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“Since we were kids,” Garrick answered. Bastian shot him a look, quietly telling him to shut up. They weren’t there to answer her questions.
“Why are you in Kassel?” Bastian asked Ariella, leaning to the side enough to block her view of Garrick.
She stared at him a long moment. He’d seen this look plenty of times. Would she tell the truth or gamble with a lie?
“Dad had me blacklisted at all the clubs back home.” She said finally, raising her chin defiantly. Okay, she went with a truth, but not the truth he wanted.
“So?” Bastian shrugged. “You what? Came all this way to try and sing in clubs?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “There’s a lot of really good clubs here. I’ve even got an audition tomorrow night.”
“You needed to meet with Ares Morgan for that?” Garrick asked from the bed.
She scrunched her mouth to the side. And the almost truth would be coming next. Sometimes, it was too damn easy to read her.
“In a way.”
“In what way do you need to meet with Ares Morgan?” Garrick asked.
“Why do you keep saying his name like that?” Her voice rose with her frustration.
“Do you not know who he is?” Bastian questioned.
She blinked a few times, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Who do you think he is?” Bastian stepped closer to her. “Ariella.” He grabbed her chin when he was close enough and pushed her head back until her eyes locked on his. “Tell me everything right now. I’m out of patience.” He shouldn’t be touching her, but now that he was - a decision he’d been battling with finally was made.
Fuck the consequences.
“Bastian.” She wrapped her hand around his wrist, the touch setting his blood on fire. “I can’t. Please, you won’t understand.”
He leaned closer, inhaling the slight fear radiating off her. Fuck, it felt good, having her in his hands, right there for the taking.
“There’s nothing about you I don’t understand.” He raked his gaze over her face, taking in the wildness of her crystal blue eyes, the redness of her cheeks beneath his fingers, and the fullness of her lips. “If you won’t tell me, I’ll throw you over my knee and spank your ass until you do.” There was no mistaking this one; it wasn’t an empty threat. He’d waited too long to give her the punishment she deserved.
She sucked in air. Disbelief maybe? Did she really think he wouldn’t do exactly as he said? He’d almost blown down her damn hotel room door. He’d chased her across the city to find her. No, there were no more reprieves for her.
“You can’t.”
“He can,” Garrick confirmed firmly. “And if he doesn’t, I sure as hell will.”
Bastian turned his head away from Ariella to send a glare his way. Garrick held his stare, not so much as blinking. It had been years, but the unspoken message was the same as it always had been. They were laying claim here, and unless one told the other to back off, neither would.
Turning back to the errant girl in his hands, Bastian grinned down at her.
“Your choice, Ariella. Tell the truth or face the consequences.” His cock thickened in his pants, pressing hard against the zipper. There was no turning back if he went forward with this.
Searching her eyes, he thought she’d tell him what he wanted to know. But once again, the girl surprised him.
Stiffening her jaw, she took a deep breath.
“I’ll take the consequences.”
Garrick laughed behind him. “You just made my night, Princess.”
Bastian eased his fingers away from her face and took a small step back from her. He scraped his teeth over his bottom lip and reached for his belt buckle.
CHAPTER9
