a familiar voice added, and like a scene from a suspense thriller, Zane D'Ath emerged from the crowd of partygoers.
Kody released a long breath in a hiss, and Steele let out a small groan. Archer was like a block of ice, though.
"I guess I missed the memo that this would be a family reunion," Archer commented, his voice calm and emotionless. "Don't tell me you also came to congratulate me on my win?" He eyed his older brother with a sneer, but the leader of the Shadow Grove Reapers just smirked.
"Nope, you don't need a bigger ego than you've already got, little brother."
I snorted a laugh, then tried to cover it with my hand. At least Zane had that right. My snicker had pulled his attention, though, and he eyed me with an intense gaze.
"I actually didn't come here to see you at all, but I am glad I interrupted whatever was going on here." Zane indicated to Ferryman, then propped his hands in his denim pockets to not-so-subtly show off the gun tucked into his waistband. "What's this business proposition, Charon? I'm most intrigued now."
Ferryman slid his hand to his own waist, where I strongly suspected he had a gun of his own tucked away. The whole thing would turn into a replica of Riot Night in seconds if we didn't do something to diffuse the situation... or at least get it away from all the innocent bystanders.
"Maybe you should take this elsewhere," I murmured to anyone who wanted to listen. The last thing I wanted was to be involved in more collateral damage when the Reapers and Wraiths clashed.
Archer's fingers—still on my hip for some reason—flexed with acknowledgement, and he nodded to Steele in some silent bro-language. Steele inclined his head back and disappeared into the venue.
"Like I said," Archer told his uncle and brother, "this isn't the time or the place. Steele will sort us out a meeting room where we can discuss this further, seeing as I doubt either of you will leave until you say what you came to say."
Kody cleared his throat. "I'll also remind you both that Hades's rules still apply, no matter how recently this property was acquired."
Ferryman and Zane both glared at Kody, but didn't argue with him. Whoever the fuck this Hades was, he must be someone damn scary to demand that kind of obedience from literal gang leaders.
Steele reappeared near the door, giving the boys a head jerk to indicate he had a private space, and Archer gave me a nudge to walk with them. Except Cass—Zane's tattoo-covered second—put a hand out to stop me.
"Don't bring the girl," he told Archer. His voice was firm but not demanding. It was more like sage advice from a friend than an order. "You know how Charon reacts when he doesn't get his way."
The tension rolled off Archer in waves that I could feel, and his jaw clenched so hard I could hear his teeth grinding together.
"I'll stay with her," Kody said quickly. "You go and deal with this shit. We don't need them breaking the truce here, of all places."
A quick series of silent communications later, the group of scary-ass gangsters—plus Archer and Steele—disappeared into the venue to discuss some vague "business" together in private.
Kody blew out a long breath, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tight enough to bruise my ribs.
"I should be angry as hell about being excluded from whatever is going on right now," I muttered in his ear as he buried his face in my hair. "But for once I'm kind of glad not to be included. I get the feeling tonight might end in bloodshed."
Kody's chest vibrated against mine as he growled a frustrated noise. "Fuck, I hope not," he replied, releasing me and weaving our fingers together to lead me inside. "We didn't bring anywhere near enough ammo for a fucking gang war tonight."
I raised my brows at him as we made our way over to the bar. "But you brought some? Who's armed?" My money was on Steele.
Kody wrinkled his nose at me, a bemused smile on his lips. "Seriously? All of us. Damn, babe, you need to start feeling us up a bit more when we're in public if you didn't know we basically never leave the house unarmed." He waved a bartender over and ordered us both non-alcoholic drinks, which told me everything I needed to know about how worried he was.