"Wouldn't call anything I did 'sneaking around'," Brand says. "My nights off were my nights off. Though it got a lot easier once I was old enough to go to bars or the Green Docks and not have to deal with not-looking-for-a-relationship song and dance."

A satisfied grin curls his lips. "Though I did beat the shit out of some of Rune's exes without him knowing. Twenty years on and Geoffrey still looked ready to piss himself when I showed up." He shakes his head. "At least Rune's got better taste in men these days."