This was strangely preferable to a Christmas party. I don't care if I had my priorities backward. I really, really hate parties, especially crowded ones. Especially ones we were forced to host. Against our will. Who does stuff like that anyway? Reuben was a sadistic prick. If you ask me.
His brothers were like him in that respect.
Are you sure you're okay? I asked Kennedy. "I could take you home if you want." We could have a private party while the rest of them dealt with whatever the hell this was. That sounded like a perfect plan to me.
"I'm fine," she said softly. "I want to see what this was about."
I considered telling her no and insisting on throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her away from here.
Reluctantly, I got it. Someone thought it was okay to take her. If it was me, I'd want to know who and why. The only reason I really relented though? As far as I could tell, there weren't hundreds of assholes waiting to murder us the minute we stepped out of the trees. A few assholes, we could deal with.
"This is weird," Mannix said, stepping carefully.
"You know, this might be about them getting their hands on the twins," Ice said lightly. "It might not have anything to do with any of us."
Hunter and Parker both glanced back at him and grinned.
"If they wanted our attention that badly, they only had to say so," Hunter said. "We're very amenable when we're in the mood."
No one asked how often that was.
We stepped through the trees as the shadows hiding in them stepped out onto the park.
There were four of them. No, five. Four men and one woman.
"Is that…" I started.
"Looks like it to me," Hunter agreed.
"Kaya Mancini. I thought she was dead. Along with the rest of her family." I frowned.
"She promised not to make any more trouble. And left town," Lila said, her expression dark.
"I haven't made any trouble," Kaya called out. "I apologise for all of this. I figured if I asked for a meeting, I'd be refused."
"You thought right," Mannix called back. "What do you want?"
He pulled out a gun from the back of his pants and aimed it at her.
She raised her hands to the side of her face. "I don't want any trouble. I want to return to Dusk Bay and I don't want anyone killing me." She made it sound almost reasonable.
"So you kidnapped our woman?” I growled.
"No harm was ever going to come to her," Kaya assured me. "Tony was supposed to bring her here and return her to you."
I looked around at the men who stood around her. "Which one of you is Tony?" I demanded.
"Tony has left town," Kaya said. "He's been paid. He won't be seen around here again.
"We'll consider leaving you in peace, but we need his details," Mannix said. His tone was firm. He wasn't backing down on this.
"Deal," Kaya called back with classic Dusk Bay loyalty. So touching. "Tell you exactly where he went. Then I can live my life?"
"Why do you want to come back here anyway?" Ice asked.
Kaya averted her gaze. "I have my reasons. I won't cause anyone any trouble. I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine."
"I'm not sure we shouldn't kill her anyway," Mannix said.
