Rhysand leaned back in his seat. For someone caught dead to rights, he seemed pretty calm. "So… how long have you known?"

"I saw you on my roof."

"Uh huh."

"Just tell me one thing, are Lucien Vanserra and Feyre Archeron safe?"

Rhysand dipped his head. "Why wouldn't they be?"

"RICO is a rough punishment. The government doesn't give small penances to people who get caught on gangster charges. What do you call this one? The Capone Job? Murder Inc?"

"Ever read the book 'Al Capone Does my Shirts'?"

"Once. About a kid who's dad works on Alcatraz, right?"

"Yep." Rhysand fell into silence, staring out the window as the world zoomed passed.

"Scarlett should be finding out that Hybern was arrested any moment now. Even if she's arrested too, there's nothing I can do to protect you."

"Are you saying I should leave town?" Rhysand asked curiously. He glanced over at Vassa. She kept driving.

"It's a suggestion."

"Then, Detective Russel, I hope you won't be offended if I tell you that Rose will not like that you did not find his… friends."

"I'm no idiot, Mr. Selene."

"Then I wish you well, Detective Russel. You'll need it."

Vassa kept driving. "So, I believe, will they."

Rhysand Selene grinned at her. In, what she hoped, was a true, genuine smile. "It was an honor to work with you."

"You're a criminal, Selene."

"Allegedly. You know, greedy old men are hardly ever right."

Vassa couldn't help smiling back. "Oh, I fucking know."

Rhysand Selene began to laugh.

"I'm sorry about this," Feyre said as she helped Cassian lift the rest of the boxes into the truck. Amren was sitting on a stray chair that was still on the curb, legs thrown over the arms, flipping through a newspaper. Mor sat in the driver's seat, fiddling with the radio.

"It's fine, Fey. We always knew we'd have to burn the Night Court Restaurant one day."

"But this is too much. Really-!"

"Feyre, it's our pleasure," Az said softly. He squeezed her hand gently. "Really."

"Besides, Rhys and I, we're from Velaris, you'll love it there!" Mor called.

"If you're sure..."

Amren sat up as a car pulled into the driveway. "Rhys is back! Are you ready?"

Rhys poked his head out of the car, still in his Interpol agent outfit. He waved Feyre over. "Come on!"

Feyre glanced at Lucien who scowled at Rhys. "I'll ride with Cass and Az."

"Aww, do you wuv us?" Cassian teased, swinging an arm around Lucien's neck. Lucien turned that scowl on Cassian. He shouldered out of Cass's grasp.

"Never-mi-" his voice trailed off as he watched Amren walk over to Rhys's car and slip into the back.

"We're looking better than Miss I'm-Going-To-Burn-Down-A-Supply-Warehouse, huh?" Azriel asking.

"Unfortunately," Lucien grumbled, which made Cassian crack a smile and Az get as close as he was able.

"Aw, you're even making jokes now! This is going to be the best road-trip ever!" Cassian chirped. He patted Lucien on head and Lucien began to pout.

Feyre sighed and kissed Lucien on the cheek. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Lucien grumbled as Cassian began to sing.

Feyre rolled her eyes, waved to each Cassian, who demanded a kiss as well, and Azriel who gave a shy wave back. Feyre walked over to Rhysand, feeling happier than she had been in years.

She slipped into the passenger seat. Amren snapped her fingers between Rhys and Feyre to get their attention. "Hey! Hey! Listen! I'm going to sleep, so you two keep it down, okay?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Rhys said, saluting her.

"Yes," Feyre agreed, trying not to laugh.

"Good." Amren said, before buckling herself in around the waist and stretching out in the backseat.

Carefully Feyre took a picture and sent it to Cassian who texted back:

she just barely fits!

omfg! shes a mouse!

:laugh-cry: :laugh-cry: :laugh-cry: :laugh-cry: :laugh-cry:

Feyre settled back next to Rhys. Rhys shot a wary look back at Amren, but she didn't seem to have caught the picture.

Text it to me, too. He mouthed to Feyre who nodded, stifling a giggle.

She could get used to this.

"Hey, Lucien?" Mor called from behind the counter. Lucien glanced up from where he sat with Azriel and Rhysand at a table, going over the finances of Rita's Diner and Bar. "Could you go out and get some cinnamon? We ran out."

"You-you ran out of cinnamon?" Rhys cried. "How could you run out of cinnamon?"

