She shrugged.
“Avery… why are you pulling away? Is it because of last night?”
“I’m not pulling away,” she huffed. “Maybe I’m just not a very nice person.”
When he rolled his eyes at her, Avery had to hold back a smile. It was such a un-Brennus-like expression it was comical on him. “Right,” he replied sarcastically. “Or maybe you’re just writing this off before it’s even begun.”
Anger rippled through her at the suggestion. “Writing this off? I have the chance to save Aunt Caroline’s life… you think I’m writing this off?”
At her retort Brennus’ expression darkened, a sad rejection entering his eyes before he thought to curb it. A twinge of pain originating from her chest drew into a battle with her mind. She had to stop feeling bad every time she hurt his feelings!
“This can’t just be about saving Aunt Caroline, Avery. It won’t work. It has to be about you and me too.”
Avery shook her head. “Brennus, Caroline is everything to me. If I do this, then it’s because of her.”
“You would trade your life for hers in a sense then?” He frowned. “Why? Why is she everything?”
It seemed like such a silly question. But then she took a moment to remember that Brennus had only ever had people in his life that had betrayed and hurt him. When he had traded his life… in the end it had been for the wrong person.
She leaned back more comfortably into the sofa and smiled at the thought of her aunt. “Because… she gave up a free and easy life to raise a pre-pubescent child. She taught me to be a person with good values and principles. She’s never cared what anyone else thinks about her and she’s never judged me because I do care. She’s always pointed me in the right direction. She helped me make decisions that have made my life better. In school she was on the school newspaper and she said it was really fun, so I joined the school newspaper and I met Sarah. Aunt Caroline played volleyball, so she taught me, and I tried out for the team and I played for the last three years in school and met some really great people. She had such an amazing time at NYU doing journalism that I knew I would too, and I did, the little time I was there.” It was true. She wouldn’t know how to be without Caroline. All the biggest decisions in her life had been shaped by her. Suddenly her chest felt tight with panic.
>Avery tended to cry if someone else did and as the man and woman sobbed hysterically when the doctor pronounced, ‘Time of death, 20:16,’ Avery felt a hot tear score her cheek as her throat muscles clenched together, determined to hold back her answering sob.
She felt the brush of Brennus’ fingers on her cheek and she looked up at him. He stared back with such love, she felt her knees buckle.
*
For the rest of the night he took her from pillar to post, answering the call of the dead. Each person he treated gently. Respectfully. Sombrely.
He was the most beautifully sad thing she had ever seen.
I’m Gonna Kiss the Parts
that you have Lost
After such an exhaustingly emotional night, Avery was surprised when Brennus suggested they go dancing the next evening. Her first instinct had been to flinch inwardly at the thought of being seen at 4.0 with Brennus. As soon as the thought floated out into the verse she berated herself. When had she grown into such a shallow, hateful person?
“I didn’t mean 4.0.” Brennus shook his head. “Your friends might be there.”
She wanted to tell him she wasn’t ashamed to be seen with him. But she wasn’t sure if that was true or not. God. She was disgusted with herself.
Seeming to read her mind, Brennus smirked. “You are remembering that you consider yourself my captive, right, Avery?”
She straightened her shoulders and nodded at him. “Yeah. Right. Forgot about that.” She felt a little better about herself.
But Brennus was grinning that wicked grin that did funny things to her insides, the kind of funny things that made her wish he would just grab her and kiss her already. “Forgot hmm? I’ll call that progress.”
Avery grimaced. “That’s not what I meant.”
She had to admit that choosing an outfit for going dancing was difficult. Brennus had great taste. Understated, classy. In the end she chose a pair of skinny jeans and a silk top that tied into a gorgeous floppy bow behind her neck, the wide ribbons sliding sensually across her back as she moved. Her stilettos were emerald green to match the colour of the top. Her clutch matched too. She shook her head. Where had he gotten all of this stuff? She wondered, shrugging on a little cropped jacket a lot like the one she had at home.
Avery tried not to shiver at Brennus’ approving regard as they got ready to leave. He wore a black cashmere jumper that moulded to his well-defined body. With all the delicious things she was starting to notice about him, the scar was beginning to fade into the background. She wasn’t sure if she even saw it now.
They ended up at a club downtown she had never gone to before. It was a lot smaller than 4.0 and it was in a basement, but the DJ had good taste in music. At first she felt awkward walking into the club with Brennus. People stared and Brennus had to hold her hand and infuse that calm over her so she wouldn’t hyperventilate. Inside, the staring continued, following Brennus as he left Avery at the edge of the dance floor to get drinks. He was back in record time and she shook her head in bemusement as her gaze took in the crowds around the bar. I’m not even going to ask, she thought as she sipped her JD and coke. As they watched the people on the throbbing dance floor, the music teasing Avery, twitching its fingers on her hips and urging her towards the main floor, she wondered if Brennus even enjoyed this kind of dancing. Sure, he liked holding her close and swaying to the lilt of good old Paul Weller… but R&B, hip hop…?
When she finished her drink, Brennus took her glass and dumped it on a nearby table with his own. Then he was taking her hand and leading her into the throng of figures. His strong arms caught around her waist, nudging up the silk of her shirt so his fingers brushed her bare skin. She sucked in her breath as goosebumps exploded in ripples across her flesh. Her heart raced harder, faster as he drew her into the heat of his body. She had her answer.
Brennus knew how to dance.