Page 60 of Scatter the Bones

“I’m surprised your dad let you go with an ‘outsider.’”

“I think he hoped to pull her into his ‘flock,’ honestly.”

“What happened to her?”

Pain knots in my chest, sharp and deep. “I thought Rooster’s life was perfect. But home was hell for him too—just in a different way.”

She nods once as if that’s a sufficient explanation and she won’t pry into someone else’s story to satisfy her curiosity.

That alone makes me love her even more.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Margot

“Thankyou for listening to all of that.” Jigsaw forces a tight smile. “And still saying you love me.”

His tone’s light. Like he doesn’t actually believe it. How could he think he failed anyone when he did more for his sister, brother, and even his father’s victims than any other person would?

He thinks I’m some sort of saint for loving him? He couldn’t be more wrong.

How do I say this, so he understands and absorbs my words?

“Of course, I still love you. How could I not?” I reach for his hand, curling my fingers lightly around his. “You seem to have mistakenly placed me on a pedestal.”

“That’s because you’re perfect,” he says, dragging his gaze over my face.

“No, I’m not.” I squeeze his hand gently, urging him to listen to me. “Jensen, please take a breath. Quiet your mind?—”

“I don’t think mediation is the answer right now.” He lets out a humorless laugh.

I tilt my head and give him my sternest stare. “Your cute quips aren’t needed right now. I want you to actuallyhearwhatI’m saying, not sit there churning up excuses to give me when I’m finished speaking.”

He closes his eyes and draws in a long breath, then slowly exhales like he’s forcing himself to shut out everything else.

“Thank you.” I place my hand over his. “Iloveyou. You have more courage than anyone I’ve ever known?—”

“Make no mistake, Margot. I went back for my sister. But I went back for revenge too. I was planning to kill him whether I found him hurting Jezzie or not.” He swallows hard. “He was a dead man.”

“Andyoushould know that I understand that better than anyone. However.” I take a breath. “If you make a mistake, I have no problem telling you so?—”

“So you admit I made a mistake?” A spark of vindication lights his eyes.

“No.” I squeeze his earlobe and gently tug. “List-en-ing, remember?”

He snaps his mouth shut. Probably a rare occurrence.

I wait a beat to see if he’ll remain quiet.

“Evenifyou make a mistake, I’ll still love you. I love you so much that I’ll tell you you’ve made a mistake,andI’ll try to help you fix it.”

He swallows hard and slowly nods.

“But I meant what I said,” I continue before he jumps in again. “Idon’tthink the way you handled thingswhen you were a teenagerwas a mistake. I think what you did was compassionate and empathetic.”

“How?” His eyes widen in disbelief. “How can you say that?”

“Oh, buddy.” I let out a weary laugh. “Buckle up because I have a list of reasons for you.” I hold up my hand, curling it into a fist and stick out my thumb. “One, you could’venotgone back for your sister at all. It sounds like you had a good life with Rooster’s family.”

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