“There you are,” Nial slurs. He misses a step and falls into me.
I chuckle, hooking my arm around his. “Let’s get you back to my house to sober up. I’ll take you home after work.”
Just as I’m waving down a taxi, the loud revving of a European car steals my attention and I spin around to see Eli and another guy jumping out of Eli’s car and coming straight for me.
Eli’s void of his signature smug smile, so instantly I know something is wrong.
“Get in the car.”
“Nial is drunk—”
“Did you not fucking hear? Get in the car!” the other one yells. He has dark hair and angry eyes. His skin is pale, his cheekbones about as sharp as his tone.
“Um, yeah, I fucking did, but as I said—”
“Cartier, this isn’t the time. Get in the car…” Eli flips the seat forward and rolls his wrists. “Both of you!”
“I don’t think I’m drunk enough to be standing opposite Brantley Vitiosis…” Nial swallows a burp.
I shove him into the back seat, shooting one last glare at Brantley Vitiosis over my shoulder.
I pause. “Wait, do you own the hotel?”
Brantley ignores me, and it’s not until Eli’s in the car that my question is answered.
“Yes, he does—among other things…” Nial rests his head on the little window. The back seats are squashed, but there’s a center console that makes it less confined.
“Eli, what’s going on?” Money doesn’t impress me, and neither does status. Clearly, Brantley has both. As does Eli.
“You were being followed earlier. I’ve been trying to figure it out who it could have been, even involving your brother.” Eli switches gears and I fly into the back of the seat. “But I couldn’t find anyone who would be dumb enough to follow my car knowing who I am. Turns out, you are someone people want.” I try to ignore his vague answer, even though it opened one hundred more of my own.
“What do you mean?”
Little snores leave Nial, his mouth hanging open and his eyes closed. I’d laugh if I wasn’t already stressed about what Eli is talking about.
“The car that followed us wants something. I don’t know what yet, but I’m going to find out, and until then, you need to be with me, and before you fight it, your brother agrees.” He squeezes the steering wheel, tapping his finger against the gear to drop it down. “I’ll drop you to work and then pick you up. Can’t trust fucking anyone right now.”
“Ah… you’re forgetting one thing—” I add, fighting the urge to be offended by their lack of faith in my intelligence. “I was in your car, so how is it something to do with Midnight Mayhem?”
“Because no one would come for us…” Brantley’s tone is flat. Like his personality.
“And why is that?” I challenge, but make sure to watch both their reactions.
“Because they’re The Elite fucking Kings,” Nial slurs, resting his head against the rest. “And no one fucks with The Kings.”
Eli drops me back off at The Castle and I slowly make my way through the front door, shutting it behind me when I find it so quiet.
“Cartier!” Kaius rounds the corner of where the family room is, holding a knife in one hand and a gun in the other. “Shall we start?”
“What the fuck made this so important?” Eli asks, slamming the front door to the penthouse closed while grabbing the gun out of his inside jacket.
Rolling my eyes, I unclasp my jacket and toss it onto the kitchen counter. “You can put that away, you know. This place is safe. No one can touch me here, and I need—”
A hand slams over my mouth, forcing my back against a hard chest. A gun cocks before Eli can. “No, no. No stupid business…” I don’t recognize the voice behind me. Not even a little.
He continues to move us backward, but my eyes stay locked on Eli.
He keeps his focus on me, but his words are for the intruder. “You know, I’m impressed. You’ve got balls to lay hands on the Kiznitch princess.”