Empire High Betrayal Read online

  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.”

  I wanted to laugh it off. To tell Miller all the reasons why he was wrong. That he was exaggerating. But actually, that all made a lot of sense. Except for the fact that Miller hadn’t seemed all that scared of my dad in the beginning. “But if he’s so awful…why did you ever kiss me to begin with?”

  “I’d never broken his rules before. I didn’t know the consequences. But I never plan on breaking them again.”

  So he was stuck here? For how long? Months? Years? Forever? I shook my head. I wanted to tell Miller that I’d talk to my dad. But he’d just told me not to.

  “I don’t regret kissing you,” Miller said. “But if your dad ever finds out…I won’t just lose my job. I’ll lose my life, Brooklyn. So you gotta stop looking at me like that.”

  I didn’t know how I was looking at him. Like I wanted to hug him? Like I was about to burst into tears? There is no out.

  Chapter 22

  Friday

  “Is everything alright?” Mrs. Caldwell asked.

  I looked in the mirror to see Mrs. Caldwell in the reflection as the hairdresser was straightening my hair.

  I was worried about James. I had no one to talk to about it. And now Miller’s warning was stuck in my head and wouldn’t go away no matter how much we shopped. I was trying to have fun. But I couldn’t seem to shake the warning. There is no out. I cleared my throat and looked down at my lap. “Mhm.”

  Mrs. Caldwell sat down in the chair next to mine. “Was that Matt on the phone?”

  “Oh, no. I’m not upset about anything with Matt.”

  She gave me a warm smile. “So you are upset?”

  Damn it. Mrs. Caldwell knew my dad. Wouldn’t she know the truth? There was a reason why she’d allowed me to stay in her house when she thought it was because I didn’t want to stay with my dad. But I didn’t know her well enough to ask her a question like that.

  Instead, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. “I’m sorry that Matt didn’t tell you the real reason why I needed a place to stay.”

  Mrs. Caldwell smiled. “It doesn’t matter why you’re staying with us. What matters is that you’re safe in our home. What matters is that my son loves you.” She reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “You know…we haven’t really gotten a chance to talk about wedding details. Have you and Matthew discussed a possible date?”

  “No, not really.” I laughed. “We’ll have to wait until at least after college at the earliest.”

  Mrs. Caldwell looked…disappointed? I didn’t know her that well, but she didn’t exactly look happy with my response.

  “I mean, we’re a little young, don’t you think?” I added.

  “I think age is just a number. And I’ve never seen my son this happy before. You already feel like part of the family. Why not make it official?”

  That was sweet. But a small part of me wondered if she wanted me to make things official with Matt because of my new last name. And the fact that the Caldwells wanted nothing to do with the Pruitts. Because we were…mobsters? I shook away the thought. It was ridiculous. Mobster. The word rolled around in my head. I didn’t know what to think of my dad. But the more I thought of the obsessive security, the way he treated his staff, the secrecy, all the contracts…it all seemed more than what a normal businessman would need.

  “I don’t know anything about planning a wedding,” I said. I hadn’t really thought about any of the details. Just that I knew for sure I wanted to be with Matt for the rest of my life.

  “That’s what I’m here for. And Justin seems to be keen on being your planner. Talk to Matthew. Let’s get a date in the books.”

  I nodded. But I couldn’t even imagine planning a wedding right now. It felt like Miller had just dropped a bomb on my lap. And I had schoolwork. And Isabella was still trying to kill me. And… My thoughts trailed off. What was I even thinking? I loved Matthew Caldwell. His mom was right. What was the point in waiting? Waiting was wasting time. And I wasn’t one to do that.

  “I’ll talk to Matt,” I said.

  She smiled. “Wonderful. Oh look, they’re all done. You look stunning, sweetheart.” She gestured toward the mirror.

  I stared at my reflection. The changes were subtle, but they were there. I looked like I belonged at Empire High. I bit the inside of my lip. But was that really what I wanted?

  When I had decided to stay in New York instead of getting on a bus and going home, I’d told myself Isabella couldn’t dictate my life. That I belonged here just as much as she did. Now I looked the part. But I wasn’t sure if it was what I wanted anymore. I didn’t care about revenge. Or getting even with her. All I cared about was Matt. And he liked me because I was different. Now I just looked…the same as everyone else.

  “You look amazing,” Kennedy said as she sat down in the chair on the other side of me. She was looking perfectly glamorous with her new highlights.

  “Yeah?”

  “It’s like you only…even more perfect.”

  I laughed. “It’s not too much?”

  “What? No? Matt’s going to love the new you.”

  I hope so.

  ***

  I carried my bags of clothes up to the guest room I was supposed to be staying in. Then I wandered into Matt’s room. He wasn’t there, so I walked down the hall to Mason’s room. I knocked and let myself in.

