WHILE THE LIVESTREAM WAS PLAYING, RIVERSIDE WAS BRIGHT. And justly, The Guise was anticipating their biggest heist on Riverside yet. For about five minutes now, Naomi's recording was being streamed live from an old laptop Tio had lying around for all of Riverside to see; and it was already trending worldwide. Of course, The Guise knew that the Riverside Police Department would find some way to trace the signal, which is why they had pre-recorded Naomi's video and left it to play in the Evergreen Memorial Park mausoleum, along with a signed note from Naomi Morgan stating that she's not pressing charges and she alone is responsible for all her past and future decisions.

The note was the cherry on top that Naomi Morgan herself suggested. An assurance, she justified. When in reality, it held a lot more finality.

Now, back in the abandoned warehouse, they waited. Cairo was hunched over his phone as everyone else paced back and forth in silence. If the police took their bait and went to the Evergreen Memorial Park mausoleum, The Guise hoped, prayed, that at least one of the squads guarding the exit routes out of Riverside would join as back up so that they could make a clean escape. It was a stretch, but it was the best they could hope for. If not, they could at least try to sneak their way through while the rest of the Riverside Police Department was busy at the park. Either way, Tio and Xiomara were waiting by the exit routes to give them an update.

It was a simple distraction plan, but everything was weighed in its balance.

Saint was monitoring the live reactions on social media from his phone while Cairo's leg jerked up and down as he waited for the phone call that would be the end-all, be-all. He knew his nerves were contagious but he didn't care. They were otherwise all out of ideas. This was it. He had a right to be nervous.

Sully was just a few feet away muttering something to Lia as Naomi stared out the crack in the window. The boy's hushed words were probably drenched in anxiety and hopelessness, much like Cairo, but Naomi didn't need that weighing her down, so she didn't listen. Instead, she allowed the gentle light beam slipping in to remind her that there was still life outside of this dilapidated building. That the world was still spinning and even though it felt like they were living in a dark, dusty hell, there was a better life out there waiting for them. Somewhere.

The phone rang to life.

Everyone turned.

It rang again.

"It's T-Tio," Cairo stuttered, taking up the phone and looking at it.

"Answer it!" Chyna and Saint shouted.

As it began its third ring, Cairo swiped it open and held it to his ear. He listened. Everyone drew closer. The room was still. Cairo's eyes bounced off the walls before stopping dead in Chyna's eyes.

He froze.

Then, "They're leaving the exit routes," Cairo said, "All of them! We can leave!"

Naomi swore she had never seen Cairo look so happy in her life. His face was alive and his cheeks were high on his face. The rest of The Guise erupted in loud cheers, Chyna even falling to the floor from excitement. It started out as a bundle of confusion at first before combining into a coherent chant of "We did it! We did it! We did it!" Lia had taken Sully by the hands and began skipping with him, spinning the both of them into a never-ending circle. Cairo jumped atop one of the empty crates and started beating his chest before launching off it and picking up Chyna off the floor, screaming happily at her. She did the same. They could not believe it.

Naomi, however, she watched. She had experienced much more impossible things.

Saint came from behind her, his hands wrapping around her waist. She jumped. With all his strength he took her into the air and sent them both spinning, their laughs quickly joining the hysterics of everyone else in the room. "We did it," he said when her feet were back on the ground. "You did it," he corrected.

She smiled, pointing back at him. "Learned from the best."

But, Saint did not chuckle like Naomi had expected him to. In fact, his eyes had slipped from hers and plummeted straight down, down, down, crashing against her top lip. He stared. Naomi's face went cold.

The boy took one step.

Two.

But by then, it was hopeless.

She drew into him like a charged magnet, expectant, wanting, electrified. Their bodies pressed against each other, heat rising and everything else around them falling away. Naomi Morgan could only think how much she had wanted this, even if she tried to ignore it. And now, it was happening. There was no more running.

Saint's head dipped close to hers and his arms found their place around her waist. Briefly, he restrained himself, though. To allow his lips to hover above hers. To make sure she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. To ask permission. To make the moment last. To make her wait for it.

Naomi Morgan's hands discovered his face and she tilted her head upward.

It was all the indication he needed.

Their lips locked.

And it was everything either of them could have ever hoped for. It was soft, hard, thick, deep, passionate, tight.

Then it was over.

Naomi Morgan pushed the boy back, taking deep gulps of air. But it was too late. Out of all the things she had done this must have had to be the worst. The most cruel.

She looked at him, breathless, as his face turned to confusion. He started without thinking, "I'm sorry-I didn't real—"

"I need air," she told him, spinning and bustling out of the warehouse.

Outside, in the sunlight where there was more space between her body and Saint's, everything was so much clearer. The guilt immediately began to wash her and she knew it was time to do what had to be done. Now, more than ever.

Saint did not go after her. He didn't know what he would say if he caught up. He hoped Chyna or Lia would do it for him even if to just make her feel a little more comfortable. He watched everyone else celebrate excitedly and hoped he hadn't ruined something great. There was still so much he wanted to show her like his fingers dancing across a piano, the golden gate bridge, his shirt unbuttoned.

But when Cairo quickly came to his senses that it wouldn't take long for the police to realize that they were, in fact, not at the Evergreen Memorial Park mausoleum he asked the pressing question. "Where's Naomi?"

Saint shrugged. His mouth was still dry so he didn't quite look his best friend in the eye just yet. But he did point out the door.

Cairo told everyone to pack their things and stepped outside to get her. Saint wondered what the next few days would be like now. Would she tell him what was wrong? Was it him? Would they kiss again? Saint exhaled. Over-thinking, he knew, wouldn't do him any good now. They needed to get out of Riverside first. That was all before Cairo stepped back inside.

"Saint," he called, "Where did you say Naomi went?"

Now, he forced his voice to be firm and unaffected. "She's out front."

Cairo paused. "No, she's not."

Saint stared. Everyone dropped what they were currently holding to meet Cairo by the door. They all stepped outside together. The place was deserted. Individually, they began calling for her but Saint knew deep down she was not here. He had felt too empty. Then his eyes traced the ground and his stomach dropped.

There were only four bikes parked outside, and there were fresh bike tracks in the dirt, leading out into the road. "She's gone," he choked out.

Chyna jogged over to him. "What do you mean she's gone?"

He pointed to the tracks. "S-she left."

There was silence. Everyone came together to look at the tracks and glance up and down the street. Nothing. No one. Anywhere.

"If we don't leave now," Cairo began, "We may never get this chance again."

Saint turned to him. "Are you serious right now?" he fumed incredulously.

"I'm just saying!"

"He's right." Lia folded her arms. "We should know what's at stake."

"No."

"Saint—"

"No!" He looked at all of them, the Tiger setting in despite him not wearing the mask. "We're not leaving without her!" He didn't realize his eyes were wet until the heartbroken look in Sully's eyes gave the pity away. He dried his eyes profusely. "We're not leaving without her," he repeated.

Author's Note

It is about to go down! One more chapter left, readers and then the epilogue! What do you think will happen at the end?

This week's dedication belongs to the epitome of ride or die, CourtneySteel! Thank you so so so so much for reading and voting! I appreciate you and your support! Remember if you vote and comment the next dedication could literally be you!

So, um, Saint and Naomi kissed. And I oop- Thoughts?

IN THE NEXT CHAPTER

"Naomi supposed it all was really over. She smiled at that..."