Empire High Betrayal (Empire High #3) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,5

and grabbed her arm. “You’re not even wearing any clothes, babe.”

“Which is apparently your thing,” she said and gestured toward me.

“Come on, Rachel.”

“No.” She took a step away from him. “I can’t believe you’re taking her side. This…you…ugh!” she screamed. She turned in a circle looking for her dress again. “And where is my dress?!”

“It’s in the bathroom,” James said.

Rachel started toward the bathroom door.

“Yeah, I kissed her,” James said. “And I gave her a keycard to my room. Because you cheated on me, Rachel. And our relationship has nothing to do with the fact that Brooklyn’s in trouble.”

“You’re full of shit. You’re just trying to torture me.” She shifted the comforter on her body so she could fit through the bathroom door and slammed it behind her.

James cringed.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m so…”

“Don’t.” James ran his hand through his hair. “Don’t apologize when you haven’t done anything wrong.” He looked down at my bloody knee and grabbed a tissue from the table behind him. “The front desk said Mr. Pruitt was still there. He’ll be up in just a minute.” He leaned down and put the tissue against my knee. “I’d say we should clean up that cut, but I guess Rachel’s hogging the bathroom.” He laughed, but it sounded forced.

“James, I didn’t mean to ruin your relationship. I…”

“You didn’t ruin anything. We’re going to be fine.”

“It doesn’t seem like you guys are fine.”

He shrugged. “Well, maybe she shouldn’t have cheated on me.” He was acting like he didn’t care, but I could tell that he did.

“I really do think it was just a kiss,” I said. “I don’t think she slept with Matt.”

He shook his head. “Does it really matter? How would you feel if you found out Matt was kissing someone else while you were dating?”

I swallowed hard. I had kissed someone while I was kind of dating Matt. Was that the same as this? Rachel was upset and went to Matt. I was upset and went to Miller. My stomach churned. “It sounds like she’s sorry. Maybe you should give her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, didn’t you get even?”

“I love her. I love her so fucking much and she betrayed my trust. I’d have to do a lot more to get even.”

“That doesn’t sound very healthy.”

“I didn’t say I was going to do it.” He lowered his eyebrows again. “Are you seriously analyzing my relationship right now? You’re the one that came here instead of going to Matt. Maybe your relationship is as unhealthy as mine.”

“Matt lives outside the city. It would have taken me forever to walk to his house.”

James stared at me. “You still chose to come to me.”

“Because I had your keycard.”

“You still chose me.”

I laughed.

“That,” he said. He reached up and lightly touched the bottom of my chin. “That. Don’t let Isabella ever take that away from you.”

I swallowed hard. “Take what away?”

“Your happiness. Your hope.” His eyes drifted to my lips. “Your innocence.”

My heartbeat kicked up a notch.

He closed his eyes for a second, his eyebrows drawn together. “I want to kiss you again,” he whispered. “And I don’t know if it’s because I like you. Or because I want to make Rachel feel like I did when she kissed Matt. Or because you remind me of what Rachel was like when we first met. Before my world corrupted her. Or because I’m still mad at her. Or if it’s because you’re hurt. I don’t know why.” He opened his eyes and they bore into mine. “But I want to.”

I stared back at him. “Making a second mistake doesn’t right the first one.”

“Kissing you wasn’t a mistake, Brooklyn.”

Yes it was. “I was actually referring to Rachel kissing Matt.”

“You really think it was just one kiss?” he asked. “You really believe him?”

“I do.”

James’ eyes travelled back to my lips. “I don’t. I don’t trust a word out of his mouth. And I still want to kiss you.”

I knew he didn’t mean it. He was just hurting. “I think you’re just scared that Rachel doesn’t love you back anymore,” I said. I knew the feeling. I was currently worried that Matt wouldn’t love me back once I told him about Miller. “And maybe you think I could fix that feeling. But I can’t.”

“Maybe you could.”

I looked up at him. “I’m not going to kiss you again. But I won’t turn down a hug. I could really use one.”

He laughed. “Yeah. I can do that.” He pulled me into his arms. “You’re