Page 59 of The Tenth Circle

“What is it?” she asks. “Is everything okay?”

“Please tell me it’s not about the price of fornication.”

Theory’s eyes are daggers on me, and I roll mine, just wanting to lighten the mood.

Dad shoots a finger at me. “That’ll come later. Although…I’m starting to think you’re a lost cause.”

“Starting? Seriously?”

“Can we save the bickering for later, please?” Theory groans. “What the heck is going on, Daddy?”

Through a tired breath, he responds, “Just tell your brother to get dressed, then meet me in the kitchen.”

Hendrix

“It was such a bad idea to provoke him.” Archer shakes his head, scribbling a horrendous version of Captain America on one of my sketch pads.

In the midst of ignoring the chances he’s right, I focus on my much better version.

“I had to do something.”

I can feel Archer’s hesitation to say what’s on his mind, which means he knows I won’t like it.

I allow him a few seconds before groaning.

“Spit it out, Arch. We both know you’ll end up scolding me anyway.”

He adds a lopsided star in the middle of America’s shield, and it takes everything in my power not to erase it.

“I’m just wondering why, I guess.”

“Why what?”

“Why you feel you had to do something...”

I toss my pad on the bed next to me. “Are you serious right now?”

He nods, tossing his pad too.

“Saint fucking hurt him—because of me.”

“So what? Stevenson is a big boy. If he wanted something done to Saint, he could’ve handled it himself.”

“We both know he’d never.”

Archer purses his lips, worry mixed in with the words, “And for good reason.”

“Where is all this coming from? And why didn’t you say it…I don’t know…last night, maybe?”

“I couldn’t find the right time.”

“You literally had all night.”

He slept at my place for frig sake.

“You were already upset, Hen. Would you really want me adding insult to injury?”

“If it’s how you felt, then yes.”