Page 114 of Bloodlust

I left it open.

I love you.

Chapter 31

Phoenix

HAYDEN

One Week Later

She was supposed to be an assignment.

A mark.

A tool to use, to manipulate, to arrest. She was a criminal. She was a job.

Onlya job.

Until she wasn't.

Until she became something much more lethal.

She became a human. Not a monster. Not some corrupt member of society.

But a person.

Myperson.

Funerals are hard.

Harder when it's your person's photo displayed above the empty casket.

"We've got eyes on The Angels," Conrad states into my earpiece. "Coming in from the east." I subtly glance toward the paved walkway, clenching my jaw as I recognizeall the faces from the rap sheets. Antonio and Maria Bianco. Enzo Di Rossi. Moe Nucci. And the rest of the old dogs. I swallow as Zoella and Leo come into view. The group approaches the folding lawn chairs, Camilla's father carrying an urn in his hands. "Everyone wait for my command."

She started out as an assignment.

But grew into something I never saw coming.

"Malcolm." I look up at Fitzgerald as he slams a thick case file on my desk. "Today's your lucky day. Cowry wants to see you in his office."

"What's this?" I narrow my eyes, flipping open the document. My gaze skims pages upon pages of recon images, bank statements, and blueprints. I frown, licking my lips as I study the raven-haired woman in a street captured photo. "Who is she?"

"Your new assignment." Fitzgerald grins, nodding down the hall. “Let's walk." I grab the documents, following Fitz to Cowry’s office as he debriefs me. "Organized Crime has been building a case against Angeli Della Morte for a couple of years now. We were closing in on the fuckers but the Capo…” he leans over, pointing out an overweight old man, "White Tony decided to retire early. Intel says he caught wind that we were sniffing around, so he passed the torch to his daughter." He points to the photo of the strikingly frightening, yet somewhat mesmerizing woman. "That's Camilla Bianco. Bit of a firecracker based on what we know."

"You don't say," I hum, scanning the images of her partying at a club. I glance at Fitz as we turn the corner. "What's this got to do with me?"

"The princess here just got clipped for assault," Fitzexplains. "Chick threw a lipstick or something at a woman in Nordstrom." I conceal a snort as he continues. "We called our friends down at the DOJ and we're working with them to get her sentenced to mandatory counseling or some shit." He glances at me as we stride into Cowry's office. "That's where you come in."

I quirk up a brow. "In what respect?"

Fitzgerald grins at me, nodding at the PowerPoint displayed on the monitor. "Time to play doctor, Agent Malcolm."

I blink. "You want me in the field?"

"Undercover," he says. "Get her to trust you. If we want The Angels gone, we need to find out everything we can about this girl."

"She doesn't look like the trusting kind."

---