Empire High Betrayal(55)

“Just because we aren’t together doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. I’m a pretty great friend, James.”

“Friends with benefits?”

“Just friends,” I said.

“Right. The kind with lots of benefits.”

I laughed. “Please just tell me where you are.”

“Will you come? And just sit with me for a few minutes? I won’t tell Matt.”

It didn’t matter if he would or wouldn’t tell Matt. I couldn’t do that. “I’m going to make sure you get home safe.”

That seemed to be enough for him. Because he finally gave me the address. I jotted it down and hung up the phone.

The SUV that drove me everywhere was still right outside. I walked out onto 5th Avenue and tapped on the glass.

Miller rolled down the window. “Yes, Miss Pruitt?”

I hated when he called me that. “I know this is a weird request, but is it possible for one of you to go pick up my friend? He’s drunk and he needs a ride home. I don’t really trust anyone else to make sure he gets home safely.”

“What’s the address?” Donnelley asked.

“He mentioned that he was in a bathroom in this club.” I handed him the piece of paper I’d written the address down on.

“That’s close by,” Donnelley said. “I can swing by real quick. What friend?”

“James Hunter. He has brown hair and dark brown eyes and…”

Donnelley laughed. “I know Mr. Hunter. I’ll make sure he gets home safely.”

Miller lowered his eyebrows. It looked like he’d been trying to ignore me the whole time, but the name bothered him enough to actually make him show emotion. I hated that Miller had seen James kiss me. I hated that we were in a situation where we still had to see each other every day. I hated that I’d hurt him.

“Miller, will you stay here?” Donnelley asked.

“Yeah. Sure.” Miller climbed out of the car and slammed the door.

The SUV drove off and I breathed a little easier. Donnelley would make sure James was safe. I looked over at Miller. I hadn’t had a moment alone with him all week. Not since he’d told me he was quitting.

“James Hunter, huh?” Miller asked. “Remember when you told me you hated guys like Felix Green and Matthew Caldwell?” He looked so sad. “Now you hang out with all of them. And you’re engaged to one of them.”

“Miller…”

“It’s fine. Just an observation, kid.” He leaned against the wall outside Odegaard. “You should probably get back inside.”

“I don’t want you to hate me.”

He lowered his eyebrows. “I don’t hate you. I just hate seeing you with other guys. And I hate that I don’t have any way out.”

“I asked my dad about you quitting. He said you two had a mutual understanding…”

“A mutual understanding?” He raised both eyebrows. “Is that what he said?”

“Yes.” It came out as more of a question than a response.

“Did he throw the term family around too?” he asked.

“Yeah, actually.”

“I’m not that psychopath’s family.”

I winced. First Mrs. Caldwell was worried about upsetting my dad with the whole Isabella invite. And now Miller was calling him a psychopath? I swallowed hard. They’d never seen the side of my dad that was sweet and caring. This was all a big misunderstanding.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “You know what I meant.”

“No, actually, I don’t. Miller, if you really want to quit I’m sure he’d let you. You just have to talk to him.”

Miller shook his head. “I did talk to him.”

“Well, I can talk to him…”

“You really are trying to get me killed, aren’t you?”

“Of course not. Just let me…”

“There’s no out for me, Brooklyn.”

“But…”

“You saw what he did to me when I let you out of my sight.” He gestured to his face. “I know too much. If I try to leave, he’ll kill me. I don’t know what kind of lies that man is feeding you. But he’s not who you think he is.”

I didn’t even know what to say. I knew my dad was dangerous. I knew that and yet…I didn’t really. I’d seen him be kind and sweet more times than I’d seen him be mean.

“There’s no out,” he said again. He closed his eyes like he was exhausted and rested his head on the wall behind him.

I swallowed hard. I wondered if he was as tired of life as James. And I hated that I couldn’t help either of them. “Miller, I’m sure my dad would listen to me if I asked him to let you quit.”

“Right, because complaining to his daughter is a great way to sway a man like him.”

“A man like him?”

“Brooklyn, what do you think your dad does?”

“He’s a businessman.” That was what my dad had told me. That he owned a lot of family businesses.

“Your father is a mobster, Brooklyn.”

A mobster? I shook my head. “That’s not…”

“He threatens people for a living. He kills people when they cross him. He’s made a lot of enemies in this town. Including your fiancé’s parents. Compared to some of the people your father is mixed up with, Isabella isn’t even that big of a threat.” He kicked at some trash on the sidewalk. “There is no out. Not for me. And definitely not for you.”