Chapter 10
TEN
KENNEDY
"The decorators did a beautiful job," Ice said, giving my hand a squeeze.
"Most of the credit goes to Chelsea and Lila," I admitted. After a moment, I added, "They kept telling the decorators they were doing it wrong."
Lila in particular. No one in Dusk Bay was going to argue with Lila Bell.
On the other side of the room, I heard her laugh. She was surrounded by her three boyfriends, Hunter, Parker, and Slade. They all seemed to be making sure she had everything she needed: food, drinks, dances.
So far, no one stabbed anyone else over the Christmas music. Yet.
On the other side of the room, Reuben Brantley stood with his girlfriend Mina and their other partners, Damon and Gianni. Reuben had a drink in his hand, but it didn't look like he'd taken more than a sip or two. Of course not, he wasn't going to let his guard down in a place like this.
Ironic, since this was his idea. His and Caleb’s. He'd probably skip out any minute now. Of course he would, and he wouldn't care that we were stuck waiting for the last of the guests to leave.
"You know what's weird?" Mannix said as he walked up to us, his eyes scanning the room.
"No one's dancing on the table yet?” Ice asked with a grin.
Mannix smirked. "Give it time. If those pricks break any of our tables, they can fucking pay for them. Don't even get me started about blood on the carpet."
"There's just as good a chance of you leaving blood on the carpet as anyone," I pointed out.
"I can do that, it's my house," Mannix said.
"So, 'What's weird?'" I asked him, realising he hadn't had a chance to answer that yet.
"What's weird,” Mannix said slowly, "is that Caleb isn't here. It's almost like we did all of this for nothing."
"That is weird," I agreed.
I looked around the room carefully, even though I knew Mannix was right. I hadn't seen Caleb enter, and he wasn't here now. Maybe this was a distraction and he was up to something somewhere else. It wouldn't be the first time or the last.
Mannix hummed noncommittally before stalking over in Reuben's direction.
Wincing, I followed, hoping like hell he wasn't about to make a shit-ton of trouble.
"I'd say Merry Christmas, but we all know I'd be lying. I hope you're all having a nice time," Mannix said, his voice tight.
Reuben slid, him a dry look. Unruffled and unimpressed. The man was like a brick wall most of the time. Unmovable and unreadable.
"You did an adequate job," he said taking half a sip of his scotch and making a face like it wasn't ridiculously expensive. By making a face, I mean the side of his mouth twitched down by half a millimetre.
"Where's Caleb?" Mannix demanded. Evidently he'd had enough with the, could you call them pleasantries? Whatever they were. "Wasn't this bullshit all about him?"
Beside Reuben, Mina tensed slightly. Again, the change was subtle. She was even more closed off than Reuben.
"No one's seen him for a couple of days," Mina said.
That was a huge admission. Telling people something wasn't completely under control? Yeah, they were more worried than they let on.
"So we could have cancelled this and no one would have given a shit?" Mannix looked ready to tear off heads.
"Now, now." Gianni gave him a pat on the shoulder. "It's nice to have all of us together, isn't it? Relax and enjoy yourself. I am." He toasted Mannix with his glass of wine.
"Gianni. is right," I said. "Let's all relax and have a good time. Enjoy our Christmas."
Because if Caleb was really missing, then some shit was about to hit the fan.
"Yes, let's enjoy ourselves." Ice put an arm around me and held up his own glass.
"Merry Christmas, everyone." He grinned like he was having the time of his life.
He probably was. After all, what could be more festive than three boyfriends, a sex room, and a half-dead minion hanging in the basement like an ornament?
It was the most Dusk Bay thing of the season.
Some of us more sincere than others, we all echoed his words.
"Merry Christmas!"