Page 118 of Scatter the Bones

Hope curls her arm around Margot’s shoulders. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”

“Uh, sure.” Margot’s gaze pings between Hope and me but Hope gently guides her over to Trinity and Emily.

With Lilly absent tonight, Hope seems to be stepping in as the unofficial queen of Downstate’s castle. Normally, Lilly would be the one out here greeting guests. Seeing Hope take her place,calm and composed but clearly on duty, drives home just how messy this whole situation is.

For the first time ever, all the complications caused by where we stick our dicks prickles at my conscience.

Why the hell didn’t we host Stella’s celebration somewhere else tonight? Rent a ballroom, a hotel suite, hell, an abandoned factory with decent lighting and enough parking. We throw enough money around, someone would’ve looked the other way while we did our dirty deeds.

But I’ve been in the MC world too long to kid myself. That’s not how it works.

Besides, it’s not like Z left Lilly home alone. He ain’t here either. He’s doing the presidential thing by lettin’ Stella have her moment, while sending her a clear message—congrats, enjoy your moment, I’d rather be home with my wife. A silent—but effective—fuck off. Some of the brothers will probably hassle Z about it later. But I respect him more for putting his wife above club protocol bullshit.

“Hey, Rock. Shelby still in there?” Rooster asks, lifting his chin toward the clubhouse.

“She’s filming a thing with Serena for her channel.” He holds up his hand, mimicking someone recording with a phone.

Grinder joins us. “Serena had a whole ‘glam look’ in mind for Shelby.”

Rooster snickers into his hand. “I love that Grinder’s saying ‘glam’ now.”

Laughing, Grinder elbows Rooster’s side.

Rock’s lips twist with amusement as he casts an affectionate glance at his wife. “Hope said she wanted no part of the filming, although I think Serena tried to talk her into it.”

Still chuckling, Grinder nods at me. “Pretty sure she might try to talk your girl into a video.”

I glance over at Margot. She’s slipped into her professional pose—head up, hands clasped in front of her, attention focused on whoever’s speaking. The same way she carried herself at Whisper’s funeral. Maybe she’s not as at ease here as I thought she’d be.

Tearing my gaze away from Margot, I focus on Grinder. “I know she was looking forward to picking Serena’s brain about makeup-y stuff.”

Wrath stalks up behind Grinder and attempts to hook his arm around his neck. Grinder’s hand shoots out like a rattlesnake, grabbing Wrath’s wrist mid-air. “Nice try, fucker,” Grinder says.

Wrath grins, then points at me. “See? Situational awareness.”

“One of these days, I’m gonna sneak up on you and choke you unconscious, big guy. Just wait,” I warn.

“Never gonna happen.” Wrath grins. “But I look forward to your weak-ass attempts.”

Rock, Grinder, Wrath, and Rooster start talking about our last trip to Deadbranch. I’m listening but not really adding to the conversation, when someone taps my shoulder.

I turn to find Dex who jerks his head to the side. I follow him a few feet away from the group.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“I feel like I’m gonna regret it if I don’t ask,” Dex says. “And probably regret asking if I do.”

“You got a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation brewing, Dex?” I ask, already anticipating what’s about to come out of his mouth.

“You could say that. Is Margot…the woman you wanted to help ‘gain confidence’ and ‘teach some skills’ to?” He frowns. “Why’d you say she was a virgin?”

“That’s notquitewhat I said.” I raise my hands in a helpless shrug. “Besides, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He nods slowly, like he’s proud of me for keeping the details to myself instead of bragging like a lot of guys would do. “She just told all your brothers she loves you. I’m impressed you didn’t run screaming down the road.”

I drop my cocky smile. “Brother, I’m so fucking in love with her and also wildly obsessed with her.”

Dex snorts. “A little healthy obsession’s good for the soul. With the right woman, anyway.”

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