Page 34 of Dangerous Encore
Mal hands me one of theglasses.
"You trying to get medrunktoo?"
He chuckles. "You're the man ofthehour."
"Cheers." I hold up myglass.
We toast, then kick back ourglasses.
Fuck, we're not classy enough to be near champagne. Chugging it like this iswrong.
My brother looks me in the eyes. "I got yousomething."
"Tell me it's not asextoy."
"Well, Joel and I got you something. But this is just me." His lips curl into a wide smile. It's a rarity for Mal. "Trust me.It'sfun."
"I'mterrified."
"Yourmirror."
I have to laugh. "You're parting wayswithit?"
He nods. "It's getting time to sell the house. Dad wants to, but he can't admit it. But fuck, that's a topic foranotherday."
"Yeah."
"He's gonna be theretomorrow."
"Sohesays."
Mal nodsfair enough. "Joel and I did get you under the bedrestraints."
"Iknewit."
"And I threw in a riding crop. New, ofcourse."
"Ofcourse."
"Not sure if Vi is into that, but with the constanthickeys—"
I laugh. "Not sure I'mintoit."
He raises a browyour loss. "Listen, Ethan. I, fuck. Let me get thisoverwith."
Mal isnervous.
That's fuckingweird.
He's usually the most composed person in the history of theuniverse.
He drops his voice to a whisper. "When you and Vi got engaged, I didn't take it well. I kept thinking it was the end of me, you, and Piper as a family. In a way, it was. But I get it now. That's life. It moves forward." He runs his hand through his hair. His posture gets stiff. Awkward. "I'll always miss that time, but I'm glad you're moving forward. I'm glad you and Vi are making it official." He pulls me into a hug. "Take careofher."
I have to laugh. "You asked her to take careofme."
"You saying it's not goodadvice."
"It is, but…" A million thoughts flit through my head. My brother and I haven't always had the easiest relationship, but I've always known he has my back, and he's always known I have his. "Thanks."
