Page 208 of Scatter the Bones

His cheeks redden at the mention of the strip club.

“Are Heidi and Murphy coming?” Jezzie asks. “Heidi said she’d let me do a lap in her Hellcat.”

“Get out of here,” I laugh. “You want to get behind the wheel of that beast?”

She smirks and shrugs. “She offered. Aunt Angela would die if she saw me driving that.”

Cain frowns. “Who’s that?”

“Oh.” Jezzie freezes. “Our mom’s sister…I lived with her after…”

Cain nods slowly. “We have some catching up to do, I guess.”

“We do,” Jezzie agrees.

Cain perks up, lifting his chin at me. “Remy said one of his friends has a Mustang?”

Jezzie’s gaze snaps to him. “How doyouknow Remy?”

Margot coughs into her hand, failing to hide her laugh.

“He comes into the gym I work at all the time,” Cain says, like it’s been the highlight of working at Strike Back. “Been teaching me some stuff.”

He shifts into a fighting stance—feet planted, hands up, balanced like he’s done this more than once. Not just street brawling. More controlled. More trained.

“Cute,” Jezzie says. “So how do you like it here? Jensen said you were living in…New Mexico?” She lowers her voice. “I’m sorry about your mom.”

“Thanks.” He stares at his sneakers, scuffs one against the carpet. “It’s a lot colder, that’s for sure. Otherwise, I don’t know.”

“You’re going to stay, though… right?” Jezzie asks gently, but she doesn’t hide the hope in her voice.

He’s quiet for a beat, then lifts his head and looks straight at me. “I dunno. If you guys want me to.”

“Yeah.” I shrug, unnerved by the questions in his eyes. “Thought you wanted to go to school here?”

He shrugs, still holding my gaze. “I can do that anywhere.”

I already told the kid I’d help him with school and pretty much whatever else he needs.

It’s not money he’s looking for. Not the logistics of getting an education.

It’s family.

I chose my club as my family a long time ago. Built a life on that choice. No regrets.

But now that I’ve found my little brother again...

Maybe I’ll choose him, too.

CHAPTER FORTY

Margot

“You thinkthey stayed up all night, catching up?” I ask Jigsaw as I finish slipping a rainbow-striped cardigan over my black T-shirt with a picture of a cute, fluffy kitten licking blood off its paws. Underneath the kitten,Feminine Rageis written in a loopy, cursive font.

Jigsaw’s mouth quirks as I walk into the living room. “If that isn’t the most perfect shirt for my little lady death.”

“Isn’t it cute?” I tip my head down and smile.

---