Michael eyed Ari. “Are you sure you don’t want to speak alone?”
Her mind raced as she tried to think why Michael was so concerned about her privacy. “If it’s about Jai’s father, he should hear it too.”
“It’s not about Luca. He was calling to warn me that his son David has been spreading rumors that you are, or at least once were, the Seal, and Yasmin Lenz has been corroborating those claims. Most Jinn don’t believe him, but Luca wanted us to be aware in case it sends some inquisitive Jinn our way.”
The blood rushed in Ari’s ears as it suddenly dawned on her why Michael wanted to have this conversation in private. Because of David, and what he’d done. Clearly, Luca found out from his son and had told Michael why David had been subjected to Ari’s command.
Oh, hell. Ari’s eyes flew to Jai as he turned to her, confusion written all over his face. “How did David know what you were? Only Luca, Nicki, Yasmin, and Tarik knew. And Yasmin couldn’t tell anyone.”
Ari shook her head, not sure how Jai would react to the information. “Jai …”
“Ari?” He took a step toward her, his face dark, eyes glittering with warning. “How did he know?”
She raised her hands defensively.
“It was nothing, okay? It was nothing. I dealt with it.”
“Dealt with what?” he snapped.
“Tell him, Ari.” Michael sighed again.
Stomach churning, Ari met Jai’s gaze and informed him quietly, “When we stayed at your parents’ home. I used the command of the Seal against David.”
His eyes burned with questions Ari feared he already knew the answers to. “Why?”
She shook her head, hating that
their wonderful morning together was ruined. “Don’t do anything. Please.”
“Why, Ari?” His voice was rough
with impatience. Ari couldn’t remember seeing him so close to losing control.
She glanced back at Trey for help, but he looked just as ready to explode.
Closing her eyes briefly, she turned back. When she opened them, she saw pain in Jai’s eyes. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. But … He … he tried to assault me. Force himself on me.”
With a yell of pure fury that caused Ari to stumble back into the table, Jai disappeared into the roaring flames of the Peripatos.
“Shit,” Michael and Trey bit out in unison.
Ari didn’t respond. She was already summoning the Peripatos to chase after her boyfriend. Almost falling out of it in her hurry to get to the Bitar mansion, Ari stumbled against Trey who’d followed her. He steadied her, and the sounds of yelling from Luca’s office jolted them into action. They raced out of the hallway and Trey shoved open one of the large double doors. Ari pushed past him as he came to a stop, only to find Jai’s fists curled into the neckline of David’s shirt. He’d hauled him close, his furious green eyes almost black with aggression.
“Did you touch her?” His voice was low, the words edged with a growl.
David grabbed onto Jai’s hands.
“Get off me!”
“Did you touch her?”
His brother’s eyes flicked to Ari and his lip curled into a sneer. He smirked as his gaze traveled back to meet Jai’s, and Ari felt her stomach drop as he whispered, “She loved every minute of it.”
Jai moved so quickly, he was a blur. The floor tiles cracked beneath their feet as he lifted David and slammed his body into the ground. Jai didn’t waste a minute, his fist smashing down into his brother’s face in retribution for his crime.
Ari moved to intervene but was halted by Trey’s strong hands. He held her while she squirmed, her head spinning around upon hearing the familiar Irish voice as Luca held Nicki from the scene.
“Let me go!” she shouted in outrage to her husband, but Luca held fast.