“What happened to you?” Raine’s eyes went to Kreed’s chest, his head nodding in the direction of where Kreed was pressing a hand above his ribs, favoring his left side.
Kreed frowned harder. “A few of Rusty’s guys got a little too close.”
The flecks of green in Raine’s eyes changed, crystallizing. “How bad?”
“Nothing Mason couldn’t stitch up,” Kreed grumbled from where he reclined.
Raine glanced at the empty chair across the long table where their father usually sat. “It’s a good thing I came.”
I pointed a fork at him. “So you’re saying my dinner was a good idea?”
Raine shrugged his broad shoulders, his expression giving me nothing. “I’m hungry, we have a takedown to plan, and honestly? This is better than most of our scheming sessions. A little sophisticated for this group, but maybe it’s time the Corvos had a touch of class.”
I shook my head. “You guys are so stupid.”
Maddox ran his finger through the tapered candle flame. “Come on, you love us. Why else would you go to such trouble to plan a fancy meal?”
Actually, it was all Amelia. Hell, I didn’t even pick out the wine.
“The only one of us she loves is me,” Kreed corrected, looking damn smug about it too.
I elbowed him under the table, but he didn’t budge. “Can we just eat before the food gets cold?” I muttered, shoveling mashed potatoes onto my plate. “You can discuss your criminal activity as you stuff your faces.”
“Is there dessert?” Mason asked, already eyeing the kitchen like he might go straight for the cake and skip the roast.
“What kind of hostess do you take me for? Tuxedo cake,” I informed.
Mason put his hand over his heart. “Marry me?”
A loud thump sounded under the table seconds before Mason jerked, his hand going to his shin. “What the hell, man? That fucking hurt,” he hissed, scowling at Kreed.
Raine chuckled. “What did you think would happen?”
“You should propose to Amelia. She did all the work,” I said, forking up a pile of mashed potatoes dripping in a pool of butter.
Mason picked up a platter from the center of the table. “I have. Trust me. Turns out she’s already happily married. Lucky bastard.”
“We should make these dinners a weekly thing,” Raine said, picking up the bottle of wine and opening it. “We don’t get to hang out like this, all together, enough.”
Maddox held out his crystal flute. “See what you’ve done, menace? Bringing us together.”
Raine grinned, pouring red wine into Maddox’s glass. “Who thought all it would take was a girl?”
“Mygirl,” Kreed corrected.
Maddox groaned. “How can weforgetwhen you’re so quick to remind us?”
Kreed stabbed his roast with his fork. “I wouldn’t have to if you stopped crossing lines.”
Would I ever get used to them bickering about me? I didn’t know if I wanted to because a part of me liked it. I liked being important to them, which made everything so much harder. Having to worry about Kreed occupied so much of my brain. Worry about four of them?
God help me.
My phone buzzedagainst my palm, the screen glowing with a text message in the dark room.
Carson:I’m here.
A shiver rolled through me, raising goose bumps along my arms. This was it. My fingers trembled as I grabbed my hoodie, yanking itover my head. The fabric caught on my hair, and I tugged it free with jerky movements as I made a mental list.
