“Luther wants you,” Arlie says, attention on Colin. “Either you or Perry. That was the deal.”

“Not loving where this is going,” I admit.

St. Clare’s eyes meet mine for a worried second. “Neither am I.”

“Then we give up on finding Carson, and the rest of you are on your own.” She shrugs. “It really doesn’t bother me either way because I’m not the one who’s wanted, and Luther has no idea we’re working with you. I’m only saying … we could use that to our advantage.”

“Advantage?” My ears perk up at that. “What advantage?”

“If the three of us call and say that we have you both and we’ll hand you over in exchange for Carson’s location, there’s no way he won’t go for it.”

“You want to … trade me?” All the talk from St. Clare and Lars about doing exactly that comes back to me, and once again, I’m left feeling like the odd man out who no one wants. It’s hard to shake the feeling, but the more I try, the more I can admit that Arlie has a point. Colin and I are the only ones who can do this, and I’d rather be the bargaining chip over the brother St. Clare just got back. The brother who, quite frankly, doesn’t look like he’d survive a trade negotiation.

“Why do you look like you’re thinking about this?” St. Clare asks.

“Because I am. You and Lars had the same idea at one point, and I figure I can either be offended that everyone wants to pass me around like a hot piece of ass, or I can go with it. And I think I want to go with it.”

Saying it out loud confirms how I’m feeling. I want to be the guy who takes charge. I want to be the hero. And what’s more heroic than self-sacrifice?

“I say we do it.” My good-though-still-sore-from-punching-Tommy hand shoots into the air. “Who else votes yes?”

Arlie raises her hand, and Tommy takes a second to scrutinize me before he does too. Colin’s hand joins mine, and then it’s just Lars, Ever, and St. Clare to convince.

“You’re outnumbered,” I point out. “And if Colin and I are both on board, you don’t get to tell us not to do this.”

“I can ask you though.” St. Clare moves closer. “Don’t make me worry about you again.”

“Unfortunately, I’m going to be worried about me continuously until this guy is out of our lives, so I don’t see another option.”

The way his eyes dull kills me, but we really don’t have any other choice here.

“Everett.” Arlie’s voice diverts my attention. They’re staring at each other hard. “This is our chance.”

“Your chance at what?” I ask immediately.

“Nothing that concerns you.”