Key Of Valor by Nora Roberts

frantically worked the controls.
    â€œNot yet, buddy boy. Take that!”
    Zoe watched an enormous blond wrestler heave his burly opponent onto the mat and deliver a punishing body slam.
    Next came grappling, grunts, horrible shrieks—and not all of them from the speakers.
    Then Simon collapsed onto his back, arms spread, mouth gaping.
    â€œDefeat,” he groaned. “I have tasted defeat.”
    â€œYeah, get used to it.” Brad reached over, drummed a hand on Simon’s belly. “You’ve met the master and now know his greatness.”
    â€œNext time you die.”
    â€œYou’ll never take me in Smackdown.”
    â€œYeah? Here’s a sample of what’s to come.”
    He flipped over, and with a whoop leaped onto Brad’s back.
    There was more grappling, Zoe noted, more grunts, and the kind of shrieks that warmed her heart. She didn’t evenflinch when Brad flipped Simon over his head and pinned him on the rug.
    â€œYield, small, pathetic challenger.”
    â€œNever!” Simon hooted it out, and laughed from the gut, being ruthlessly tickled while he tried to twist his face away from Moe’s slurping tongue. “My ferocious dog will chew you to pieces.”
    â€œOh, yeah, I’m trembling with fear. Give up?”
    Breathless, tears of laughter streaming, Simon wiggled and squirmed another ten seconds. “Okay, okay. No more tickling, or I’ll puke!”
    â€œNot on my rug,” Zoe said.
    At her voice, Brad turned his head, Simon squirmed. And his elbow connected, point first, with Brad’s mouth.
    â€œOops.” Simon sucked in a snicker.
    Brad dabbed at the little cut with the back of his hand. “You’re going to pay for that,” he said in a dangerous tone that had Zoe’s fingers jerking on the tray.
    In a blur, Brad was on his feet, and horrors flashed into her mind. She was already opening her mouth to shout, already moving forward to protect her son, when Brad hauled him up, hung him upside down, and had him howling with laughter again.
    As her knees went weak and the muscles in her arms began to tremble, she set down the coffee tray with a clatter of dishes.
    â€œLook, Mom! I’m upside down!”
    â€œSo I see. You’re going to have to get right side up again and go brush your teeth.”
    â€œBut can’t I—” He broke off, as Moe licked his face.
    â€œSchool night, Simon. Go on, get ready for bed. Then you can come out and say good night to Bradley.”
    Though he was watching Zoe now, Brad rotated Simon until the boy’s feet hit the ground. “Get going. I’ll give you a rematch soon.”
    â€œSweet. When?”
    â€œHow about Friday night? You can come over, bring your mom along. We’ll have dinner at my place, then suit up in the game room.”
    â€œAll right! Can we, Mom?” Anticipating her answer, he flung his arms around her waist. “Don’t say we’ll see. Just say yes. Please!”
    Her knees were still knocking. “Yes. Okay.”
    â€œThanks.” He gave her a fierce hug. Whistling for the dog, he danced out of the room.
    â€œYou thought I was going to hit him.” It was said with such complete astonishment that Zoe felt her stomach pitch.
    â€œI just—you sounded so . . . I’m sorry. I know better.”
    â€œI don’t make a habit of knocking kids around.”
    â€œOf course you don’t. It was knee-jerk.”
    â€œDid somebody else hurt him? Were you involved with someone who hit him?”
    â€œNo. No,” she repeated, struggling for calm now. “There’s never been anyone who’s paid him enough mind for that. And I’d like to see somebody try to raise a hand to him when I’m around.”
    Apparently satisfied by that, he nodded. “Okay. You can rest assured it won’t be me.”
    â€œI insulted you. I don’t like to insult anyone—well, not by