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Mustache would have loved him. Peas in a psychotic mass-murdering pod, those two.
    So Venus would have looked at a pair that had already proved to breed firebugs as Christmas in July. She could have built her own personal army out of us, breeding my parents like cattle. My mom couldn’t wait around to find out if I was normal or not. So she did the impossible—she fled the Coterie. Which meant we had to be on the run, living under the radar. Not just for a little while, but forever.
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    I FOUND Cade seated at a desk, bent over an old leather-bound hardcover, running a finger up the spine to see how it was faring.
    â€œCan I go to lunch?”
    â€œWith Sylvie, or the delinquent?”
    â€œRight, because as an assassin, I should really watch who I’m seen with. Wouldn’t want to impugn my own reputation.” He grunted and I rolled my eyes, both of us winning the blue ribbon for maturity. “Besides, no one has ever proved that he’s a delinquent.”
    Cade looked up from the book and stared at me over his glasses. “Don’t you think it’s a bad sign that your best argument for your beau is that nothing has been proved in court?”
    â€œDon’t you think open disapproval is the best way to drive me into the arms of the aforementioned beau? I mean, really, this is textbook stuff when dealing with a rebellious teenager, Cade.”
    He put the book down and leaned his elbows onto his knees. “You don’t get to be textbook, Rat. I wish you could. I wish that boy were the least of your worries. You have to be more careful than most, and that includes who you date.”
    â€œExactly. It’s a date, Cade. Not a betrothal. You don’t have to start thinking of how many chickens and goats I’m worth yet.”
    He gave me that patented that’s-not-funny-and-you-know-it look that every parent develops. Do they teach it in a class? Hand it out with the diapers?
    â€œYou have other options open to you—why this boy?”
    If that question were a record, it would be one of Cade’s old 45 singles kept on repeat, the needle wearing through the vinyl. I crossed my arms. “Why not this boy?”
    â€œIt’s difficult for me to endorse any suitor you meet because he wandered into the bookstore while playing hooky.” He took off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Didn’t Lock ask you out to see a band or something?”
    â€œSo you’d rather I date the guy I met through my Coterie assassin gig than the one who was skipping school? That makes sense.”
    He put his glasses back on. “Not the same thing: Lock made a responsible decision to protect his family; Ryan is a bored kid with too much time on his hands and not enough life skills to make good choices.”
    â€œOne class, Cade. Let’s not blow this out of proportion. As for Lock taking me to see a show, he’s my friend. Friends do things together. I know you’re a bit out of the loop, but I hear that’s how it’s been done for centuries.”
    Cade sighed, and I could almost see him mentally throwing up his hands in frustration. He didn’t do it, though. Instead he got up and kissed me on the forehead. “Sometimes I forget how young and new to the world you are.”
    Oooookay. “So … can I go?”
    â€œFine. Before you leave, call Sylvie and see if she can come in a little early today.”
    â€œWill do, boss-man.” In the eyes of the law I was almost an adult, but neither Cade nor I cared about that. He knew I was capable of making my own decisions and blah blah blah-bity-blah, but that didn’t mean I’d ever stop seeking his approval. Cade was my only family, and when you only have one person chiming in on things, a negative vote hurts.
    Ryan and I went to a deli down the street for lunch. I picked at my hot Italian sausage grinder, and I was too bummed out after my conversation