Jaden (Jaded #3)

Loud thuds came next from the door.

Mena shouted from the other side, “SHELDON! CORRIGAN! ARE YOU GUYS OKAY?” She paused for a moment, taking a breath and she yelled once more, “DO YOU NEED ME TO CALL THE POLICE? I WILL!”

Corrigan ripped his lips from mine, stalked to the door, opened it, and barked out, “One fucking second while I say goodbye to my girlfriend!”

Girlfriend.

Mena’s eyes blinked, and her mouth opened an inch. “Oh—”

He had called me his girlfriend.

Then he slammed the door in her face and came right back to me. My eyes ate him up. His hair was tussled, his eyes fierce, and he had a scowl on his face.

He was gorgeous.

Then he was in front of me, and he wasted no time. His lips found mine, and he lifted me up against the wall. Stepping between my legs, he continued to kiss me, taking control and I loved it, and him. I arched my back off the wall, kissing him back as hard, as hungrily, as demanding as he was and I knew—this was the right man.

I had chosen right.

He swept a hand up my back, resting against my skin, and I drew in a gasping breath. Tingles shot through me, all the way to my toes, and he paused, lessening his hold on me. My legs wrapped around his waist, and I took over the kiss.

We weren’t done.

Mena could wait.

*

Mena did wait. We continued and lost track of time. When Corrigan finally called a stop, we were both half in our clothes and half out. Panting, he gave me a rakish smile and ran a hand through his hair. “Shit.”

Shit, indeed. I laughed hoarsely, shaking my head. “Well. If I didn’t have stitches down my side, I know what we’d be doing all day today.”

“Yeah.” His gaze was raking me up and down as I buttoned my shorts and straightened my top, pulling my bra straps back over my shoulders. “There’s more we can do tonight.”

Tonight. That felt right, too.

“What?”

I looked up. “What?”

“You sighed.”

My eyes widened. “I did?”

He nodded, a fondness settling over his features. “You okay?”

“I am.” And I was. I meant it. Corrigan narrowed his eyes, studying me again, but he saw that I did mean it and he nodded. “Okay then.” Moving forward, he pressed his lips to my forehead, that same loving gesture like always, and he whispered, “I love you, Sheldon.” A second kiss. “I’ll see you later.”

Feeling off balance from all the love and niceness, I swatted his ass as he turned for the door. He glanced back, and I gave him the middle finger. He frowned. “What’s that for?”

I lifted a shoulder up, dropping my hand at the same time. “Just . . . doing my normal thing. We’re being too nice to each other. It makes me uncomfortable.”

Before he opened the door, he flashed me a grin. “In that case, have fun today, bitch.”

“You too, dickwad.”

Barking out a laugh, he opened the door and breezed past Mena.

She started inside, but turned back to call after him, “Goodbye to you, too.”

“Yeah, yeah,” his voice faded as he went to the elevators.

Shutting the door, she rolled her eyes. “I guess saving your life didn’t change everything. He’s still a dick to me.”

I didn’t say a word. I had a feeling there was an idiotic-looking grin on my face as I thought, Yeah, but he’s my dick now. Then I said to her, “Let’s go get our cocktails on. I haven’t been able to drink for a while, and I’m going to rectify that today.”

“Aren’t you on meds?”

“Yes, and it’s called tequila. Let’s go. Poolside, here we come.”

Mena laughed, but followed me out ten minutes later. It was after we had gotten comfortable, after we ordered our first round of drinks, that she said the words that would change everything.

Nothing could’ve prepared me for what was going to happen next.

*

MENA

I wasn’t sure if Sheldon was ready to hear the truth. I wanted to tell her. It was time. She deserved to know everything that I had done for her, for us. I wanted to, but . . . as I followed her from the elevator and to the pool, I wasn’t sure. She had a brave face, but I caught the grimaces of pain.

She looked so tired.

My heart ached for her. She had been through so much. I didn’t know. Did I tell her? Or should I just keep watching over her?

An overweight woman stepped in front of her and Sheldon had to brake suddenly. As a curse spilled from her lips, she sneered at the woman before going around her, zeroing in on our chairs.