Page 170 of Hunt for You

“And I wouldn’t have if you’d kept talking. But dear God, Bridget—talk about toeing the line. You called me inyesterday.”

My stomach twisted up and a wave of nausea washed through me.

I’d been an informant and asset to the FBI since I was twelve years old—the first time they had recorded me talking to my dad’s associate on the phone. At fifteen they’d used me as bait for one of Dad’s henchmen who suddenly showed up in town. And when I was twenty-two, I unwittingly fucked a guy from the mob and ended up getting embroiled in an active investigation.

Jeremy had beenthrilled.He’d been my handler since I was sixteen.

But it turned out, when you threw together a reckless disregard for life, borderline antisocial personality disorder, and the freedom that came with all your actions being sanctioned bylaw enforcement, things could get hairy.

The FBI had always insisted on making me see doctors—the ones who tracked my heart monitors and the check-ups I got twice a year—as well as therapists and behavioral counselors, but I’d never trusted any of them. It was obvious most of them were only checking boxes to make the cash.

Jeremy got mad when I almost died—twice—while in the care of those people. Which was when he forced the Bureau’s hand and made me start seeing Gerald instead.

Gerald was different. Better. But the rest of these people…

I huffed, shaking my head. Life was just one big love-fest around me. Selfless care oozing from every pore…

I ground my teeth as Jeremy launched into thedebriefof thisoperationthat I had knownnothing about.

“…good news is that you delivered, Bridget. Headquarters were getting nervous, but this is going to remind everyone whywe worked with you in the first place.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes piercing. “I’m proud of you.”

I gave a one-shouldered shrug and blinked back tears because I’d been here before.

But this was the first time I’d ever cared.

It had always been a game before. Something I dared myself to do. Something to make life interesting. A thrill to walk the line and see just how close I could get to the Grim Reaper without actually being taken.

The guys I’d taken down before had deserved it. I’d had my fun, with protection to lean on, while doing the world a favor. It was a win-win.

But the last one had turned out to be a fuckingserial killer.That had been scary, and something inside me never really recovered. After that, the wholewanna diething wasn’t a half-joke anymore.

The risk-taking wasn’t just acting out. I had been tempting God.

When I went to the park tonight I’d already called Jeremy in, but I had told him I didn’t know how it was going to go down. I’d known it was possible Cain would reach me first, and I’d die. And… there were times that felt like a relief.

I hadn’t told Jeremy about Cain because right from the beginning it felt like Cain wasn’t for the FBI. He was forme.Because ever since the serial killer, I had been toying with the idea of just going through it. Fantasized about it. Imagined Jeremy coming to pick up my latest predator and arriving just a fraction too late, so they’d kill mebeforehe arrested them.

But this time… this time I had hoped he would stop Cain from becoming one of those monsters. Jeremy was supposed to keep him alive so I could get to know him outside of this masked, mysterious, insane hunt.

That was, if I could ever get him to forgive me.

But now?

Sam?

I’d walked away from Sam to save him from myself, and instead, I was going to be the one to bring him down when I didn’t even want to!

God, I was such a fucking mess.

“...Our only real risk is that we’re open to accusations of entrapment. Priestley has connections, and his lawyer is a shark. But don’t worry, Bridget. We’ll coach you through it. We’ll go over all the transcripts and the reports before Court. Make sure you don’t slip. But for now, don’t answer questions without our lawyers present. Are we clear?”

We were. Except he was wrong.

Ihadbeen the one to put myself out there, to tempt him in. And if I’d known it was Sam I was getting, I never would have brought Jeremy in at all. Not even close.

Of course, it turned out Jeremy had brought himself in. I should have known, butfuck.

How had everything gone so wrong?