Jaden (Jaded #3)

I shook my head. “I thought it was his too, but they were my dad’s lawyers.”


“Yeah.” Bryce scratched at his head. “I think he said something about that. He wasn’t given a choice, just told to back off or something.”

Corrigan’s arms dropped and landed on the table with a thud. His eyebrows furrowed together. “Can we skip these pleasantries? Sheldon, Bryce is buttering up to your dad, and I’m kissing your new stepmom’s arse.”

I winced. “Please don’t say that word.”

He waved that off. “Whatever. We’re doing what we have to do.”

I pursed my lips together.

He rolled his eyes at that. “You can be annoyed all you want, but we didn’t tell you because you couldn’t act any different. If we’d told you, you would’ve been a lot nicer.”

He had a point. Bryce finished for him, “And if you’re nice, they would’ve been suspicious.”

“I’m not that bad.”

Nothing. Total silence. They both gave me pointed looks.

“Fine,” I relinquished. “I’m nice to you guys.”

They shared another look, but this time both wore small grins. Bryce turned, including me in on that look. “And we love you for it.”

“So, what’s the plan? Kiss their ass and hope they’ll let you take me to the city?”

“No. Kiss their ass in the hopes they’ll trust us.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

Corrigan answered, “Hope they trust us . . . enough so they might leave . . .”

“Your plan sucks.” Bryce held up a hand. “Just wait. There’s more.” I waited. He tilted his head to the side, searching for more. Then his head jerked back, and he slapped a hand to the table. “Like for a date night. We all saw how they were tonight. Maybe they’d go to a hotel for a weekend alone. You know. To get away from all of this?” He turned to both of us. “It’s worth a shot? Right?”

I snorted, shaking my head. “That plan sucks. My dad’s been on lockdown for years. He’s not going to be talked into leaving for an orgy. No. We need to make them leave.” I frowned, thinking over the possibilities. “I don’t think he’d leave if the lawyers made him go. He’d demand for them to come here. No, the only people he’d leave for would be the police.” I shuddered. “And let’s not re-enact that scenario. The less I step foot into a police station, the better off I am.” No, no, no. Wait. I snapped my fingers. “Explosives.”

“Uh,” Corrigan started, jerking forward in his seat.

Bryce’s eyes narrowed to slits, but both were quiet.

They were thinking it over. Finally, after another moment of silence, Bryce glanced to Corrigan and their gazes locked for a few seconds. Then he started, “Sheldon, I don’t think letting you near explosives is a good idea.”

“Yeah.” Corrigan laughed abruptly. “Imagine if the police caught you. Talk about making yourself look even guiltier.”

I scowled. “Not me. You two would have to do it or one of you would have to sneak out to do it.”

“Wait.” Bryce held up a hand.

Corrigan looked ready to argue, but he silenced and leaned back in his chair again.

Bryce added, “What are you talking about, exactly?”

“My dad won’t leave, not unless the police order him. The only other way he’d leave is if he’s forced, like if we’re under attack.”

“Meaning?”

“’Meaning.’” I held my hands out. It wasn’t that hard to figure out. Was it? “Get some big ass fireworks and set them off next to the house. It’ll be awesome. They’ll think we’re under attack, and off we go, being carted right back to the city.” I loved the plan. It would work. I knew it. I was getting buzzed just thinking about it. Gazing at the other two, still silent, and showing no reactions, I asked, “What do you think?” They looked at each other for the fourth time. “Come on, you guys. It’s a good plan.” I was pleading here. Almost. “No one gets hurt. There’s nothing illegal about it. Just . . . make sure to get the biggest fireworks that go kaboom. That’s it.” I waited another second, then added, “It’ll work.”

It’d be awesome. I knew it.

The corner of Bryce’s mouth curved up into a half-grin. He said to Corrigan, “You or me?”

Corrigan’s eyes got big. “Me. Definitely me.”

“What are you guys talking about?” I looked between them.

“Who’s getting the fireworks?”

Corrigan placed his elbows onto the table and nodded, one firm movement. “Me. I’ll get ’em. I’ll make it be awesome.”

I wanted to purr like a cat being petted. I was loving this. “Good. Then we get back into the city and figure out who killed Grace.” I had my own explosive plan for when we figured out who that was. “This is going to be amazing.”

Corrigan was excited. I could tell, but Bryce still seemed hesitant. He shot Corrigan a warning look. “Just don’t get something that’ll actually leave a crater-sized hole in the ground.”

Corrigan nodded. “Got it. No crater-forming fireworks. I can do that.”