Page 111 of Entranced By the Basilisks

“You should come around more and get to know them. You’d like them.”

I nod because I should. I’ve pulled away from Grace because I wasn’t adjusting to the truth of the world. Now, I want to make up for all the time I let pass by without being involved. I want to get to know Grace’s new family better, like Ma has done with Eloise.

Grace focuses her gaze on me, and my line of thinking stops.

“Forgiving him doesn’t make you weak,” She pauses to give what she says next an emphasis. “As long as you actually forgive him and don’t just say it’s fine while avoiding him that is.”

“Ouch.” I deserve that.

“It’s not weak to forgive him,” she reiterates.

“I’m just so hurt. My heart hurts that he did that. And if I let him in again, what’s to stop him from manipulating me again?”

Grace makes a thoughtful sound. “As someone who is mated to a gargoyle who is very strategic… he’s probably not going to stop manipulating things. It may not be you again, but he probably feels like he has to control everything and a compulsion like that doesn’t just go away.”

“So I just have to put up with it?” I ask.

“Do you have an idea why he does it?”

I swallow, thinking about the pain on his face when he’d spoken about losing his family. The longing he’d experienced waiting for Jasper to return his affection rather than just his lust. Ari wants his mates and will do anything required to keep us. Am I so surprised that a man that sees himself as alone in the world would do whatever necessary to bind his mates to him?

“Yeah, it could get better over time.” If he believes that Jasper and I are here for him. If he trustsus.

“And what about the director?” Grace asks as if I’ve said those words out loud.

“Jasper is…” The glue. Ari said that I was the instigator. The fire that started the three of us burning, but Jasper was the one pulling each of us close. Ari is consistent in what he wants, but Jasper is the one who will catch both of us when we fall.

He supports us.

“I don’t know how I didn’t have a massive crush on him from the beginning,” I say.

Grace laughs. “Oh, I don’t know, because he was always so curt with you? He acted like he couldn’t get away from you fast enough.”

“He said he knew his presence made me uncomfortable.”

Now Grace blinks. “Oh, that’s actually really sweet.”

“Yeah. Under all that grumpiness, he’s pretty sweet.”

Grace snorts. “Wouldn’t have known that with the way he was today.”

“He was at work today?” And why does this surprise me? My training had been the reason that he had taken time away from his job. I dig into the chocolaty goodness of the ice cream and try not to imagine Ari being as alone today as he feared he’d be.

“Oh yes, and everyone knew it.” Grace scrunches her face. “It’s not that he yelled or anything like that. He’s just… cutting, and today was sharper than usual. I think Agnes was trying to keep from snarling at him. She doesn’t need him showing up to micromanage just because he’s in a foul mood.”

“I’m going to go to work tomorrow,” I say and decide at the same time.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’d like to get back into the swing of things. I’ve been trained enough that I’m no longer a workplace hazard and I think it would be good.” And I want to see him. I want to make sure Jasper is okay because it sounds like he’s not.

46

ARI

The elevator dingsand I frown for a moment. The sound is different than just hearing my phone ring incessantly. Each time the phone would light up, I’d feel hopeful that it would be one of my mates, only to be disappointed.

“Mr. Zeyad? I have a visitor here for you. She said that you’d want to see her.” My doorman’s voice echoes from the elevator, sounding unsure.

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