‘Hi...,’ I moved a few fingers for them to acknowledge my presence, but moved into the furthest corner of the room I could find.
‘Anything new at the Academy?’ Cole asked from the couch, while he and Ferris were busy saving the world on the PlayStation.
‘Your parking spot was free if that’s what you’re asking,’ I shrugged, knowing that I would annoy him again, but still, unable to stop myself from doing it. ‘You still have your crown, don’t worry.’
‘The Academy could burn down and I would still have my crown. I wasn’t worried about that. You’re the one who should be worried— about the weekend.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘We’re walking into unknown territory. Or maybe a too familiar one,’ Cole let out loud laughter, although I wasn’t exactly sure what he was implying. But I had the bad feeling I was going to find out soon enough.
‘Do you want me to call Alfred to fetch you a drink?’ Ferris asked out of his typical practiced politeness since he was caught up in an ammunition quest.
‘No, thanks. I have hands of my own.’ I didn’t need Alfred to come up from twenty rooms away and pour me a drink from one of the bottles sitting next to me. I may not have been royal, but at least, I was acting humanely.
‘Suit yourself,’ Ferris spoke while concentrating on his game.
So much for the planning of the night. Not that I minded. I just sunk into a seat myself and waited for Brax to arrive. My heart was pounding in my ears at the thought of seeing him. I was excited and at the same time afraid of what the new day might bring.
And as all fears had come true, the man stepping into the room was the old Brax.
Wenever existed as he was ignoring me completely, walking over to the couch to break the guys’ game. ‘Bang. You’re out.’ He turned off their screens right when they were about to save a city.
I hope that wouldn’t happen in the real world too!
‘Fuck off,’ Cole muttered, throwing his joystick across the room. ‘You’re fucking evil, man!’
‘And your brain is the size of a walnut. Leave the fucking games for later. I’m here to talk business. Something regarding your best interest,’ Brax ground out the words while walking towards an armchair.
‘We had like two fucking minutes left out of the game. Couldn’t it wait?’ Ferris didn’t seem pleased about the interruption either. Still, he rose up from the sofa to get Brax a drink. ‘Here. Just because you’re crippled,’ he extended him a whiskey glass.
‘I’m not fucking crippled,’ Brax muttered with a hint of amusement in his tone ‘Just momentarily restricted in my actions.’
‘You didn’t lookrestrictedlast night,’ Cole chuckled.
Shit. Did he also see us in the swimming pool!?
I think I must’ve turned fiery red under Brax’s cutting gaze.
‘Do you want to hear what I fucking have to say, or not?’ My king of the underworld was almost losing his patience with Cole as last night was becoming a taboo subject for him.
‘Why you so tense, man? Chill,’ Cole shrugged making Brax realize he was overreacting about something that, in their eyes, shouldn’t have a special meaning.
‘Just don’t waste my patience, ok?’ Brax was softening up, unwilling to let his secret out.
‘I didn’t know you were stressed out. I’m paying attention. What is this all about?’
‘About me doing the math and erasing some debts,’ Brax took out his phone to check something.
‘Debts!?’ Cole asked.
‘Yeah. Of a certain gambler. I know that your father didn’t lose money only in my casinos, but the ones that went up in my bank accounts were just transferred back to you. I don’t trust your father not to gamble again. It’s enough to get back to your old lifestyle. My accountant just texted me that it’s done.’ Brax was being generous.
Though Cole didn’t seem to agree ‘I don’t want your pity.’
‘Who said anything about pity? I expect the money back— with interest. When the time is right. You’re smart. You’re going to multiply it and fill my pockets, I see it as a win-win deal.’
‘That, I’ll do. Thanks,’ Cole brought him into a man hug.
