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Søren stared into the wineglass, the liquid lapping the sides of the cup like blood

"I only hated you because I wanted her to be safe," Wes explained "I don’t want you to think I hated you for any other reason And I don’t want her withNot anymore I don’t like you But I have to admit I don’t know if I’d like anyone Nora was in love with No one’s good enough for her, you know? Not evenanyone good enough for Laila"

"I’uess The way you’re protective of Laila"

"Protective is one word for it Paternalistic ave hiht be," Wes reluctantly admitted

"I only want Eleanor to be safe, as well We want the sa ized to Søren and even said thank you to the et the hell out of here before he converted to Catholicisive me if I broke one of her favorite toys"

Wesley started to argue but he saw the glint of amusement in his eyes

"You do that on purpose, don’t you?" Wesley asked "Goad people?"

"Only worthy adversaries"

"Then I’ll take it as a compliment" Wesley paused to yawn into his hands

"Go, Wesley You should sleep It’s late"

"I don’t know if I can I see too much when I close my eyes"

"Eleanor would want you to take care of yourself"

"She’d want the same for you"

Søren didn’t answer He opened the fallboard of the piano again A few stray and beautiful notes wandered about the room--Brahms’s famous lullaby Wesley had never heard anyone play piano sarcastically before