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"That was accompanied by a lot of words," Mannix pointed out. "Way more than just one skinny little finger."
"They are not skinny." Ares flipped him off with both hands.
I turned to Mum and said, "Have you thought about eloping? I hear Vegas is fun for that."
She responded with a tinkly laugh. "I'm sure they'll behave themselves on the day. Won't you boys? I'd hate to have to insist Kennedy not have anything to do with any of you."
It was like she poured oil onto an open fire. All of the guys turned to look at her, including Leo. He seemed irritated.
Mannix's eyes were like twin chips of ice.
Ice's hand went white, he was holding his fork so tightly. He looked like he was trying to contain the urge to jump up and stab her in the forehead with it.
Ares even put a hand on Ice's shoulder like he was holding him back.
"No one will be insisting anything like that." Leo's tone matched his son's eyes. He seemed to be issuing a warning, but it wasn't to Mum. Something in his voice and posture suggested he was telling the guys to stand down.
My eyes flickered from one face to another. What the hell was going on here? I knew the guys had a slightly possessive streak—okay, very possessive streak—but they wouldn't hurt my mother if she tried to get between us. Would they? They must know if they harmed a hair on her head, I'd never speak to any of them again. She wasn't perfect, but she was my mother.
"I'm sure I won't have to," Mum said, but she didn't back down even half a step. Was she so bad at reading the room that she didn't get how annoyed they were, or was she just not easily intimidated?
Or maybe she knew Leo would cut off Mannix's trust fund if he so much as tried to do anything to her. All hell would absolutely break loose either way.
I cleared my throat. "I thought I saw the chef making chocolate mousse for dessert."
The tension didn't evaporate, but my words broke through the mist.
"I could eat chocolate mousse," Ares said.
"We'll get ours and go and sit out near the pool," Mannix said. "I'm sure Dad and Helen have a lot to talk about." He still looked pissed as hell, but either he didn't want to be around my mother anymore or he decided to leave it to his father to deal with.
I didn't much care, as long as we got away from the air of barely contained violence.
Mannix stood. "Kennedy." He nodded at me like he expected to be obeyed.
In this mood, it was better to go along with him until he lightened up.
"I'll see you later," I said to Mum. "We can sit down tomorrow and talk about the rest of the wedding plans."
"Yes, yes." She waved us away. "Go and enjoy yourself." It seemed she couldn't get us away from her fast enough.
Judging by the way the guys hurried into the kitchen, grabbed bowls of mousse and headed out the door, the feeling was mutual.
It was probably nothing more than pre-wedding jitters on behalf of everyone. Even the two guys not involved in the wedding. Weddings were a stressful time for everyone.
That was what I told myself, but I hadn't felt that kind of energy in the air for weeks.
Not since that night at the masked ball.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kennedy
"They're a handful, those boys of yours." Mum frowned at her reflection in the mirror and went on brushing her hair.
"I don't think you could call Ares mine." I took the brush from her hand and started working on the back of her hair, running strokes slowly from the roots down to the ends.
Her hair was a couple of shades darker than mine, closer to brown than bright red.
