Before Ariana could grab her phone back, Holden had already sent the message.

Glancing at her phone and the text on the screen, Ariana's shoulders sank. "What are you doing? We're close to the truth. His offer isn't too steep. I..."

She was interrupted when Holden tapped her forehead and said, "No. I can't let you do that. If finding the truth means you have to compromise yourself, then I'd rather stay in the dark.”

As he talked, he gently pulled Ariana into his arms, kissed her lightly between her eyebrows, and added, "There are other ways to uncover the truth."

Ariana knew he was concerned for her. She exhaled deeply and said, "Okay."