Jaden (Jaded 3)

Denton didn’t notice. He was heading back for us. He clapped his hands together. “Papa Neil and Step-Girlfriend-Mama are all settled. I don’t need to worry about their staff. I guess they have their own protocols or whatever, but I put a bunch of wine and champagne on ice. Everything’s set up downstairs and waiting for us to party the night away.” He was grinning from ear to ear. “What do you guys say? Are we good to get our booze on?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My throat was burning.

“Yes.” Corrigan stepped forward. “We’re ready.”

There was a moment of silence.

Denton asked, “Sheldon?”

Bryce said over him, “Sheldon, you ready?”

No.

My throat wouldn’t stop burning.

He stepped closer and put an arm around my shoulders. Turning me forward, he nodded at Denton. “She’s good to go. Let’s forget about the shitstorm going on for the night and have fun.”

“Oh . . . sure . . .” I felt Denton’s gaze on me.

The decision was made. It was final. They made it without me, and they were letting me know I had to accept it. It was how it was going to be, but fuck— it hurt to swallow that. Then I jerked my head in another nod. “Yeah.” It was the right thing to do. “I’m good to go. Let’s get shitfaced tonight.”

I had to say goodbye to one of them.

“All right then.” The cheerful tone had waned from Denton. His grin faded as well, and he started back down the hallway. “I suppose follow me then?”

CHAPTER EIGHT

The police were notified of everything that happened; that my dad’s security team found evidence of fireworks-gone-wrong. When Neil got the news, he was sitting across from me at the breakfast table and immediately looked at me, then Corrigan, and Bryce. His eyes went flat. His lips pressed together in a firm line, and he let out a loud disapproving sigh before murmuring into the phone, “Fine. Yes, canvass any neighbors to see if they could’ve gotten onto the property.” His gaze came back to me and stayed. “But I have a feeling you won’t find much.”

Bryce was at the coffee machine. Corrigan had just sat down with toast on his plate, and I had lifted my own coffee cup to my lips for a sip. Everyone stopped what they were doing. Denton came into the room then and halted abruptly, looking around at everyone. A quick frown appeared, and then he shrugged, sliding into one of the empty chairs. He swung his head around the room with an easy grin. “How’s everyone doing this morning?”

No one answered.

My dad ended his call. The disapproval seemed to have doubled, and he looked among all three of us again, Denton excluded because, hello—puppy dog smile and innocent eyes. No. My dad knew who had been behind the explosions now.

He sighed a second time. “I hope it was worth it… whatever you three did to get here.”

My jaw firmed. “It will be.”

He shook his head and stood up from the table. Taking his coffee and the newspaper, he saluted Denton with his cup. “No offense to your presence, but because of my daughter and her two friends, I’ve found that I’ve lost my appetite.”

“Oh.” Denton frowned. “Okay.” After he left the room, Denton asked, “What was that about?”

“Nothing.” I gripped my coffee cup tighter. “Just . . . he wants me to hide. I have a different opinion.”

“Oh.” He glanced to Corrigan and Bryce, who were still frozen in their state, waiting. And just like that, both finished what they were doing. Bryce poured himself some coffee, and Corrigan bit into his toast. Bringing his coffee and a cup for Denton, Bryce took my dad’s empty seat, and for a moment, all four of us were quiet around the table.

Corrigan finished his first slice of toast and picked up his second. Before he bit into it, he said, “All right. Quiet time is over, folks. What’s the plan?”

Everyone looked at the other. No one said a word. Then I laughed and shook my head. “No one has a clue.”

“Well, screw that. Let’s figure something out.”

Denton was still swinging his head from one end of the table to the other. He leaned forward now. “Wait. You guys are going to figure out who framed Sheldon?”

“You got any ideas?” Corrigan asked.

“No, but—” he stopped, a quick frown appeared.