Page 104 of Bloodlust

"I'm alone," I mutter.

"That's when the Bureau reached out," he whispers. "I was recommended by one of my colleagues, Dr. Hadid, for a new initiative that blended ops with psych. At that point, I didn't have any experience, so I figured it was a good foot in the door." He shrugs. "But I never left."

I nod, chewing my bottom lip. "What, umm, what happened to your dad?"

"Not too sure," Hayden says with hatred laced in his tone. "Probably drank himself to death by now. Last I heard he was put into a home. Early-onset dementia."

"You don't want to see him?" I ask, thinking of my own father. "Make amends?"

"Do you?" Hayden raises a brow. "Doyouwant to forgive your father?"

I shake my head. "Mine doesn't deserve forgiveness."

"Neither does mine," Hayden says. "What's done is done."

"That's fair.” Anger brews in his expression. It's burning him. "But, umm...maybe for your sake, you should."

He frowns. "Should what?"

"Forgive him."

"He's the reason my mother took her own life, Camilla," he states, an edge in his tone. "I'll never forgive him."

"Don't do it for him," I say, swallowing as I watch his skin burn with agony. "Do it for yourself."

"I'm fine," he says, attempting to reassure me but it doesn't work. It's hard to look in the mirror sometimes. You never know which version of yourself you'll see. "I've dealt with it."

I manage a small smile. "Whatever you say, Doc."

His eyes harden. "Are you psychoanalyzing me right now, Miss Bianco?"

I shrug. "Just observing."

"Well, I'll have to kindly ask you to stop," he says, blinking as a drop of rain falls directly into his eye. I swear I hear a sizzle. "Oh."

I look up, smiling as drop after drop pitter against my face. "It's raining."

"Let me walk you home," Hayden says, standing up. He holds out his hand. "Camilla?"

"I don't want to go home," I say, breathing in the fresh air as I close my eyes. "I want to stay here."

"You're going to catch a cold," Hayden notes. "We have a big day tomorrow."

"That's why I want to stay," I whisper. "I don't want to go home. I... I can't."

"Then come to mine," he says, tone low, pleading. I open my eyes, my lungs expanding. Hayden nods with absolute certainty. "Please, Camilla." He holds out his hand. "Come with me. You can't stay here all night."

"I can’t." I look up at him, admiring the walking hellfire that's burned my entire world away. "I... shouldn't."

"For a woman that has never followed the rules," Hayden breathes, "you sure are afraid of breaking them."He holds out his hand, reaching for mine. "Just for tonight, Camilla. Break them again."

This might be my last chance to break rules for the rest of my life. A final opportunity to live outside the law. Outside morals. Outside reality.

As rain crashes around us, I stare up at Hayden. His eyes are no longer Daniel's. They're greener. More beautiful. More deep and dark and daring than ever before.

I want to dive in.

I want to swim in his fucking soul.