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Bastian ripped the apartment listings in half and dropped them into the garbage can.
“Your father’s on his way home from his hunt. He’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.” Bastian plopped down on the couch and kicked his feet onto the coffee table, crossing them at the ankle as though he had no worry in the world.
An anvil sunk into Ariella’s stomach. Her father was returning early. She had only twenty-four hours before she would have to deal with him. Pressing her hand to her stomach, she sank onto the piano bench.
“How can you be so blasé about it?” She asked, raising her eyes to Bastian.
“Because.” He leaned forward. “After he gets home, we deal with it; then it’s over. Then we can move you out of his house and into this one.” He looked at Garrick. “She might want a room of her own, somewhere she can get away from us now and then.”
“No.” Garrick crossed his arms over his chest. “She sleeps in our bed every night.” He pointed a finger at Bastian.
“I’m not saying she won’t. But you have to admit, the closet space in that room isn’t large enough for three people.”
“You’re not worried? About tonight?” How could they talk about things like closet space when they had to work out a plan to save half a dozen women from being sold off to the worst of the worst?
“No.” Bastian shook his head. “It’s all worked out. Now that we know where and when, Garrick will let Peter know. He’ll be taking care of Ares. Then we’ll be taking care of the girls. Ashland has opened up space at his estate for them until they reunite with their families or are ready to go out on their own.”
“He’s done it before,” Garrick added. “When he took over for his father, he did the same for the women his father had held captive.”
“You hated your cousin only a few days ago, but now you trust him?” Why was she the only one seeing reason here?
“With this. Yes. I trust him.” Garrick nodded. “In time, I’ll trust him with more.”
Her stomach ached. Everything was coming to a head too quickly. Her father, the delivery, dealing with her aunt, moving in with the guys. She sucked in a slow breath.
“Princess.” Garrick fell to a squat in front of her. “You okay?”
“I just need some fresh air.” She took another easy breath. “I think I’ll go sit on the back porch.”
Garrick straightened.
“Take your coat,” Garrick ordered as he stepped to the side, letting her pass.
“We’ll be in here if you need us,” Bastian said, standing with his hands in his pockets.
Ariella rushed down the hall to the kitchen, grabbing her coat from the hook in the mudroom as she passed through it. She worked her arms into the sleeves and stepped out into the crisp October air.
Leaning against the porch railing, she tilted her face toward the sun, letting the warm rays shine on her while she caught her breath. She only had a few hours left before everything in her world could crash down around her.
And what would she do if she lost them both? How would she survive if she had to go back to live under her father’s rule?
CHAPTER28
Garrick
* * *
“Areyou sure you can do this?” Bastian tugged on Ariella’s arm as she walked in front of him toward the club.
“I am.” She stopped short, almost walking right into Garrick’s back when he stopped in front of her. “I’m ready.”
“I don’t know.” Bastian sent a worried look to Garrick. “We can handle it from here. We don’t need her to do this. We’ll go in and just take care of it.”
“No,” Ariella demanded. “If I’m not there, Ursa will…”
“What? Tell your father the same thing we’re going to tell him tomorrow when we see him?” Bastian asked.
“No. She’ll use this to start trouble for my father.” She answered.
