Behind her trails Cardinal, looking grumpy as ever and I wonder if he feels as out of place as I do, especially when he only knows me from a thirty minute car journey. He pauses, assessing the band guys sitting at the table, meeting my gaze as he huffs before taking a seat on my left. He has a tiny espresso cup in his hand, which makes me snort.
“It looks like you’re holding a doll sized cup. It’s so teeny.” I scrunch my nose, making what I can only describe as a hamster hand impression.
“Do you not have an off switch?” He says, a fork dropping on the table across from me, causing my attention to snap back to Wren. He glares up at Cardinal, with something dark swirling in those piercing eyes.
Clicking her nails together, I already have social whiplash, as again I have to tear myself from looking at him. “Earth to Rob, the champers? Darling, I will die of drought if we don’t start drinking right now.”
I don’t know why she would think I have the alcohol that was in her possession, but I automatically stand to go find another bottle.
“I don’t have it, but I’ll go—”
“Sit your arse down, I’ve got the goods!” Phin says as he steps out onto the patio, champagne bottle in hand as he pops the cork and gives his sister a pointed look. She lets out a little squeal, clapping her hands together as he fills up her raised flute, leaning over to fill mine up too as I sit back down. He offers all the guys the bottle–but not Wren, who just has a plate in front of him with a couple of mini blueberry muffins. That frown creeps back onto my face, mainly because I want mini muffins and I didn’t see any on the table. He's about to finally speak to me, but Satan herself steps out onto the patio and my entire hope for this weekend shatters.
Lily stands to welcome her friend, as Willow scuttles over to her, heels clacking. Mavis follows, her silver hair cut shorter than when I last saw her and it’s styled into a straight sleek bob, which fits her minimal style perfectly. She wears a silky grey button up, tucked into smart taper trousers. Her appearance is so at odds with her boyfriend who looked every part rockstar, but I really like her, maybe because she's pretty tame. Merle has always spoken about his brother with such kindness, but I’d never met Bran and considering he’s in a band with a man I’d managed to avoid for fifteen years, I was skeptical.
Willow’s black curls practically bounce as she slinks around the table and chooses the free seat next to Wren, perching so close that her olive leg knocks his knee, making the hem of her tight dress ride up her thighs. To his credit he doesn’t even look, still watching me with a hawk-like intensity. Maybe it’s because he isn't paying her any attention, but she rakes her pink nails up his neck. “Wren baby, you didn’t tell me you would be here.”
Ignoring a pang of disappointment I don’t even want to dissect right now, I turn my attention to Phin and Merle, who stand at the head of the table as everyone gets seated; both the perfect mix of nerves and excitement. Bran gives his girlfriend a long kiss as a hello, Mavis fidgeting out of his grip to sit down between him and who was introduced as Jay.
“Ok, so this is almost everyone. Thank you so much for coming guys, we really can’t think of anyone better than you all to start this journey with us. We’ve got loads planned the entire weekend so you get to know the hotel, but tonight is the murder mystery. It’s Great Gatsby themed and everyone’s costumes are in their rooms. Robin, I’m keeping your luggage so you have to wear what's picked for you, no arguments!” Phin shoots me a look that encourages no arguments. I can see from the corner of my eye Willow is glaring at me, but we’ve never gotten along so it’s nothing new. I don’t entertain her behaviour, but she’s been friends with Lily for so long that we’re practically associates against our own will.
“Corbin’s upstairs working right now, but he’s enlisting us with setting up a starter game to win the first clue for tonight. So everyone needs to get into pairs.” Phin finishes, raising his eyebrows at me to silently tag me as his partner. I heavily doubt his brother is working—he’s probably in his hotel room, carrying on what they started out here in the open, where anyone could have caught them.
I hate how he’s already casting a shadow over this weekend, and I can’t see myself calming down till I know what Corbin has planned.
“Wanna team up with me?” Wren asks, and I can’t help but blink rapidly, because he’s speaking tome.A delicious shiver runs down my spine. His voice is deeper and smoother than I expected.
Oh boy, that’s going to be a problem.
“So he does know how to speak.”
His smirk is devilish. “Sorry about that, I’m not much of a morning person.”
“You practically growled like a caveman.” I reply, receiving me a small shrug, as he still smirks. It crumbles when Cardinal scoffs at us both.
“Dear god, are you like this with everyone?”
“Do you know each other?” Wren points a tattooed finger between us both, his eyes bouncing to the small space between our chairs. I didn’t realise but his thick thigh is pressed against my leg.
Taking advantage, I swing my arm and shake his broad shoulder. “Oh yeah, he’s my good pal. My good time boy. Besties, aren’t we Cardy.”
He grunts a response and slips out from under my palm, eyeing me like I could be riddled. I don’t care, because whether he knows it or not, we’ll be great friends soon. I just need to carry on wearing him down. Wren doesn’t seem amused by my response, but looks happy when Cardinal moves his seat an entire space away from me.
“You’re so weird sometimes.” Willow snips at me, a possessive hand places itself on the table in front of Wren.
“I didn't know Hell let you out on day release, Wil.” The nickname sets a twitch off in her eye, the only falter in her facade. She's beautiful in a perfume model type of way. Elegant,and I can’t lie she’s stunning, but a total bitch most of the time. She’s noticed the way Wren keeps looking at me and my stomach drops, because I’m familiar with the wicked glint in her eyes when she spies prey to toy with.
“Hey Mavis, what was that true crime podcast we were listening to on the way up here?Murderously Curious?Was it?”
Mavis looks to her friend with an eyebrow raised, blue eyes going wide as she pieces together what she’s on about. Conversations cease around us.
“Murderous is a big word for you Wil.”
Another twitch, a tick in her pulse below her jaw, but I haven’t landed a hit. She is still smiling. “It was–”
“Being distasteful already?” Phin cuts her off, leaning back in his chair to cross his ankle over his knee. He clicks his tongue against his teeth, eyes flicking from me to her. I know I shouldn't let him fight my battles, but he feels as protective over me, as I always feel over him.
She tries to make her eyes innocently wide and doe like, continuing unphased by the interruption. “I just didn’t realise it had been twenty years since Lily’s father offed your mother, Robin.”I can’t help but look at Wren, wondering how much he knows about our past and I’m momentarily taken back by the hatred flaring in his eyes, aimed to my surprise at Willow. Entwining my finger around a loose curl, I tug until it hurts my scalp, grounding myself. “I obviously knew what happened to their poor mother, but what I didn’t know was that their father was having an affair with your mother. You know, before her murder and he went to prison. Seems all very…entangled.” I praise her for holding back theatrics, giving a short version of our shared horror story.
