Elite (Empire High, #2)(80)

“I’m sorry that you’re hurting.” I truly was. This was one of James’ nicer moments. And all I could wonder was if Matt was right. If he was hurting so much that he might do something to himself. He wouldn’t, right? He couldn’t.

He smiled. “Then how about you make me feel better?”

Just when I thought he was being nice. “I’m not sleeping with you, James. I don’t do…that.”

“Don’t do what? Have revenge sex? Let me tell you, you’re seriously missing out.” His hands slid slightly lower on my waist.

I looked away from him, searching for Kennedy in the sea of other students. She said she’d join us on the dance floor. Where was she?

“Oh my God,” James said.

“What?” I didn’t look back at him. Kennedy, please magically appear and save me from this awkward conversation.

“Are you a virgin?”

I forced myself to look back at him. “That’s none of your business.” I was done being polite. I didn’t have to dance with him. He wasn’t my responsibility to look after. “I’m going to go find Kennedy.”

“Wait.” He caught my arm as I tried to flee. “I’m sorry, I just…it would make Matt so fucking mad. How could you not want that? He kept you his dirty little secret for weeks. He didn’t tell any of us about you. Doesn’t that piss you off? That he was that embarrassed of you?”

“He wasn’t embarrassed of me. Isabella was threatening him. She…”

“Isabella threatens everyone. He’s a pansy if he was scared of her. It’s her father he should be worried about.”

I tried to ignore his last statement. Mostly because I was worried it was true. The thought of that unread contract made my stomach twist into knots. But if I thought about that now I was pretty sure my head would explode. “Matt said Isabella threatened to kill him. And me.”

“And you believe him? After everything he put you through? It wouldn’t be the first time Matt lied just to get into some chick’s bed. You’re allowed to be mad at him, Brooklyn. Freaking let it out.”

“You know what? I am mad. I’m mad that you’re trying to use me to get back at him. I’m not a pawn.”

“I didn’t say you were. I just thought we might feel the same way. Rachel used me. Matt used you. Why can’t we make each other feel better by making them feel like shit?”

“Because you don’t even like me.”

“Why do you think I don’t like you?”

“Because you’re being an ass.”

He laughed. “Well, my offer stands. I rented a room for the night. 315. Take a key.” He pulled out a keycard from the same pocket he was hiding a flask in.

“No thanks.”

“I do like you, Brooklyn. You’re everything I thought Rachel was.”

“And what did you think Rachel was?”

“My way out of this hell.” He slid the keycard down the front of my dress.

This time I was going to slap him. Because his hand had frozen on my left breast. James Hunter was not a very nice boy.

Just as I was about to lift up my hand, I realized he was staring at something behind me. And he looked even more pissed off than I was. I turned around to see Matt walking into the ballroom. With Rachel on his arm. If I thought the room had shushed when I walked in, this was a whole other level. It was freaking silent.

Matt’s tux fit him perfectly. And Rachel looked beautiful on his arm. They were both smiling and it felt like a punch in the gut. Maybe James was right. Maybe I did hate Matt. Maybe I did want to get back at him.

Matt’s eyes locked with mine. His gaze traveled down to where James' hand had just dropped the keycard in the front of my dress. Matt’s smile faltered, despite the fact that he was literally walking into the dance with another girl.

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” James said.

“Not if I do it first.”

“Better idea,” James said. Before I even realized what was happening, James had pulled me back into his arms. And his lips were on mine. Revenge tasted bitter even though his lips were sweet.





Chapter 31


Saturday

I would have blamed the kiss on the fact that James was drunk. A lot of things James did could be blamed on that. But he didn’t taste like alcohol as his tongue traced my lips. And I didn’t smell any smoke on him either. He was sober. He knew what he was doing. He knew exactly the reaction he would get.

I heard the gasps around us.

Part of me wanted to open my mouth to James. How could Matt walk in here with James’ girlfriend on his arm? How could Matt pretend he was still interested in me, making me promise him a dance? How could he be so cruel? I didn’t even recognize this version of him.

James’ hand tightened on my waist.

But I recognized this feeling. The want. It’s how Matt used to kiss me. And I knew I’d kind of dated Felix. And I was kind of seeing Miller too. But I never did any of it to intentionally hurt Matt. I did it because all he ever did was hurt me.

Maybe James was right. Maybe revenge would make us both feel better. After all, he was an expert in this area, not me. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kiss him back. It felt wrong. This wasn’t me.