Jaden (Jaded #3)(47)

It would’ve looked stunning, no wait, it did. Denton pulled it off. His high cheekbones, cute red lips, and those beautiful movie star eyes were looking back at us underneath the glittery pink mask.

Then Corrigan burst out laughing. “You look like a mermaid.”

Denton scowled, then paused, his eyes narrowed, and he shrugged it off. “I’m a beautiful mermaid then.” He raised his head up, looking down his nose. “Don’t be jealous, fellas. These high cheekbones have made me millions. Remember that.”

BEEP!

Michael snorted, then gestured outside with his cup. “The ladies are waiting. I’d haul ass, if I were you four.”

Denton sniffed and marched out first, like he was walking a catwalk. Bryce sighed and went after him. Corrigan lingered behind, his gaze on Michael’s cup.

“What?” Michael almost growled.

“You’re the sober cab, brother.” He gestured to the cup. “Knock that shit off.”

Michael narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t respond.

The tension in the room suddenly shifted. It’d been there, but I hadn’t realized it. I realized it now and it was simmering from Corrigan’s fraternity brother. I waited. He looked ready to snap back or throw his drink at Corrigan.

But he only moved his hand to the sink and he turned the cup over, spilling the drink down the drain. Then he placed the empty cup on the side and forced a smile. “Better?”

Corrigan rolled his eyes, reached out for my elbow, and started to guide me outside. As he did, his hand grasped tightly onto me, but I had a feeling it had nothing to do with me. He was holding himself back from saying something in return. Once we were outside and the door shut behind us, I asked, “What was that about?”

Corrigan shook his head, just a small movement to me. “He found out I’m not happy with how he’s influencing the other guys, but—”

Bryce shouted from inside the car, “Let’s go!”

Corrigan gave me a reassuring grin. “—it’s house business. I can’t say too much.”

Climbing inside and taking my seat between Bryce and Corrigan, I snuck a look at him as he pulled the door shut and pounded on the wall. “We’re good to go.”

I saw what he hadn’t said. He was worried.

And that worried me.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

When we got to Carolina’s sorority house, I saw that I didn’t need to worry about being recognized. The three-story house was packed with people spilling out onto the front porch and their entire yard. The house was lit up with white lights strands. As we got out, I could see that inside the house was dark, but those white lights were everywhere. They lit up the porch, wrapped around the posts, trailing down the sidewalk, and I could see more in the backyard.

Again. This party was huge.

Corrigan grunted into my ear, “Well, I can say we’re the show I was worried we would be.”

“No doubt.” There were guys everywhere in ball gowns. So were girls, who were actually trying to look nice and pretty. There were other guys, as well, who were dressed in black tuxedos and black masks, some similar to mine, and some with only the eyepiece on their face.

No one was going to recognize anyone.

“I think that’s the point.”

“What?” I looked up.

Corrigan was looking down at me. “You said no one’s going to recognize anyone. That’s the point.” His hand came to the small of my back. “They threw this party together last minute so you could come and blend. Carolina did it for you.”

A wave of nostalgia crashed over me. Carolina. I missed her. She’d been the only female friend who hadn’t f*cked me over . . . yet. My jaw firmed. I didn’t want to think like that, I couldn’t. I gazed at the house and said, “I’m going to find her.”

Corrigan pulled his phone out, then showed me the screen.

Tell S I’m upstairs.

When I saw Carolina’s name at the top of the text, I nodded again to him. He knew what I had to do, and he stepped back, allowing me to move past him.

Both Bryce and Denton noticed I was leaving, but neither called out to me.

It was just understood among all of us. This party was for me. Like the press conference, I had to do this for myself. Relying on other people, needing them to communicate for me while I sat hiding somewhere else, had me going stir crazy. I had to do something for myself. I had to feel like I was being productive, doing something. Not just sitting. Not just waiting. Not just letting the killer come to me.

Pulling the mask so it completely covered my face, resting on my nose, I shouldered past a group of girls.

“Sheldon!”

I froze. One of them recognized me.

“I hated her. She was such a bitch,” that same girl continued.

Relief, then irritation sparked in me. She’d been talking about me, but damn. I rolled my eyes at myself and kept going into the house. People were there because of me. I was going to hear my name more than that, but when I got inside, I was surprised at the almost demureness in the house. Like I saw from outside, the lights were off, but the crystal lights filled the room, giving it a cozy and homey feeling. Soft music streamed from the speakers so as I moved from room to room, people were talking in groups. They weren’t drinking from beer bongs or cheering for body shots.

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and gazed at the kitchen. Bottles of wine lined the counters, along with fruit and cheese trays. People were munching off the table that had bowls of chips, crackers, and more meat and cheese trays.