Page 32 of Bones
“Like when some idiot gets shot in the gut on a rooftop?”
I looked over at him as I shut off the water. He grinned at me, leaning on the table, his expression so open I could practically hear his invitation to tease him back.C’mon, play with me.
My heart clenched and I turned away as I started disinfecting my tools with a bottle of alcohol.
“Why’d he call you ‘Mason’?” I asked.
“That’s my surname,” he answered.
“What’s a ruster?”
“People who live in the slums.”
The door opened again, and Sam entered. He held up a steaming tin mug.
“Here you go, Shortcake. Wasn’t sure how much broth you wanted,” he said. “I can get more if you want.”
Shortcake.Well, the Reapers had called me much worse.
“Here, I’ll finish cleaning up.” Trey moved next to me, reaching for the tools in my hand.
I handed them over, feeling uncomfortable, and took the mug from Sam, sipping it while watching Trey tell Sam what just happened. When he got to the part where Blaze took a swing at me, Sam’s face darkened.
“Sorry I wasn’t here to help,” he said.
Before I could say anything, Trey beat me to it. “She didn’t need any help,” he said, grinning at me. “She was prepped with a narc and knocked him out as soon as he tried to hit her.”
Sam’s face broke into a wide grin. “Atta girl.”
I stared at them over the mug. Did they want something? Was that the reason they were being nice? None of this made any sense and I hated feeling on edge as I tried to figure it out.
“What do you want?” I asked sharply. “You think I’m gonna suck you off for this or something?”
They both looked at me with matching startled expressions.
“Gods, what?” Sam asked.
“What? No!” Trey said at the same time.
“I mean, not unless you want to,” Sam added with a smirk that vanished with a grunt when Trey elbowed him, hard.
A part of me relaxed, but the anger remained. “Why are you doing this then? What the fuck do you want?”
“Doing what?” Sam asked, rubbing his side and glaring at Trey.
“All of this!” I shook the half-empty mug at them.
Sam’s brows drew together as he stared at me, but pity filled Trey’s face and it only made me angrier.
“Don’t,” I snapped before he could say anything. “I don’t need your help.”
“We know,” Trey said, his eyes gentle. “Just ’cause you don’t need help doesn’t mean you gotta do everything by yourself.”
“You’re part of our crew now,” Sam said.
My brow furrowed.
“We take care of our own,” he added likeIwas the stupid one.
