Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)

9 Buffet

His eyes seem to darken, and he opens his mouth—

"Did you two really run off to a room and forget about us?" Jay-yeon.

"I wouldn't . . ." Erik's voice trails off, and Jay-yeon swears.

The three rebels shove their chairs back and stand, guns raised, and Jonas grabs me, dragging me to the ground. I bite back a cry as I feel my wound pulling and stretching.

He covers me with his body, and the first gun goes off.

From my perspective, Jay-yeon and Erik are upside down, but they both have guns that are out and raised as they scramble for cover.

Jay-yeon and L.

A family reunion.

His arms propping him up, Jonas stares down at me, his eyes wide. I feel his heartbeat against my chest. "My phone's in my left pocket. Text the Order."

I slip my hand in his pocket, his gaze burning into my face, and as I fumble for his phone, I feel the muscles of his leg through the material of his pants.

I drag his phone out, and he tells me his password. His most recent message is from a group chat with his cousins telling us to hurry up. As the gunfire continues, I quickly type out a message, alerting the rest of the Order to our situation.

Jonas passes me one of his guns.

Jay-yeon's ducked behind a table. "Hey, L."

Two bullets hit a column right past him.

"It's been a long time," he continues. "Why don't we sit down and talk like family?"

Erik's found a spot behind a drained fish tank.

L laughs, and I don't know whether she's still on the other side of the table or if the rebels have moved elsewhere for more cover. "We're not family. And apparently Iris isn't either."

The retorts that threaten to come out right now. . .

Jay-yeon fires at them before ducking back down. "That's a bit harsh, L. What did Iris ever do to you?"

I grip my gun. I want to tell L that she needs to leave, that back up will be here any moment because I can't see L tortured. I just can't.

Last time I was faced against my former family, I could barely bring myself to shoot out the tires of Y's and Eun-seob's car when they were chasing Erik, Vienna, and I in the mountains. I don't know Afreen or Anya, but could I shoot them? L I know I couldn't, but could I bring myself to incapacitate any of them?

I lock eyes with Jonas.

If it meant saving our lives, I think could.

Doors across the dining room fly open, and I catch a glimpse of a kitchen as Enzo, Tobias, August, and Riley rush in. Seconds later, the rest of the Order come through the lobby doors.

Jonas drags me toward the table pulling me under the tablecloth. Once underneath, I sit up, running my hands over my face to push back my hair.

"We can't just hide."

"You'll be killed."

"She was family." What must she think of Jay-yeon being with Society? Or had she already found out the truth that he was the elusive Zeta, Seong-ho.

"You were just shot. Please—"

The gunshots cease, and the tablecloth is lifted. Instinct has me driving my foot into the face that appears.

Bently curses, grabbing at his face.

I stare at him, my mouth opening and closing. "I'm—"

"They're gone." Blood drips from his nostrils.