Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Without missing a beat, Sylvia blurted out, "Well, handcuffs come in a pair."

The moment the words left her mouth, the shop owner caught on, grabbed another handcuff, and promptly snapped it onto Rupert's wrist.

"There you go, a pair! Now when you two hold hands, it's like wearing handcuffs."

Only then did Sylvia realize that ever since the shooting range, Rupert had been holding her hand the whole time.

She tried to wriggle free, but his grip didn't budge an inch. Frustrated, she glared at him. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Rupert didn't even bother denying it. Still holding her hand, he just said, "This thing's pretty ugly, you know."

Ugly, yet you convinced the shop owner to slap another one on you. Real smooth.

The cheap metal of the handcuff looked even more ridiculous next to his watch, which probably cost as much as a new car.

Sylvia turned around. The group of men who had been tailing her earlier had vanished without a trace.

She shot Rupert a look. "Who were those guys? You definitely know."

Rupert hesitated for a second, his voice dropping cold. "Don't worry about it."

"If I don't worry about myself, who will?" Sylvia snapped back, her patience wearing thin.

His words faded into the background, swallowed up by the noisy crowd.

Sylvia thought she caught what he said, but she couldn't be sure.

By the time she snapped out of it, she found herself standing outside a little diner -the kind of greasy spoon that served the best burgers and fries in town.

empty table outside, under a plastic canopy that flapped in the

handed her the

It was exactly

you been

"You think I have that

realizing

looked down at the menu. "Uncle Rupert, you

Rupert glanced around, clearly not in the mood for

muttered under her breath, "If you're so high and mighty, why

pulled out a cigarette, cupped his hand around the lighter, and kit up with a

smoke, he half-lowered his eyes. "Sylvia,

lips together. Thankfully, their order arrived quickly, and she dug into her food, grateful

ate in silence. Rupert just watched her, his gaze unreadable—intense in a way that made

Rupert stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and said quietly, "Don't leave the hotel

from earlier, Sylvia had to admit he

but all that was left was an empty

grease, so she

server for more napkins. But Rupert

pack of tissues from his pocket-decorated

could

corner of her mouth with the tissue,

a

caught her off guard.

people at the next table

and wiped