Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 60768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“Poe,” he says, voice calm and measured. “Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.”
I take a deep breath and let it all spill out, the words tumbling over each other because I have been holding them in for too long. I tell him about the phone call in the hospital hallway, Enley’s voice cracking on the line, thin and terrified. I tell him how they forced me to kidnap Salem’s father to prove my loyalty, how I pushed that gurney through the service corridors with my heart in my throat. I tell him about the safehouse, the way Orchid watched me like she was trying to figure me out while I was trying to figure her out. I tell him about the hack I refused to finish when I realized it was Maddox’s core systems. I leave out the specifics of our sex, but give him a play-by-play of the important things. I tell him about the second phone I traced, the FBI registration, and how Marlo knew her by name in the warehouse. I tell him Orchid looked genuinely shocked, genuinely betrayed when Marlo walked in like she owned the place.
Dean listens without interrupting, his face giving nothing away, but I can see the wheels turning behind his eyes. When I finally run out of words, the silence stretches for a long moment. He leans back slightly, tapping one finger on the edge of the folder.
“She’s trying to say she’s working with the FBI,” he tells me, watching my reaction carefully. “Claims she was undercover the whole time, feeding information back to her handler.”
“She has to be,” I say immediately, leaning forward, my voice rough with conviction. “Marlo knew her. Called her by name. And Orchid… she looked destroyed when she saw her. That wasn’t acting, Dean. She was genuinely shocked they had kidnapped us. She thought Marlo was on her side. She’s been playing the long game inside Goldenbell. Trying to take Serafina down from the inside. That’s why she hesitated when I refused the hack. That’s why she looked almost relieved. She’s not the enemy. She never was.”
Dean studies me for a long beat, eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re certain about this.”
“I’m certain,” I reply without hesitation. “I’ve seen her up close. I’ve seen the cracks in the mask. She’s trapped in this the same way I was. She cares about Enley. She cares about doing the right thing, even if she had to play the villain to get there. And that second phone… I traced it myself. It’s FBI. She’s been working for them.”
Dean exhales slowly, the first real reaction I’ve seen from him. He opens the folder and flips through a few pages, though I can tell he already knows what’s in it. “This changes things. If she’s telling the truth, Serafina doesn’t know we have her in custody. As far as Serafina is concerned, both of you are still missing. That gives us a window. We can use Orchid to feed her exactly what we want her to hear. Draw her out. Set a trap. Maybe even use the opportunity to rescue Salem’s father before they decide he’s no longer useful. This could be the break we need to end this once and for all.”
Relief crashes through me so hard my shoulders sag against the chair. My eyes sting for a second, and I have to look away, swallowing hard. “And Enley?”
Dean’s expression softens just a fraction, the closest thing to warmth I’ve ever seen from him. “She’s safe, Poe. Render extracted her cleanly a few days ago. She’s on the run with him right now, keeping a low profile so Serafina can’t find them. She’s scared, but she’s okay. We’ll get her back to you as soon as it’s safe.”
I nod. “Yeah, Ozzy said Render got her out. Just wanted to make sure.”
“She is.” Dean continues, voice steady and strategic. “But we need to move fast. Serafina still thinks she has leverage over you. If we play this right, we can set a trap. You and Orchid go back in undercover. Feed her exactly what we want her to hear. Draw her out into the open where we can finish this.”
I stare at him, the plan clicking into place. It’s risky. It’s fucking dangerous as hell. But it could work. And it means I get to stay close to Orchid. I get to protect her while we end this nightmare once and for all. The thought of going back in with her, of pretending to still be under Serafina’s control while we turn the tables, makes my pulse quicken. It also terrifies me, because it means putting her back in danger. But if anyone can handle it, it’s her.
Dean stands up, tapping the folder on the table one last time. “We’ll sort out the details.”