But he seems to have that magnetic pull with everyone. The thought sours my mood immediately. Kai had several women approach him tonight. I could read their intentions a mile off, and I was trying my absolute damn hardest not to stab one of them in the eye.
“You’re glaring again,” Logan says, dragging my attention from the busty blond currently sending Kai side glances from the bar.
I shrug and smile sweetly at him. “I just wasn’t aware so many people had no regard for their life.”
Logan chokes on his beer and glares at me.
“Oh, don’t worry, detective. I only kill bad people.”
Logan holds up his hand. “Please, I don’t want to know.”
I smile like the Cheshire cat and wiggle my eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
Logan shakes his head at me and looks at Kai, who shrugs.
“Positive,” Logan mutters.
“It’s not my fault people make me want to stab them.”
“Ash!” Logan snaps.
Kai laughs, giving me a peck on the cheek. “You know she is messing with you, detective.”
“Somewhat,” I add, my lips curling up.
“You two are made for each other,” Logan says, running his hand through his thick black hair, and it doesn’t slip my notice that he arranges the longer locks so they’ll partly hide the nasty scar that covers one side of his face.
I reach over and touch his arm. “Don’t do that. Don’t hide your scars, especially not from me. I’ve got them in droves—you just can’t see them. But if I could, I’d wear them proudly because it means I was stronger than whatever tried to take me down.”
Logan’s icy-blue eyes widen in surprise and Kai’s hand lands on the small of my back, the heat of his touch soaking into my skin.
“Think of scars like tattoos, just with way better stories,” I add lightly, punching him in the arm.
Logan stares at me for a moment before answering. “Thanks, I think.”
“Anytime, detective.” My grin widens at his unease.
I spot Salena weaving her way over to us, her eyes shining brightly. I’m happy for her; Logan is the perfect mate. Sure, he can see the dead and has terrible nightmares, but he’s a good man with a big heart who deserves love.
After what his parents did to him, they deserved everything they got. The first time I met Logan, his past flashed through my mind, but it wasn’t what I saw that hurt my heart—it was what I felt coming from him. Heartbreak, sorrow, and abandonment bled from his soul, seeping into the world around him, leaving him isolated and alone.
I was so angry at the pain emanating from him, I paid his parents a visit, and of course they denied having a son. So, I toyed with them for a while, savoring every moment as I pushed them to the brink. Fear is a potent weapon, and I wielded it with precision, watching as their minds unraveled under the weight of it. It was almost too easy to plant the seeds of terror, whispering doubts and horrors that grew into full-blown nightmares. They had no chance against me, not with their fragile psyches already teetering on the edge.
I watched them break, their spirits crumbling like dry leaves underfoot. The satisfaction was cold, but it was there, a dark thrill that pulsed through me as they spiraled into madness. Now, they’re living out their days in separate mental institutions, each one a prisoner of the hell I crafted for them. It hadn’t taken much—just a few well-placed fears, a nudge in the right direction—and they’d folded like cards in a rigged game. They were weak, pathetic, the kind of people who were destined to break from the start.
A growl slips from my lips as I recall the memories, and the two men stop talking and look at me with raised brows.
“Sorry,” I say, taking a small sip of my drink.
“You good?” Kai asks.
“Peachy.”
Salena arrives at the table, and without hesitation, she throws her arms around Logan from behind, nuzzling into the crook of his neck with a playful smile. “You ready to get out of here, detective?” she asks, her voice a soft murmur meant just for him.
Logan sets his glass down on the table, turning his head to plant a gentle kiss on her cheek. “Yep,” he replies, his tone filled with the quiet contentment of a man who’s exactly where he wants to be.
Salena’s face lights up with a beaming smile as she lets go of him, turning her attention to me. “Thanks for making it, Ash,” she says warmly, her eyes reflecting genuine gratitude.
