“A little bit, yeah. The tribe don’t know. Only Jai does, as far as I’m aware.”
“How can you live like that?”
Trey raised an eyebrow. “Have you told your parents you traded in an ordinary life to be a sorcerer in order to exact revenge against the Jinn who killed your brother?”
Charlie stared blankly at him a moment. “Well… no. But that’s the kind of thing that could get me locked up in a mental hospital. Yours isn’t.”
Trey didn’t answer, his features turning to stone.
Not knowing what he’d said or done that was bad enough to turn an easygoing guy like Trey into the Terminator, Charlie did what any guy would do… he changed the subject. “So Ari’s out with Jai.” Wearing a ridiculous dress. In a club.
“He’ll take good care of her.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of.”
Eyeing Charlie thoughtfully, Trey observed, “You seem like a good guy. Messed up, mixed up, but a good guy.”
“OK. Thanks, I guess.”
“Jai’s a good guy.”
Charlie grunted. “If you say so.”
“He is. He’s not perfect, but he’s strong and he’s honorable and he’s come out good considering what he’s been through. Jai’s had it really bad, Charlie. Maybe if you understood him better…” Trey heaved a massive sigh as if he’d come to some kind of decision. “I’ve had to pull his brothers off him before they killed him, hide out with him when his stepmom was in a bad mood and looking to beat it out on him.
“Once, when we were thirteen the whole tribe was over celebrating Tarik’s birthday and Jai accidentally knocked over the cake. It was an accident. I know because I shoved him into it.” He grinned cheekily but there was something haunted in his eyes that made Charlie wary. “Nicki was furious and she just started beating on him in front of everybody and he just took it. Luca stepped in to stop her, telling her she was making a scene but I saw his face… he was upset for Jai although he would never admit it. And then Nicki did the worst thing she could have. In front of everyone she took off her belt and told Luca she would leave him if he didn’t beat Jai to prove he loved her more.” Trey’s eyes glazed over with the memories. “Everybody knew about Jai’s mom. What she’d done to Luca and Nicki’s relationship, what she’d done to Luca.
“All of Jai’s life Luca has been proving that it was done against his will and that he has no affection for Jai, the product of… rape, basically. And although I think it made him sick to do it, he battered Jai with that belt. Maybe he cares, right? But not enough.” Trey shifted now, swallowing hard. “I tried to stop them, got a welt for my troubles.” He pointed to a white scar across his eyebrow. “My dad pulled me off and gave me a walloping when we got home.” Trey twisted his mouth with disbelief and when he finally spoke again his voice was full of utter loyalty for his friend, “Jai found out and snuck out still bruised and battered to hell, all to make sure I was OK. That’s the kind of guy he is.”
“You feel guilty.”
“Hell yeah, I pushed him into the cake,” Trey tried to laugh it off but Charlie felt uneasy. Jai had had a horrible, abusive upbringing. That’s why he seemed so cold and detached all the time…because he was.
“He’ll hurt her,” Charlie said, sure that he spoke the truth. “He can’t give her what she needs.”
Knowing exactly what he spoke of Trey eyed him with an unnerving amount of perceptiveness. “And you think you can?”
“Maybe. Perhaps one day. When she’s ready.”
“What if you’ve already blown your chance, Sorcerer Boy?”
“I’m not giving up. And Jai… he’ll just use her and then leave her.”
Trey shook his head and reached for the remote control to unmute the film. “You don’t know him. And he needs someone like, Ari. And she needs someone like him.”
“Someone like him? He’s a cold bastard.”
Trey threw him a sharp look. “You don’t know him. And yes, Ari needs someone like him. Someone who’ll put her first. Someone who’ll love her… enough.”
Charlie threw his look back at him in exasperation. “He’s putting his job first. Not Ari.”
“Yeah, now. But he’ll come to his senses. My boy always does.”
“Well, he’ll be too late,” Charlie grumbled, his gut roiling at the thought of losing Ari to the Jinn.
“I know,” Trey agreed with a cocky grin. “Did you see the way she was eyeing me today? If Jai doesn’t move fast I think it’ll be a wedding in springtime. Ari and I would make pretty babies.”
Charlie punched him hard on the shoulder. “Screw you.”