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I glanced out the window to see the lights of the city flash past. I hadn't realised how much I missed Sydney until now. Dusk Bay was a smaller city, without the huge glass-sided skyscrapers and historic buildings. Both were just as gritty and busy, but Dusk Bay didn't have the harbour. The bay wasn't anywhere near as magnificent or as big. The waterfront houses were similar in both places though. Large, opulent and expensive.
We pulled up under a tree, a dark car amidst the shadows. There wasn't even a streetlight to illuminate us here. Once the driver turned off the headlights, we blended into the night.
A shiver of apprehension trickled down my spine. It ratcheted up to anxiety as I followed Mannix out of the car. The full smells and sounds of the city hit me the moment my heels touch the ground. Salt air, exhaust fumes, traffic, music from the nearby party. It was an assault on my senses, spiking my nerves.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I said as Mannix closed the car door behind us. "A cyber attack from a distance would be—"
"Not as much fun." Ice slipped his hand into mine. "You said this should be more effective, and what could be better than a direct attack on Samuel Bell? Knowing someone was inside his house will freak him the fuck out." He grinned.
"Don't forget he wants you dead," Mannix said. "He's getting what he deserves."
Before I could think of another argument or say another word, Mannix led the way up the leafy street.
After another moment of hesitation, we followed behind him.
Chapter Nineteen
Kennedy
As planned, the party was in full swing when we stepped up to the house. Mannix flashed a fake invitation and a smile at the security guard on the gate. She didn't seem impressed by his smile, but she nodded at the invitation and waved us through.
"You can't please everyone," he muttered as we stepped away towards the house.
"You better not try, or Kennedy and I will remove your toenails, one by one," Ice told him.
"Or his fingernails," I agreed jokingly. Or maybe I wasn't joking.
The thought of Mannix with anyone else ignited a bonfire of jealousy inside me. If any of the guys touched another woman, I might scratch her eyes out. These guys were mine.
"As if I'd go there with anyone else," Mannix said. "I have everything I need already."
He nodded for us to be quiet, while we stepped around the curved driveway and through the wide open front doors.
The sound of music and voices came from somewhere at the back of the house.
"Pool area." Ares nodded in that direction. "It also has a harbour view. This place is worth a shit ton of money. It used to be worth more, but a house down the street disappeared into a sinkhole a couple of years ago. Fucked with property value for a while there." His tone didn't even hold a slight hint of sympathy. If anything, he sounded pleased.
"I remember that," I said. "They never could figure out why a sinkhole opened right there."
Ares shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. That's another thing on a long list of things I don't give a shit about. Although, the owner of that house was smokin' hot."
I gave him a look which he returned with an even gaze. We'd barely spoken since the conversation we shared. Sometimes he looked like he was ready to say something civil. Most of the time he seemed more pissed off than usual, on the verge of telling me to fuck off.
I shrugged it off each time. When he was ready to talk, we could talk. Until then, he could keep on acting like he didn't give a shit. We both knew he did.
"The office should be over here." Mannix nodded toward the east and skirted around a handful of partygoers. No one gave him, or any of us, a second glance.
"I'd kill for a drink," Ice said loudly. "Do you think they have decent beer here?"
"Haven't you had enough?" Ares asked. Our cover story was that we came from another party, which was why we arrived late. People were more likely to avoid us if they thought we were already drunk.
In theory anyway.
"No way." Ice exaggeratedly waved his arm in the air. "I'm just getting started."
Mannix gave them both a look and led us over to a tall, wooden door. A keypad was set into the wall beside it.
He nodded to me and stepped to one side.
