Page 116 of Scatter the Bones

“Not yet. Normally we just refer to them as ‘prospect,’ but I wanted you to know his name, just in case.”

“Is he even allowed inside the clubhouse?” she teases.

“Not without a good reason.” I laugh. “Yeah, someone will relieve him of gate duty later, let him come in and enjoy the party for a minute.”

“Sounds like code for ‘give him enough time to receive a blow job.’”

Margot’s so adept at reading between the lines. “When you put it that way, it sounds so seedy.”

She chuckles but sits forward in her seat. “Oh, there’s Rooster! Shelby must already be here too, then, right?”

Warmth spreads through my chest, pleased they seem to like each other. “Yes.”

A group of guys from Upstate are standing in a loose circle in our parking lot in front of the clubhouse entrance. I back into a spot on the far side of the parking lot near Rooster’s truck and help Margot out of the 4Runner.

“I feel bad you didn’t get to ride with everyone,” she whispers to me, casting a nervous glance toward the guys.

“It’s not a big deal.” I jerk my chin toward Rooster’s truck. “Rooster didn’t ride either.” Farther out in the parking lot, I spot Rock’s big blacked-out Yukon. “Rock didn’t either.”

“Oh.” She blows out a relieved breath.

Rooster breaks away from the pack and jogs over to me. “Hey, was wondering when you’d get here.” He pulls me in for a quick hug, slapping my back like we haven’t seen each other in months instead of a week.

“Miss me, motherclucker?” I squeeze his face between my hands and tap my forehead to his.

He laughs and pulls away. “Not that much.” He glances down at Margot and smiles wider. “Welcome to Downstate.”

“Hi, Rooster.”

“Where’s your little songbird?” I ask Rooster.

“Inside with Hope, Serena, Trinity, and Emily.” He wags his hand in front of his face. “Doing makeup.”

As we cross the parking lot to join the group, several of the guys glance in our direction.

“Look who it is!” Ravage shouts. “Our favorite collector of fingers and his adorable collector of creepy objects.”

My lips curl into a snarl but Margot bursts into laughter and lifts her arm in an enthusiastic wave. Her heels click faster over the pavement, like she’s eager to join the circle.

Guess Rav gets to live another day.

I nod to or shake hands with each brother in the wide circle. “What’re you all doing hanging around outside?”

Grinder cocks his head toward the gate. “Keeping an eye on fuckwad over there.”

“Fiddle,” Suds corrects.

“I said what I said,” Grinder grumbles.

Margot suppresses a snort-laugh, her body quivering.

“Waiting for you,” Rooster answers, waving a hand at Rav, Dex, Butcher, Hustler, and the other guys. “Not sure what these other chucklefucks are up to.”

“Awww, you two are so adorable.” Hustler makes obnoxious kissy-face noises. “Margot, I hope you’re aware that Rooster is Jiggy’s number one love.”

She flicks an amused glance at Rooster, then Hustler. “I can understand why.” She presses her hand to her chest and lays on the drama in a breathless Marilyn Monroe voice. “I’ve learned to accept it.”

Everyone—even Grinder—bursts into laughter.

---