Page 58 of The Devil's Waltz

Frowning, I run my hands along my thighs. “I don’t really know. He showed up, I went outside to get some air when I felt a panic attack coming on, he followed me, and then we talked.”

“Youtalked,” she echoes, leaning against the counter next to me and crossing her arms over her chest. She’s wearing all-black, skin-tight clothing and her hair is tied back neatly, so she must’ve come from training. “Talking led to kissing?”

I groan, raking my fingers through my sweat-dampened hair. “To put it simply.”

She casts me a sideways glance. “What’d you talk about?”

I press my lips together for a moment while I go over the conversation in my head. “He told me his father was human.”

She blinks in surprise, then says, “Was? So he’s dead?”

I shrug. “I didn’t ask. I was too hung up on him being part human.”

Harper nods. “Fair enough. And you believe him?”

My mouth falls into a frown, and I shrug. “I…Yeah, I do.” She didn’t see him on that dock. The expression on his face, his rigid posture. It was like he was fighting a battle with himself.

“Please explain what’s happening here, because I’m really struggling, Cami. You know I love you and will have your back no matter what, so help me out here.”

I take a deep breath before saying, “I have to believe it, Harper. I can’t let myself think that he’s lying. Because the alternative is too messed up to consider. Because if I fell for someone who could truly never care about me, who could do what he’s done without an ounce of remorse, what does that say about me?”

Her eyes narrow, and I can practically feel the anger radiating from her. “Fucking nothing. What that son of a bitch has done does not reflect onyou. For the love of god, Cami, you are one of the kindest, most compassionate people I know.”

“And look where it got me,” I mumble, blinking quickly to alleviate the burning in my eyes.

Harper’s voice is firm when she says, “Xander being a demon is not your fault.”

“No, but letting myself fall for him is.”

She sighs and pushes away from the counter, reaching over to squeeze my shoulder. “Are you ready to tell your parents?”

“I don’t know.”

She frowns. “You can’t keep putting it off. I told you I’d give you a week, and it’s been more than a week. I didn’t push it right away because things have been quiet around HQ, but you need to tell them.” Her voice softens. “If you want me to be there, you know I will,” she says, repeating her offer. “It won’t be easy, but I’m here for you—whatever you need.”

Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I nod as I slide off the barstool. Before I do anything, the sweat rolling down my back reminds me I need to take a shower.

Harper drives my car, because there’s a very good chance if I got behind the wheel, I wouldn’t take us to hunter headquarters. It hasn’t been somewhere I’ve been comfortable since losing Danielle, and even more now, considering our reason for coming.

“Deep breaths,” Harper tells me as we pull into the parking garage below the building.

“Easy for you to say,” I grumble, though I’m thankful she’s here. As much as I wish I had the strength to do this on my own, her support—her being here to drag me into my mom’s office if necessary—is probably the only thing keeping me together at this point.

After we walk through the concrete garage, Harper scans her access badge to let us inside.

“Did you let her know we were coming?” she asks as we walk through a quiet lobby. There are a few people sitting on the couches around a small coffee table, chatting in hushed voices, but aside from that, the room is empty. TV screens line one wall, a different news channel playing on each, with the volume muted.

“Yeah, I texted her.” I kept it simple, just letting her know I was coming by without divulging why. She probably figures it has to do with the organization’s offer, so she’s in for quite the shock.

We’re silent on the elevator ride up, and I wipe my palms on my thighs as we step off. A few hunters pass us, speaking soft greetings directed at Harper, and my pulse ticks faster the closer we get to my mom’s office.

Harper reaches for me, squeezing my shoulder. “I can stay out here if you want to talk to her alone, or—”

“Don’t go,” I blurt unevenly as my anxiety crests, making it harder to breathe. If it keeps going, I won’t even make it to starting this long-overdue and stressful conversation.

“I’m here,” she assures me, holding my gaze and giving me a firm nod.

I don’t know what I’d do without her.

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