Jaded (Jaded #1)

He broke, “I don’t want my sister to become a girl that screws her movie star neighbor because she’s pissed off at how fake her parents are.”


I felt a punch to my gut, but replied smoothly, “You’re in luck. You don’t have a movie star neighbor. You just have a girl that screws her movie star neighbor because she’s bored and he’s pretty good in the sack.”

He grinned tightly and shook his head. Denton raked a hand through his hair and considered me again.

The silence was thick, but he broke it when he murmured, “I’m out of line. I know that. I know I had no right to say what I did and if a guy ever said that to my sister, I’d beat him down.”

“Was that an apology?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yes. No. Kinda.” He shook his head and chuckled in disbelief. “I cannot believe how I’m just stumbling over my words. I’m an actor and I never stumble over my words.

It’s one of the reasons I’ve gotten most of my jobs.”

I didn’t care.

He caught my look and stopped, “But then again, you probably don’t care.”

I tilted my chin up.

“Okay. Look…I just don’t want Mena to become as tough as you.”

That was different. I sighed and stepped back. “For what it’s worth,” I murmured, “I think that’s why your sister wants me as a friend. I’d give her some protection at school.”

That caught his interest.

“She’s your sister,” I added. “That’s going to get out and she’s going to be eaten alive by some of those girls in there.” Mena might’ve thought otherwise, but she was wrong. In fact, she was delusional.

“I never thought of it that way,” he admitted and skimmed his eyes over my figure again. “You’re hot when you’re pissed off.”

I grinned silkily and shot back, “I’m not that girl who screws her movie star neighbor because she’s pissed at how fake her parents are anymore.”

Denton barked out a laugh and glanced away.

“Wow,” he whistled. “That was good.”

Just then the door shoved open and slammed again.

“Sheldon,” Bryce called out before he turned the corner. “We gotta go.

Corrigan’s in jail…” His voice trailed off when he saw I wasn’t alone.

Denton sent me a frown as he glanced between the two of us.

This was ironic.

I said weakly, “I’m not in jail. It’s my friend who…”

“Would be Mena’s friend too,” Denton finished. He walked past Bryce and threw over his shoulder, “Just talk to her and let her down gently, please?”

When the door shut again, Bryce asked, “What was that about?”

“Big brother thinks I’m not a good example for his precious little sister,” I muttered.

“You haven’t even met her yet.”

Never mind. I asked abruptly, “What’s Corrigan in jail for?”

Bryce hesitated, but said, “Fleeing the scene of an accident.”

“What accident?”

“Corrigan smashed up Yerling’s car. When he tried to leave, the police flashed their lights and he took off.” Bryce chuckled. “He led a high-speed chase. He’s so proud of himself for that one.”

I sighed, but darted to my room and quickly changed. Again.

I threw a bulky sweatshirt on and replaced my pajama pants with a pair of baggy jeans. “I’m ready,” I said as I moved back downstairs.

Bryce nodded and held the door open when we moved to his car.

I caught a glimpse of his knuckles as my motion-detector flared on. They were bloody and bruised.

“Whose blood?” I asked, but I already knew.

Bryce shot me a look, but didn’t answer.

“Is that what you guys did? You beat up Yerling and Corrigan beat up his car? For what? For good measure?”

He shrugged and started the car.

I shook my head, “Is this just because of me? I just had one older brother come over to my house and tell me that he doesn’t want his little sister to grow up and have a life like mine.”

“What?” Bryce shot me an incredulous look as he pulled into traffic.

“Nothing. How much money do we need?”

“A thousand cash, just to be safe.” Bail varied on the crime.

“Stop at the ATM at Garrity’s. You can wash your hand off in the bathroom.”

When he pulled into the gas station, he murmured before either of us got outside, “Look. This wasn’t just about you. A lot of the guys were behind this. Yerling’s been off lately and he’s made some of the guys nervous. And the girls.”

“I was the last straw?”

“Something like that.”

“What if he presses charges?”

Bryce shrugged, “He won’t. He knows better.”

“Or what? He’ll get beat up by everyone else?”

“Something like that.”

“I’m starting to hate that phrase,” I muttered as I threw open the door and moved to the ATM machine.

When I got the cash, I bought a soda and an energy drink. In the car, I handed the energy drink to Bryce and drank my soda.

“Thanks,” he murmured as he opened it and put it in the cup holder.

A moment later, we pulled into the jail and approached the front desk.