The door slams open with a bang. I step inside, the grin on my face widening as the noise echoes through the room. Gareth, ever the shadow, follows at a leisurely pace, hanging by the door.

“Ever heard of knocking?” Jeremy snaps, his irritation spilling into every word.

I wave him off with a casual hand, the kind of gesture that I know drives him up the wall. “You zip it.” If looks could kill, I’d be ashes already, especially since I’m not wearing a shirt. Again. Honestly, the guy should know by now this is just how I operate.

Gareth leans casually against the doorframe, his sharp eyes scanning the room, his gaze snagging on the girl. I prowl closer, letting my voice drop just enough to stir the tension.

“What do we have here?” I say, my tone dripping with amusement. “I placed a bet and called the guards liars when they told me you brought a girl over. And not your sister.” I glance her over, my grin turning sharper. “Looks like I lost a few bucks, but this is worth it. Tell me, Jer, why her? You said she was dull—what was it?—more boring than a nun?”

The girl, Cecily, flushes a deep shade of red. It’s anger.

“You were duped, Niko.” Gareth’s voice cuts in. “You can be really slow sometimes.”

I whip around to glare at him. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

He doesn’t answer, just keeps studying the room like he’s piecing together a puzzle I’m not allowed to see. Frustrating bastard.

I refocus on the girl, lowering my tone. “Your name is Cecilia, right?”

Her face hardens, the red receding as her expression goes cold. “Cecily.”

“Tomayto, tomahto,” I say with a shrug, watching her reaction carefully. “You’re close with lotus flower, aren’t you? You’ve got this whole shared love of unicorns, cakes, and saving animals thing going on.”

Her brow furrows. “Lotus what?”

“{{user}},” I say, the name rolling off my tongue as if it’s the most obvious connection in the world.

Her body goes rigid, and her expression shifts—discomfort morphing into a Mama bear mode.

Now this is getting fun.