Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)

9 Buffet

Iris~~

Is this L's whole team or are there more? If it's only them, there's enough of us to overtake them. That is if the Order bothers to come inside.

After being motioned to take a seat, Jonas and I do so. Afreen and Anya dig into the food on their plates while L goes to grab food from the buffet.

I drag my nail against the bottom of my little finger. I never expected to see her again. She's older than me by two years, and like me was in the orphanage since she was born. Her parents are alive, somewhere. They left her pictures and notes telling her about themselves and why they had to give her up. L never shared with us the reason or why they didn't name her. She told us that her father was a baker and her mother a florist. Her dad's ancestors were from Taiwan before the borders were closed, and her mom's China. I wonder if she's tried to find them in the time since our home was burnt to the ground.

Anya and Afreen say nothing, only watch us as they eat.

L returns and sets a plate in front of me and takes a seat beside me with her own plate. She brought nothing for Jonas.

I just ate, and my stomach is twisting in knots from the situation, but I make myself take a bite of a roll.

"How did you capture him?" L asks.

Jonas crosses his arms, letting out a snort as he looks away, the picture of haughtiness.

I lean back in my seat. "I found him on the side of the road, his car broken down. His servants had gone off to try to get reception to call a tow truck." I rake my eyes over him. "I still think it was too easy."

Jonas cuts me a look. "How do you know I didn't want to be captured?"

I prop my elbow on the table and rest my cheek against my fist, angled toward him. "He did put up a fight, I'll give him that. Though it was a bit pathetic."

He raises an eyebrow, and I know he only chooses to do it to mess with me. "If I hadn't put up a fight that would have been suspicious." He mimics me by dragging his eyes over me, and I feel myself shiver. "Don't you think?" he says when he meets my eyes.

Anya gags, and Afreen mutters something about getting us a room.

Jonas examines the edges of his nails. "The Society is tired of playing defense. We're ready for a change of pace."

L sets her plate to the side and leans her elbows on the table. "You're alone, Iris?"

I trace my finger along the rim of my plate. "Yes."

Her gaze drops to my Marked arm. "Show them."

"Show us what?" Anya asks, sitting forward.

"She was supposed to die a couple weeks ago. Apparently, it was a misprint."

"That's a thing?" Afreen asks Jonas.

Jonas gives him a bored look, settling back in his seat. "We certainly don't try to make a habit out of it."

"Go on," L urges, motioning with her fork. "Let us see it."

I bit my lip and push up my sleeve, revealing one of the nude bandages Jonas gave me after I woke up in the hospital.

Jonas wraps his hand around my left arm, pinning it to the table. "Don't."

L reaches for her gun, but a look from me stops her.

I face Jonas. "Let go."

"Remove your hand from her," Afreen says, "or I'll make you."

"It's fine," I say. "I've got this. Preeminence"—I place my free hand over his—"I thought we went over this." I dig my fingers between his hand and my arm. "You're not in charge right now."