The Assassins Kiss

Chapter 6

Ezra's POV

I'm in my room, pacing around like a damn animal in a cage. I'm used to confinement, sure, but this?

This is different. They gave me a room—with no windows—and it's driving me insane.

The worst part? I haven't seen sunlight in a week. Every day is just a blur of phone calls with Lily, talking to her in stolen moments, telling her I'll be home soon.

I miss her so much.

A knock at the door jerks me from my thoughts.

I groan under my breath, the annoyance bubbling up. But I get up, my legs stiff from the long days of not moving, and open the door.

Standing there is Aurora, her smile as warm as ever, even if I know she's still sizing me up like I'm some kind of puzzle she's trying to solve.

"Hi, honey," she greets me sweetly, her voice softer than I expect. "I notice you don't really come out of your room often, so I baked a few pastries for you."

She hands me a tray. A tray—of what looks like a whole damn bakery's worth of pastries.

"This isn't a few," I say, staring at the ridiculous amount of sweets she's handed me. "This could feed an entire army."

She laughs softly, and for a second, I almost forget that I'm still being held captive. Almost.

"You didn't have to," I say, shaking my head, still taken aback. "Why are you even feeding me? I'm the enemy."

She nods, her gaze steady as she meets my eyes. "I'm well aware you're our enemy," she says calmly. "But I'm also aware that you know the consequences of betraying us."

I feel a knot in my stomach tighten. She's not wrong. I know exactly what's at stake. And that's why I'm not getting comfortable. I can't. I won't.

Aurora doesn't give me time to dwell on it. She steps closer, the warmth of her smile now replaced with something more serious.

"Tell me, Ezra... Why are you trying to take us out?"

The question feels like a punch to the gut.

I don't want to tell her the truth, but I don't have to lie either. "It's my job," I answer flatly, trying to keep my voice neutral. That's all it is. It's just business.

But Aurora doesn't let it slide. Her eyes roam over me, sharp, like she's trying to read between the lines.

"I know there's more," she says, her tone quiet but full of something I can't quite place. It's almost like she's waiting for me to admit something, like she's giving me a chance to let down my guard.

I stand frozen, my breath catching for a moment. I want to tell her—part of me does. If you only knew what it's like to protect someone you love in this world...

But I can't. I can't let myself get close to her, or to any of them. Not when I know what's at stake.

Aurora turns, walking toward the door with the grace of someone who's seen it all, yet there's a slight hesitation in her step, a quiet sorrow in her eyes that I almost miss. Almost.

"Enjoy the pastries, sweetheart," she says over her shoulder with a soft, almost knowing smile.

I watch her leave, standing there with the tray of pastries like some kind of irony I don't want to unpack.

I was going to think, Aurora's a cute mom, but hell—she's a scary mom. A damn good baker, though.

I glance at the pastries again, but my mind is already elsewhere, back on Lily and the mess I'm stuck in.