Page 77 of Collect the Pieces

“Don’t start none, won’t be none.” Shelby dips her chin dramatically. “You didn’t start it, but you sure did finish it.” She wraps her hand around my arm. “Iswearthat doesn’t happen all the time around here. Most of the girls are nice.”

“Jigsawdidwarn me.” I shrug. “I thought Bonnie would be it, though.”

Shelby’s gaze shifts sideways. “Well, I wasn’t kidding. Girls get banned from coming to the clubhouse if they antagonize the ol’ ladies.”

“I don’t want to be responsible for that.”

“Like I said, if she didn’t start trouble, she wouldn’t be in it. That’s on her.” She frowns and stares at the door. “To be honest, I thought Dee-Deehadalreadybeen banned.”

The door squeaks open.What now?Someone else stopping by to tell me they’ve slept with my boyfriend?

“Ladies, everything okay?” Rooster’s rumbling voice asks.

“We’re good. Be out in a sec,” Shelby calls out. She turns and touches my arm. “You okay?” Her lips quirk with amusement. “You’re a flock-star.”

Her flamingo pun is a welcome bit of comedic relief. I let out a chuckle. “Guess I ruffled a few feathers tonight, huh?”

Shelby snorts, shaking her head. “Oh, big time.” She grins, eyes shining with approval. “Proud of you, girl.”

“I never really stuck up for myself when I got bullied in school.” I shrug apologetically, feeling kind of silly sharing this with a woman I barely know. “I’ll be dammed if I’m going to put up with it as an adult.”

“I hear that.”

My nose wrinkles. “Is what she said even true?”

Does Jigsaw really like bitchy women with bad haircuts?

Shelby takes a deep breath. “To be honest, I don’t know. I try not to pay attention to who the guys hang out with, unless it looks like it’s gonna be real, ya know?”

“I guess.”

“Icantell you, I ain’t seen Jiggy with anyone for quite a while.” She waves her hand through the air. “Like, way before he even came clean with me and Rooster that he was seein’ ya.”

“Oh.” My lips form a shaky smile. “That’s good, I guess.”

“And now thatwe’refriends, I’ll surely kick his behind if I ever catch him with anyone else.”

She’s so tiny, the mental image of her trying to kick Jigsaw’s ass would almost be funny—if it didn’t sting so much.

If I ever catch him with anyone else.

She said it so casually, like she expects it to happen eventually.

Like I should prepare myself for the inevitable.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Jigsaw

“Let’sjust go in and get them.” I grab Rooster’s arm, pulling him toward the ladies’ room.

He jerks out of my hold. “Fucking relax. Shelby said they’re fine.” He glances over his shoulder. “Dee-Dee’s gone. Pretty sure she’s not coming back.” He laughs. “Ever.”

“She shouldn’t have been up here anyway,” I growl.

His casual shrug pisses me off.

“She better not have tried to tell Margot the same lies about me that she told Shelby aboutyou,” I grumble.

---