Elite (Empire High, #2)(77)

Miller exhaled slowly.

“But he said I had to stop. Or he’d take the time to figure out who it was.”

“So we’ll need to be more careful.”

“Do you have any idea how scared I was that you’d lose your job today for sneaking Kennedy into the apartment? I can’t ask you to do me any more favors. I have nothing to give you in return.”

“I’m not asking for anything in return. I just like spending time with you.”

I pulled my hand out of his grip. “We have to stop.”

He lowered his eyebrows. “Is this about Matt? Or what’s his name…Mason?”

“No. And absolutely not.” I didn’t even know if I was going to forgive Matt. But regardless, I needed to do this. I owed Miller so much. I clasped my hands together so I wouldn’t reach out for him again. “I appreciate you being there for me. I don’t know how I would have survived the past week without you. But I won’t keep putting your job in jeopardy.” I could feel my tears threatening to spill. This hurt. I wanted to choose him. My heart was screaming at me to.

“I don’t care about my job.”

“Of course you care. You said you needed the money for college.”

“You think I would seriously leave you alone in that house with them and go off to college? I already mentally pushed it back two years.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Miller, you can’t do that.”

“And you can’t tell me what to do, kid.”

Kid. He used that nickname when he was annoyed with me. And every time I heard it was like a punch in the gut, reminding me of my uncle calling me kiddo. What was I doing? Why was I trying to push him away when he made me happy? Why did I have to choose right this second? Why couldn’t I just catch a break? “I really like you.” It was the opposite of what I was supposed to be saying. But it was the first thing I said to him tonight that felt right.

“I really like you too.”

I pressed my lips together. “I’m still confused.”

“I’ve got time.” He smiled out of the corner of his mouth. “And I never asked you to make a decision tonight.”

“I know, I just…” I ran my hands down my dress. Felix’s harsh words were in the back of my head. “I don’t want to lead you on.”

“You haven’t. I knew full well what I was getting myself into when I let you climb into my bed.”

I laughed. “You make it sound so much more salacious than it is.” Just saying the words out loud reminded me that there was more to the reason why we couldn’t be together. “But it’s not just Mr. Pruitt knowing,” I said. “I signed a contract that said I was with Matt. A relationship agreement or something like that. And I didn’t read through it. I don’t even know what will happen if I break it.”

“Why would you sign something you didn’t read?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know, Matt signed it without looking at it and I just…”

“You read all the house rules and signed that contract. That was like a freaking book. It took you days but you took the time to go over all those details. You could have taken a few minutes to read the relationship one too.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him I never finished reading the first contract Mr. Pruitt gave me either. Not when he was looking at me like I was crazy. “I’m sure whatever it is isn’t that bad.”

He sighed. “I’ll try to get a copy without raising suspicion. Next time don’t sign something without reading it. You know how detailed those contracts are. You’re practically signing over your life. For all we know you’re freaking betrothed to the guy.”

I swallowed hard. What did he mean by that? Signing over my life? It didn’t matter if he was disappointed in me for not reading the contracts. I needed to know what was in them. “Miller, I…”

A car honked behind us.

“You should get in there,” Miller said. “You’re already late.”

I glanced out the window at Kennedy. She was standing there shivering. Crap. I hadn’t meant to make her wait in the cold. “Okay.” I’d confess that I hadn’t read the first contract after the dance. There wasn’t a rush. Besides, I was pretty much stuck in this world. So what if I’d signed a few papers agreeing to that fact? As soon as I graduated, I’d still be able to move out. “I’ll see you after?” I asked as I grabbed the door handle.

“I’m not going anywhere. I have to watch you 24/7, remember? I’m going to go park and then I’ll be right in.”

I nodded. Right, 24/7. Because Mr. Pruitt did dangerous work. I stared at Miller for another beat. That meant Miller was dangerous too. I knew that and yet…he didn’t seem dangerous to me. Not even a little. But neither did Mr. Pruitt. And I knew for a fact that Mr. Pruitt was dangerous. He’d even told me as much. And I’d freaking signed his contract without reading it. I’m a complete fool. My heart wasn’t just confused anymore. My head was too. What kind of man said he was dangerous and then put his hand to my forehead to check my temperature? It didn’t make any sense.

“Don’t make me too jealous tonight,” Miller said with a wink, trying his best to lighten the mood.