“The first was an accident, Ember. And this? Well, it’s not something you will ever get used to. However, in time, you will come to accept what you have done. Get some rest, Ember.” He left without so much as a look back.

I thought he sounded like someone who knew what it felt like to kill. Then again, that could’ve been the pain meds. I couldn’t be sure.

Silence settled in around me and I shifted uncomfortably. That awful feeling kept worrying me. Yes, Theo had planned on putting a bullet in my headHayden’s, toobut I’d killed him. And I was pretty sure I’d smiled while doing it.

That couldn’t be good.

What would Olivia say if she knew? What would my mom say? I’d killed twice now, but this onethis kill was different. I’d wanted to do it. I squeezed my eyes shut. I already knew what Hayden would think. Maybe that’s why he hadn’t checked in on me yet. He had once said I was good inside, better than all of them. I doubted he thought that now.

I lay there for a little while, trying not to think about anything, and eventually slipped back into sleep. When I opened my eyes again, night had fallen.

“Ember.”

My heart skipped a beat or two at the sound of his voice. The bed dipped. Fingers brushed my hair back, lingering as long as possible. Hayden.

“Hey there,” I whispered.

“How are you feeling?”

I tested sitting up. “Not so woozy. Better.”

“Good. I’ve checked on you several times, but you’ve been sleeping. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I wish you had.” Hayden smiled. “Miss my face?”

My eyes fell over him, checking for wounds. “Are you okay?”

“I’m a hundred percent.”

I stared at him, wanting to memorize every inch of his face. “You’re really here, right? I’m not having a drug-induced dream, am I?”

His brows furrowed. “No. I’m here.”

“I… I didn’t think you’d want to see me after everything.”

“Em, sometimes you think the weirdest crap.”

My lips twitched, but I sobered up pretty quickly. “I’m sorry for everything. For the thing with the files and… and what I did. I never wanted to kill someone. And I’ve done it twice.” I wiped under my eyes, feeling on the verge of coming apart. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want him to hurt you. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Shh, don’t.” He pulled me to him, cradling me against his chest so gently. “I don’t care about the file thing anymore. Do you think that’s even important to me now? After all you’ve been through?”

“But… what I did to Theo.”