Jaden (Jaded #3)(18)

He nodded and held back so I could get into the car first. There were guards all around us, shielding us. Before I ducked down and climbed to my seat, I turned and slid my arms around him. I didn’t give a damn. I needed to hug my friend.

After a second’s hesitation, Corrigan hugged me back.

“Any time, you two.”

I pulled back and got inside. Avoiding Bryce’s gaze, I ducked my head down and reached for Corrigan’s hand as he slid next to me. My dad’s impatience didn’t even piss me off. That’s how grateful I was to have them both there again.

My dad rapped on the window. “It’s time to go.”

Finally. We were going back to the city, back to find out who was trying to frame me.

One of the security guards had slid into the back with us. There were three rows of seats, and he had taken one of the first seats. His hand went to his radio, and he spoke into it, “All clear. Go ahead.”

The car started to roll forward.

The guard asked, “Mr. Jeneve, to the safe house?”

My dad opened his mouth to answer. Bryce leaned forward, cutting him off. “We can go to Denton Steele’s home.”

The guard looked to my father.

“What?”

Bryce said again, “Denton Steele. He still lives near your old home, but I’ve been in contact with him. He said we could go to his home at any moment, if we needed.”

My dad narrowed his eyes and tilted his head to the side.

Not good. I spoke up, “He has security, too, Dad.” Fuck. I’d called him that a second time. Cringing, gritting my teeth, I saw how his eyes widened and added, “My relationship with him isn’t that known. No one will look for us there.”

I was lying. People did know I was friendly with Denton, but I was hoping my dad didn’t know that fact. Corrigan and Bryce turned to me. They were thinking the same thing. People did know. I shook my head at them, the slightest of movements. I wanted it known. I wanted people to look for me there. No, I wanted Grace’s murderer to know exactly where I was going to be, then maybe they’d come to me.

Maybe I could find out who was trying to make my life hell and exact some of my own revenge.

“Denton Steele, huh?” My dad was mulling it over. He sighed, shaking his head. “We were good friends with his parents. It’ll be nice to catch up with him, see how they’re doing.”

“They divorced.”

My dad gave me a regretful look, pinching the top of his nose. “I’m aware, Sheldon, but I’m sure their son keeps in contact with his own parents.”

A retort was at the tip of my tongue. Corrigan squeezed my hand, and I knew he was telling me to shut up. Don’t rock the boat, Jeneve. Let us count this one a win. Hearing my own thoughts, I swallowed it and gave Neil a smile instead.

“You’re right.” I tried to deliver that with a cherry on top, all the while holding off from rolling my eyes at myself. Be fake. Be fake and let’s catch this f*cker. I took a breath. That was more like it.

“Fine. Let’s head to the Steele household.”

The security guard nodded and reached for his radio again to relay his instructions.

Beth looked over herself and grimaced. “My. I’m going to meet a superstar like this. Neil, we’ll need to send for clothes.”

My dad lifted his arm and placed it around her shoulders. She snuggled into him as he murmured, rubbing a hand up and down her arm, “I’m sure that can be arranged. We’ll get everything sorted out.”

As those two got comfortable for the long drive to the city, I was anything but. The closer we got, the closer we were getting to Grace’s killer. Ignoring Bryce, ignoring Corrigan, and even ignoring that same-old tension that’s always there between the two, I needed to keep thinking. I would find this f*cker, and I would make them pay.

The closer we got to the city, the more focused I became.

CHAPTER SEVEN

We had to be flagged through a gate for the community and then again when we got to Denton’s house. I was impressed. There’d been no security measures like that when we lived in the neighborhood, but I was even more impressed because Denton had his own private one installed. A lot of the other houses didn’t. When we were flagged through and drove up the driveway to Denton’s house¸ the car in front of us and the car behind us stopped. Security guards swept out and immediately began canvassing the area.

I asked my dad, “How many staff members do you have?”

He didn’t bat an eyelid. “As many as it takes.”

Oh-kay then. “Good to know.”

Denton opened the door and leaned against his porch’s railing as he waited for us to come up. Crossing his arms over his chest, he tilted his head back with a smirk appearing on his face.

I shook my head. Only Denton could get away with wearing red khaki pants, loafers, and a buttoned-down white and red striped shirt with sunglasses on top of his head. As I went up the stairs to him, I said, “You know it’s one in the morning. You got paparazzi skulking around in your bushes? You need to look cool at all times?”

“Didn’t you hear from the tabloids? I’m so vain that I have mirrors on the backs of every door? I constantly have to reassure myself that I’m still good-looking enough.” He laughed, raking a hand through his dark hair and dislodging his sunglasses. Taking them in his hand¸ he held his arm out and gestured for me to come closer. I did and he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. “Damn. It’s good to see you, Jeneve. I thought the next time I saw you would be with you behind bars.”