“Don’t lie to me, Khir. I saw you this evening. You kissed her.”
“On the cheek. I kissed her cheek when I said goodbye, in a brotherly manner. Were you spying on us? Why didn’t you just say hello and let us know you were back?”
“I was going to, but then you kissed her!”
“Five hells.” Khiran set down the glass and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She isn’t interested in me, Del. She wants you.”
“Nobody wants me when the alternative is you, Khir. I know you don’t do it on purpose, but it’s the truth.”
“Not in this case.” Khiran stood up, grabbed Del’s wrist, and hauled him to his feet. “That’s it, we’ll go talk to Ro right now.”
Del shook his arm free. “If you have nothing to hide, then you don’t need to come with me.”
“I don’t trust you not to run into the city and get drunk in some
