Page 5 of Dark Daze

"I'm glad you did," I almost purred.

Ric put down his glass a little too forcefully, making it clear he was listening.

"What are you doing with yourself these days?" I asked.

Gunnar shrugged. "A little bit of bodyguarding, a little bit of debt collecting. I've been back in town a while, working for Ric and Vinny."

My hand twitched. In other words, he was their hired muscle for doing dirty deeds. Exactly the kind of guy I should run the fuck away from.

I lowered my hand and accepted the glass of champagne one of the household staff handed to me. I was going to need several of these to get through the night.

"So, I hear you're working for a Brantley?" he asked, clearly fishing for information but trying to look like he wasn't.

I drank a gulp of champagne. "I might be." Most of these guys, including Ric, would give their left ball for a chance to get close to anyone with the last name Brantley. With the exception of Zeke Brantley, who was some famous rock star or something. The rest were powerful men, especially Caleb, who headed the family business in Melbourne. Reuben, as the oldest brother, oversaw Sydney. He was the only one Caleb deferred to on anything. Ever.

Ric's family and those affiliated with them had lost the favour of the Brantley family a decade or two ago. Instead of walking in the spotlight, they scrambled around in the shadows, picking up scraps and hoping to be noticed.

It occurred to me their interest in me might because they presumed I was fucking Caleb. A connection to me might give them the in they were hoping for.

They'd be disappointed. I was valuable to Caleb as an assistant, and I knew in part he was using me to keep an eye on my family and Ric’s, but he wouldn't go there any more than I would. Fucking with Ric was small-time compared to screwing with Caleb.

"I hear Caleb was invited," Gunnar said. "Is he coming?"

"To the wedding, yes," I said. "Not to the rest of it. He's a busy man."

I tried to stay out of the parts of his business that kept him the busiest but I was fully aware of what they involved. Smuggling diamonds, running guns, drugs, prostitution. If it was illegal, he had his finger in it.

"Of course," Gunnar said quickly. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you don't want to talk about work tonight."

"Yes," Bella said from her seat. "No more talking about work. We're here to have fun. Right, Vinny?"

"Right," Vinny agreed. As if he and Ric and fuck knows who else wouldn't be talking about it later. There was always a deal to be done, or a problem or person to deal with.

"I'll drink to having fun." Gunnar raised his beer glass while slipping his other hand onto my thigh.

"Me too." I raised my champagne glass and clinked it against Gunnar's. I sipped and tried not to let it show on my face when he slipped a hand up my skirt.

He left it there until one of the staff announced the buffet was ready.

"Ladies first." Vinny stood and pulled out Bella's chair as she rose. She really must be in love. She’d usually punch any guy who tried to treat her like she was fragile. Instead, she stopped to give him a kiss.

"Get a room," someone shouted.

I glanced over to see one of Gunnar's brothers, Mannix, jeering at the pair. He’d also grown up. And, like his brother, had grown out. He looked big enough to pick up a truck and throw it.

Gunnar stiffened.

I swung my gaze over to look at him. "Is everything okay?"

His lips twitched as though he wasn't sure he should answer that. "Him and a couple of his friends have been getting into trouble recently. Over their heads kinda shit."

"Don't tell me they're doing legal stuff," I said dryly.

He looked surprised, then chuckled. "No, legitimately bad shit."

It must be bad if someone like him was worried about it.

"Nothing you can't manage, I'm sure," I said.

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