Page 82 of Scatter the Bones

Rooster glances over. “You’re makingmedrop off the bags?”

“Yeah. I’m the driver.” I flip my hand in front of his face, shooing him out of the cab.

He groans but hauls his big ass out, grabs two bags and marches up the walkway to drop them at the foot of the front steps.

“I feel ridiculous,” he grumbles as he climbs back into the cab.

“We’re almost done.” We keep moving, passing the lot Dex chose for the house he’s building.

Finally, the cabin Z built tucked into a heavily wooded area of the property comes into view. From the outside, it seems modest, compared to the monstrosities Wrath and Murphy built, but everything inside is high-end.

We stop in front of the house and hop out. I grab two bags and head up the porch steps. The door swings open just as I drop them.

Z stands there in nothing but thin red gym shorts—slung low enough to see way more than I ever wanted.

I groan and slap a hand over my eyes. “Demons save me. No one needs to see that.”

“Speak for yourself, Jiggy!” Lilly shouts from somewhere inside.

I lower my arm a fraction, peeking over it to find Z with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at me. “I should make you run laps carrying those bags, just for being a disrespectful punk.”

I heft the bags again, shift them to one arm, and slap Z’s stomach as I pass him—immediately regretting it when my knuckles sting. The man’s built like a granite countertop.

“If anyone needs to run laps, it’s you,” I say. “Gettin’ a bit of a dad gut there, ol’ man.”

“The fuck I am,” he growls.

Grinning, I turn to face him. “Where do you want these?”

“You can leave them there.” He points to a closed door to my right. “I’ll bring them downstairs later.”

I set them down and Z’s dogs run over to me, rumps wagging so hard their feet skitter over the floor. Ziggy sniffs my pants and licks my hand while Zipper dances around my legs, whapping me with his tail. I crouch down and pet both big beasts and accept a few slobbering kisses on the cheek.

“Boys!” Lilly claps her hands. “Stop drooling on Jiggy. Come here.”

Ziggy immediately runs to her while Zipper butts his cold nose against my hand one more time, then trots away.

Rooster passes me, dropping his bags next to mine. A few seconds later, Z drops the last two bags in the same spot.

“Shit, Rooster, you didn’t need to bring this much,” Z protests. “That’s enough to last a few months.”

Rooster shrugs. “There’s more in the truck. Wrath helped himself to a few bags, and while we were at it, we dropped some off at Murphy’s place.”

“Such a good motherclucker.” Z taps his fist against Rooster’s shoulder. “Looking out for all your brothers.”

“We skipped Rock’s place, but I’ll get him with the second load.”

“Saint Rooster,” I sing. “How we love him.”

“Do you guys want breakfast? Coffee?” Lilly asks.

My stomach rumbles. I still haven’t eaten today. But it feels too much like intruding on Z’s family time to plop down at their dining room table and help myself to breakfast.

“Nah, we gotta unload the rest of those bags,” I say. “Thank you, though, Lilly.”

“I’ll help you,” Z offers.

“Where’s little man?” I ask Lilly.

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