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“That’s not going to happen,” Garrick promised. If he had to get his brother and his cousins to join him in Caspian to take down any threat to her or her family, he’d do it. Her safety, her happiness, was his only priority.
Over her shoulder, Bastian’s concern was written all over his face. His jaw was tight, and his eyes narrowed. Bastian had spent the last seven years watching over her, and Garrick now understood why he’d been so overprotective. She deserved to be sheltered, kept away from all the evil in the world.
“When we get in there, you’ll go first, but we will be right behind you.” Garrick pushed the hair from her cheek and tugged on the collar of her coat, closing it up against the night chill. “Don’t go too far ahead, and do not go anywhere with anyone unless we’re with you. Got it?”
“When he saw Jackson, he bolted. Won’t he notice you guys?” She brushed his hands away and unbuttoned the top button of her coat.
“He might. But Ash and Peter should already be here,” Bastian explained. “Besides, Ursa knows you’ve been with us. He would expect us to be with you.”
“Do not go off on your own, though.” Garrick pointed a finger at her. “I mean it.”
She dared to roll her damn eyes.
“I already said I understand. Can we please just get this whole thing over with?” She lowered her eyes when she spoke. The stress was getting to her.
“Yes, let’s get it done.” He stepped aside and gestured for her to go ahead of him, but he was right on her heels.
“You get it now, yeah?” Bastian asked as he fell in step beside him. “Why I watch so closely? Why I want to protect her from everything?”
“Yeah. I get it.” Garrick nodded.
The strobe lights of the club swirled over the crowd. Garrick’s feet vibrated with the music coming through the floor as they approached the back. A security guard stopped Ariella.
“I’m looking for Ares Morgan. He’s expecting me,” she explained, gently prying her arm from his grasp. Garrick fisted his hands, reminding himself that getting into a fight too soon could jeopardize everything. It wasn’t only Ariella he wanted to get out of this mess with Ursa. Half a dozen women needed saving.
The security guard, a tall but lanky asshole, swept his gaze over Ariella. Someone must have started talking into his earpiece. He looked up, pressing his fingers to the little ear bud as though to turn up the volume. A second later, he nodded.
“Those two with you?” He pointed two fingers at Bastian and Garrick.
“We are.” Garrick stepped closer to him.
“Ares is in the back. Follow this wall around to the main bar, past the bathrooms. There’s a hallway; take that to the end. He’s in the private office,” the bouncer pointed to the larger of the three bars on the club's main floor. Electra was known for its seven levels, each more exclusive than the one below.
Garrick slid his hand down Ariella’s arm, threading his fingers through hers. “Stay with us,” he said firmly into her ear. “Don’t get separated.”
“Let’s go.” Bastian took the lead, shoving through the crowd and pushing toward the bar and the dance floor. Garrick held tight to Ariella’s hand as she twisted to the side to wiggle through the crush.
Bastian checked over his shoulder for them, shoved a dancing asshole out of the way for her, then kept moving through the thick sea of people. Garrick elbowed another prick when he eyed Ariella and tried to step in front of her. The fucking rats were out tonight.
“What about your brother?” Ariella yelled over her shoulder to Garrick. He barely heard her over the music getting louder as they got closer to the DJ booth.
He shook his head in response. The music was too loud; she wouldn’t hear him anyway. Jackson and their cousins weren’t in the club. They had their own positioning just in case Ares decided to bolt.
Garrick’s phone was burning a hole in his back pocket, but he ignored it. Whatever the fuck it was, it could wait until later. He shoved another jackass out of the way, and they pressed on through the thickest part of the crowd near the main bar.
On the right side of them, a bachelorette party was screaming and cheering. To the left, another group began hollering. Another shove, this time from the back. Garrick turned to see who it was but was shoved again in the other direction.
“Garrick!” Ariella screamed as her hand slipped through his. He reached for her, but the crowd had swallowed her up. Bastian wasn’t anywhere to be seen either.
Another shove, this time harder, a punch to his gut.
“Bastian! Ariella!” He bellowed his rage at losing his grip on her. Throwing elbows, he forced his way through the rest of the crowd. Fighting his way to the hallway, he was sure he’d find Ariella standing with Bastian.
“Where is she?” Bastian demanded as Garrick emerged from the mass of people. His chest ripped open with panic.
“She’s not here?” Garrick swirled around, searching the permitter of the crowd. “She was right in front of me!” He rushed back in, shoving people from his view. Bastian was at his side, both men screaming out her name.
“Ariella!” Garrick’s rage-filled bellow stopped the dancers near him, but none of them were Ariella.
