Page 19 of Bloodlust

"Sure." My father's house might have been squeaky clean, but his hands? They were filthy. Covered in dirt and grime and death. Butmyhands need to be clean? Fucking ridiculous. "How did you know he'd be here? Did Zoey tell you? If she did, I swear to God?—"

"Jesus, Mils, you're going to give yourself an aneurysm. Zoey didn't tell me shit, okay? I just followed him all day." Leo laughs. "Must say, I get why he gambles. The poor man's life is boring as fuck."

"You followed him?" I ask. "Really?"

Leo cocks his head. "Sometimes you gotta work smarter, not harder."

"Right, because blindly following someone for an entire day versus doing extensive research is smart. My mistake."

Leo sighs. "Why are you mad? I took care of it, okay? We don't need to worry about Keegan anymore. There are no losers here."

"We?" He's lost his mind. "Since when is itwe?"

"Angeli Della Morteis still my home, Camilla," Leo says, voice low. "It's always beenwe."

"You left," I state. "You severed those ties."

"The Council disagrees," Leo says, expelling a labored breath. "If you have an issue with my return, take it up with them tomorrow."

"Oh, I will," I say, my phone buzzing in my pocket. I pull it out.

Zoella

Emailed you some docs on the doc. Lol. Will send more later.

Leo leans over me. "Who's ‘the doc’?"

I shove him away. "None of your business."

"But I want it to be," he smirks, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "You can trust me, Mils. You know that."

"You're delusional," I say, shaking him off of me. "You want me to trust you? How? I don't even know you."

Leo frowns. "I haven't changed, Camilla."

"But I have.”

"I can tell," he whispers, a hint of guilt in his voice. "I'm sure she's in there though. The girl I once knew."

"That girl died." Memories from that cold winter night infiltrate my thoughts. I close my eyes, attempting to banish the flashes of blood and diamonds.No. Go away. Leave me alone.It doesn't matter. It never mattered. That was another life. Another reality. Another person. It's not me. I open my eyes. "She died, so that Icould be born."

Pain captures Leo's features. "That shouldn't have happened."

"And you shouldn't have left when it did," I state, turning on my heel. I take out my cell phone and call Yelena, the club manager of S&R as I exit the poker room. "Are Javi and Kody working tonight?"

"Yeah, they're on stage now," she says.

"Send them to my office after they're done," I say. "I'll be there soon."

"Both of them?" she asks.

"Of course," I say. "The more the merrier, right?"

"Okay," Yelena says. "Whatever you want."

Whatever I want.

I always get whatever I fucking want. And do you know why?