“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.
James moved his free hand to the back of my head, locking me in place.
“Kiss me back, Brooklyn,” he whispered against my lips. “Hurt him back. Let him know how much it fucking hurts.”
It was wrong. All of it was wrong. It was like I was literally staring sin in the face. And hatred. And sadness. James was in pain. I knew it, because I felt it too. I was freaking drowning in it.
“Please,” he whispered. “Do it for me.”
I put my hand on his chest like I was going to shove him away. But instead my hand froze there. When I first saw James, all I could see was the sadness behind his eyes. I wasn’t attracted to him because we were both drowning. But maybe he understood me better than anyone else here.