Jaden (Jaded #3)

I shook my head at Bryce. If he couldn’t handle it, he needed to go. He understood the message and moved back a step, but his hands went into his pockets, and he stayed there. Fine. He wasn’t leaving, but he wasn’t joining in. I got it. So I looked up at Corrigan now, and I’d been right.

There was no hesitation, no shock, no questioning. He was ready, so I told him, “Ask your next question.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Corrigan only had to ask a few. I did a couple more jabs, but I went for shallow cuts. I hadn’t completely checked out. I was still sane. Really hurting him wouldn’t help us get any information, but he needed to think I would do it. So I let a part of myself out that would’ve hurt him, the old me. I had hurt people when I was younger. I’d been dumb, but it happened. That Sheldon got locked up after Marcus. I’d been scared of letting her out, but as I did just now, it felt good. It felt right.

Enough of her had to come out so that it was real. Michael had to sense it, that the threat was real, and a part of it was.

Michael denied stalking me. He denied killing Grace. He denied framing me, but when Corrigan demanded to know why he had those photos of me, Michael perked up. He was exhausted as he said, “That’s what this is about? Those photographs?”

Bryce made an exasperated sound behind him. “Are you kidding me?”

“Yeah.” Corrigan shook his head. “We already told you that.”

Michael frowned, looking from Corrigan to me. “For real? It’s just about those pictures?”

“What else do they have on you?”

“Uh . . .”

I started forward with the knife, my hand raised.

He cried out, “Okay, okay. I’ll tell you everything. I swear. Just—stop with the knife. Stop it.”

I lowered it, but raised my eyebrows. “We’re waiting.”

“Okay. Yes. I’m trying not to pee my pants, anymore.” He let out a deep breath, blinking his eyes a few times, and took a second breath to calm his nerves. “All right. This is what I thought you guys had on me, but I couldn’t figure out why you were so mad.” He looked from Corrigan to me and tried to turn around to see Bryce, but couldn’t. He ended up staring upward at Corrigan, a defeated expression already on his face before he started. Then he began, “You know that I wanted to sell study enhancers to college students, right?”

Corrigan nodded, his eyes lidded. “Yeah.”

“Well, I know it’s stupid. A business owner shouldn’t partake in what they’re selling, but that’s why I wanted to sell it. Because I wanted it. I have a prescription pill problem. I’ll take almost anything you give me, but I like Xanax and Ambien the most.”

“What?”

He looked to me. “I’m a pill popper. That’s my secret.”

“You’re a what whatter?” I scratched at my ear.

“I’m addicted to pills, and I’m running out. I’ve been trying to figure out ways to make money so that was why I’ve been pushing the house to get into the drug business.”

Corrigan walked away from me, scratching his head, too. “What?”

Ditto. A pill popper had set me up?

Michael skirted back and forth between us. Every now and then, he’d try to look at Bryce, but he couldn’t so he went back to shifting between the two of us. He must’ve noticed my confusion because he paled, “Oh no. No, no, no. I’m telling you I was taking those pictures. I’m not your stalker. Well, I guess I kinda am, but not in the way you think.”

Corrigan’s hand dropped back to his side with a thud. He strode forward, his jaw clenched. He growled, “You better start making sense or I swear I’m taking that knife from Sheldon, and I’m not a hundred percent certain what I’m going to do with it. Start explaining everything.”

“Okay, okay, okay. Listen,” he implored us. “Yes, I took those photographs of Sheldon, but I was just like the paparazzi. That’s why they’re in the tabloids.”

He waited, glancing at us.

There was no reaction.

“Have you guys not seen the magazines? Well, I can’t blame you. All three of you guys are all over them, and Denton Steele. I wouldn’t want to read some of the stuff they’re saying about you guys either, if I were you.”

“Michael.” A warning growl from Corrigan.

“Yeah. Okay. Anyway, that’s it. Since Sheldon was arrested, she’s been the number one way for money. I figured a few pictures wouldn’t hurt, but I sold those and then realized how much money I could make. Sorry, Sheldon.” He lifted up one side of his mouth. “Nothing personal, and for what it’s worth, I never noticed anyone watching you. If I had, I would’ve told Corrigan. For sure.”

“But,” Bryce walked around to stand beside us. He folded his arms over his chest. “You have pics of her at places that no other paparazzi have. If you’re not her stalker, how do you explain knowing where she’s been when the others haven’t?”

“Oh.”

“Yes?” I asked.

“Uh.” He bit down on his lip. “Well.”

“Fucking tell us, Mike!” Corrigan burst out.

“Okay. Okay. Crap. Don’t kill me,” he said that last sentence to Corrigan. “I downloaded an app on your phone.”