Page 9 of Five

But it’s too late. Just the words don’t cry are enough to make me cry.

I stand up—he does too, because that’s just how his father raised him. “I’ll be right back, OK?” I say. He’s still squeezing my hand. Even when I try to let go, he doesn’t. “I’m just gonna fix my makeup. Be right back.”

I pull back. He holds onto my hand for another moment, then lets my fingers slide past his as I turn and make my way to the back of the restaurant. Rose is busy with other customers, thank God, because the last thing I need is a friend asking about my tears.

When I get inside the bathroom, I stand in front of the mirror, my hands braced on the marble countertop, and stare at myself. “This is it,” I whisper. “This is the moment your mother warned you about.” And the worst part is, she’s a thousand miles away. With my dad. With Five’s mom and dad. Rook and Ronin aren’t even here. They’re visiting their family in France. So it’s just us kids. That’s it. Me and Five. Kate and Sparrow. Belle and Oliver.

Fuck.

Maybe I can convince Belle and Oliver that everything is fine. But not Kate and Sparrow. They both got “the talk” before they left for college too. Belle won’t get the truth until the end of summer. And Oliver, hell. He’s way too young to know about all the shit our parents did when they were my age.

The FBI, and the Company, and the lies, and the court appearances, and… the killing.

I shake my head. “No,” I tell the girl staring back at me. “No. This won’t happen to us. We’re different. We’re innocent. We’re just kids. We’re…”

But it might be happening.

What’s that old saying about the sins of my father?

Shakespeare, right? The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children. It’s even in the Bible somewhere.

People don’t forget things like that. Not these people. These people have long memories. These people don’t take kindly to threats. These people take care of people like us.

A knock at the bathroom door. “Rory?” Five asks from the other side. “You OK?”

“Yeah,” I say, grabbing a paper towel and dabbing at the smear of mascara on my face. “Be right there.”

I take a deep breath, straighten my Shrike Bikes t-shirt, and hold my head up high. “You got this, bitch,” I whisper to the girl in the mirror. “If these people want a fight, well… then it’s on.”

I turn away, open the door, and face Five, standing in the cramped dark hallway. “Come with me,” he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the back door. I go along, because it’s Five. And his commands mean everything to me.

We end up out in the alley. There’s noise from the back patio area of other restaurants, but no one in the immediate area. Five stops, pushes me back against the brick wall of Anna Ameci’s, and boxes me in with his hands on either side of my shoulders.

“Promise me,” he says, those light brown eyes blazing into mine. I give him an innocent princess look, but he shakes his head. “I know you better than anyone, Rory Shrike. So stop. I know what you’re thinking. I can practically read your mind.”

“Five—”

But he shushes me with a fingertip to my lips. “Just listen to me. And then, after I’m done, you say, ‘OK, Five. I promise.’ Got it?”

“What?” I sigh. There’s no point trying to stop his little speech. He’s a bulldozer when he’s like this.

“Do not do anything without talking to me first. Understand?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He gives me a look that says, Don’t bullshit a bullshitter.

“You’re not the boss of me, ya know.”

A small smile that turns into a laugh. “I am, Princess. And you know that. So just let me handle things.”

I shrug. “No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Rory,” he says, pressing his body against mine. And holy motherfucking Jesus. That might be enough to make me give in. It has been six long years since Five Aston kissed me and right now, I’d agree to anything just to feel the soft press of his lips on mine.

“Kiss me,” I whisper. “Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me.”

He leans in, his hands on my shoulders now. His face pressing into my neck. His soft breath tickling my skin. “Promise me, Princess.”