Trusted Bond

returning to killing people with a machine gun.
    ―She likes the whole poor tortured artist bullshit, and you know that ain‘t
    me. Whatcha see is whatcha get—I ain‘t deep, and I make no apologies
    for that. You, Saint Jin, are deep enough for all of us put—‖
    ―What‘d you just—‖
    His cackle cut me off. ―It‘s what Domin calls you. That shit is
    funny.‖
    ―What‘re you talking about?‖
    He laughed at me. ―Domin does this killer impression of you‖—he
    furrowed his brows, and when he spoke, his voice was high and whiny—
    ―oh no, Logan I can‘t be your reah, what would that do to your life and
    your tribe?‖
    I squinted at him.
    He waggled his eyebrows.
    ―What the fuck was that?‖
    ―That was you.‖ He grinned then shrugged. ―Well, Domin‘s
    impression of you.‖
    ―Since when do I have an English accent?‖
    ―It‘s funnier that way.‖
    I could have done without the back of his hand on his forehead and
    his bated breath. ―Fuck you, and fuck Domin Thorne, and fuck—‖
    ―Calm down,‖ he said, laughing at me again. ―It‘s funny as hell…
    Saint Jin. I thought Delphine was gonna pee herself, and Russ fell off the
    couch. You know Domin is sarcastic as hell and quick—fuck. I thought he
    was a dick at first when he was trying to kill you and all, but he‘s fuckin‘
    hilarious, and he has you down pat.‖
    ―You‘re supposed to defend me.‖
    ―You‘re such a douche.‖
    ―So Domin thinks I‘m some kinda drama queen?‖
    ―You are some kind of drama queen and a douche,‖ he reminded
    me, ―and pain in the ass, and you wanna have everything be perfect all the
    damn time.‖
    ―And?‖
    ―And you know the rest,‖ he said, his eyes on mine. He didn‘t have
    to give me the words; there were too many years between us for me to
    doubt his feelings. ―Between us, you know how it is, right?‖
    50

    Mary Calmes

    I let out a deep breath. ―Yeah, I know.‖
    ―So what‘s the truth, Jin?‖
    I just stared up at his profile now that he had turned back to killing
    the minions of Columbian drug lords. ―I love Logan.‖
    ―I know that.‖
    ―But I worry that he just loves me because I‘m his reah.‖
    After a minute, he looked down at me, and his expression, along
    with the way he was squinting, made me groan. ―Again with this
    bullshit?‖
    ―C‘mon, Crane.‖
    ―‗C‘mon, Crane‘ nothing—fuck you and fuck this crap.‖
    ―But—‖
    ―He just loves you ‘cause you‘re his reah?‖
    I growled at him.
    ―Why does it matter why he loves you?‖
    ―Crane—‖
    ―I‘m serious. Who the fuck cares why he loves you? The important
    thing is that he does. People get stuck in elevators and fall in love, people
    work side by side every day and fall in love, people go down on planes
    together and fall in love, it doesn‘t matter what brought you together, now
    you just gotta see where it goes.‖
    ―He wants me to think of him first when I get hurt or I‘m happy or
    whatever the case may be. He wants to be first on the list.‖
    ―Before me—I get it. If I was him, I‘d want the same thing. I wanted
    it from Delphine, and she wants her person to be Markel. It‘s how it is.
    You‘re very lucky to have someone who wants it all from you. I wish I
    had that.‖
    ―Shit.‖
    ―You‘re such an idiot.‖
    I had no rebuttal.
    ―And so?‖
    I yawned loudly. ―I‘ll think about what you said, but now tell me
    about Koren and Domin. What the hell are you talking about—who tied
    who up?‖
    ―What are we, girlfriends?‖
    ―Just tell me.‖
    Trusted Bond

    51

    ―Asshole,‖ he said with a smile, enjoying being the one who had the
    dirt. ―According to Ivan, who was the man‘s sylvan, as you recall, when
    Domin kidnapped Koren last year, he tied him up and did bad things to
    him.‖
    ―Bullshit. Koren‘s way too strong if it‘s one-on-one, him against
    Domin.‖
    ―Did I say that the things were done without permission?‖
    It took me a second because I was tired. ―Oh shit,‖ I breathed out.
    ―‗Oh shit‘ is right,‖ he said, laughing softly. ―I guess your boy
    Domin, for all his big-ass talk, has never actually done anything to anyone
    without permission. The man likes to be in control, but not without willing
    participants.‖
    Which made sense; I could see Domin Thorne getting off on having
    a big strong man submit to him willingly.
    ―As you recall, Koren told everyone he was tortured,‖ Crane
    reminded me.
    ―And I