"I don't know, maybe you should be asking yourself, Mr. I'll-Deal-With-The-Budget?" Mor called back, unperturbed.

Lucien rolled his eyes and stood. He walked over to the bar where Mor stood. "Take it out of petty cash, and we'll add it to the shopping list."

Mor opened the cash register and put a handful of twenties in Lucien's hand. "Get as much as you can carry," Mor said.

"Sure thing." To Az and Rhys he added, "I'll be right back."

Lucien grabbed his jacket from the booth and stuffed the money in his pockets. He jogged down to the grocery store two blocks over and went searching for cinnamon.

Life in Velaris wasn't bad. Lucien wasn't working at a Fortune 500 company but at least, after Tamlin's sentencing, he could go by his true name again. Amarantha had only gotten a five years though, and Rhys kept warning him to be wary of her. Amren, though, didn't seem very worried. Plenty of bad people in prison, she kept reminding the others, plenty of bad things can happen.

Velaris itself was a beautiful city. The City of Starlight sparkled with a lively nightlife that kept Feyre and Lucien busy at the diner. Rita's was wonderful company. Now that Rhys wasn't running a con, he had more time for Feyre and Lucien had caught the smile on her face one morning when she came back to work smiling like the sun.

Lucien was living alone for his first time ever. He'd found a nice little apartment on the edge of the Sidra River. It wasn't as big as Tamlin or his father's manors, but it was his, fully and wholly from the money he'd gotten shorting Spring Court Consolidated and Hybern Holding's stock and paid for by his tips from working at the diner.

The woman broke Lucien from his daze, almost running him over with her cart. His bottles of whole cinnamon sticks scattered across the floor.

"Oh fuck! I'm so sorry!"

He knew that voice. Startled, Lucien turned to see Detective Vassa Russel kneeling to pick up the cinnamon he'd dropped.

Vassa looked up. "Well, well, well, what are the gods-damned odds?"

"Detective Russel-" Lucien held out a hand to help her up.

"Just Vassa," Vassa said with a curt smile. "I'm retired."

"Already?"

"Well, I'm kind of tired of being pushed around by pathetic bosses. Figured I'd be my own boss. I'm a private investigator now. I'd give you my card, but I doubt that Rhysand would ever need one. Plus now I can swear all I want."

Lucien raised his eyebrows. "How did you know I was still working with Rhysand?"

"Guessed. Fucking fabulous, aren't I?" Vassa winked. Lucien knelt to pick up his cinnamon and she handed him the few bottles she'd grabbed.

"Clearly," Lucien laughed.

"So, do you just really like cinnamon, or is there something else behind this story?" Vassa asked. Lucien laughed and told her the story behind the cinnamon only shopping run.

Together they checked out and Lucien had gone from explaining about the cinnamon, to explaining about Rita's and before he knew it he was telling her about his apartment and his massage class hobby.

Lucien helped Vassa carry her groceries to her trunk. Vassa had parked in an alley since the store hadn't had a parking lot. Lucien made a joke about how a cop was breaking the law and Vassa waggled a finger at him teasingly: "Ex-cop."

They were almost done loading it up when they heard the click of a gun.

Lucien drew up his hands above his head and Vassa did the same.

"G-give me a-all your money!" A stuttering voice said.

Vassa let out a creative string of swearwords. "You have got to be fucking with me!"

"Dude, I'd drop it if I were you, she used to be cop." Lucien said, nodding to Vassa.

"Don't turn around!" The man cried, but Lucien and Vassa were already halfway around.

The man in front of them had shaking hands, and looked more terrified than Lucien felt. His long brown hair was shaggy. His tanned face was lined with fear. "P-please! Just give me your money! Please!"

In a flurry of motions and a yelp from the would-be robber the gun was suddenly in Vassa's hands. She disarmed it with practiced fingers.

"No! Please, you don't understand!" Tears pearled at his eyes. "They have her! I need the money to pay the ransom! They have Miryam!"

Lucien glanced at Vassa who frowned. "What's your name?" Lucien asked.

"Jurian," he said, "Jurian Angelou."

"Listen Jurian, I'm Lucien, and this is my friend Vassa. Come on, I think I know someone who can help you."

"But-but they have guns and the police on their side! What can you possibly have against that?"

"His friends," Vassa said nodding to Lucien, "are very good at what they do, no matter how much they drive me up the wall." Vassa rolled her eyes.

Lucien gave Jurian a small smile and took his hand. "They provide… leverage."