Still Jaded (Jaded #2)

"She went to a friend's place." Corrigan folded his arms over his chest.

"Uh huh. That's all I'm going to get, isn't it? You know, Corrigan, I'm not the enemy. I'm not the one trying to hurt her. I'm trying to protect her."

"You suck at your job."

"Corrigan." I laid a hand on his arm, but it was tense. Too tense. I sucked in my breath and my eyes snapped to his. That's when I saw his anger simmering underneath his surface. Most people saw the joking Corrigan or the womanizing Corrigan. This was the loyal Corrigan and he was pissed. I stood and regarded Officer Sheila. "People get to us no matter what we do. I've had parties in the past, but that's over. No more. I'm not going to be stupid. I might go to a party, but I won't have one here."

"Sheldon."

"I'm not going to stop living because someone's pissed at me. If I lived like that, I wouldn't go anywhere ever! Do you know how many people hate me?" Add an entire sorority house now…

She groaned. "You make me go crazy sometimes. This is why we can't help you. You won't let us. You won't listen to us. Do you want a police escort? We can offer that."

Corrigan shook his head. "No. I'll take her to school and back. I'll be with her except when she's in classes. And I can get one of the fraternity brothers to watch her at all times. The guys like Sheldon. They're worried about her too."

She eyed him. "And if one of those guys wants her dead? Or hurt?"

His eyes shot to hers and his anger shown there. He bit out, "They won't."—or they'd have him to deal with. The threat hung in the air, though no one commented on it.

Officer Sheila pursed her lips and sighed. "Fine. I'll have a car posted outside the house at night. You got her during the days."

She turned to leave, but I stopped her. "You said it was a female before. You said a female was stalking me. Did you change your mind?"

"Someone tried to break into your house tonight. That's not a female move, not typically. That's what a male would do. So all bets are off unless you have two people trying to get at you?" She paused and then asked, "What happened with Bryce? Would it have been him?"

"What?" I was taken aback but laughed. "No. It wasn't Bryce. He's…"

"He's busy. He's didn't go off the deep end." Corrigan touched my shoulder and drew me back to him. One of his arms curved around my waist, as if shielding me.

Officer Sheila's eyes flickered at the movement, but she didn't say anything. "Anything else happens, call me. Or you can hit one of the panic buttons, but half the force will be here. That was linked to our emergency crisis number. Sheldon…just be safe."

I nodded, relieved it was done when she left. The rest of the police left with her, and soon my lawn was dark. The flashing red, blue, and white lights had gone. It felt empty now.

Corrigan cursed and went to the liquor cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of brandy and poured a drink.

"What's wrong with you?"

He shook his head and drank the shot in one gulp. "Nothing."

"Hey!" I grabbed the bottle from his hand and glared. "What's your problem? You're on me about my stuff. You talk too."

Corrigan's eyes were livid, but he didn't try to grab the bottle. "I don't make you talk about anything. I let you be you. I always have. I stand by and watch you self-destruct all the time, and then I come in and pick up the pieces. Me, Sheldon. Bryce helped out in high school, but it's been only me since Marcus. Now you think you saw him—now Officer Patterson says it was a guy that tried to come in here. I'm pissed off because someone keeps trying to hurt you. I can be angry, can't I? Give me the damn bottle. I want to get drunk."

My shoulders slumped down and I felt my anger evaporate. I slid the bottle across the counter to him and sat on a stool. "Are you mad at me?"

"No," he bit out.

I watched as he took another drink and then closed his eyes. His hands were clenched in fists. They rested against the counter. His shoulders were clenched as if he was fighting something inside of himself.

"Corrigan," I said softly.

He lifted strained eyed to me.

"I'm sorry I'm so screwed up."