To say I was surprised by Holden’s confession is a huge understatement. I was shocked. And baffled.

At first, I didn’t believe him. But the more he talked, the more I realized he was telling the truth.

Still, I have a difficult time wrapping my head around the fact that Holden—Holden—is working undercover for some agency that helps take down the bad guys.

While we wait for El and Carter to come out of the motel room, Holden makes a few calls to the agency. He remains in listening distance—I think to prove that he is in fact telling the truth. Eventually, he puts Gaige on the phone, and any of my doubt that Holden is lying evaporates.

“So, does Carter know anything about this?” I ask Holden as I plant my butt on the hood of El’s car

He sits down beside me. “No. Only the agency knows about the agency. Now that you’re going to be part of it, you can’t talk to anyone outside of the agency about the things you do, see, and hear. That means don’t tell your mom. Besides, you don’t want to bring her into this and put her life in danger.”

“I won’t tell her.” But I still need to call her and tell her I’m okay. When Gaige gets done, I’ll borrow one of the burner phones. I’m just not sure exactly what to tell her. “Is it hard to live a secret life?”

He props his feet up on the bumper. “Sometimes it is, but then I remind myself of why I’m doing this and it makes all the lying and pretending easier. And it helps to talk to other agents who are going through something similar.”

“That doesn’t sound too terrible.” I rest my hands on my knees. “But I’m not very good at lying and pretending.”

“I’m not so sure about that.” He gives me a sly grin. “I mean, think about all those years you pretended not to like Carter.”

I go all bug-eyed. “How the hell did you know about that?”

He taps his temple. “I’m a people watcher.”

“Oh.” I feel like a moron about how transparent I was.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed.” He nudges my shoulder. “Carter’s liked you for a while too.”

I relax at his valid point. “That’s what he told me.”

“Well, he was telling the truth.”

I didn’t doubt that he was, but it’s nice to hear Carter’s best friend confirm it.

“What role is Carter going to play in this?”

“The same part he’s been playing. Gregor trusts him for some reason and I want to use that trust against Gregor. But we just have to get Carter to agree first.”

“I’m sure he will.”

“If he doesn’t, though, we’ll have a problem.”

“You won’t hurt him,” I say. When he doesn’t utter a word, I add, “He’s your best friend.”

“I know, which is why I doubt he’ll make the wrong decision. But if he does…” He trails off as the door to the motel room swings open and El and Carter step out.

I want to make Holden finish his sentence but he’s already hopping off the hood and moving away from me. I glare at his back, vowing that I won’t let him hurt El or Carter no matter what happens. Then I turn my attention back to Carter and El.

I can’t see their faces, but knowing El, she’s probably upset after learning that Winston is her father.

Jumping to my feet, I rush over and hug her.

“I can’t believe this is happening.” Her voice is scratchy, as if she’s been crying.

“I know, but it’s going to be okay.” I pat her back. “And you’re not in this alone. I’m here for you. And so’s Carter.”

“I know, but I’m not going to sit here and wallow in my own pity.” She moves back and dabs her eyes with her fingertips. “I want to do what Carter and you were talking about. I want to make those assholes pay for what they did to Carter, for what they did to everyone.”

“So Carter told you about the plan?” I ask glancing between Carter and her.

She nods. “Yeah, he did and I’m completely on board.”

“Are you sure?” I ask, unsure if I want her to get involved. Not after everything that Holden just told me.

“Um, yeah.” She gapes at me like I’m insane. “You know I’m not one for standing by and doing nothing.”

“Yeah, you’re definitely not.” I remember all those times she stood up for me, the first being with Carter. Still, I feel that it’s my duty as her best friend to talk her out of this.

But before I can get the words out, Carter steps up and scoops me up, startling the shit out of me. He hugs me tightly and urges my legs around his waist before burying his face into my neck.

“Are you okay?” I ask, tracing a path up and down his neck.

“Yeah.” His warm breath tickles my neck as he breathes in and out. “It felt nice to get everything off my chest. But I feel a little overwhelmed.”

Oh. I wrap my arms around him. “Want a distraction?”

“Fuck yeah, I do.” He slants back and then seals his lips to mine.

That’s not really what I meant by a distraction, but okay…

I relax and let his tongue delve between my lips. He groans as he kisses me slowly, as if savoring every moment our tongues touch.

I kiss him back with passion, but then pull back slightly. “Carter, as much as I’d love to kiss you right now, there’s something I need to tell you.”

His eyelids open and worry floods his eyes. “Is it bad?”

“No, it’s good. At least, I think it is.”

More than likely Holden wants to talk to him first and see if he’s trustworthy, but I’d rather try to convince Carter first. That way, Holden won’t have a reason to do whatever it is he’s planning on doing to Carter if he doesn’t make the right decision.

So, summoning a deep breath, I give him a quick recap of what happened while him and El were talking in the motel room. By the time I’m finished, he’s sat down in one of the patio chairs with me on his lap and shock has taken over his face.

“Are you being fucking serious right now?” He holds onto me tightly. “Wait, are you sure he wasn’t lying?”

“He wasn’t. He even called the agency right in front of us and Gaige talked to them. Besides, I could tell he was telling the truth and that he was doing it for a good reason. I think he might have a personal vendetta against Gregor too, but he wouldn’t elaborate on why.”

