Hunter is staring at both of us like we’ve lost our minds.“This is a disaster.You are both so infuriating.”
“Hunter—” Silas starts.
“No.”Hunter’s voice has gone cold again.Distant.“You know what?Figure your shit out.I don’t care anymore.”
“You don’t mean that,” I say.
“Don’t I?”He looks at me, and the hurt in his eyes makes my chest ache.“Because right now, I’m looking at my sister who I thought I knew, and my best friend who I definitely thought I knew, and I don’t recognize either of you.”
“Where are you going?”I ask as he heads for the door.
“I don’t know.Somewhere that isn’t here.Maybe I’ll grab some mochi donuts.Or maybe I’ll just walk until I stop feeling like the world’s biggest idiot for not seeing this coming.”
He grabs the skis from where they fell.“I’ll leave these in the hallway.I’m not carrying them around the city.”
He stops at the door, his hand on the knob.
“Silas?”His voice is quieter now, tired.
“Yeah?”
“You remember when we were fifteen?When you said you wanted to marry my sister and I punched you in the face?”
“I remember,” Silas says warily.
Hunter turns around, takes three steps forward, and punches Silas in the face.
Silas staggers back, his hand flying to his nose as blood starts streaming between his fingers.“FUCK!”
“HUNTER!”I scream, but my brother is already grabbing paper towels from the kitchen, shoving them at Silas.
“Tilt your head forward, not back—you’ll choke on the blood,” Hunter says, his training kicking in.
Silas takes the paper towels, pressing them to his nose.His voice comes out muffled: “Did you just punch me and then immediately start giving first aid?”
“Shut up.Hold still.”Hunter’s checking his nose with surprising gentleness for someone who just threw a punch.“It’s not broken.You’ll be fine.”
“I can’t believe you punched me,” Silas says.
“Look, you maybe didn’t deserve it seventeen years ago, but you definitely deserved it this time.”Hunter steps back, shaking out his hand.“There.Now we’re even.”
“Even?”I find my voice.“You just punched him!”
“Yeah, and I’ve been wanting to do that since the moment I saw him standing in your apartment half naked.”Hunter looks at Silas.“Feel better?”
“Actually,” Silas says, still holding paper towels to his nose, “yeah.Kind of.”
“Good.”Hunter nods.“Because I meant what I said.I’m still pissed.I’m still hurt.And you two still need to figure your shit out.But”—he pauses—“you hurt her, best friend or not, I will end you.”
“I know,” Silas says.
Hunter looks at me.“And you—visit more.Actually tell me you’re visiting.No more sneaking around.”
“I will,” I manage.
“Love you, grump.”
My throat goes tight.“Love you too.”