Page 15 of These Fractured Bonds

“I know, I know. I was telling Matild…” Erick steered him away from the counter, giving Yareli a wink.

Her shoulders fell, an exhale leaving her body. He had noticed at the very end. Was it scent-based—her humanness? It made her self-conscious. Had she showered that morning? She sneaked a sniff as she bent down to grab the tiramisu. She smelled nothing but her crisp, “clean” deodorant. She missed the door opening.

“You smell nice.”

She straightened in a singular beat, heat rushing to her face as she met August’s gaze. She stumbled over her words, saying, “I was—”

He chuckled. “It’s okay. Humans have a distinct smell. It’s normal.”

She wanted to melt into a puddle, evaporate, and become a part of the water cycle. Anything to absolve her from her mortification. Then, his words registered.

“You think I smell nice?”

His mouth formed a small “o,” and he scratched the back of his head. “I—yes. You smell sweet.”

“And you know how August loves his sweets,” Erick said, mirth pitching his voice higher as he popped next to August.

She choked, clearing her throat. She was burning up. “I have to take Uriel his order,” she mumbled, grabbing the cake slice and filling a cup of coffee.

Yareli strode past them without meeting their eyes, and she stiffened at Erick’s soft laughter. Placing down Uriel’s order, she thought to trip Erick later. A warm touch stopped her in her tracks.

“A moment, darling.”

“Yes?”

“I couldn’t help but notice you seem to have a boy problem.”

“Me?” Yareli feigned surprise, but her heart thudded. It had been one thing to be caught sniffing her armpit by her crush, but it was another thing to have a witness to that mess.

“Yes, you,” Uriel said, sliding his plate closer to him. “There’s no shame in love.”

“N-no, I don’t lo—”

He took a bite of the tiramisu, humming in pleasure. “My services may be useful. I’m a demon who specializes in contracts with humans. And for you? I’d give you a special deal.”

Yareli reassessed him, taking in the gleam in his brown eyes. Was she desperate enough for a contract with a demon? August and Erick still chatted by the cash register. Erick said something that made August roll his eyes, but his lips quirked up.No. She could survive rejection; losing August’s friendship, however, she could not. Not yet. Despite her attempts, she wasn’t strong enough to fix her life on her own. August was a tether, a buoy that supported her scrappy boat while she repaired it. Withoutit, she’d be off-balance, drowning; it would set her back months, but curiosity won.

“What sort of contract?”

Uriel smirked, curling a single finger towards him. She moved closer, leaning down, her ponytail sliding forward. “I can make him fall in love with you right this second.”

“Hmm.”

“Not enough? How about I make him get on his knees for you?”

Yareli’s eyes widened, and she cast a furtive look at August, who remained entrenched in his conversation with Erick.

“How do you know about that?” she hissed.

Uriel’s eyes turned golden; the color seeping from his eyes into webbed-like patterns across his face.

“Demon, remember? We wouldn’t be effective at our jobs unless we could read our target’s innermost desires.”

She took a sharp breath, straightening. “That’s… That’s not…”

“I know every which way you’d like to—”

“Uriel, that’s enough.” August appeared with a pleasant smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Yareli will be the one human you are not allowed to trick into a contract.”