Page 56 of Twisted Ruck

"When are you bringing your boyfriends to dinner?" he continued.

Sometimes we had dinner with my brother and his partners and sometimes it was just the four of us. Mum liked cooking for us either way, but it was nice to catch up without the crowd.

"I don't know," I said. "Right now, if I brought them here, it might end up in a food fight."

"You say 'food fight' like it's a bad thing." He grinned.

"It is if it involves bludgeoning someone with a leg of lamb," I said dryly. "Mum wouldn't be impressed if they wasted food like that."

Ice chuckled. "Trouble in paradise? Did you figure things out with Atlas?" Finally he got down to what he really wanted to ask.

I told him everything Atlas and Daze told me, including how happy she was that she'd found a way to get me back into the fold.

Ice looked just as happy.

"I told you, you couldn't stay away for long." He reached over to pat my knee.

"If you say 'welcome to the dark side,' I'm going to be the one bludgeoning you with a leg of lamb," I warned.

He grinned. "That's my baby sister. Threatening people with roasted farm animals. You'll be threatening to shoot me next."

"You don't have to look so happy about it," I said. "This wasn't what I wanted for my life."

I would have settled for the guys understanding the way Dusk Bay worked, and who to be wary of. I'd never intended for them to become minions of the Brantley family. I certainly never intended to get personally involved. I could kick myself for it now.

He scooted over closer, put an arm around me and pulled me to him. "I know it wasn't, but did you really think you could avoid it forever? Even if you left Dusk Bay, Dusk Bay wouldn't leave you. Sooner or later, they would have found a way to get you to do what they want."

"You're okay with that?" I nestled up against him, enjoying the feeling of safety he always gave me.

The guys said they'd kill for me, but my brother would go further than that. He'd burn the world down for the people he loved. Tear it apart and leave it in ashes.

"I'm not happy that you're not happy," he said. "But I know you will be. You have…how many guys into you?"

I swallowed. "Six," I admitted. "Well, five and a half, but close enough."

He laughed into my hair. "Six? That's my baby sister. A badass doctor with six boyfriends. All six of them better make sure they take care of you. Otherwise, they'll have me to answer to."

"They wouldn't dare to piss you off," I said. "Frost seems to idolise you. He'd probably want to help eviscerate the other five."

"I've been thinking about taking on an apprentice," Ice said thoughtfully. "Any other likely recruits?"

"To your skillset? I don't think so. Storm would prefer to break fingers. Atlas too. They have more in common than they realise."

"We can never have too many hired thugs," Ice said. "What about the others?"

"Jay and Dallas seem happy to go with the flow," I said slowly. "Although, Jay is given to pranking people. I get the impression he's good at not getting caught."

"An interesting skill set," Ice said. "Once in a while, pranks turn deadly."

"That sounds like a television show," I said. I made my voice sound like a TV presenter."When pranks go wrong."

Ice laughed. "I'd watch."

"That doesn't surprise me," I said. "As for Ramsey, Daze said we're taking orders from him. I don't think Storm or Atlas are too happy about that. Storm in particular. He might push back."

"From what I've seen of him, I'd expect nothing less," Ice mused. "I'm sure they'll work it out. Hopefully without bloodshed."

I sat up a little and stared at him. "Did you just say you hoped there wasn't bloodshed?" I pressed a hand to his forehead. "You don't feel hot."

---