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Even I jumped a little. Brand gave me an angry look. “That’s right, you didn’t fucking see me. Coffee isn’t sleep, Rune.”
“Don’t compliment him,” Brand spat in disgust. “Don’t make this sound like a compliment!” “You doubt his ability?” “Of course I don’t fucking doubt his abilities! He’ll be greater than you one day, and you fucking know it! That’s not what this is about!”
At the edge of the showers, Brand pivoted and strode back to me. He grabbed me in a wet hug. Into my hair he said, “You hate when I say that, I’m sorry. The last thing I want is for you to be distracted, to be worried about my shit. So, okay, I’m not mad. There’s nothing to settle.
Max lifted his head and gave Brand a look like he didn’t even understand what language compliments came in.
He met me at the door and waved me inside. He wore a long, silk bathrobe over pajamas, feet bare. It’d been a couple decades, though, since I was fooled by his sleepy handsomeness.
He smiled into the side of my face, drank water from my neck. After a while, he said, “I needed this to be the memory you remember, from tonight.”
He made you feel less than you were. So I broke his nose. And it felt so fucking good to be a hero to you.”
Brand grabbed the sides of my face. He stared in my eyes and said, firmly, “Rune of Sun House, I believe that you are meant for great things. I truly, truly do. Your story has barely begun. It is my honor to be along for what has been, and is, and will be one hell of a ride. So don’t leave me on the bench again. That’s all I wanted to say.” He gave me a rare smile, untouched by anything except pleasure, and leaned forward to kiss my forehead. Then he shoved me back to my side of the shower. I
Did you know Max told Addam that he and I were involved?” Brand shrugged and said, “I told Addam I’d kill him if you got hurt.”
Before I had time to worry, Brand began coughing, too. He said, “I had the weirdest fucking dream. You were swatting a fly with a sack of nitroglycerin.” “Nitroglycerin the heart medication, or nitroglycerin the explosive?” I asked. “You really want me to come over there and explain my metaphor?” “Yes,” I said, and I was being honest, because I wanted to see him move and know he wasn’t hurt. His gaze softened. “I’m okay, Rune,” he said. “We’re okay.”
