Jaden (Jaded #3)

Bryce said further, “And don’t set fire to anything.”


“No fire-starting fireworks. Got that, too.”

“I suppose we can’t test it out?” Corrigan and I shared a look. What was he talking about?

I snorted. “Right. He can go to a gun range and set one off . . .” I trailed off. “You could do that.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Corrigan was all business now. I saw the anticipation and excitement building. He grinned. “It’s been a long time since we caused havoc. It feels good.”

“Good?” I shook my head. “It feels right.” We were both grinning at each other.

Bryce groaned. He said, “Why do I have a feeling this isn’t going to go how it’s planned?”

I frowned at him. “Hush it, Superstar. Let us deviants do what we do best.”

Corrigan added, his grin now stretched from ear to ear, “Causing chaos and kicking a little ass.” He gestured to me and back to him. “That’s what we do best.”

I nodded. This would work. I knew it.

*

The plan started without a hitch.

Corrigan feigned he needed to go to town the next day at lunch. He said a professor was arguing his online courses so he needed to go in to deal with it.

Neil hadn’t been happy. He said, “Do you realize the trouble it took to get you here? There are people who are going to be following you. They know you’re close to my daughter, and a lot of people want to kill her.”

I grimaced. “Don’t sugarcoat it or anything.”

Neil turned on me with a scowl.

That was how I must’ve looked whenever I glared. He looked scary and ominous. I made a mental note to try not to scowl so much. I’d have to figure out something else, maybe a half-glare?

He snapped at me, “Why? Isn’t that how you are with everyone else? And no, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. People want to kill you, Sheldon. They hate you. When are you going to start figuring this out?”

I shrugged. “People have hated me since high school. It’s because of my sweet disposition. I’m so damn cheery.”

“You’re joking?” His scowl kicked up another notch. He was becoming even more intimidating. He asked again, “You’re joking?”

“What else can I do? Welcome to my life, Daddy Dearest. I’ve been stalked long before this. I killed a guy. He tried to kill Corrigan. I’ve been shoved into a glass table. This. Is. My. Life. I should’ve been expecting this, to be honest.”

He started laughing, shaking his head. “My daughter.” He shoved a hand at me, pointing. “So beloved. Yeah, right. You’ve had this fuck-you attitude since you were born.”

I felt a burning at the corners of my eyes. I flinched, refusing to let anything he said get to me.

He continued, “Your mother and I tried to be there for you. We did. In the beginning. Then you started sneaking out, skipping school, doing only God knows what. Drinking. Did you ever do drugs? I’d be surprised if you hadn’t. You were having sex—I don’t even want to know when.” He turned to Bryce. “I know it was you. You were the main guy with her, and I don’t want to think about all the others that must’ve been between her legs—”

Bryce punched him. It happened so fast.

Neil was spilling those hateful words, each one of them was a blow to me, and I was struggling to keep my composure and then BAM!—he was down. Bryce stood above him. His hand still in a fist, and he was shaking, staring down. A vein bulged out from the side of his neck.

My dad looked bewildered. He cradled a hand to the side of his face and looked up. “Bryce?” It was like his best friend had stabbed him in the back.

I started laughing. This whole thing was hilarious.

Everyone looked at me. Beth had paled when my dad started talking, and she yelped when Bryce hit him, but now she moaned and moved farther into the background. That’s when I knew she was made of weak sauce. She wasn’t going to hack it, whatever was going to happen with all of this.

“You’re laughing?” My dad pushed himself back up until he was standing.

Bryce moved back, now just a few inches in front of me. A set expression filtered over his face. Cold. Stony face. He was showing his alliance to me. Corrigan had a similar expression, and he moved to the other side of me. All three of us were in line now. As I registered their show of loyalty, their strength surged through me, mixing with mine, and I was comforted again with just having them there. That’s what I needed to be able to take the fight back to whoever was trying to destroy my life.

“Sheldon?”

I shook my head, sending a scathing glance at Beth. She swallowed nervously before looking away. Then I said, quietly, “Do you have any idea what’s going to happen?” I was talking to both of them, Beth and Neil.

My dad frowned. He was still cradling the side of his face and cast a wary glance to Bryce. “Yes, Sheldon. I am very aware of what’s going to happen. You might go to prison. That’s what. And you’re laughing.”

I shook my head. “No, Dad.”