Jaded (Jaded #1)

Both glanced every now and then to me, but they always shifted back to the tech’s heart-pounding race to trail the feed before any more damage was done.

I glanced around and spotted the remote. Lifting it up, I changed the channels.

More and more images replaced the ones already there of me. They were all of me, at different times. I was just dressing in one. Another—I was putting make-up on. A third, I was just sitting on the couch, staring at nothing. And then…Bryce and I were in the shower. I was straddling Bryce. Bryce was on top of me, behind me. Sometimes we were wrapped around each other, talking, laughing, or arguing. One screen was of us fighting.

No words were heard, but it was evident. It started, we fought, and then it replayed immediately so just our fight was being watched.

And still…I changed the channels again.

This time, one screen was Bryce and myself again, but Bryce reached inside my nightstand and froze. I looked puzzled and the shot repeated to the beginning where we were kissing, starting to undress, and Bryce would always reach for the condom, but freeze as his hand found the gun instead. The screen image never let the gun be shown.

And then…I must’ve made a sound because Bryce and Corrigan both looked over, saw my eyes riveted, and trailed to a camera that had been placed in the garage. I was pressed against the wall by Denton. The camera saw everything. Denton’s jeans sagged, the thrusting, how I gasped against the quick onslaught, and then how Denton helped me finish. Just as the door closed behind him when he left, the image repeated again for us to watch the entire thing over and over again.

Bryce clenched his jaw, but turned back and snapped at the tech. to finish working.

I met Corrigan’s gaze and saw sympathy in that moment. Any other time, any other person, I would’ve lashed at them. I didn’t need anyone’s sympathy, but it was Corrigan. The sympathy was replaced with a hardening and I knew Corrigan wanted to beat this guy just as much as myself and Bryce.

I left suddenly, ignored the sudden calls from Bryce and Corrigan and swept into my room.

I hurried to my nightstand, reached inside, and heaved a breath of relief as my fingers found the cold metal of the Colt.45.

Instead of leaving it, I tucked it into my pants and left again.

This time, I moved through the house and headed towards the garage.

A few of the guys tried to stop me, but I ignored them like I’d ignored Bryce and Corrigan. As I cleared the garage, Yerling, Mena, and a few other straightened abruptly at my sudden appearance.

Mena remained quiet, but Yerling smiled, smug, and threw the first taunt. “Come to beg, Sheldon?”

“Come to die, Yerling?” I threw back.

The frown was there, slightly, but it was replaced with malicious amusement and then…just wariness.

I tilted my head and mocked, cruelly, “This isn’t the Yerling that promised me it’d be you and me one of these nights.” I moved closer and pressed, taunting, “What happened to that brave little boy? Did he get beat up one too many times? Does he no longer have some balls? Or maybe you do, maybe you’re the one who’s doing all of this?” I wanted that. I wanted him right in front of me. I wanted a target, finally.

“You might want to watch it,” Yerling flashed a growl, but shook his head and moved a step back.

Mena stood just at my right, so I attacked her instead, “What happened to you? It seemed like you turned crazy overnight.”

Mena smiled sadly and remarked, “You know, I actually just wanted to be your friend.” Mena added, not unkind, “That’s all I really wanted, but…I learned my lesson.

We all learned our lesson not to mess with you, Corrigan, and Bryce. You guys don’t need anyone else, just each other. It’s…sad, really.”

Everything she said wasn’t untrue.

“Bryce didn’t like me from the start because I could’ve been the best friend. I would’ve taken you away from him—or I’m sure that’s what he thought. And you know what pissed me off the most—you liked me, Sheldon. You actually did, but you listened to them even though they were so wrong about me.” She finished with a triumphant, bittersweet, arch to her eyebrow, “And you know it.”

“No,” I shook my head. “You gave up. That’s what you did and then you started hanging out with this crowd. You make it sound like we’re the crowned throne that reigns over the entire student body. It’s not like that at all.”

“Really?”

One of Yerling’s buddies grew disgusted and snarled, “We didn’t come to hash out girlfriend issues. We came to mess up your house, Jeneve.”

He wanted fear, but he got a laugh instead.

“Seems to be the theme,” I said easily. “I already trashed it. Bryce and Corrigan had a go today. You’re welcome to it.”

He flashed confusion and Chad chuckled, an ugly sound. He moved forward and remarked, “This is what she does. She plays with your mind, laughs in your face, and then she taunts you with her body.”