he certainly understood the intent. He gave Jai a wary look and disappeared back into the crowds on the dance floor.
The arm slid from her shoulders and Ari turned to Jai wide-eyed, her heart thudding at his possessiveness. Her guardian shrugged at her. “We can’t leave our post.”
Ari contemplated punching him as that irritating little thing called hope deflated instantly. Slumping a little, she looked away from him only to catch Jennifer’s eyes. Jenn gave her a sympathetic smile, as if she saw right through her. Ari smiled sadly back at her. Boys sucked.
“You know,” Jenn said loudly, grabbing a hold of Chris’ hand. “I want to dance.” She stood up and grinned down at Jai. “I guess that means you two better join us.”
Damn every single matchmaker in this world. Ari closed her eyes briefly, hearing Jai’s reluctant sigh beside her. Feeling the breeze of movement as he stood too, Ari slowly rose to her feet, unable to meet his gaze. This was perfect. Just perfect.
Jai grabbed her hand in his and before she could react he was pulling her ahead of Jenn and Chris, his eyes constantly checking behind him for his clients and then around them to make sure there was no one bothering them. With his black scowl he cleared a space on the floor for them and positioned Ari close to Jenn and Chris. She stared stupidly at him as his hands fell lightly on her waist. There was a whole body worth of space between them. It was as if the clock had turned back and she had ‘cooties’ all over again. Ari slapped her hands hard down on his shoulders drawing his startled gaze. They looked like they were in the fifth grade for God’s sakes.
An indiscreet chuckle caught her ears and Ari glared at Jenn who smothered a laugh in Chris’ neck. When she looked back at Jai he was frowning down at her.
“What?” he asked.
Feeling annoyed and frustrated and bold all at once, Ari tugged his head down and brought her mouth to his ear. “Dance with me properly or I’m going to kick you in the nuts.”
Relaxing at the sound of Jai’s choked laughter, Ari melted into him as he drew her closer. Much closer. His arms wrapped around her waist and she laid her head against his shoulder, her hands around his neck, fingers stroking his nape with a mind of their own. “We’re here to work,” Jai’s voice rumbled in her ear and she tried not shiver. “Not dance.”
We can do both, she insisted.
I’ll keep an eye on the happy couple, Jai replied, You watch the crowds.
Yes, sir.
He snorted at her insolence but didn’t push her away.
At first… it was fine. Ari watched the crowds around them and Jai was watching Jenn and Chris. But as the music slowed, she felt Jai unconsciously pull her closer until their bodies were no longer just brushing together, but pressed tight. One of his hands slid slowly down her back to cup her hip, his other tracing lazy circles on her lower back. The breath whooshed out of Ari as all of her awareness focused on Jai — the feel of his chest under her head, the strong shoulders under her arms, the powerful arms holding her close, the unknown exotic scent mixed with sandalwood and rich musk that was all his own. If Ari turned just slightly she could nuzzle her nose against his throat. The heat built from deep within her as images of them together, kissing, touching… more… rioted around in her not so innocent mind, and as if he’d heard those thoughts Jai tensed against her, the hand on her hip gripping her hard. His heavy exhalation blew against her ear, sounding more like a groan of frustration than annoyance.
“You ready for another drink?” Jenn’s voice peeled them apart and they separated quickly as though they had been caught doing something they shouldn’t.
Ari’s heart pounded in her chest as Jenn grinned at them knowingly. Wow. OK, there was no denying the chemistry between them. “Water,” she managed.
Back at the table the tension didn’t leave. It just grew worse. She could tell by the closed look on Jai’s face that he was angry at himself and possibly her. They were supposed to be on a job after all. A mass of nerves, Ari gulped down two glasses of water before she realized what a bad idea that was. After holding in the need to pee until she was in pain, Ari finally sighed to catch Jai’s attention.
I need to go to the bathroom.
He frowned and glanced around them before he looked back at her face. Seeing the discomfort in her eyes he nodded reluctantly. Be quick. I don’t like the idea of you wandering alone.
I have Ms. Maggie, she assured him.
Ari gazed at her flushed face in the mirror, glad to have the bathroom to herself. She’d locked the main door and would probably hear a pounding on it any minute but she needed just a moment alone to gather her wits. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement, green pushing at blue pushing at amber as they fought for some kind of exact coloring.
“I am so unprofessional,” she muttered, goosebumps exploding across her arms at the memory of dancing in Jai’s arms. “Oh God.”
