Page 125 of Scatter the Bones

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” Margot says.

Shelby’s concerned eyes meet mine. “Everything okay?”

“Stella stopped by to spread her special brand of cheer,” I answer.

Rooster rolls his eyes.

Shelby bares her teeth and makes a snarly sound that’s more cute than scary. “What’d that snotty little bag of hair say to ya?”

“Ahhh.” Margot blushes and casts a quick glance my way. “She wanted to know if we’d be interested in filming a threesome with her.”

Shelby blinks and stares.

“Is our little songbird speechless?” I tease.

“Dang.” Shelby whistles. “I sure am. That’s, uh, that’s pretty special.” She turns her head, glancing around the room. “The three-way offer’s bad enough, but I guess I see why she might think y’all were open to it. Offerin’ to film it, and I assume, throw it on her website? That’s a whole ‘nother level of audacity.”

“Thank you!” Margot pats her hair and twirls a long wave around her finger. “She ran her hands over my hair like I was a dog she wanted to adopt from the pound.”

Shelby’s eyes go wide. “Shepettedyou?”

Rooster frowns at me and I shrug.

Shelby gives her a reassuring squeeze. “She won’t try that again. Not if I’m around.”

Margot’s lips curl into a wicked expression. “What if she wantsusto have a threesome with her.” She wags her fingers between herself and Shelby but she’s staring up at me. “For the ‘visual contrast’ and all.”

Shelby snort-giggles. “Lordy, my PR gal would murder me.”

Rooster clears his throat.

Shelby narrows her eyes at him. “You know good and damn well where I stand on such matters.”

Margot’s eyes widen. She flicks a look my way, then turns to Rooster. “Jensen neatly dodged a question earlier. Maybe you can help me out, Rooster?”

Sensing where this is going, I straight-up glare at Rooster to keep his mouthshut.

Ignoring my death-stare, he grins at her. “Anything. Ask away, Margot.”

She curls her finger, inviting him to lean closer. “Before I came into the picture, is that the sort of thing Jigsaw would do at these parties?” She jerks her chin toward the pool table where Grip and Brew have switched places and Kristen’s now screaming around Brew’s cock.

Shelby bursts into giggles and claps her hand over her mouth.

Rooster flashes apayback’s-a-bitchgrin my way. “Absolutely not,” he answers in a grave tone that doesn’t quite hit a sincere note.

“Uh-huh.” Margot side-eyes me.

“Girl, come with me.” Shelby links her arm through Margot’s. “We’ll be right back,” she tosses over her shoulder.

Taking Margot by the hand, Shelby expertly weaves through the crowd, keeping Margot close behind her. Shelby’s a good friend. I trust her to look out for Margot.

This motherclucker in front of me, though.

I slam my palm against Rooster’s shoulder, shoving him. “You couldn’t have just worked some sincerity into the word ‘no,’ asshole?”

“Be thankful I didn’t tell her you were a virgin before you met her.” He cocks his head, inviting me to remember the snarky answer I gave Shelby the time she asked me a similar question when they first started getting serious.

“Point taken.” I dip my chin in apology. I cast a worried glance down the hallway. “What do you think Shelby’s gonna tell her?”

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