Bran merely sighs. “I told you it’s not wise to get on his bad side.”
I wince and throw a piece of tomato in my mouth to mask my reaction.
Bran did warn me when I asked him stuff about Landon’s Elite party that night.
I cock my head to the side and study him closely. He’s the spitting image of his asshole brother. But I guess it’s the personality that makes all the difference.
Bran is such a posh boy and what I imagine a well-bred and educated English youth to be like. His eyes are welcoming pools of pure blue, his jaw appears less sharp than Landon’s, and his lips are neutral and by no means a weapon of terrorizing grins.
Oh, and their only real physical difference is that Landon has a tiny mole at the corner of his right eye. A small detail that I noticed the first time I saw them together.
I remember thinking Landon needed to be brought down a peg or two, and I can proudly announce that I’m still of the same opinion.
Hell, maybe he should be locked up for the travesty.
It’s impossible to mistake the two brothers for each other, and I don’t think that has to do with my being an identical twin myself and, therefore, skilled in the business of differentiating.
The truth remains, one is always calm, and the other is the definition of a shit-stirrer.
Besides, I don’t feel threatened in Bran’s company, whereas I’m always in fight-or-flight mode in Landon’s presence.
“What is it?” Bran asks when I continue watching him. “Is there something on my face?”
I type, “I was just thinking how different you guys are.”
“Just like you and Maya are different, no?”
“She’s not a psycho.”
“Touché.” He laughs and takes a sip of a ginger lemon soft drink. “Still, I’m impressed with what you did the other day.”
Thanks, but it’s backfiring and causing me so much stress.
“He said he’ll make me pay,” I type and then show him my phone.
Bran gauges my expression. “Did you by any chance…challenge him?”
“How do you know that?”
“You shouldn’t have done that, Mia. It’s the easiest way to get on his shit list.”
“Well, he’s also at the top of mine.”
He smiles, but it’s sad at best and pitiful at worst. “Confidence is good, but no one has ever been able to win against Landon after he sets his sights on them.”
“There’s always a first. But hypothetically speaking, how far can he go?”
“You already know what he did to Killian because he pissed him off and to your brother because he was merely part of his plan. What you don’t know, however, is that he was probably behind the fire that destroyed half of the Heathens' mansion, just because they proved to be an annoyance.”
My lips part and I scribble furiously. “I thought the Serpents did it.”
“They did, but he’s the one who supplied them with the information they needed. Then he sat back and watched the entire show unfold from the sidelines. He’s that dangerous.”
That freaking bastard. Either I’m going to kill him or he kills me. No in-between.
I stuff my face with food and swallow without much chewing. I choke and start coughing, the obstruction blocking my windpipe.
Brandon reaches over and pats my back, then offers me a bottle of water. I gulp half of it down and do the “Thanks” sign.
He understands some of the basic sign language, and he’s really been putting an effort into learning more lately. That’s how much of a good person he is.
“You okay?” His eyes dip at the corners with genuine worry.
Why aren’t there two of him instead of that evil Landon?
“I’m fine. Thanks, Bran. Not only for this but also for covering my back with Niko the other day.”
He reads the words and I think I imagine a tic in his jaw before he nods. “I figured you could use some help.”
“But how did you know to answer correctly about Maya?”
“I suspected that if he was asking about her, then it regarded the two of you.”
“Smart.”
“I know, thanks.”
And there it is, a hint of his brother’s overwhelming arrogance. Though Bran’s is more subtle and definitely not overpowering.
“Were you in trouble with your brother?” he asks, looking at me from beneath his lashes.
“Nah. It was just Niko being Niko. He said not to get involved with you guys, considering the whole rivalry thing with the Heathens. He wasn’t hearing it when I told him you’re different, because he’s a hotheaded mule. Anyway, these games and meetings will have to be our secret wherever Niko is involved.”