Page 68 of When The Noise Stops

"Tiny screams like a fucking toddler, and he probably already told everybody."

"Yeah," he said.

I climbed off him slowly and felt his cum slip out of me. I put the bikini back in place.

"Go out first," I said.

"I'm not going out there."

"Yes you are."

He looked at me like I was crazy.

We went out together.

The second we stepped out of the cabana, the entire backyard went silent.

Hawk stood at the grill with the tongs suspended over the chicken. Deacon's beer was halfway to his mouth. Sully stared openly.

Tiny stood behind them, still looking traumatized.

"Look at them. He told everybody," I whispered.

"Of course he fucking did."

Tiny pointed at us.

"I didn't tell them anything. I screamed, and they asked why."

I grabbed Grizz's hand.

"Excuse us," I pulled him toward the house.

We went inside. I showered in one room, and Grizz showered in the other. I didn't see him when I came out. I went down to the kitchen to prepare the sides.

Dinner was outside under the fading sun. Chicken. Ribs. My slaw and brownies. A table of men who would not look at the cabana. Tiny sat as far from us as the patio allowed, his ears red, his plate untouched.

Hawk cleared his throat.

"So."

Sully grinned but said nothing.

Deacon stared at his beer.

"I didn't hear anything."

"So," Hawk said again.

"We heard Tiny scream. And now we know."

Then Hawk asked, "How long has this been happening?"

"Two weeks," I said.

Grizz's head lifted.

"Why are you answering them?"