Ari stood up and Jai immediately shot to his feet, his eyes wary, waiting for a reaction.
“Thanks for telling me all that,” Ari managed. “You know, I said it before but you really do deserve better than what they’ve given you, Jai. You’re a really good person.”
“And you’re too generous but thank you.”
After a moment of stilted silence Jai headed towards the door. He turned back to give her a small smile. “We good then?”
“Yeah.” At his still wary look, Ari felt a stab of annoyance. Did he think she was going to keep pining after him after what he’d just said? “Stop worrying,” she reassured him. “You’re right. About everything. I do deserve more and I get that you can’t give me that. It was just a crush. Now I’m moving on.”
An odd look crossed Jai’s face before he could stop it. He quashed the look with a tight smile as he slipped from the room and Ari immediately felt cold. She hugged herself, wishing everything with The White King and Dalí was over already so she could run as far and as fast from everyone and everything as soon as possible. She needed a fresh start.
Well, she’d still take along Ms. Maggie.
17 - ‘Every Father’s Pain Casts a Shadow over a Broken Son’ - Silverchair
Ari eyed the Jinn in the painting. Whoever the artist was, they’d captured the vicious sensuality of Lilif brilliantly and the similarity between her and the woman in Ari’s dream was too uncanny to be ignored.
“Terrifyingly lovely isn’t she,” a deep voice rumbled from behind Ari and she turned swiftly to watch as Luca approached her stealthily. For the first time Ari could see Jai in him. The powerfully sleek walk, like a panther in a jungle, the stern face, the air of competence he wielded like a weapon. Yes… they were alike in ways neither of them wished to acknowledge.
“Sorry?” Ari asked, confusion wrinkling her brow.
“Lilif.” Luca nodded to the painting as he came to a stop beside her. He was broader than Jai, his face rougher, more striking than handsome. Still, he had the same ability to overwhelm her with his presence as Jai did. At least with Jai she trusted him. With Luca… she was still unsure.
“The first of the succubus Jinn?”
“And the mother of the Seven Kings of Jinn.”
What? Ari’s eyes widened. The first of the Lilif Jinn was her grandmother?
Luca gave a huff of amusement. “You thought the Kings had no mother?”
“Well…” she flushed with embarrassment. “I thought they were… that Azazil…”
“Bore them himself?” he smirked.
Feeling stupid Ari shrugged. “I just thought he created them from stars or something. Isn’t that how these mythical stories usually go?”
“Not this one. The Seven Kings were created the good old fashioned way.”
Contemplating that, Ari stared back up at the painting. “What happened to her?”
“There are many legends about Lilif’s disappearance.” Luca’s face darkened. “I don’t care which is true, I’m just glad she’s gone. A being that could create something as malicious as the Lilif Jinn ought not to be allowed to wander freely.”
Luca’s bitterness was palpable; the metallic tang of it so heavy in the air Ari could almost taste it. She didn’t know how to respond to it. What should she say? What could she say? Part of her sympathized with him and the other part of her deplored the way he’d treated Jai.
“I love my wife very much,” Luca suddenly said, breaking the icy silence. “I always have. I only ever wanted her until Jai’s mother hunte-”
“Don’t,” Ari stopped him. She didn’t want his sob story. Not after everything Jai had told her.
Luca glanced down at her, his expression unreadable. Finally it seemed he decided to ignore her. “Her name was Nuala. She’d begun to stalk a wealthy Jinn, a businessman from Orange County, a family man. He came to me for protection and Nuala decided I presented the greater challenge. No matter how I felt, how willing she could make you under her violent lust, it was rape,” his voice hardened. “Do you know how difficult it is for a man to admit to being raped? A strong man like me?”
“As difficult as it is for a strong woman to,” Ari replied not unkindly.
Luca’s lips curled up at the corners. “Touché.”
“I’m sorry for what happened to you. I am. But how you treat Jai… how you allow him to be treated… he deserves better.”
Eyeing her carefully Luca sighed. “I’m very proud of the man Jai has become. But I believe his strict upbringing made him the man he is today.”