The Darkest Kiss (Riley Jenson Guardian 6)

He laughed. "So you've really got no problems with it?"

"As long as you have no problems with the mess."

"I can deal with the mess. I just don't want to deal with spending nights alone anymore."

I smiled. Liander really was a catch and a half - not only sweet and loving, but possessing the patience of a saint. I doubt anyone else would have stuck around after all the shit Rhoan had thrown his way, soul mate or not.

I just had to hope my daft brother realized that. Yeah, he loved Liander and yeah, he'd been more committed to him recently than ever before, but he still seemed to want his own space, as well.

"You have my blessing, Liander. When are you going to ask him?"

"Tonight. He's coming back to dinner. I'll hit him with the proposal as soon as he's well fed and happy."

"Fingers and toes crossed for you, then."

"Thanks, I'll probably need it."

"You certainly will." I hesitated, then added, "Just be a little extra vigilant with security for the next couple of days, okay? Until I figure out the connection between all these murders, there is a remote possibility that you could also be on his list."

"You'd have to say very remote. I didn't associate with Young or the people who most likely killed him."

"Yeah, but we're not talking about a rational mind here. Promise me you'll play safe."

"Okay, I promise. Now let me go and get ready for my big night."

"Good luck with it," I said and hung up. I stripped off then headed into the shower. Time to start making myself presentable for my big night, as well.

Dusk was crawling in across the sky by the time I pulled in to the small parking lot beside Sparkies. The restaurant was all soaring arches, smoky glass, and chrome, and sat on the banks of the Yarra River like some rare jewel.

Melbourne's finest stepped out from chauffeur-driven limos and Mercedes - the men uniformly elegant and the women adorned by pearls and diamonds that gleamed and sparkled under the bright entrance lights.

A thief would have had a field day - if he could have gotten past the three security guards standing discreetly in the shadows.

I climbed out of my car, then smoothed down my dress, glad I'd opted for something that wasn't black. Most of the other women arriving were in autumn tones, which probably meant they were the "in" shades at the moment. My dress followed the simple lines of a modest, V-necked sheath - at least until I turned, revealing the plunging back that stopped tantalizingly short of my butt. And there was nothing autumn-hued or modest about its color - it was a lusciously rich emerald that would stand out amongst the autumn tones as fiercely as the brightest of yellows.

The only jewelry I had was my watch, but I didn't need diamonds or pearls to liven the outfit. The red-gold of my hair was enough.

I walked over to the door and waited in line for my turn with the man ticking off guest names.

His gaze met mine, expression polite and blue eyes showing little interest in the proceedings. "Name, miss?"

"Riley Jenson."

He scanned the list, flicked over the page, then nodded. "If you'll just head through that second door to your left, your ticket will be waiting for you."

"Thanks."

He nodded, his gaze already moving on to the next person. A black-suited shifter opened the door with a polite nod as I approached. Inside, the air was warm and perfumed, heavy with the scents of human and nonhuman. I walked down a small hallway until I reached a booth.

A woman with bleached-blond hair and a fake tan gave me a warm smile. "Here for a ticket?"

"Yes. The name is Jenson."

She shuffled through a pile of tickets, then drew one out. "Riley?"

"That's me." I handed over my credit card. Hopefully, Jack would reimburse me ASAP, because the card had just about reached its limit. I'd discovered a week ago that the man who handmade my wooden-heeled stilettos had just released an autumn range, and I'd gone on something of a spending binge. The pair I wore tonight - a shimmery emerald-colored snakeskin - had been one of five, and the most sedate of them.

The woman in the booth swiped the card - which was one of the new smart cards, requiring fingerprint confirmation rather than a signature - so I pressed my hand into the machine and got a green-light confirmation.