Flames exploded behind her sending Ari careening into the mirror in shock. Acid burned in the back of her throat from fear as her father, The White King, stepped out of the Peripatos. She blinked, not quite sure it was real, that he was really there behind her and not her wicked imagination playing tricks on her. His implacable eyes met hers in the mirror and reality slammed into her with the force of a shotgun bullet. No, not here. She breathed, glancing quickly at the locked door. Ms. Maggie’s energy slipped out of the room and Ari frowned. The Ifrit had left her alone with him? Shock rang through her as she calculated whether or not she could make it out of the room before he got to her.
And then the memory of burying Derek shot through her spine like an arrow and Ari turned to face the huge Jinn with fury blazing in her eyes. “You bastard.”
“Actually I have a father. I just don’t like him very much.” He strode towards her, his black hand-sewn leather trousers hugging his powerful legs. He wore nothing on his torso except for a gold torque around his neck and a long billowing blue silk robe. His face was expressionless, his eyes deep black abysses. “Look at all that anger. I did wonder if you cared. There was no response to my message.”
Fighting down the ugly darkness in her chest that screamed to rise and take over, Ari clenched her fists, refusing to back down as he approached her. He killed her dad. He deserved to pay. Her neck craned back to look at him and she fought the urge to command him to his knees, The Red King’s threat buzzing in her blood-rushed deafened ears. At the thought of her uncle, Ari felt anxiety. He had promised to put an enchantment of protection around her. How had The White King found her? The angry question spilled from her dry lips.
“Easily. There wasn’t even an enchantment up around you to put me off for a few days.”
More confusion. More worry. “But The Red-” she cut off, not wanting to give The White King any information, no matter how insignificant.
Her father cocked his head to the side, his face still blankly cold, his eyes terrifyingly flat. “Did you suppose my brother would aid you?” he shook his head. “Not if Azazil forbade him to. And I imagine my father did.”
“That makes no sense.” Azazil wanted to keep her away from The White King!
The White King shrugged. “The Sultan may not like the idea of you in my hands, but he certainly likes the idea of boredom even less. I’ll tell you this again and perhaps this time you will listen, daughter. My father likes to be entertained. First and foremost.”
Not wanting to be manipulated by him, Ari tried to shut his words out. But hadn’t The Red King and Jai also said as much. She couldn’t trust Azazil. Did that mean she really couldn’t trust her uncle? Hearing her father’s sigh of disgust Ari glanced up in a sudden rage, kindle sparking between her fingertips as she fought her natural instinct to overpower him, to abuse him and hurt him and make him pay for what he had done. He didn’t even care that he had taken a life. It was all a game to him. To all of them!
Studying her calmly, watching the play of emotions ricochet around her face, The White King nodded gently as he began to prowl around her. “I am impressed with your control. That you have not yet retaliated for the death of Derek is… well… if I’m honest, it’s problematic. But impressive. You’re your father’s daughter.”
Ari shuddered at the thought and twisted around to glare at him, her upper lip curled in utter disgust at the sight of his coldly handsome face. “Why don’t you just get whatever you plan to do with me over with?”
“Because you are of no use to me if you don’t come to Mount Qaf willingly. Forcing your will has not proven fruitful so far. But I have a feeling it won’t be long before you realize I’m the only one who truly wants you, Ari. And isn’t that what you need. To be truly wanted.”
“Shut up.”
He cocked his head to the side again, eyeing her thoughtfully. “I would even free your mother,” he bartered. “If you come with me I will free Sala and you can have a little happy reunion with her.”
Ari’s heart sputtered at the thought and more pain shot through her. “She didn’t want me. She left me.”
“Who’s to say she wouldn’t have come back for you if I hadn’t trapped her in that bottle.”
No, Ari, don’t listen, she begged herself, hating the weak, niggling voice inside that tried to persuade her that meeting Sala would make her happy, could change everything, could give her someone who loved her.
“ARI!” Jai shouted through the door jolting her out of her thoughts. He banged ruthlessly at the door and Ari felt the flare of magic in the air coming from his direction on the other side of the wall.
The White King sighed, drawing her eyes back to him. “That is my cue to leave. For now. And remember, Ari, I am a patient King. I don’t expect you to come to me willingly today or even next week. But if you don’t come to me soon I will play the game my way. I will repeat the Derek situation.” He nodded, his eyes dead, lifeless with no thread tied to any emotions he may or may not have possessed. “Perhaps this time I’ll play the game with the guardian Jinn who had his body pressed so tight to yours it was a wonder you could breathe on that dance floor.”
And with a small smile at the unmasked fear in Ari’s eyes, her father stepped back into the Peripatos just as the bathroom door blew open. Jai rushed in, his face dark with determination and violence. He stalled, seeing her alone, his eyes bright with relief to find her in one piece. She shook from her very toes to the tips of her hair as Jai gathered himself together, slamming the door shut and locking it before hurrying over to her. “Are you OK? Was he here?”