Smokeless Fire Read Online Free PDF Page A

to kiss you… not such an easy feat. Trey had said he’d step up to the plate if he really needed to but Jai knew Trey’s dad (a closet homophobe) would kill him. So Jai had refused, and not because he was terrified to kiss a dude, although it wouldn’t have been the greatest thing to ever happen to a straight teen guy, but because he refused to be pushed into something just so his father could enjoy humiliating him. It was doubtful with his genes anyway that the trace would work on a guy. His father had come down on him hard for weeks after that.
    For everyone else Luca Bitar was this strong, loyal Jinn who protected people. To his family he was the guy they could turn to for help. But when Jai’s mother seduced him against his will, she’d stolen a piece of the love he had for Nicki and he’d blamed Jai for it for as long as Jai could remember.
    Letting the memories fade into the background, Jai turned deferentially to The Red King. “How can I be of service?”
    The Red King nodded, grinning widely. “I like you.” He pointed a gun finger at him and Jai couldn’t help but think this guy would do well in a Tarantino movie. “I do. I like you. That’s good. OK, kid. Here’s the deal. I have this extremely important Important I want you to watch over.”
    Well, if it was someone one of the Jinn Kings wanted protected they must be a huge deal. Jai felt his blood pump with excitement at the challenge. “I take it she’s a woman… if you want my particular gift?”
    “You betcha. Now, she’s real important to me, Jai. I need to know you got this.”
    Slipping into guardian mode, Jai stiffened with determination. “Of course, Your Highness.”
    “My son is the best, Your Highness,” Luca assured him.
    Keeping his face impassive, Jai nearly struggled to swallow a smile when The Red King laughed at Luca and then turned back to him with a twinkle in his eyes. “Bet that’s the first time you ever heard that sentence uttered from his mouth — I mean when he was talking about you and not one of his pansy-assed full-bloods.”
    Rather than say anything disrespectful, Jai’s eyes gave a non-committal reply. He kind of liked the King. He’d grown up on the stories of the Jinn Kings. He knew everything about them and Azazil and the so-called War of the Flames. Never in any of those stories had he imagined The Red King to be… funny.
    “Well, you’ll do.” The Red King nodded again. “Look, this is an indefinitely long assignment and it’s a 24/7 hour guard so if you got any stuff you need to take care of in Hollywood, you got twelve hours to do it. I’ll explain the whole… situation … when you meet me back here. I don’t do Hollywood. I like the movies but the people…” he shuddered at the thought before abruptly exploding into bright, hot licks of fire.
    When he was gone silence echoed around his father’s office. Finally, Luca cleared his throat. “I don’t have to tell you how important this assignment is. You’re not the only reason The Red King came to us for this. When my great-grandfather was tribe leader one of his guardians killed one of the Jinn in an effort to protect an Important. He was taken to the Jinn Courts and would have been tried and killed if The Red King hadn’t spoken up for him. The Red King is collecting on the debt we owe him. Don’t mess it up.”
    Not even his father’s disdain could ruin this moment for Jai. He’d just landed his biggest assignment ever. This would cement his position and power within the company. “No, sir.” He nodded militantly and then visualized his apartment before using the Peripatos . He’d get his car later.
    His condo was bright and airy and devoid of any clutter. There was little furniture and what was there was black and chrome and very masculine. Chicks hated it but Jai wasn’t really a relationship type of guy so it didn’t matter. With nothing to wrap up before the assignment started Jai flopped down onto his leather couch,