Page 46 of Scatter the Bones

Irritation prickles at the back of my neck. For fuck’s sake, I’m not scared of the kid. I don’t need backup. But Rooster’s notquestioning me—he’s trying to be supportive. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t rub me the wrong way.

“No. I can handle it.”

“Well, if you need help getting him settled in the apartment, text me.” He hesitates. “Youcanbring him to the house, you know. You’ve got your own apartment. You pay fuckin’ rent. You can have whoever you want over.”

“If it was just you and me there, I would.” I shake my head. “But I don’t want to take a chance with Shelby. I won’t do anything that might make her feel unsafe in her own home.”

His frown deepens, and he swallows hard. “I appreciate that.”

Great,now he’s all choked up.

“Besides,” I add, forcing a lighter tone, “Mr. Real Estate has a free apartment sitting empty. Might as well use it, right?”

He chuckles. “Yeah. Maybe if we start getting more bonuses, I’ll pick up a rental property or two myself.”

A thought from earlier rekindles. I step closer to Rooster and lower my voice. “You ever think Upstate’s sittin’ on a fuck-ton more money than Downstate?” I ask. “Teller didn’t suddenly get good at investing. And he’s been treasurer foryears. Can you imagine the money he’s made for them?”

Rooster nods slowly. “Yeah. But it’s not a nest I’m gonna stick my beak into.”

“That’s not what I meant.” I blow out a breath. “If Sway hadn’t been such an egotistical asshole, trying to drag Rock into a dick-measuring contest all the time, our charter could’ve been making the same bank. Teller wouldn’t have gatekept that knowledge from us.”

“Ahhh.” Rooster closes his eyes briefly. “You’re right. You ever wish we’d kept riding north and patched in here, instead?”

“Yeah, kinda. Took us too long to realize Sway talked a good game but was full of shit and only out for himself.”

“Agree.” He snorts. “Not much different from some of the guys in Washington. That’s probably why it took so long to see it. Felt normal to us.”

Laughing, I shake my head. “Pathetically fucking true.” I bump his shoulder. “That’s why I go where you go.”

“Same, brother.”

We head for the front door, side by side—like always.

Only difference now?

I’ve got a blood brother crawling out of the past, and I need to figure out what the hell to do with him.

And that’s my cross to drag. Alone.

CHAPTER NINE

Margot

Grief doesn’t followa dress code.

The house is packed. Men in leather cuts, dark denim, a few suits, a handful of women in revealing black-and-silver dresses, and a few in more regular funeral attire.

I have to squeeze through groups of loud, boisterous men clustered in the hallway. Their voices bounce off the old walls, lively and hearty despite the occasion. I stop and straighten a flower arrangement that doesn’t need fixing. It’s me. I need something to do to keep my mind off of Jigsaw.

I feel him.

Feel his presence in the house, even though I haven’t actuallyseenhim yet. That low, electric hum my body only seems to recognize when he’s nearby.

I shouldn’t allow myself to get distracted.

There’s too much work to do.

But the days of silence from Jigsaw have me questioning everything. And also…angry. Something I thought I’d never be with him.

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