Empire High Betrayal(37)

Matt reached out and hooked his arm around my waist. “You finally agree that you’re wearing an engagement ring?”

I glanced at the ring on my hand and then back at him. “I mean, it’s a promise to be engaged, right?”

He pressed his forehead against mine. “You’re going to be the death of me, Brooklyn.”

I closed my eyes. “Don’t say that.” I squeezed my eyes tight. It felt like I was cursed. Like everyone that was important to me died. If anything ever happened to Matt… “I can’t lose you too.” I opened my eyes as if seeing him would prevent him from slipping away.

“You know what I mean. You’re driving me crazy.” His lips drew a fraction of an inch closer to mine. “No more hanging out with James. Or Rob.”

“As long as you promise not to hang out with Isabella.” I wasn’t sure why I was cutting a deal with him. I should have just agreed. But there was still something bothering me about the night Isabella had a gun to my head. Besides the fact that she had literally been trying to kill me. She’d been trying to get rid of me so that she could be with Matt. She was in love with him. And he needed to know that if he didn’t already.

Matt pulled back. “I can definitely promise you that. I hate her, Brooklyn.”

“Yeah. But she loves you.” I felt better just by getting it off my chest. I’d needed to know if he loved her too. Even a little bit. I knew he thought Isabella was a disease. But what if he thought she was a sexy disease? Like…well, I couldn’t think of any sexy diseases. Maybe Isabella was the first.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I strongly doubt that Isabella loves me.”

“She was blackmailing you because she didn’t want you anywhere near me. She wanted you for herself.”

He started to shake his head.

“I’m serious, Matt. She told me. Me loving you is part of the reason she hates me. And I remember the way she touched you right here in this room. Like she’d done it a thousand times before…”

“She was blackmailing me. I was trying to keep her calm while I figured out a way to get out of it.”

By letting her touch you? I took a deep breath. It didn’t matter. He’d forgiven me for what I’d done. And I could let that go too. As long as it didn’t’ continue. “I just need to know that you don’t like her back.”

“I swear I don’t like Isabella. I loathe her.”

And her whole family. My family. But I’d meant what I said. I was going to be a Caldwell soon enough. And I wasn’t going to let Matt’s opinions of my new family bother me. I barely knew any of them. But I knew Matt. I stared into his eyes. “She said she could date you before she married James. And that maybe she’d keep you as a houseboy.”

“Is that like some kind of man servant?” He laughed. “It doesn’t even matter.” He cradled my face in his hands. “I love you, Brooklyn. I’ve only ever loved you.”

“You promise?”

“I’ll only ever love you, baby.”

I stood up on my tiptoes, sealing my own promise to him with a kiss. I promise to only ever love you too.





Chapter 15


Tuesday

Matt smiled as I walked downstairs in his varsity jacket. It was one of the few things that Isabella hadn’t managed to ruin. And I’d be lying if a small part of me wasn’t excited to rub this jacket in her face at school today.

“Now it’s official,” Matt said and pulled me into his arms.

“The ring didn’t do it?” I smiled up at him. I knew he was probably still a little upset with me. But he didn’t look upset right now.

He dropped his head, letting his lips graze against mine. “My ring on your finger and my jacket on your shoulders? Either would have been a win. But both?” He kissed me slow. I was still getting used to his slow kisses. I loved these kisses more than the frantic, secretive kisses he used to give me. Because these meant more. These were real.

“Are you sure you’re up to going to school?” Matt asked.

“Yeah. I don’t want to just sit around all day again.” I pressed my lips together because we both knew I’d done a lot more than that yesterday. “And I also need to talk to Felix.” Really? That was what I thought would be good to mention right now?

Matt sighed and shook his head. “What are the odds that he’s going to propose to you in gym today?”

I laughed. “Slim to none. And I told you, James was just joking around.” I’m pretty sure.

“He’s trying to steal you away from me because he’s an ass.”

Yeah. Maybe. But James had also promised to try to fix things with Matt after our Isabella prank. I just needed to make sure I didn’t have to meet up with the Hunters anymore in order to pull it off. I was going to fix everything. And Matt would be happy then. And so would James. It was a win-win for everyone.

I looked up at Matt’s face. He didn’t look upset. He looked…uneasy. Like he was worried today was going to be a disaster. But he had nothing to worry about. I slid my hand into his. “Trust me, there’s no way James could ever steal me away from you.”

“Yo,” Mason said through a bite of granola bar. “Come on, we’re gonna be late. Morning, sis,” he said and winked at me before making his way out the ornate front doors.