Page 36 of Dark Lover

“Did we?” she asked. She thought about his bait and trap Internet operation. “You set John up.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Why?”

“Does it matter? Have I asked why ye hunt evil every single night?” He shrugged with as much indifference as there’d been last night.

“I’m a Rose. Rose women have been entrusted with safeguarding humanity for generations. Each and every one of us has a destiny. Mine is slaying.”

“Ye believe yer every word. Have ye been brainwashed?”

He was mocking. She felt her temper flare. “What’s your destiny, Maclean? Stealing art and seducing wealthy wives?”

When his cold gaze held hers, she felt guilt stabbing through her. As Kit had said, he’d been dealt a bad hand. It made her life look like a summer walk in a world without evil.

He’d gone through hell because that had been his destiny. His survival had been written, too.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Your Fate stinks.”

He didn’t appear mollified. “Now ye feel sorry fer me?”

“I’m fighting the urge.”

“Like you’re fighting me?” he asked, his tone filled with skepticism. “Ye can feel sorry fer me anytime.”

She knew he wanted her to feel sorry for him. He’d be ruthless in his advances then. It was a good time to turn the tables on him. “You’re too much of a jerk for me to feel sorry for you. So, how did you survive sixty-six years as a kid being held captive by demons?”

His eyes turned to ice. She knew he was stunned, because he did not speak.

“Those scars—”

“I won’t talk about it.” He was on his feet, furious.

Sam almost backed down. Instead, speaking cautiously, she said, “It’s in your file.”

His eyes widened as if he were shocked. He breathed hard. “Someone has a file…about that?”

She almost wished she’d kept silent but she had to figure him out. “Checking out suspicious guys like you is our job.” He seemed horrified. “We know that you were imprisoned by your demon grandfather for sixty-six years and that he kept you a child the entire time, all because of his hatred of your father.”

He was incredulous now and still furious. He walked over to her. Sam stood her ground. “My life is my business,” he cried. “I won’t discuss it, ever.”

When his brogue intensified, she’d noticed, he was either aroused or upset. He was upset now. She couldn’t blame him. He didn’t want to share the details of his life, and his worst nightmares, with her or anyone. It was his right. But CDA needed to find and defeat evil, to protect the citizens of this country. It was the classic clash of national security and the individual’s right to privacy. Being a soldier meant she believed that the interest of national security won.

She wet her lips. “I work for an agency that hunts evil, Maclean. The Bureau is a cover. You probably know this because of your telepathy. We keep vast, detailed records. The agency goes back to the time of Thomas Jefferson. We have files on demons and demonic crimes that are centuries old. Because of your father, and your penchant for taking art that doesn’t belong to you, we have a record on you, too.”

He stared at her, aghast. “I want the file.”

“It’s classified.” But her mind scrambled. Perhaps they could use his file to make a deal.

“I want to meet your boss. Immediately.”

“Nick Forrester runs HCU, a department in the agency, not the agency itself. And he won’t give you a copy of that file. But I’m sure he’d love to meet you. You guys have quite a bit in common.” She wondered if he’d hand over the page for his file.

“Set it up,” he demanded.

Sam did not like being ordered around, but she nodded. “I’ll speak with him first thing.” She studied him. “That page is in a safe place, isn’t it? I mean, no one wants it crumbling to dust.”

“It’s in a very safe place.” He whirled and started pacing.