Page 132 of Scatter the Bones

No longer gossiping…plotting?

Lala was right. One whole shelf is full of nothing but short green bottles. I grab two and shut the door. I’d kill for a lime, but I don’t want to stay in here longer than necessary searching for one.

I turn and two girls are blocking my escape.

“You’re Margot?” one of them asks. She’s all angles and eye rolls, arms folded tight.Huh, must be the leader of the mean-girl gang.

The one beside her was definitely at the bonfire. My lips tug into a shaky smile. “Hi. Bonnie, right?”

Bonnie matches her friend’s hostile stance. “Yup. That’s her, Nikki.”

Nikki drags her gaze down and back up like she’s measuring me for a fight. “So you’re the reason Dee-Dee got suspended from Upstate’s clubhouse?”

Seriously?They’re blaming me? “I’d argueDee-Deeis the reason Dee-Dee got suspended.”

“What are you even wearing?” Nikki sneers. “That dress is so cringe. You look like you’re dressed for a church picnic.”

“Awww, thanks,” I say, matching her snotty tone. “We can’t all wear stuff from this year’s ‘desperate for attention’ collection. I’ll leave that to you.”

Ignoring the dig, Bonnie looks down her nose at me like I’m a cigarette butt stuck to the bottom of her tacky plastic high heels. “You won’t last long. You look way too innocent to take the rough poundings Jigsaw enjoys.”

They cackle—loud, grating, and painfully performative.

She flicks a look at Nikki. “Bet she doesn’t even know what hereallylikes.”

“Oh.” Nikki gasps and bites her lip like she’s auditioning for one of Stella’s films. “Unless you’re into being thrown onto the bed, flipped over, and wrecked six ways from Sunday, you might wanna cut your losses now. Jigsaw loves to give a harsh spanking, fuck hard, and yank a ponytail good.”

This is starting to feel oddly familiar. Dee-Dee all over again—only worse. Much worse. And much more…descriptive.

Is it true?

He’s never been rough with me in bed. Demanding and growly in the best ways, sure. Rough—never.

“Apparently, none of you got the memo from your friend with the tragic haircut. I’m not interested in opinions on my relationship.” I stare them down even though I’m trembling. “Especially from a bunch of raggedy muffler bunnies.”

The one left sitting on the counter hops down and slinks closer, joining the two already in front of me.

Great, they’re multiplying like…well, bunnies.

“What did you say?” the new one asks, the cheap, rhinestone-studded belt holding up her ratty Daisy Dukes flashing under the kitchen lights. It draws attention away from her bare breasts trying to escape her cut-off white tanktop.

“No one’s talking to you,” I snap.

“Oh, you’re like Serena is now,” she says, curling her lip. “Think you’re too good for us?”

“Well, if this is how you treat her, I’m not surprised she doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

She laughs, low and nasty, like she’s savoring this moment. “Oh, honey. You think she’s your new bestie? That’s adorable. Did she forget to tell you she used to fuck Jigsaw?”

I blink.

Serena? Really?

No.

“She’s… she’s engaged to Grinder,” I stammer.

Her lips twist into a cruel smile. “Yeah, but before that old man got outta prison, she fucked all these guys. Same as we do.” She lifts an eyebrow at Nikki. “Right?”

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