Page 130 of Scatter the Bones

My breath catches. I can’t believe he noticed so quickly.

“What’d we miss?” Shelby asks, gesturing toward the red room.

Rooster lets out several slow, sharp huffs of laughter.

Grinder cuts him a murderous stare. “Don’t.”

“What?” Serena asks with wide eyes.

Behind me, Jigsaw’s body starts to shake. I tip my head back and find him biting his lip, trying not to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

“You two, keep your damn mouths shut,” Grinder snaps.

“We’re not special anymore.” Jigsaw flicks a finger under his eye, pretending to wipe away a tear.

Rooster shakes with silent, full-body laughter.

Serena, Shelby, and I all share confused looks.

“Stella has an age gap niche she wants to…fill,” Rooster says between chuckles.

Understanding washes over me. Not finding it as funny as the guys do, I elbow Jigsaw in the stomach.

He laughs harder.

“You guys are terrible,” Shelby scolds, scrunching her nose. “Wait—are we the only ones who didn’t get the three-way invite?”

“Serena wasn’t invited tothatproduction,” Jigsaw says.

Serena’s eyes narrow. “Excuse me?” She cranes her neck, swaying from side to side to peer around Grinder’s large frame. “She asked my ol’ man to dowhat?”

“Don’t worry,” Rooster adds. “She had a project in mind for you too.” His laughter dies mid-sentence.

The icy blast of Grinder’s stare ruffles the hairs on the back of my neck. “Keep on cluckin’ and I’m gonna beat the disrespect right outta you.”

“She has a right to know,” Rooster protests. “So she can be prepared in case Stella ambushes her.”

Serena’s eyes widen like she’s trying to hold back tears. “What did she say about me?” she asks in a small voice.

Grinder throws another frosty glare at Rooster, then Jigsaw—who thankfully took the hint and shut his mouth. Finally, Grinder leans down, whispering something in Serena’s ear.

Whatever he says must be worse than a three-way. Serena dry heaves. “What the…ewww.”

“Yup.” Rooster nods. “I heard and I judged. Harshly.”

Jigsaw reaches out and slaps Rooster’s shoulder. “Don’t tell Dex, but I’m absolutely yucking that yum.”

Shelby raises her hands. “Nope. Don’t wanna know.”

I pull out my pocketknife and hold it out. “Do you want to borrow this, Serena?”

She blinks at the knife resting in my open palm, then bursts into giggles. “Yeah, kinda.” She leans in and kisses Grinder’s cheek. “But I won’t.”

“I told her where to go with her request,” Grinder says.

Considering how much money Stella brings into the club, whatever she asked must’ve been really offensive.

---