Twist the Knife - Page 170

I lift my head and meet Z’s interested stare across the table. Then Wrath’s and Rock’s. Should I share this? It’s not a big deal.

“Margot’s sensitive,” I answer slowly. “Doesn’t have a lot of people in her life. Growing up in the funeral home, she got bullied a lot as a kid. Even now, people are kinda weird to her when they find out what she does.” I shrug again. “I don’t want anyone making her feel bad when she’s here. It’s a really hard job.” I absently rub my hand against my chest. “She sees a lot of nasty shit, so people poppin’ off dumb jokes just makes it worse.”

Understanding, not pity, lights Rock’s eyes.

Z hums a sound of what might be approval.

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” I lift my chin toward the door. “Now that Rav knows it’s a sensitive spot, he’ll probably razz her more.”

“No he won’t,” Wrath promises.

“Insults are our love language.” Z smirks.

“Lilly teach you that, Prez?” I ask.

Teller holds out a hand like he’s hitting a Pause button. “We all like ragging on each other but we usually don’t give the girls more than they can handle.”

“Usually is the key word there.” Rock shoots a glare at Wrath who grins in response. “Some people don’t know when to quit.”

“What?” Wrath’s eyes widen with the realization Rock’s talking about him. “Hope handled herself just fine.” He stabs a finger against the table. “Besides, I had a good reason for trying to scare her away.”

Z lifts his hands toward the ceiling. “Finally! You admit it.”

Rock chuckles.

“Rav gets into it with Charlotte,” Teller says. “But?—”

“He’s showing up to a battle of wits unarmed,” Z finishes for him. “That’s on him.”

Teller laughs. “That’s not quite what I was going to say.”

“I don’t know.” Rooster bumps my elbow. “You’re always teasing Shelby.”

I glare at him, but he’s grinning at me. “Shelby loves our witty repartee. It’s our thing.”

“She does,” he agrees.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Z says.

The smile slides off my face.

He holds one hand up to go with the warning. “You’re smart enough to realize she has an unusual job. No one likes to think about their own mortality. Some people will be naturally curious.”

“Curiosity is fine. She doesn’t mind answering normal questions.” I cross my arms over my chest and sit back. “I don’t want Ravage asking her if she jerks off the corpses or something.”

Everyone groans.

Z shoots a look at Wrath, then Rock. “Let’s not act like he wouldn’t ask something like that.”

“Or exactly that,” Wrath adds. “Hand gestures and all.”

“This is serious, though?” Rock asks. “If you two split, is she still able to keep what she knows to herself?”

“I think so. She’s a practical woman. She didn’t have a problem doing stuff for the club before we got together. You all saw her the night of Carter’s rescue. She didn’t hesitate to help us out. Honestly, she’s never brought it up to me again, either.”

“So you’re saying you guys actually talk?” Z asks.

I shoot a glare across the table. “Yes. We talk about stuff.”