“Okay?” I repeat in sign language, not sure if I heard him correctly.
“Yeah, okay. You and Maya can have it your way.” He tilts his head to the side. “In exchange, I’m adding two more bodyguards, and everyone on your bodyguard team will be following your every move.”
I jump up and sign furiously, “You can’t do that.”
“You’ll see proof of me doing exactly that first thing in the morning.”
Oh crap.
If my brother says it’s happening, it’s definitely happening.
“Wait,” I sign and release a sigh. “Okay, we lied. I actually met with a new friend of mine I don’t think you’d approve of, which is why we didn’t tell you.”
“Name. Address. School.”
“Brandon King. He lives in the Elites’ mansion, and he goes to REU.”
My brother pauses and his brows nearly reach his hairline. “Since when are you friends with someone from REU?”
“It just happened. You know, that time his brother, Landon, was bothering Kill and being rude, Brandon apologized on his behalf. Afterward, we played a game together and became friends.”
“Killian never told me this.”
“Not sure why.” Because Bran actually asked him to, I think. And since Killian was trying to get on Bran’s good side so that he could date his sister, he kept quiet about the whole incident.
“So you’re telling me you and Lotus…” he trails off and clears his throat. “And Brandon are friends.”
“Yeah. We meet for gaming and stuff. We keep kicking each other’s butts. You should see it.”
“Maybe I should,” he murmurs under his breath.
“Does that mean you’re okay with it?”
His bemused state completely disappears, and he narrows his eyes. “Absolutely not. You’re not to get involved with anyone in the Elites.”
“But he’s really different, Niko. He’s so nice and such a gentleman.”
“Oh?”
“Totally! And he’s nothing like his tool of a brother, Landon.”
“So you and Maya were with Brandon that night?”
I nod.
“Where? In their mansion?”
“No. They had some sort of party there, so we met in a gaming café and played for a while.”
“Maya. In a gaming café? The nerd hotspot, as she calls it?”
Shit. I miscalculated that.
Maya wouldn’t step foot inside one of those places with her cheapest heel.
“She wanted to meet Bran because I’ve been telling her so much about him.”
“So much about him,” he repeats in a mysterious tone.
“Yeah. She totally likes him.” Now, I have to actually introduce Maya and Bran. Yikes. They probably won’t get along.
Nikolai fetches my phone from the floor and hands it over. “Call him.”
I jerk. “What?”
“You said you’re friends and spend time together. That means you have his number, no?”
I nod.
“Then call him. I want to verify your story.”
I open my phone and type furiously. “This is ridiculous. Do you have that little faith in me? It’s like you don’t believe me.”
“I don’t,” he says point-blank. “Call him.”
“He’s not used to me calling him.”
“I’m sure he won’t mind it this once since he’s so nice and such a gentleman.” I don’t miss the way he stresses the words I mentioned.
Ah, crap.
I try to buy as much time as possible as I scroll to find Bran’s name while hoping Maya will pop in here already.
She’s always invading my space, but not this time. She’s probably hiding so Niko won’t grill her for answers. The little traitor.
When I take longer than necessary, Nikolai snatches my phone and types ‘Bran’ in the search bar. When the only contact with that name appears, he presses Call and hits the speaker button.
My heart nearly hits the floor as the ringing sound echoes in the air.
Don’t answer.
Don’t answer.
Please.
Please—
“Hello?” Bran’s slightly husky voice sounds in the air as if he was woken up from a nap. “Mia? Are you okay with calling?”
I release a deep breath and catch a glimpse of my brother giving me the side-eye.
The horror.
“Mia?” Bran sobers up. “Is something wrong? Make any form of noise if you need help—”
“It’s her brother, Nikolai.”