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“Ash is not Samuel,” Peter stated firmly.
Garrick shook his head. “So Jackson has told me.”
“Blaming me for my father’s sins is no different than holding Ariella here responsible for her aunt’s or her father’s.” Ash took a step toward Garrick. “You hate me for what my father did, selling your mother’s club, pushing you from the home you had here. I had no control over any of those things.”
Garrick knew he was right. But it didn’t change the anger bubbling inside. His mother’s club had been used to kidnap and move girls beneath the city, selling them to disgusting men to do horrible things.
“What about the Annex?” Garrick shot.
“Not a single girl is there unwillingly, and you know that.” Ash was quick to point out.
“I know you’re pissed, and I get it,” Peter interjected. “But right now, Ariella’s in trouble here. You said yourself that if it gets out that she made that exchange, they will blame her father. Let’s focus on the problem at hand. Getting her out of this mess and getting Ares in my hands.”
Garrick’s jaw clicked.
Jackson turned to him, his eyes matching the rage inside Garrick’s chest.
“Mom didn’t deserve to lose the club like that,” Jackson said, his voice raw with the mention of their mother. “And Dad should have told us the truth.”
“I never meant to keep you out. The four of us, we’re the Titon men now.” Ash stepped closer to Garrick. “Let’s drive Ares out of Kassel, send a message to anyone who wants to peddle that shit in our town.”
Garrick glanced at Ariella, who watched him with wide eyes. She was concerned. He could see it in the little wrinkle of her brow.
His initial urge to bash his cousin into the ground waned.
“Our Father’s sins do not rest on our shoulders.” Ash put his hand out to Garrick. Being the first to reach out wasn’t Ash’s style. But they weren’t enemies. They were family.
Garrick looked over at his brother. Jackson gave a small nod. He’d forgiven their uncle long before Garrick would, but Ash was right. The sins of their uncle were not for Ash to carry.
Slowly, Garrick extended his hand.
“Let’s get to work.” Garrick pumped Ash’s hand once.
CHAPTER26
Ariella
* * *
Her towel had barely been tuckedinto place when the bathroom door flung open. Garrick eyed her with annoyance.
“What are you doing in here?” He demanded.
She looked at the towel wrapped around her body, soaking in the last bit of water from her shower.
“Looks fairly obvious.” She smiled. He didn’t return the grin.
“Why are you in here, though? Why aren’t you in our room?” He gathered up the clothes she’d discarded onto the counter.
“Because Bastian was in there.” She shoved a loose lock of hair behind her ear. “Can I not use this one?”
He grumbled something incoherent as he chased her from the bathroom, through the guest bedroom, and into the hall.
“I didn’t understand any of that.” She hurried her step down the hall toward their room.
Bastian had a towel wrapped around his waist, standing in the middle of the bedroom. He was using a second towel to dry his hair. He stopped when Garrick blew past him to the closet.
“What’s wrong.”
