Jaden (Jaded 3)

He nodded, throwing the left blinker on and merging with traffic. “He said the girls want to do something to help so they’re throwing a masquerade ball for you.”

“For me? As in I’d be the guest of honor?”

“No. They have no idea we’re coming, but the whole thing is to celebrate you or roast you. Corrigan’s words, that’s how he explained it.”

“What’s the point of the party?”

“It’s all about Sheldon. You might not realize the extent of it,” he told me, “but you’re both hated and loved on campus. Corrigan said news about the party is already spreading. It’s all over social media. The whole point of the party is to get together to talk about Sheldon.”

“If she’s guilty or not?”

Bryce gave Denton a half-grin. “Yeah, kinda. It’s just a big excuse to get together and drink, but I guess the campus is buzzing about Sheldon so it should be a big turnout. Hopefully, we can blend in and overhear something good.”

“I bet the real killer will be there.”

“Isn’t that what you did before? With the other stalker?” Denton was looking between both of us.

I wasn’t happy. Another party. Another stalker. Another killer, and a masquerade mask was the only way I could go. I wasn’t happy about any of this, but I couldn’t do anything else. “Yes,” I sighed, frowning to myself. “Another fucking party.”

I could feel Bryce watching me in the mirror, but I didn’t say anything.

I muttered under my breath, “We need new material. That’s it.” I announced it, “If I get out of this intact, I know what I’m majoring in.”

“What?”

“Criminal justice.” It was ironic in a way. “I’m going to be a damn cop, then I can figure out other ways to find my own damn stalkers.”

“Well, until then, we keep doing what we know.”

“You’re right.” I clipped my head forward. “Drinking and raising hell. That’s all I know. When does this party start?”

“Soon enough. We’re heading to pick up Corrigan. We’re going to sneak in with his fraternity. They have a plan figured out already.”

“So, they know we’re going?”

“Corrigan went to his fraternity, and they know who he is. Apparently, they refused to let him into the house until he could prove his identity.”

Score one for Denton’s makeup artist.

Bryce added, “And Carolina is the only one who knows you might come tonight, outside of Corrigan’s fraternity. I doubt the stalker is from his house, Sheldon.”

I pressed my lips together. Did I really have to remind him that we had hired Marcus to cater the food for our own party, the one we threw to draw out the stalker? It had worked like a charm, except someone died from that party. I didn’t want the same thing to happen with this one. Then again, it wasn’t my party, I picked up the Zorro mask, and I’d never used masks like this either.

&

nbsp; I guess it was better than nothing, or better than hiding in Denton’s house. As I thought that, my eyes fell to Bryce’s shoulder and how his shirt moved over his muscles as he drove. I let out a silent sigh. Yes. Staying any longer in that house wouldn’t have been good. I would’ve done something I would’ve regretted.

Definitely.

I snuck another look at Bryce’s arms.

*

“Damn, Sheldon.” Michael Reveritt wolf-whistled as he opened the back door for us. He stopped, blocking our entrance, as he looked me up and down. Holding a red cup in one hand and his other arm leaning against the doorframe, Corrigan’s fraternity brother smirked down at me. “You’ve got to be the best-looking serial killer I’ve ever met.”

My eyes went flat, and I shouldered past him, making sure my elbow pressed into his sternum. At his swift intake of breath, I grinned and pressed harder. Then I moved past, smirking back at him, “Oh, Ritt. How I’ve not missed you. At all.”

“Ha-ha.” He stepped back as Bryce and Denton followed me inside. Giving both a wary glance, he rubbed at his sternum and let the door close. Jerking a thumb over his shoulder, he said, “Everyone’s in rare form. We’ve been waiting for you, and I have to warn you guys,” he lingered on Denton, his smirk appearing once more, “everyone’s going as chicks so . . .” He swept an eye up and down both of the guys again before finishing, “guess what you’re going as?”