Jaden (Jaded #3)

“Oh.” The scowl vanished and she stood with me, taking both wine bottles with us. “Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?”


“Yeah.” I beamed up at him as I passed by, following Carolina out of the room. Patting him on the chest, I asked, “Why didn’t you just say that?”

Corrigan groaned, shutting the door behind us and bringing up the rear. He muttered under his breath, “Because I was trying to preserve my manhood.”

“Ha!” I threw him a grin over my shoulder, descending the stairs. “Your manhood’s intact, just not intact while you’re wearing that get-up.”

He glanced down at himself and stopped on the stair. “You have a point.”

“Come on, you two.” Carolina was at the end of the stairs. She turned the corner for the kitchen, leaving Corrigan and I still on the stairs. For a brief moment, it was just the two of us. The house was buzzing from conversation, laughter, and now I could hear good-natured shouts, but the stairs were encased between two walls. I got to the bottom and started to go around to the kitchen, but Corrigan grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

“What?”

He stared at me, not saying a word. A beat passed, and he still didn’t say a word.

“Corrigan?” I stepped closer to him, angling back so I could get a good view of his face. I saw the cloud of worry. It hadn’t disappeared upstairs. He had only masked it. “What’s wrong?” My hand started to lift upward to cup the side of his face, but my eyes widened as I realized what I was doing. I clasped my hands together in front of me, but my god, it would’ve felt so natural to touch him. Placed them on his chest, resting there.

Pushing that need down, my throat was suddenly tight. I rasped out, “Please talk.”

“Look.” His gaze lifted and traveled above my head. “I know you’re here, and you want to rip shit up to find who this guy is, but,” he paused, a soft sigh leaving him. “Can you not?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean—” He cursed under his breath and pressed one of his hands to his forehead. He grimaced as he continued, “I know it’s killing you, no pun intended, not to know who this guy is. I get it. I do, but I have a weird feeling. Nothing about this killer, stalker, whatever this asshole is, makes sense. Just . . . can you stay within viewing distance? I need to know you’re okay.”

“No one can recognize me.”

“I could.”

My eyes lifted to his, and I held my breath.

They had lowered so his gaze was pinned on me now. He had said those two words so softly and he repeated them again, “I see you, no matter what you’re wearing. So,” he took a deep breath, “just humor me? Shelve your need to tear ass and ruffle some feathers tonight. I’m not asking you not to do it. I’m asking for you to wait until Bryce or I are there so we can back you up, if you need it.”

Corrigan had never told me outright he loved me, but he didn’t need to, I felt it then and I couldn’t talk, not at first. After clearing my throat, I bobbed my head up and down in a motion I hoped was some form of a nod. Everything felt too much. The sounds from the party doubled in volume, my smell grew more sensitive, my sense of touch too. I was aware of how close he was standing to me, how he was still holding his breath, how he was watching me, waiting, how his green eyes looked so adorable. They were asking me to touch them, to touch him, and my hands lifted before I caught myself.

I touched the side of his face, and he became even more rigid. I felt zapped, but my touch had the same effect on him.

“Hey, guys . . .”

I closed my eyes. That was Bryce.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Oh, sorry.” He turned and left quickly.

“Shit.” My head fell forward to Corrigan’s chest.

His hands touched my hips, holding me for a moment. His fingers curved into my sides, then he murmured into my ear, “I’ll tell him what I asked you. He’ll understand.”

I felt his lips graze my forehead, the slightest touch.

Before he pulled away and left, he said, “Don’t worry.”

That was easier said than done, but after he went to find Bryce, I waited in the stairway for a minute. I needed to collect myself. I loved them both and I had to laugh at myself. The ordeal of being arrested and framed had pushed that to the side, but no longer. The love triangle had just slammed back into place, front and center.

Killer. I was here to find the fucking killer. That was my main mission.

Love triangle, move aside . . . for the moment.

As I went into the kitchen, I didn’t see Carolina or the guys so I moved through the crowd. They were at one side of the living room. A stage had been placed against the far side of the room, and Corrigan was talking to Bryce. Both of them were nodding, and when they were done, Bryce lifted his fist up. Corrigan met it with his, then both turned as one to the announcer.

Just like that, they were fine.