  The two of them were playing videogames.

  Mason cursed at something on the screen. He didn’t even look over his shoulder to see if it was me before he started talking. “Brooklyn, we’ve talked about this. You gotta knock. What if I had a sexy guest?”

  I laughed. “You never have guests.” I’d learned a lot about Mason recently. Yes, it was true that he was a total player. But he never brought whatever girls he was currently sleeping with to the house. I was pretty sure he didn’t want to give his mom a heart attack. And despite the fact that he was a total womanizer, he treated me like I was the sister he never had. There was a heart of gold under his tough exterior. And for some reason it made me happy that I was one of the only ones that got to see it.

  Mason laughed and turned to look at me over his shoulder. “Damn.” His eyes wandered down my body.

  The way he stared at m
e used to bother me. But I’d also learned that he was a good guy. And he’d never step on his brother’s toes when it came to me. The fact that he called me “sis” all the time helped.

  Matt’s gaze followed Mason’s.

  It felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest.

  They were both just staring at me. And I didn’t know if it was a good kind of stare or a bad one. “We got makeovers,” I said to break the awkward silence. I did a little spin when they still said nothing. And then I immediately felt more awkward because my skirt was so short and spinning made it rise up even more. Screw me. I walked over to the couch and sat down in the empty spot between them. “Someone just blew up,” I said and gestured to the screen.

  “Shit,” Matt said. He hit something on his controller and then tossed it to the side.

  Mason laughed. He stood up and stretched, dropping his controller on the couch too. “I’m gonna go get a soda. You guys want anything?”

  “We’re good,” Matt said.

  “I’ll literally be back in five minutes. And this is my room. So don’t fuck on my couch.” He tossed a pillow at Matt’s head, but Matt caught it before it hit his face.

  I laughed, but it caught in my throat weird. I didn’t know what Matt was thinking. And his silence was unnerving.

  “You look…different,” Matt finally said when Mason closed the door. His fingers traced my thigh right where my new thousand-dollar skirt stopped.

  I swallowed hard. I’d only cut off a few inches, but the layers in my hair and the new makeup definitely made me look different. “A good different or bad different?”

  “I liked you exactly the way you were,” he said.

  Crap.

  His fingers slid higher up my thigh. “But I think you get more beautiful every day. With or without makeup. Or a new haircut. You’re beautiful, baby.”

  I wasn’t sure why, but his words made tears pool in the corners of my eyes. “So why do you look mad?”

  “Because your skirt is too short.” His fingers bunched my skirt up as he pushed me backward. My back hit the couch cushions as he leaned over me. “And your heels are too high.” He grabbed my leg, hoisting it over his shoulder and kissing the inside of my thigh.

  Fuck.

  “And your shirt is cut too low.” His nose traced the curve of my exposed cleavage. “Only I should be allowed to see you like this. So you either need to go change into pajamas right the fuck now. Or wait for me in my room just like this. On the bed. With your legs spread.”

  I could barely breathe. And it wasn’t just the naughty words coming out of his mouth. He was staring at me with so much intensity. Almost like his gaze could burn my exposed skin.

  “And maybe lose the thong.” His thumb rubbed against the lacy fabric. “I tend to tear things when I get impatient.”

  Jesus.

  “So which will it be? A fun night in pj’s playing videogames? Or…”

  The door started to open.

  Matt pulled me back to a seated position, tugging my skirt back into place. But he couldn’t take away the flush in my cheeks. Or the fact that I was practically panting.

  “Do you want to play too, sis?” Mason asked as he walked back in. He jumped over the back of the couch and sat down.

  “Actually, I’m feeling a bit tired.” I turned to Matt and winked at him. “Goodnight, Mason.”

  He gave me a quick side hug before I stood up. “Night.”

  I left his room and hurried to Matt’s. Did he really want me to sit on his bed like that? Or was he just saying it to make me blush? And if he did mean it, did he want me to keep my high heels on? It seemed weird to put my shoes on his bed. But they were new…

  Screw it. I pulled off my underwear and climbed onto his huge bed.

  I didn’t get a chance to decide how to pose because his door opened a second later. I hadn’t even reached the middle of his bed. I froze on all fours and stared at him over my shoulder.

  He groaned. “What are you trying to do to me?” He moved so fast. I blinked and his hands were on my waist, pulling me against him. I could feel his hardness through his sweatpants. And I was very aware of the fact that it was the only material between us.

  He grabbed my shoulders, pulling me up so that my back was pressed against his front. “When you dress like this it makes me want to fuck you.” He kissed the side of my neck. “But I don’t want to fuck you, Brooklyn.” His kisses trailed down to my shoulder. “I want to make love to you. And you’re making it very hard for me to be patient.” He let go of me and took a step back. “Let me find you something to cover up with before I lose my mind.”

