Page 77 of Little Devil

“Why?”

She squeezes her lips shut and I take a minute to think about my options, rewatching the whole thing so I know exactly what I’m dealing with here. As soon as I’ve come up with a plan that may or may not be very illegal and very stupid, I grab her forearm and drag her over to the passenger seat of Xan’s car. She screams out in surprise but I ignore it, shoving her in to lock her inside. I’d never lay a hand on her under any other circumstances, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I can’t risk leaving her here for her to rat me out to Noah the first chance she gets.

I jump in next to her and hit the gas, nervously flexing my small hands around the wheel while I drive us out of the parking lot.

“JJ, what the hell are you doing?”

Instead of answering her, I turn his music up in an attempt to calm my racing heart, willing myself to get through this without losing my nerve or throwing up.

You’re too fucking good for me, Jordyn James.

But I can be bad when I want to be.

I can do this.

Ten minutes later, I pull up outside the police station and kill the ignition. “If you open your mouth or leave my side, I’ll tell Noah what you did last night and make your life a living hell. Your choice, Pen.”

She pulls her brows in but wisely follows me out of the car, her six inch stilettos tapping along the floor while she scurries to keep up with me. I push the main door open and Sheriff Brennan looks up from behind his desk, grinning when he sees it’s me. He’s Noah’s mother’s younger brother, a thirty seven year old man with dark blond hair and a killer pair of blue eyes. I used to have a minor crush on him when I was little, but then I realized he’s just another narcissistic prick with his head up his brother in law’s ass.

“Hey, sweetheart–”

“I need to talk to you about Xander Reid,” I cut in, walking over to stand directly in front of him.

His mouth pops open and he starts to say something, but then the door I know leads to the jail cells swings open and crashes against the wall with a loud bang, making everyone jump.

“Cocky little shit,” the officer who took Xan spits out, angrily ripping his hands through his hair while he moves for the coffee machine in the corner.

I hide a knowing grin and the sheriff rolls his eyes, leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed over his wide chest, his attention on me. “You were saying?”

“He didn’t do it,” I tell him, keeping my voice low to ensure no one else hears me. “Noah bought the drugs last night and set it all up for Xander to take the fall.”

He sighs at that, shaking his head at me the way he used to when I was ten. “Look, JJ, I don’t know what’s going on between you and this new kid but you’re being ridiculous. My nephew would never–”

I raise a brow and press play on the video in my hand, turning the volume down a bit before I turn it around to show him the screen. Noah’s one sided conversation shocks him into silence and he narrows his eyes, his nostrils flaring while he watches it to the end.

“Have you lost your mind?” he whispers, leaning over the desk between us with his hands clenched into fists. “Taping someone without consent is illegal, something you could go to jail for. Did you really think you’d be able to show this in court?”

“We’re not going to court,” I inform him, casually twisting the phone around in my hand. “If you don’t release him and drop the charges today, I’ll send this to everyone I know. Every student at Lakewood, every teacher, every parent, every neighbor.. everyone.”

“JJ..” he warns, speaking through his teeth. “I love you like a niece, you know that. But blackmailing the sheriff is just about the dumbest thing you’ve ever done.”

I nod because he’s right about that, but I also know how this family works. Much like my mother, they treasure their image like diamonds. They thrive on power and respect and loyalty, and if this town were to find out that their future mayor has a tendency to frame innocent people for shit they didn’t do, I’m sure that would reflect very, very badly on them.

The threat hangs in the air between us and he sighs, angrily shoving the papers on his desk before barking his orders at the officer by the coffee machine. “Release the kid and get the mayor up here.”

Penelope’s jaw drops and I smirk, keeping hold of the evidence while I walk her outside. “You can go now.”

“But..” she trails off, looking between me and the building in confusion. “What about Noah?”

“I don’t give a fuck about Noah.”

“Okay, then,” she mouths, awkwardly clearing her throat before speaking again. “What about my phone?”

“I’m sure you can afford a new one,” I mutter, side eyeing her when she makes no move to leave. “What?”

“I, uh.. you asked me why I did it and I just..”

“Spit it out, Pen.”

---