Page 51 of Her Vampire, His Ruin

“I’m talking about the fact that Satan over there left Henrietta a rather chilling note about her ex, and we’re here to find out what it meant.”

“Satan?” Henrietta exclaims. “That’s a little harsh. Logan might be a little brusque and likely a little devilish,” she adds with a shimmy. “But he’s definitely not the spawn of all evil. Right, Angel?”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Viktor says, eyeing Logan with amusement.

“I merely dealt with Henrietta’s problem,” Logan says, folding his arms across his chest.

“You did?” I ask, snapping my attention to Logan. “Care to enlighten us?”

Logan has earned his position as my second because he’s respected my rules all these years, but acting without my express permission is not something I’ll tolerate. We’ll have a conversation about that later.

“Henrietta’s ex turned up at her house the second night I was there,” Logan explains.

A flicker of fear passes over Henrietta’s face before she hides it behind feigned shock. I think her ex has been far more problematic than she’s led Edie to believe.

“He did?” she asks.

“He did. He was also drunk. I merely persuaded him to leave you alone. That’s it.”

“Persuaded him how?” Edie asks.

“We had a conversation⁠—”

“Now that I find hard to believe,” Viktor mutters.

“We had a conversation,” Logan repeats, unruffled. “By the end of it, he understood the boundaries that I laid out before him, and the consequences if he were to break them. Then he left. Problem sorted.”

Elizabeth scoffs. “You threatened him, you mean?”

“If he felt threatened, that’s on him. I merely pointed out what would happen if he ever bothered Henrietta again.”

“Erm… thank you?” Henrietta says.

Elizabeth shakes her head. “That’s it? You trust his word.”

Henrietta puffs out her cheeks, slowly releasing the air. “He hasn’t given me any reason not to.”

“Yet,” Elizabeth says.

Logan turns to face her, his eyes narrowing. “My word is my vow.”

Elizabeth opens her mouth to respond, but the sharp sound of heels clicking over the marble floor interrupts her. I don’t need to look to know who’s just entered. My body tenses.

“Well, this is cosy. Sorry, I’m late.”

“Whoa, aren’t you just completely stunning?” Henrietta says, her mouth popping open as Sybil strides towards us clad in a soft leather dress that clings to her frame like a second skin.

Edie peers around me and lets out a soft gasp. “Who is that?”

“Edie, Hettie, Elizabeth, this is Sybil, my friend, business partner, and the star of Avant Garde. I wasn’t expecting to see you this evening,” I add as she leans down and greets me with a kiss to the cheek.

“Clearly,” she replies, brushing her hands over my shoulder, a show of possessiveness that is as unwelcome as it is irritating.

“Friend, huh?” Elizabeth scoffs, and I can’t help but note the way Edie stiffens beside me.

Flipping her long auburn hair over her shoulder, Sybil takes a seat then helps herself to a glass of wine. “Looks like I’m just in time for dessert. What are we having, lemon meringue?” she asks, eying Henrietta.

“Sybil,” I warn, knowing exactly where she’s going with this.