Twist the Knife - Page 140

Rooster’s instincts about Shelby were on target from the beginning. Why am I so convinced my own instincts about Margot are wrong?

“Yeah. I’m good, songbird.”

“He’s being a nosy little goblin is what he is,” Rooster grumbles.

“Hush your mouth.” Shelby scolds him with a smile on her lips, then returns her attention to me. “You want me to do a reading? I’ll take out the fancy cards Rooster gave me.”

Rooster stretches his neck and stares up at the ceiling. “Does he really deserve a reading with the fancy cards?”

Shelby elbows him. “Yes.”

I smirk at Rooster. “I think Shelby loves me more than you do. You keep it up with that attitude and she’s going to replace you as my best friend.”

He rumbles with laughter. “All right, all right. I’m sorry. Yes, get the fancy tarot cards out.”

Shelby doesn’t move. She stares at me intently. “Are you seein’ someone, Jigsaw?”

Jesus, maybe she is psychic.

“’Cause it didn’t look like you ever came home after Tennessee. Where ya been?”

“I thought you were upstate hanging with the girls while we were gone?”

“I was but Lilly and I came home yesterday.” She loops her arms around Rooster’s neck and kisses his cheek again. “When we knew our men were headed back.”

Rooster’s smile morphs into a frown.

“And then when I realized no one was here,” Shelby continues, “I went and stayed at Lilly’s ’cause I’m still too chicken to stay in my own home alone.”

Well, fuck if that doesn’t lay a ton of guilt on me. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“Figured you were busy.” She shrugs.

Now I feel like I owe her an explanation for not being around when she needed someone. “Can this stay here?” I knock my knuckles against the table. “I have a reputation to maintain.”

Rooster rolls his eyes, but Shelby raises her right hand. “I won’t breathe a word. Not to anyone.” She glances at Rooster. “He’s the only one I’d share secrets with, anyway. And he’s sittin’ right here.”

I blow out a breath. If I share this with them, then it’s real. No going back. Damn, I want it to be real. “Yes, I’m kind of seeing someone.”

“Define ‘kinda’,” Shelby says.

“It started out as…one thing. But now I think it’s a lot more.”

“Awww!” Shelby coos and slides out of Rooster’s lap to throw her arms around my neck. “Who is she?” she squeals against my ear.

“Thaaat’s not important.”

“Uh-oh.” Shelby retreats to the chair on the opposite side of the table. “Don’t tell me it’s that heifer Stella. I will not go on double dates with that bag of hair. She’s mean and snotty as heck.”

I choke on a laugh. “No, it’s not one of the club’s porn princesses. Or a stripper.”

Shelby opens her mouth.

“Not a club girl either,” I say, cutting off her question.

Rooster sits forward, staring at me like he can peer inside my head and uncover the information he wants. “But it is someone affiliated with the club, isn’t it?”

Fuuuck. He’s doing the math. There aren’t many single women affiliated with the club who aren’t porn stars, strippers, or muffler bunnies. He’s gonna come up with Margot’s name really fast.