Fierce Little Thing

Sienna

The phrase echoed through my skull in a loop so loud that the room around me seemed to fade into a blur. Porn magazines. Centerfold model. Over and over, the syllables bounced between my temples, dragging every drop of warmth straight from my face down into my shoes.

The silence settled over the living room like wet cement. Arthur sat motionless on the Persian rug, clutching a manila fold