Carter considers this for a lengthy amount of time. “I wish I knew for sure. I mean, he’s my best friend so I should know for sure, but honestly, I think we both lied to each other a lot.”

“Well, now you don’t have to.” I loop my arms around the back of his neck. “Now you guys can really get to know each other like all BFFFBs do.”

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s going to quite work like that.” He sweeps my hair off my shoulder and kisses the crook of my neck. “But it’s cute that you think so.”

I shiver, the good kind of shiver that flows up through my toes all the way to my heart. “You won’t know until you try then…” I trail off as he sucks on my neck and softly bites my skin. “Carter.” I moan. “If you don’t cut that out, I’m going to look like I was attacked by a vampire.”

“So?” He chuckles and bites at my skin again, causing my legs to constrict around his waist.

“If you don’t cut it out, I’m going to bite your neck,” I warn breathlessly as my head tips back.

“Please do,” he whispers then drags his teeth along my collarbone.

“We don’t have time for this and people can see…” I’m no longer able to form coherent words as he grinds against me.

I stab my fingernails into his shoulder blades, forgetting all about the audience we have, and tilt my head farther to the side to give him more access. He chuckles then starts kissing and licking and biting—

El lets out a whistle and catcall, pulling me back to reality.

“And she’s back to being a pain in the ass,” Carter jokes through a throaty groan.

“We can finish this later if you want to.” Warmth creeps across my cheeks.

“Finish what exactly?” he teases. “Because I’m pretty sure your mind isn’t where my mind is.”

“Maybe it is.” What the freak am I doing?

A beat or two skips by and then he’s kissing me fiercely.

By the time we come up for air, El is wandering over to us with Holden and Gaige.

Grumbling, Carter stands up but makes no move to put me down.

“I need to talk to you, man,” Holden tells Carter as he reaches us.

“If it’s about the agency, Ens already told me.” Carter lowers my feet to the ground. Then he slips an arm around me and holds me protectively to his side. “But what I want to know is how we can trust you?”

“And how do I know I can trust you?” Holden quips with a smirk. “It really works the same way, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, but we’re putting a lot on the line in trusting you.” Carter stares Holden down.

“So am I,” Holden says, staring right back. “Especially considering who all of your fathers are.”

“He has a point,” I chime in. “And for the record, I believe him.”

“That’s because you’re a good person,” Carter says. “I’m not, which means I know how a bad person’s mind works.”

I angle my chin up and meet his gaze. “You’re not a bad person, so stop thinking that.”

“Aw, she’s defending your honor,” Holden mockingly gushes. “How cute.”

“They definitely make a cute couple,” El agrees, taking Holden’s side. What the shit? “They’ll probably end up being one of those couples who sits there and tells each other how amazing the other one is while staring dreamily into each other’s eyes.”

Holden chuckles while I reach out and playfully swat El’s arm.

“Traitor,” I say, my cheeks warming.

Carter kisses the top of my head and chuckles, but his humor promptly vanishes as he focuses back on Holden.

“So, how do we know we can trust you?” he asks.

Holden’s fingers move toward his holster. Or well, at first that’s what I think. But instead, his hand dips toward his pocket and he pulls out his phone. “Pack some stuff and get in the car.”

“Why?” Gaige, El, Carter, and I all ask at the same time.

“Because you want proof,” Holden says. “But the only way to give you that is to show you.”

The four of us trade a look.

“What do you think?” El asks to no one in particular. “Can we trust him?”

“I talked to the agency,” Gaige says. “The agent on the phone sounded legit.”

We sink into silence. Crickets chirp in the distance. The neon signs flicker off and on again, briefly blinding us in darkness

“I think we should do it,” I finally say as the neon signs click back on. “I mean, it’s either that, stay here and wait for Gregor or Winston to show up, or run. But considering who all our fathers are, I don’t know if we’d make it that far.”

“And what if Holden’s lying?” Gaige asks, fiddling with his eyebrow piercing. “Then what?”

I lift a shoulder. “Then we tie him to the bed and I cut off all his fingers and toes.”

“And his nuts,” Gaige mumbles as an afterthought. “Oh wait, that was El who was going to do that, right?”

“Wait. What?” El gapes at us like we’re crazy, which is saying a lot since she’s usually the crazy one of the group.

Carter’s expression mirrors hers.

“It’s a long story,” I tell them. “I’ll tell you in the car.”

The three of them remain silent for several minutes before nodding. Then we go into the room to pack up our stuff.

By the time we walk over to the car, the sun is starting to rise over the trees. I’m bursting with nerves, worried this isn’t going to work out the way that I want. Carter and Gaige must feel the same way because they both check the ammunition in their guns before we leave.

Before I climb into the car, Carter pulls me aside away from the others. Then he wraps his arms around me, hugging me desperately.

“If anything bad happens—If this looks like it’s going to go south, promise me you’ll do whatever it takes to run away.”

“I don’t think I’d feel comfortable just taking off and leaving you guys—”

“Promise me, Ens; otherwise I’m not going.”

I don’t like being bossed around, but the plea in his voice makes me whisper, “Okay, I promise.”

“Good.” He moves back, kisses me quickly, and nudges me toward his car.

Once the five of us are in, we peel out into daybreak.

I just hope this all works out. That the agency is real. And that we can put my father behind bars without any of us ending up in graves.