Scorched Skies by Samantha Young Page A

made her muscles scream. “How can I be in this much pain when I didn ’ t even know him?”
    “You knew what he allowed you to know, Ari. And you loved him. I don ’ t know what happened out there between you before you were attacked, but whatever it was… it doesn ’ t mean you aren ’ t allowed to grieve.”
    Nodding, Ari headed towards the door and stopped when she saw Jai and Charlie waiting in the hallway.  Charlie looked ready to launch himself across the hall at her but she didn ’ t want to be touched right now.
    “Jai, please accompany Ari to the county morgue,” The Red King commanded softly.
    “I ’ ll go with her,” Charlie offered.
    No.
    Okay. The Red King ’ s voice echoed back in her head and she realized with a gentle start that that was the first time they ’ d spoken to one another telepathically. Ari had done it without thinking.
    “No. I need Jai guarding her. You ’ re back on full-time duty as of now, Mr. Bitar.”
    “Of course,” the sound of Jai ’ s gravelly voice felt soothing against Ari ’ s agitated body.
    Not able to meet Charlie ’ s eyes, Ari walked past them and down the stairs. She saw her car keys in the bowl at the door. Jai must have brought her car back.
    Derek is dead.
    It knocked the breath right out of her and when she turned to wait on Jai, a tear slipped out before she could stop it. Jai ’ s expression was pained as he took the last step off the staircase towards her. He stopped inches from her, much closer than he normally stood, so close she could smell that skin-tingling cologne he wore. When his hand came up to her cheek and she felt the gentle press of his thumb sweeping her tears away, Ari unconsciously leaned into his touch, no longer feeling brittle, no longer wanting space. She wanted to dive into Jai ’ s arms and feel his heartbeat against her ear. She wanted to feel vital life wrapped around her in a moment when death seemed so much stronger.
    “I ’ m sorry,” he whispered, his fingers trailing down her cheek before his arm fell back to his side.
    She nodded and looked over his shoulder to see Charlie watching them, his eyes bright with pain. That hurt. Ari offered him a wobbly smile. “I ’ ll be back soon.”
    “Ari…” Charlie breathed and she knew he wanted to come to her.
    “I know,” she whispered. She should have let him. She should have let him enfold her in his arms and offer her the comfort she sought. But he wasn ’ t the one she wanted the comfort from. He wouldn ’ t ever be when Jai was standing so close.
    Sick to her stomach, Ari turned and grabbed her keys, bracing herself for the horror ahead.

    ~6~

    Diamond-Sewn Solitude is Just a Richer Loneliness

    Ari stood in Derek ’ s bedroom trembling. Everything was taken care of. Jai and Charlie had been a great help. The funeral was tomorrow. She had picked out a suit for her dad and Charlie had taken it to the funeral home. Jai and Charlie had made all the arrangements and she ’ d signed where she needed to, signed the checks. Charlie had even picked out the casket because she was too distraught to do much of anything. The guys had even sat with her while a lawyer went over her dad ’ s will. Everything was now hers and she was eighteen so… she was on her own. Her dad had bought an apartment in Philadelphia that she hadn ’ t known about and it was in her name. For college she presumed. She ’ d have to put the house on the market and she ’ d have to sell that apartment too. She couldn ’ t stay here even if she wasn ’ t being hunted by a powerful Jinn King. Too many memories. Too much hurt.
    Covered in grime and dust, Ari had attacked her dad ’ s bedroom with blank energy. Everything was thrown into cardboard boxes, some for goodwill, some for the garbage, some she couldn ’ t help but want to keep.
    Even though a huge, guilty part of her was still furious with her dad.
    And now this.
    She glanced around at the work she ’ d done, the envelope in her