Twist the Knife - Page 173

“You mean, she laughs at your shit-tastic jokes,” Rooster says. “And she’s not faking it. She actually thinks you’re funny.”

“She doesn’t fake anything.” Too late, I realize how dirty that sounded.

“Is she a screamer?” Rav asks. “Because those quiet, nerdy ones are usually some of the dirtiest bitches?—”

I lunge for him. My hand’s wrapped around Rav’s throat before my coffee cup even splatters against the floor. I squeeze and tighten my grip. “The fuck did you say?”

Rav’s eyes widen to the size of frisbees. He grabs my wrist, attempting to pry me off of his windpipe. “Not…her…specific—specifically,” he sputters.

“All right, Jiggy, ease up.” Dex touches my shoulder, pressing gently. “Rav’s just dicking around, he wasn’t disrespecting her.”

I force a crazed grin onto my face and release Rav. He stumbles backward, holding his throat and coughs.

What’s happening to me? Rav and I trade way worse insults all the time. I won’t apologize, though. Insulting each other is fine; talking about Margot that way is unacceptable.

“Sorry, Jiggy.” Rav backs out of grabbing range. “Just messing around like we always do.”

“Yeah, I know,” I answer with a gruff bite to my tone. It’s as close to an apology as he’s gonna get.

“You know, when a mosquito lands on your ball sack, that’s when you’ll understand you can solve problems without violence,” Sparky says.

We all turn and stare at him.

He holds up his hands. “I’m just sayin’.”

If anyone else said it, we’d be questioning his membership in the club. For Sparky, it’s nothing surprising.

“Thank you, Philosopher Pot Plant,” Dex says.

Rooster’s staring at me with an expression I can’t quite read which is insane since I usually know every thought rolling through his head before he does. “What?” I snap.

“Nothing.” His mouth slides into a sly grin. “Does this mean I can reassure Shelby that her mother won’t be your date to our wedding?”

I roll my eyes at him but can’t come up with a quippy comeback. Margot broke me. I don’t even want to joke about nailing Rooster’s soon-to-be mother-in-law just to annoy him. One of my favorite pastimes.

“Wow,” Dex says, drawing out the word to a dickish extreme. “Is he speechless or is he having a stroke?”

Rooster waves his hand in front of my face. “Dunno. Hard to tell.”

I slap his hand away.

“So I had a thought.” A devious grin sneaks across Ravage’s mouth.

“Well, that must’ve been a long and lonely journey inside that dusty brain,” Dex mutters.

I bump my fist against Dex’s arm. “Good one.”

Ignoring us, Rav unleashes his big thought of the day. “Are you planning to give Margot the heads-up that you’ve nailed Shelby’s mom?” Rav grins and squeezes his hands together like an excited five-year-old waiting to be handed a lollipop for being a good boy at the doctor’s office. “Since, you know, you’re all gonna be in each other’s lives forever and all?” He waves his hands between Rooster and me.

Oh, fuck. Do I need to share that with Margot?

Is a meteor about to hit the planet? Ravage actually has a point.

Rooster’s stare twists into downright hostile.

“Oh, come on,” Dex says, slapping Rooster’s shoulder. “This isn’t news.”

I smirk at Rooster, daring him to deny it.