Jaded (Jaded #1)

Bryce’s smile turned lustful as he remained silent, but met my eyes in the rearview mirror.

Chet launched into a story about his most animal-like lover and Tatum topped it with a story of his own.

Bryce and I were both quiet until we pulled into the parking lot.

Okay, parks are meant for the daytime. Not nighttime. It’s not a big leap to think that parks can turn creepy when the sun goes down. Hyde Park, underneath a full moon, is extremely creepy.

I hated to admit it, but I stuck close to Bryce when we started walking around.

We met a few homeless people, more than a few drunk parties playing Volcano

Tag on the playground, and one hooker.

She grinned a toothless grin towards Bryce. I felt him shudder at the imagery of her proposition and coughed back my own laugh.

“Shut up,” he threw at me.

Chet walked over to us. He gestured to the drunks playing tag behind him and murmured, “Mena didn’t come this way. They did see someone else, some girl with black hair. She was wearing a clown outfit or something. I don’t know.”

Clown outfit?

“Leisha was supposed to come. Carlos called her and said she was on her way.”

“Did you see her at the party?” Bryce asked me.

“I…I don’t know. We were upstairs the rest of the night.”

“Chet, call Corrigan. Have Carlos call this chick and see where she is,” Bryce commanded. “We don’t need to look for another girl right now.”

Tatum lightly jogged over to us. “Nah.” He shook his head. “No one’s seen anyone like Mena. She’s not here. She didn’t come this way anyway.”

“If she was walking, the river’s the quickest way,” I murmured and frowned.

“She’s not stupid. You’d have to be a complete moron to walk the river at night and alone.”

“And dressed for a party,” Bryce pointed out.

“Let’s head over to the river. It’s too big for Holster, Nate, and Justin to cover by themselves. It’s not far off,” Tatum suggested.

Bryce held my elbow as we walked back to the car and it wasn’t a surprise to anyone when he slid in beside me in the backseat. Tatum took shotgun and Chet got off his phone.

“Okay.” He turned around behind the steering wheel. “Carlos called that girl and he couldn’t get an answer. He left a message.”

No one suggested calling the parents. That was another code. Just like how the guys policed Chad. We’d figure out Leisha before we absolutely needed to involve the parents. There was a fine line between being a nark and checking on a friend.

We parked next to Holster’s car and saw their flashlights just up ahead.

“Okay.” Bryce took charge. “Chet, drive me and Sheldon down about two miles.

We’ll backtrack and meet you in the middle.”

“I’ll start from here then.” Tatum flashed a grin and murmured, “Don’t go in the bushes now and have crazy animal sex.”

Bryce shot around the seat and punched him in the side.

Tatum grasped his stomach and sucked in his breath. He cursed, but quickly shot out of the car before Bryce tried for seconds. Through the window, Tatum wiggled his eyebrows in suggestion and pretended to howl at the moon.

I raised my eyebrows and gave a pointed look.

Tatum must’ve remembered Braven because he shut up.

Chet shook his head as he reversed and drove south. “It’s the full moon, man.

Tatum’s weird tonight and I swear—he hasn’t done anything tonight, like alcohol or anything else. That’s just him.”

“He’ll get a beat down if he keeps it up,” Bryce muttered under his breath.

He sounded tense. I shot him a questioning look and asked quietly, “What’s up with you?”

Bryce shrugged, but started to tap his foot against the floor. A nervous movement.

Bryce rarely showed any moments of nervousness. I slid over and rested a hand on his knee, stilling his leg.

“Hey, hey,” I murmured, soothingly. “What’s wrong?”

Bryce turned back from the window, glanced at Chet, who was pointedly watching the street ahead, and murmured, “I’ll tell you later.”

I searched his face, but sighed, “Okay.”

Bryce cupped my cheek and pressed a soft kiss to my lips, meant for reassurance.

It sparked into more and we both pulled away a little breathless.

“Sorry, man,” Bryce drawled to Chet, who shrugged it off and pulled the car over.

“Here’s your stop.” Chet turned around. “You both have flashlights?”

Bryce and I waved them in the air and climbed out of the car.

As Chet drove back the way we’d just come, I asked again, “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing.”

“You said that you’d tell me. What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” he bit out. “I…just don’t ever walk in this town, okay?”

“Huh?” I asked, dumbfounded. “Like ever?”

“No,” he breathed out in irritation. “At night. Don’t walk around this town at night, alone, and dressed like that.”

I grinned and asked smoothly, “Did you just call me a slut?”