I did know. Mannix worked for the Brantley family, but organising a party? That was not going to be something he'd want to be a part of.
"Rock, paper, scissors?" Ares asked, looking hopeful for the first time since he'd appeared.
"I'll do it," Ice offered. "He'll lose his mind a bit less if I break it to him."
"He's still going to lose his mind," Ares said. "But by all means, go ahead."
He was visibly relieved to have that job taken out of his hands. Of course. He was like a brother to Mannix, but that wouldn't stop Mannix from being vocal about his thoughts on this party.
"I'll come with you," I said. "Mannix will take this a little better if it comes from both of us. Ares, you might as well come along for shits and giggles. You wouldn't want to miss it, would you?"
"'I can think of a million things I'd rather do, but I'll come with you,'" Ares said grudgingly. "'Someone has to stop Mannix from murdering both of you.”
As if Mannix could or even would. Mannix loved Ice and me far too much to murder us just because we were delivering an unwelcome message.
I hoped.
I mean, there was love, then there was explaining to him that we'd have a few hundred people here in the house in Dusk Bay, luring them here for whatever it was Caleb had in mind.
I sighed to myself.
Yeah, Mannix was going to lose his shit.
"He wants us to…What thefuck?" Mannix's dark eyes flashed, angrier than I'd expected. Ready to put his fist through the wall.
"It's just a little Christmas party," Ice said in an easy tone meant to soothe. If Mannix could be soothed. "It'll be fun. Imagine, all those people coming here and getting drunk. It'll be good for a laugh."
Mannix squinted at him. "That sounds like a special kind of hell." He snatched up a knife from the side of his desk and stabbed it through the dark timber on the last word.
"Think how much blackmail material you could have afterward.” Ice patted his shoulder. "Not to mention Caleb would owe you one."
"We don't have a choice here," Ares pointed out, his blue eyes full of irritation. His hand twitched, like he wanted the pull the knife out and stab it into another spot.
"Reuben and Caleb aren't going to let us off. They've probably sent out invitations already."
"Fuck," Mannix growled. "Couldn't Daze, Mina or Chelsea have hosted this? Why does it have to be us?"
"My guess would be that they hate us," Ares said. "They want us to suffer."
"Pricks." Mannix grabbed the hilt of the knife and yanked it out of the desk before glaring at the hole he'd made as if it appeared by magic.
"Fine, we'll play along since we have no choice. But Caleb is going to owe me a big one." He toyed with the knife. He'd might use it on Caleb if the man was in front of him right now.
"A very big one," Ice agreed. "The biggest one. What can we ask him to do in return for this?"
Mannix shook his head and let out a frustrated breath. "Nothing he won't try to squirm his way out of. If we have to do this, we have some rules. One, no fucking mistletoe."
"I like mistletoe," Ice argued. "Not that I need any excuse to kiss Kennedy." He placed his hand on the back of my head and leaned in for a deep kiss, brushing his tongue over my lips.
I kissed him back, the conversation all but forgotten until he broke off the kiss.
"What do you have against mistletoe anyway?" He cocked his head at Mannix. "Let me guess, someone turned you down?"
Mannix glared at him. "I don't like the stuff, okay?" His grip tightened on the knife like he might use it on Ice instead.
Grinning, Ice raised his hands. "Okay. Okay. No mistletoe. Put the knife down and no one needs to get hurt. No one in this room anyway." His grin broadened.
"Who have you got down there today?" Mannix asked. "Anyone we know?"