  What? “But…” my voice trailed off as he grabbed one of his t-shirts out of a drawer. “What if I’m ready?”

  His hand paused on the drawer.

  I swallowed hard. I loved him. I loved him so much that just thinking about him when we were apart made my chest hurt. I wanted to marry him. I wanted to have his children. I wanted us to be us forever.

  I leaned over and opened up his nightstand drawer. And I pulled out a condom from his annoyingly large box of them. I placed it on the bed beside me and pulled my shirt off over my head.

  His Adam’s apple rose and fell.

  I pushed off my skirt too. And I was just reaching down to take off my heels when his hand caught my ankle.

  “I can do that,” he said. He slowly undid the strap and let one shoe fall to the ground. And then the next. He kissed the inside of my ankle, his lips trailing up my leg torturously slowly. Until they stopped at the top of my thigh. “Are you sure?” he asked. His voice sounded tight, like he was having trouble keeping control.

  I loved his fingers. I loved his tongue. But I wanted all of Matthew Caldwell. Not just pieces of him. All of him.

  “I’m sure. I love you. I couldn’t be more sure.”

  He moved on top of me. “I love you.” He kissed my forehead. “I love you.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “I’m so fucking in love with you, Brooklyn.”

  I grabbed the back of his head and lowered his lips to mine. He kissed me senseless. He’d told me that he’d be all my firsts. First kiss. First touch. First taste. First love.

  My fingers dug into the muscles of his back. God, but this? This first was everything.

  Chapter 23

  Saturday

  I was pretty sure Matt agreed that this first was everything too. Because he kept wanting to do it over and over again. Not that I was complaining. But I was sore. I wasn’t sure how I was going to walk around his house today without anyone catching on to what we’d done all night long.

  I tried to move my leg and groaned. Ow.

  Matt laughed.

  I opened my eyes and looked up at his smiling face. His head was propped up on his hand and he was staring at me.

  “Were you watching me while I slept?” I asked.

  He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Maybe?”

  “Do you know how creepy that is?”

  “I like looking at my girl. What’s wrong with that?”

  I didn’t bother trying to hide my smile.

  “You better get used to me staring at you all the time. You signed up for a forever of it.”

  I laughed and propped my head up on my hand too. “About that…what are your actual thoughts about getting married. For real?”

  “I told you I want you to be Brooklyn Caldwell.”

  “I know. But…when exactly were you thinking you wanted that to happen?”

  “Brooklyn Sanders, are you asking me to marry you?”

  I laughed. “Never mind.” I started to sit up.

  “Hey.”’ He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me on top of him.

  I straddled him as his hands found my hips.

  “You mean you want to pick a date?” he asked.

  “Do you?”

  “We could fly out to Vegas tonight.”

  I laughed. “Stop it, I’m serious.”

  “I�
�m serious too.”

  “You’re not serious.” I splayed my hands on his chest. “You’re crazy.” I shouldn’t have said anything. We were too young. He thought I was just messing with him. “Are you hungry? I’m starving.” I tried to move, but he kept his hands locked on my thighs, holding me in place.

  “I’m crazy in love with you, Brooklyn. I wasn’t joking about Vegas. But we never really talked about what kind of wedding you wanted. Do you want the whole shebang? The white dress?” His hands ran down the sides of the t-shirt I’d borrowed from him. “The flowers? All that?”

  Honestly I had never really thought about it before. All I knew was that Matt was everything I wanted and needed. And I could so easily picture walking down the aisle toward him. I nodded. “I do want all of that.”

  “And when do you want it?”

  “I assumed you were thinking after college?” I asked.

  “I wasn’t thinking after college.”

  “You weren’t?” I stared down at him.

  “No.”

  The way he was staring at me made my heart race. I swore it was beating so loudly that he could hear it. “Then when were you thinking?”

  He smiled up at me. “I asked you first, baby. When do you want to get married?”

  “Well, I heard the fall is a great time for a wedding.” At least, that’s what Justin had said. And I trusted him.

  “It’s fall right now,” Matt said.

  “Is it?” I laughed as he tickled my side. “Stop it!”

  Somehow I wound up beneath him, his body pressed against mine.

  “The fall is pretty busy with school and football practice,” he said.

  True. Justin acted like my fairy godmother, but I wasn’t sure he actually had magical powers. A fall wedding would have to wait for a long time. “Which is why you do want to wait till after college?”

  He shook his head. “I was thinking more of a winter wedding.”

  “The winter after we graduate from college?”

  He laughed. “No. This winter. We could do it during Christmas break. And if we do it at the start of break, then we’ll even have time for a honeymoon.” He smiled down at me.