“No problem.” Ryke stands and tosses his old energy drink in the wastebasket.
We all concentrate on changing clothes. Sam rises and tugs his shirt off before unzipping his duffel. I become acutely aware that he has four years on Connor and Ryke and six years on me with the way he begins commanding the room. Confident posture, assured stance—a build that would suit someone heading into the army. Not that he’s ever going to enlist like his father and four brothers.
Sammy took another path in life to be with the rich and now the famous.
By the time I have the gold belt around my waist, along with tight navy pants and boots, Ryke lounges on the chair.
“You can’t seriously be finished,” I say, scanning his dark green leather jacket, a hood attached, and an identical colored crew-neck. Black jeans to top off his simple look.
Sam scrutinizes him. “Who are you supposed to be?”
“Green Arrow.”
I shake my head in disapproval. He wore the same exact costume almost one year ago—when I first met him.
“It’s the only thing I have,” Ryke says to me. “And what does it fucking matter?”
“I can see your face.” I point at him. “You can pretend your little hood will conceal your features, but the moment we hit the convention floor, people are going to swarm us.”
“I’m going to shave,” Ryke declares. “And I have black paint that I’m going to use for a mask.”
“Where’s your bow and arrow?” Sam asks, scanning the room for Ryke’s props.
“I left them at my apartment—”
I groan.
Connor says, “Not surprised.”
“Look, I already had one of the girls swing by my place and pick them up on their way. Problem solved.” Probably Daisy…but I smother that suspicion. It shouldn’t matter if she was the one—they’re just friends. Like he said. I’d rather not put my doubts in Sam’s head either.
Ryke zips up his leather jacket. “And worry about yourself, Cobalt.”
“That’s the thing,” Connor says, “I don’t have to worry about myself.” He fits his black mask over his eyes and nose, shrouding half his face. “It’s called confidence, in case you were confused.”
“Sounds more like arrogance,” Ryke says.
“Closely related,” he says, not denying a thing.
Sam snaps his blue belt around his waist. “Poppy has my shield,” he says to Ryke, “so do you want to stop by the girls’ room with me?” He’s being all buddy-buddy with my brother, which has me a bit on guard.
Connor checks his watch on the bed. “Rose already texted me that they’re waiting on the ballroom level.” Everyone is pretty much ready except my brother, who’s been slacking. “Hurry up and shave, Ryke.”
“I’ll just meet you fucking down there.” Ryke heads to the bathroom.
“No,” Connor says. “A man never leaves his dog behind.”
Ryke flips him off, not turning around as he does so. He disappears in the bathroom.
Connor grins. We end up waiting for Ryke in the doorway. Sam leans his shoulder on the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. The expression he wears—the faint humor mixed with seriousness as his lips rise—fits his character too well.
“Captain America,” I say. “Aren’t you glad you left your four-year-old at home? She’d learn words like fuck off and fucking fuck all within the span of thirty minutes.”
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” Sam says.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap back.
“He’s your brother, right? Cut from the same cloth.”
I don’t curse as much as Ryke, not even close, but he’s saying that he’d be hesitant to let his child around me. I can’t do anything but glare.
Sam sighs, seeing that I’m taking offense to this. “I didn’t mean anything by it other than you’re both rough around the edges.” I don’t tear my gaze off him, and to throw up a white flag or maybe prove a point, he calls out to my brother, “Do you plan on procreating, Ryke?”
“Yeah,” Ryke shouts back. “And I hope my kid is a horrible influence on yours.”
Sam looks at me and outstretches his arms like am I right?
Yeah. My lips lift. Maybe he is.
{ 7 }
0 years : 02 months
October
LILY CALLOWAY
“Batman?” I stand beneath a towering figure with pink lips and broad shoulders. And I think: Please let this be Connor Cobalt. Within ten minutes, I lost my sisters among the costumed-clad masses. I was distracted by the best Ninja Turtle cosplay, of all things.