Elite (Empire High, #2)(17)

“I didn’t meet you outside because I have no intention of going anywhere with you!”

“What happened?” he asked again in such a calm voice that my bottom lip started to tremble.

I wiped my angry tears away, hopefully before he could see them. It wasn’t like I could tell him about the lunch incident. Isabella’s threat had been heard loud and clear. She’d have some alternate story about what happened today. And no one would believe me over her. “Nothing. It’s not important,” I said.

He pressed his lips together. “I think it is important.”

“You’re really not going to let me go back to Kennedy’s place, are you?” I asked, ignoring what he’d said.

“I grabbed your belongings this morning. It’s all in your new room. It’ll be just like you’re there.”

Was he kidding? The Alcaraz’s apartment was warm and homey. There wasn’t a chance in hell that Isabella lived in a place like that. But there was no point in arguing more with Miller. He was just following orders from the devil himself. I might as well get this over with. One weird stylist meeting. And one awkward dinner. There was no way Isabella would let me stay at her house longer than that. I’d be back at the Alcaraz’s in no time. Or at Felix’s. I’d go anywhere as long as it was far away from the Pruitts.

I sighed. “Okay. Let’s get this over with.”

“That’s the spirit,” he said with a small smile.

We were both quiet as we got in the car. But as the minutes ticked by, I was getting more and more anxious. I leaned forward in the back seat. “What’s Mrs. Pruitt like?” I asked.

“Um. Like Isabella.”

“And what do you mean by that exactly?” I asked, even though I had a good guess.

He cleared his throat. “You know. A lot like Mr. Pruitt.”

Great. I leaned back in my seat. He didn’t need to elaborate. I did know. The whole family was toxic, just like Matt had said. I refused to let myself think of Matt as the tall buildings flew past in the window. He didn’t deserve to occupy any space in my head. But when I glimpsed one of the entrances to Central Park I wanted to cry all over again. This morning he’d been so sweet. This morning when no one was watching.

I was surprised when the car suddenly came to a stop. I’d just assumed we’d leave the city and drive into mansion territory. “This is it?” I asked as I stared out the window.

“Home sweet home,” Miller said.

It was an older building, so much different than the modern monstrosity Mr. Pruitt had locked me up in last night. It reminded me more of the outside of Felix’s place. I opened up the door before Miller had a chance to. I squinted at the building. Wait…was this Felix’s apartment complex? It certainly looked the same. But I didn’t remember his address. Kennedy was the one that knew it.

“Aren’t you coming?” Miller asked.

I realized I’d been awkwardly standing on the sidewalk staring at the front doors. “Mhm.” I wasn’t sure why he’d asked. He’d made it pretty clear that I didn’t have a choice in the matter.

The doorman greeted us as I walked into the lobby. The whole building screamed old money. And even though it was definitely restored at some point, it still possessed its old charm. It was the same thing I’d thought when I walked into Felix’s apartment building. And I was positive it was the same one. I thought about the way he winked after saying he’d see me tonight. He must have known. I mean of course he knew. You couldn’t live that close to evil and not know it.

Why didn’t he tell me? Knowing he was close by made me feel so much better. I breathed a sigh of relief while I listened to the elevator music. Yup, it was definitely the same building. Now if I could just remember what number his apartment was. I knew it felt like it took forever to reach his floor. So he had to be pretty high up.

I was barely paying attention when the elevator came to a stop. I followed Miller down the hall, one with the same plush carpet that had been in Felix’s apartment’s hallway. And when we reached a door that had an uncanny resemblance to the ornate front doors of Empire High, I was 100 percent certain I was in Felix’s building. It made me significantly less scared to enter the Pruitts’ evil lair.

I was expecting it to look completely modern like Felix’s apartment, but the Pruitts had gone in a different direction with their interior decorating. Everything inside looked like it was an antique. There was art in gold frames, fancy vases on display, and even a statue in the middle of the foyer. I just stood there, afraid to move in case I broke something. It reminded me more of the decorating in Matt’s huge mansion. Is that why he came over here to hang out with her? Because it felt like his creepy vampire-esque home? I swallowed hard. I didn’t want to live here. I already knew I’d have nightmares and never be able to sleep. Even if it had been homey and quaint, I’d still have nightmares living down the hall from Isabella.

“The stylist is upstairs,” Miller said. “I’ll give you a tour after your fitting.”

“Okay.” My voice echoed around me. The thought of being alone in the foyer was enough to pull me out of my thoughts. I hurried after him up the stairs. We passed a few rooms and the smell of fresh paint hit my nose. He guided me to the room all the way at the end of the hall. I peered inside. There was a woman with thick glasses and wiry hair standing in the middle of the room with a long rack of clothes. It was an odd sight, but I was more shocked by the room itself.