I used the opportunity to try to wrap my head around everything he'd just said. It was a lot to take in, but at least now I had some answers. And more questions, of course, but that was to be expected.
Bran came back with a few bags of food, and we quickly set it all out on the coffee table. The delicious smells of garlic and soy hit my nose and my mouth watered. I dug in without hesitation, and he followed suit. We ate in silence for a few minutes, then Bran spoke up again.
"You're probably going to have to pretend your memory is still blocked," Bran said in a sympathetic voice. "I know that won't be easy."
Fury boiled up inside of me. The crab rangoon I had in my hand squirted out filling as my hand clenched. A little hit Bran. "He stole my memories!" I grabbed a napkin and scrubbed my hand. "How dare he? And how can I just go back to work tomorrow and pretend I have no idea?"
"You'll have to find a way," Bran said, wiping some stray crab filling off his hand. "Because if Franklin knows you remember, he'll come after you. And so will whoever he works for. I don’t believe he’s strong or smart enough to have been draining you alone for years. If you must, call out of work and give your migraine as an excuse. Buy us time to find out anything we can."
I sighed and nodded, knowing he was right. "Fine," I said. "But I'm not happy about it." I was still so worked up, but freaking out did neither of us any good. "Tell me about you?"
He wiped his mouth on his napkin and took in a deep breath. "I am the rightful heir to the throne of Dream. I am a powerful sorcerer as well as goblin. I have many friends in high places. I am very wealthy. I am very handsome."
It took every fiber of my being not to burst out laughing. He'd said all those things as if it were a list he'd long ago memorized. "Is that so?" I teased.
He grinned. "Actually, it is. And what about you?"
I shook my head and played along with his bluntness. "I am a public relations specialist. I have a degree in communications." I couldn't help but be amused in the process of reflecting his candid manner back at him. "I love my sister, sometimes to my own detriment, doing things for her that, at times, aren't best for me." Like keeping my shitty job. "I am from a wealthy family." Admitting those last two things was surprising, even to myself. Though they were true, I wouldn't normally be quitesohonest. Remembering the last thing Bran had said, I added on in a sarcastic tone, "I am very beautiful."
He nodded and smiled, agreeing with my last statement.
Well, then. That was a quick way to make a girl's heart flutter, despite all of the drama of the day.
It was all too much, so I ate in silence, enjoying the tangy sweet-and-sour chicken and beef with broccoli. Bran sampled all of it as if he’d never tried it before. He wrinkled his nose at the chunk of pineapple like a kid tasting something sour.
When we both finished, Bran helped me pick up the empty containers and throw them away after putting the leftovers in the fridge.
I could brand them as hot men who cleaned, if the others were like him. That would get them followers. Maybe play up the humor in their unfamiliarity with the modern world to make them seem harmless. It would be a tough campaign, but I had good building blocks.
"So, what now?" I asked as he came back into the living room.
"You look exhausted, despite being healthy."
He was not wrong. As if on command, I yawned until my jaw creaked. "Yeah, I think I'm going to hit the hay. Thank you for everything, Bran. I appreciate it."
He nodded and hesitated at the door. "Could I stay?" he asked. "I worry about you. I'd rather not leave now that we know your brother-in-law has nefarious intentions for you."
With just a moment of hesitation, I nodded. "Yes. You can stay."
I spent a few minutes in my bathroom, brushing my teeth, braiding my hair, and then put on a pair of comfy, pretty pajamas. Nothing overtly sexy. I wasn't letting him stay over to jump his bones. Wasn’t even considering it. Nope.
Bran sat in the little antique chair in the corner of my room, his back ramrod straight. He overwhelmed the delicate feminine thing, almost making me feel sorry for a piece of furniture.
"Come on," I said. "It's a king bed, there's plenty of room."
He looked at me, then the bed, and finally stood. He walked over to the bed and laid down on top of the covers.
"You can take your shoes off," I said, pointing at his boots.
He did as I asked, kicking them off and placing them next to the bed. I turned off the light, leaving only the soft glow of my reading lamp on.
"Good night, Andromeda," Bran said as I got into bed.
"Good night, Bran," I whispered back. "You can call me Roma." A nickname I allowed only a select few people to use. Though if he asked me if it was like the tomato, I might kick him out of bed.
He just smiled and nodded. "Good night, Roma."
I turned my back to him, not wanting to think about the fact that a gorgeous man was in my bed. A gorgeous goblin. Not man.
