Page 100 of Unholy Bonds

“Of course, I want to. But who is Daphne, and where can I find her?”

“There. Talking with Logan. That’s Daphne Morgan, and she’s the owner of the gallery.”

Thanking Trish, Ryden and I walked away. Enzo stayed, chatting with her, looking animated.

“It’s you,” Logan said to me when I reached Daphne. “Did you take a look at my other pieces?”

“No, I was busy looking at that,” I said, pointing to Trish’s piece. Daphne Morgan brightened, and I could see the glint of dollars in her eyes. She was ready for the sale.

“Trish is good.”

“I want to buy that piece.” Daphne smiled eagerly when I showed her the painting.

“So, Logan, are you from Detroit?” Ryden asked, a friendly smile on his face. I knew what he was doing—he was vetting Logan for me. I had never had a partner in crime before… but this was something I could come to like.

That line of thought… it’s dangerous, Yara.

“No. I’m from NY, but Detroit is like a home away from home.”

“Do you travel often for art exhibitions?” I asked, studying his eyes. There wasn’t a flicker of emotion in his eyes as he gave me a cool nod.

“He does, but he always comes back home,” Daphne said, smiling.

“Yes, I fell in love with Detroit when I first came here years ago, and I can’t walk away even if I want to. I’m here to stay now.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I want to enjoy everything Detroit has to offer. Everything.”

39

OF FLESH AND FIRE

YARA

Icouldn’t stop staring at Logan Jones. There was something about him that made me feel like a cornered animal, and I didn’t like that feeling.

He might not even be The Strangler, but something was odd about the way he talked about masks, the way his eyes were cold even when he was smiling. I could see the darkness lingering just behind that trained grin.

“Excuse me, I need to talk with someone else,” Logan said politely before he walked away, leaving me with Ryden and Daphne.

“Ryden?” A woman waved from the crowd. With an excuse me, Ryden went to where she stood with a man. She hugged him and gave him an excited smile.

After writing a check for Trish’s painting, Daphne Morgan and I met with Trish. Trish’s eyes were shining when she saw the check, and Enzo looked just as excited, or even more so.

“You’re a good woman, Doctor Death,” he said with a smile, his blue eyes warm. “You’d be good for him. He needs someone like you.”

I stared at him, not knowing how to reply to that. Ryden and I… were not going to be good together. We were a disaster waiting to happen, and I had been anticipating it the moment we started, but I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t stop until that disaster.

“I’ll send it as soon as the exhibit is over,” Daphne said with a smile, and I nodded, thanking her.

I looked at Ryden, and he was still talking with the same beautiful woman. When he saw me staring, he motioned me to go to him.

“Yara, this is Vanessa, a friend…”

“Who wasn’t a friend,” I said. I knew this was the woman who wasn’t a girlfriend but the one he fucked. I wasn’t a jealous woman, but if I was, I’d surely be insecure about how gorgeous she looked in the champagne-colored dress that hugged all her curves. She was perfect.

“And you’re the reason he couldn’t kiss me that night. He flinched away like…” She shook her head with a fond smile. “I broke up with him because I knew. And I’m glad we broke up because I met…” She turned to the man next to him. “This is Edmund. My boyfriend.”

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